Wedding Bells

When you imagine your wedding, do you see a happy, laughing couple stepping out from the church porch, confetti swirling all around? And what is the sound in the background? Probably the joyful pealing of bells, ringing out to announce to the world that a marriage has taken place. Bells have been used for centuries to proclaim the union of man and wife and are still a fundamental part of the traditional wedding day.

In most churches where bell ringing takes place regularly, there will be between six and 10 bells, sometimes more in the bigger towns and cities. Ringers love ringing for weddings, but the Tower Captain needs to know that a 'band' is needed for the big day about a month in advance so that they can ensure that the ringers can be available. Local custom often dictates whether there will be ringing before and after or only after the wedding; the Tower Captain will be pleased to advise you on this. The costs are normally set by the PCC or the vicar and can vary considerably between areas, but has to be split between all of the ringers with a large portion usually put in the Tower Fund to help fund the maintenance of the bells and their fittings.

Lesley