Congratulations! You have decided to be married in St Laurence Church, Ansley.
There is a lot of information on the Church of England website here
We will do everything we can to ensure that your Marriage Service will be a time to remember with joy for the rest of your lives.
We hope this guide will tell you all you need to know about getting married at St Laurence Church, but if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Churchwarden Diana Kealey by following the link on this website.
Planning
* (Whilst at the moment we are without a vicar don’t worry, appropriate cover will be found for your wedding and you will be given the contact details of the person that will lead your service)
Cost
There is a statutory charge for any wedding. This is set centrally.
Other costs that are applied by the church (these are set annually and available on request)
- Verger – who will ensure that everything is ready for you.
- The Organist- who will play before, during and as you leave the church as required.
- Car park attendant – if you are expecting more than 35 cars it will be necessary to have a car park attendant to provide sufficient parking for all your guests using part of the farmers land/yard. This will ensure that the lane is kept clear for the bridal party and other lane users.
- Bells – There are six bells which will require 6 ringers.
Service Sheets
If you wish to have your own service sheet, please ensure that the Vicar is aware of this at an early stage.
The sheet may simply contain an order for the hymns, readings and prayers, but may also contain the words of the Marriage Ceremony itself (see next page). It is a good idea to let the Vicar check over the proof of the service sheet before you get it printed. On your wedding day, please make sure the sheets arrive at church early enough for the ushers to distribute them when your guests arrive.
The Marriage Service
If you wish to have the complete marriage service on your service sheets, it can be obtained via the internet on the Church of England website
Music
It is vital that you contact our organist to talk over your requirements at least one month before your wedding. You are also welcome to arrange for your own organist, or even have a music group, but the organ fee is still payable. We also have facilities for playing CDs.
Flowers
Whatever your wishes regarding flowers please contact the Church Warden as soon as possible – at the very latest a month before your wedding – to discuss your requirements. Altar vases and pedestals are available but regrettably we are unable to arrange the flowers for you.
Please make sure your flower arranger:
- Uses the two brass vases already on the altar,
- There is an arrangement on the small table at the crossing of the aisles near the main door.
- Arrangements in the porch.
Any additional flowers are at your own discretion.
After the service please leave the flowers on the altar, on the small table and in the porch. Other flowers may be taken to the reception.
If you wish to put flowers or ribbons on the pew ends You MUST NOT use pins, sticky tape or other adhesives as these damage the oak pews. We should be very pleased to provide clips for your arrangements which work very well. It would be greatly appreciated if you could ask a friend or your florist to remove these decorations after your guests have left the church.
Church Annexe Facilities
The toilet/baby change in the annexe will be available at all times during your wedding. In addition, the annexe room is available for hire both before and after the service.
Photographs
In order not to disrupt the flow of the service by unnecessary movement or by an untimely flash going off, it is requested that no photographs are taken during the ceremony. Photographs can be taken before the service, during the signing of the registers, and at the final procession.
If the weather is wet, additional time will be made available for extra photographs to be taken inside the church.
Please ensure your photographer and guests knows that there is to be NO CONFETTI in the the churchyard, but it can be thrown outside the lych gate as you leave.
If another wedding is planned for the same day, please try to arrange for all photographs to be taken and the car park cleared at least 90 minutes after the start of the service.
Video
If you wish to have a video made of the Marriage Service, this is perfectly acceptable. The church holds a copyright licence to enable you to film the hymns and any other music. However, this does not give you licence to edit or dub the film. If you wish to do this, you are responsible for obtaining permissions.
Bells
If you wish to have the bells rung at the service, please book this early. The bells will normally be rung for 30 minutes following the service. Remember, however, that if the service starts late, the bell ringers will ring for a shorter time if they have other commitments.
Marriage Preparation
You will first have an interview with the Vicar where you can ask any questions you may have. It is also a good time to begin to think about the prayers, readings, hymns and other music you want as the Vicar can help you choose.
The next thing is another interview with the Vicar where final arrangements can be tidied up, and details of the rehearsal arranged. This would be a good time to show the Vicar a proof copy of your service sheet, if you are having one.
The Final Week
Wedding Rehearsal
The final part of the preparation is the rehearsal – a very important process which is designed to make sure that everything runs smoothly on the day. This takes place in church, usually in the week running up to the wedding. It is helpful if the Best Man, bridesmaids and parents can be present for this, but they should arrive half an hour after the fixed time to allow the Vicar time alone with the couple.
If you have not already done so, please bring with you:
- Certificate(s) of banns from another parish (if applicable)
- Service Sheet (if you are having your own)
- All fees
Time Together
Book now a few hours on your own together in the final week to enjoy each other’s company and not be disturbed.
On the Day
Arrivals
To avoid unnecessary rush and panic, the groom should arrive 20-30 minutes before the start of the service and the bride 5 minutes before the start.
Bridal Party
It is best for the bridal party to use the lych gate (the gate nearest the main road) to allow maximum use of the car park for guests. This is also a good setting for photographing the arrival and departure of the bridal party. Car Parking – The car park is fairly small, so if you are expecting more than 30 cars we can arrange for a car park marshal so that all cars are parked neatly and everyone can get in. If you are expecting more than 50 cars, additional parking can be arranged for you free of charge. Please let the Vicar or Church Warden know if either a marshal or extra parking is required.
After Marriage
After your marriage it will be lovely to see you both again. You are most welcome to join us in our regular Sunday worship.
Dates times are on this website
Alternatively, you could try coming at the special times in the church calendar, e.g. Christmas, Easter, Harvest, Mothering Sunday, or to celebrate your own special anniversaries.
Please remember that the Vicar will always be available for help and advice.
Contacts
- Church Warden: – Diana Kealey 024 7639 5089
- Organist: – Margaret Kimberley
Closing Prayer
All praise and blessing to you, God of love, creator of the universe, source of blessing for married life. All praise to you, for you have created
- Courtship and marriage
- Joy and gladness
- Feasting and laughter
- Pleasure and delight.
May your blessing come in full upon us.
May we know your presence in our joys and in our sorrows.
May we reach old age in the company of friends and come at last to your eternal kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.