Congratulations! If you are looking at this page, either you are engaged to be married or a member of your family is and you are helping to plan the wedding. Weddings are wonderful occasions for the couple, their families and friends. Much work goes into the organisation of the day, but it is important that throughout this process all the lines of communication are kept open so that the couple gets the wedding they wanted.
There are two sides to every wedding that takes place in a church. The first is to make sure that you comply with all the legal requirements. Couples must go to a registrar and give at least 3 months notice of their intention to marry. The registrar will then issue them with a Marriage Registration Form and this must be produced on the day of the wedding to be signed. The Diocesan Website has a very helpful section which covers all this in detail. It can be accessed at http://cork.anglican.org/help/getting-married-in-church/
The second stage is the preparation of the wedding service itself. The parish clergy are there to help you with this. The Rector has written a short booklet called ‘Getting Married in our Parish’, giving you much of the information you need to know. When you first go to visit the Rector or priest who is officiating at your wedding, you will be given this booklet. You will need to meet several times to plan the service and deal with other practical matters. You may also be looking for information on marriage preparation courses. Again the Rector can provide you with information on what courses are available.
As you prepare for your wedding, or help a family member prepare for theirs, we wish you every blessing and happiness.