To ensure your marriage complies with both UK Civil and Church law, there are certain aspects of a church wedding that must be carried out by us both.
Reading of Banns
Banns are an announcement in church of your intention to marry and a chance for anyone to put forward a reason why the marriage may not lawfully take place. Banns need to be read in the parish where each of you lives as well as the parish church in which you are to be married, if that is somewhere else. You must have your banns read out in church for three Sundays during the three months before the wedding. In this Parish we like to read out Banns at the main 10am Parish Service over the first three consecutive Sundays of the month before your wedding day.
If you live within this parish, but are not getting marrried in the Priory Church, please arrange with the Vicar to read your Banns on 3 Sundays as prescribed. After they have been read for the third and final time you may collect a Certificate of Banns from the Vicar to give to the Minister marrying you. If you do not give this Certificate to the Minister or Registrar prior to the wedding they cannot marry you.
Please download and complete our Banns Application Form.
This is a PDF version that you need to print off and write in the boxes
- if you prefer you can click Banns Application Form (Word) to download and edit a Word version.
Residency
In order that the Minister can legally read your Banns in the Priory Church they must first confirm your Residency Status - that you do indeed live in the Parish of Deeping St James and have a right to live in the UK. The easiest way to confirm this is for both of you to bring along your passports and a recent utility bill for your address(es) to your first interview with the Minister. (see also licences below)
Licences
Sometimes there may not be enough time left for the Banns to be read before the marriage is due to take place, or, in the case of the marriage of people whose nationality is not British or if one or both of you do not currently live in England, it is recommended that the Licence procedure be used rather than calling Banns. This is especially recommended if there is any doubt as to the legal requirements of the home country of a non-British person for recognition of an English Church marriage.
There are some other special circumstances in which you may need a Special Licence, Common Licence, or a Superintendent Registrar's Certificate to marry in church.
Get in touch with the as soon as possible if you think you may need a Licence or you are concerned.