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Boring but important
I'm hugely privileged to be taking an active role in two weddings this year. One is for some friends who met at our house (and for once I wasn't meddling!) and the other is for Scott - a friend of my son - who is marrying the lovely Janell in the summer.
I'm officiating at Scott & Janell's wedding and am just about to submit Banns forms and it occurred to me that this might be an opportune moment to remind you to think about this if you're planning a wedding this year.
If you're getting married in church, Banns have to be read out in the parish church (if you live separately they are read at both your parish churches) within three months of the wedding date. It's a legal requirement for them to be read out in a main public service 3 times before the wedding date. There is also a rather worrying pause in the wedding service in case anyone wants to raise an objection at the last minute.
I'm sure I'm not the only minister to breathe a sigh of relief that no-one shouts out. Strictly between me & you I think they'd need to bring out the smelling salts for ME if anyone ever did!
Anyway - sorry to be boring...but DO remember to get the paperwork sorted out well in advance to avoid last minute hassles. It's hard to look gorgeous when you're stressed. Happy planning :-)
If you do have any questions about submitting your wedding banns, then please ask me by adding your question as a comment to this article. You can add comments by clicking on the 'add comment' link at the top.
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A cousin of mine recently got married and I made the mistake of taking her out in NYC to go looking for wedding dresses i have a lot of family and two sisters i will never do that again
Hi there
I'm getting married mid-August 2008, and the Reverend in the Parish where we're marrying is all set to read out our banns, but I haven't yet asked the Reverend of the Parish where I live. This may seem an obvious question, or even an impolite one, but should I do this in person - we haven't actually met him before because we go to the parish church where we're marrying not the one we live in, or is it okay to ask him on the phone?
Thanks,
Jannine
Many thanks for adding your question for our Resident Reverend to answer, but could I ask you please to re-post your question in the wedding questions section - that way other readers will be able to benefit from your question too, and it won't get lost in amongst all of the comments
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James Cole
Editor
NewlyWeds-UK
Hello there
Can you give me some advice please? I am due to get marrried on 30 June in a church outside my Parish, which has beeen organised with the vicar and the banns have been read in this church.
I also arranged for my parish church to read the banns - there was a considerable delay in this happening and they are now due to be read on 1st, 8th and 15th June.
However, by then I will have moved house to yet another parish.
My question is:
Should I get my banns read in the new parish, the old parish (ie. leave present arrangment as it is), or both parishes??
Thanks for your advice.
Regards
Hazel
Hi Hazel
Complicated isn't it?
The residence requirement for Banns is when the application is handed to the minister. So you're OK.
The reason for calling Banns is to give anyone who knows you a chance to object. Therefore it is more relevant in the place you have been living for a while than a new location.
If you want to hear banns called in your current church you'll need to 'get your skates on! It's nice for the congregation to see you and pray for you if you're going to be living in that new community - but there is a charge in each place.
Hope this helps and that you've found a place you feel settled in. Hope all goes well for you on the big day.
warmest
Jan
My fiance and I both live in London and go (albeit fairly infrequently) to an anglican church outside the parish in which we live. We are having a Church of Scotland wedding in Glasgow, my home, in August. I know Banns aren't read in Church of Scotland churches, but do we need to have our Banns read in England as we are resident here, are are we free to marry in Scotland without jumping through Church of England hoops?
Dear Reader
I've got to admit I don't know the answer to this one immediately but I'll find out and come back to you as soon as possible. The Anglican equivalent in Scotland is the Episcopalian Church,and Church of Scotland is different - and I do know that the rules are very different in Scotland anyway. As an Anglican minister I can marry people in England & Wales, but not Scotland.
So I'll research this and come back to you if I may.
Many thanks for asking
Jan
Dear Reader
I've just read these comments on the website
http://www.kirkweb.org/ministry.htm
Since 1978 the calling of banns has been discontinued in the Church of Scotland. The couple themselves must each complete a Marriage Notice form and return this to the District Registrar for the area in which they are to be married, irrespective of where they live, at least fifteen days before the ceremony is due to take place. The papers required with the form are detailed thereon.
If everything is in order the District Registrar will issue, not more than seven days before the date of the ceremony, a Marriage Schedule. This must be in the hands of the Minister officiating at the marriage ceremony before the service begins. Under no circumstances must the minister deviate from this rule. To do so is an offence under the Act.
Proclamation of banns is no longer required in Scotland but in the Church of England marriage is governed by the provisions of the Marriage Act 1949, which requires that the parties shall have been proclaimed and which provides that in the case of a party residing in Scotland a Certificate of Proclamation given according to the law or custom prevailing in Scotland shall be sufficient for the purpose. Should a minister be requested to call banns for a person resident within the Registration District wherein his church is situated he should accede, making the proclamation only on one Sunday, if the parties are known to him and he has reason to believe that there is no impediment to the marriage; otherwise on two Sundays.Proclamation should be made at the principal service of worship.
If you would like further information please contact the Church of Scotland, 121 George Street Edinburgh. Eh2 4YN. Tel: 0131 225 5722.
Hope this helps. Have a great wedding
jan