Getting Married in one of the Benefice Churches
Are we eligible to marry in our Parish Church?
If you would like to get married in one of our Churches, the first thing to do is find out if you are eligible to be married in that Church.
If you can answer ‘Yes’ to any one of the following questions, then you can get married in the Church you have chosen. When answering the questions below, the ‘Parish’ refers to the location of the Church you want to marry in, ie Silsoe or Flitton or Pulloxhill.
- Does one of you live in the Parish?
- Is one of you on the Parish Electoral Roll AND has one of you been baptised?
- Has either of you at any time lived in the Parish for at least 6 months?
- Has either of you at any time regularly gone to normal church services in the Parish church for at least 6 months?
- Were either of you baptised in the Parish?
- Were either of you prepared for confirmation in the Parish AND has one of you been baptised?
- Has one of your parents, at any time after you were born, lived in the Parish for a period of at least 6 months?
- Has one of your parents, at any time after you were born, regularly gone to normal church services in the Parish church for at least 6 months?
- Has one of your parents or grandparents married in the Parish?
- Have you been granted a Special Licence to marry in the Parish church?
What does it cost?
There are two sets of fees payable if you marry in one of our Parish churches – the ‘Legal Fees’ and the ‘Optional Extras Fees’.
The Legal Fees are set nationally by the Church of England and are reviewed annually. For 2024, those fees are:
| Statutory fee for a basic Church of England wedding service | £531 |
| Calling of the Banns in the Parish | £36 |
| For inter-Benefice weddings only - calling of the Banns in the other Benefice parish | £36 |
| Banns called at a church outside the Benefice, (or in the Parish if you are getting married outside the Benefice, | £36 for calling £18 for certificate |
The Optional Extras Fees are set by each Parochial Church Council and are reviewed annually. For 2023/2024, those fees are:
| Service Assistance | £30 |
| Organist* | Fee varies according to organist used, but will be approximately £100 minimum |
| Choir* | £100 minimum |
| Bells* | £150 |
| *These are by arrangement and are subject to availability. There may be additional costs, eg rehearsal of new music. If video recording takes place the Organist's Fee doubles. |
Can we have a Blessing in the church?
If you wish to have a Blessing in the Parish Church, please contact Rev Simon or Rev Louise. There is no statutory fee for a blessing performed in a church. We ask that you make a donation equivalent to the basic cost of a wedding.
Can we renew our marriage vows?
If would like to renew your marriage vows in church, please contact Rev Simon or Rev Louise. There is no statutory fee for this sort of service but we ask that you make a donation equivalent to the basic cost of a wedding.
More information about Weddings and Blessings
If you are considering getting married in church or having your marriage blessed, you may find it helpful to look at the special Church of England website which has all sort of useful information together with a ceremony planner to help you keep track of all the arrangements.
Please contact either Rev Simon or Rev Louise for further information
01525 643478 RevSimon@3churches.uk RevLouise@3churches.uk
(Simon and Louise usually have Monday as their day off)