Congrats!
Weddings are a great celebration – a wonderful time of gathering family and friends together to witness your love and your commitment to each other. Weddings take quite a long time to plan, so don’t do things in a hurry. There are many different things to consider, both to do with the service in church, and with the day as a whole. We are here to help you in whatever way we can, making it a day that you will treasure and look back on for the rest of your lives!
What To Expect.
What to do first
The first contact you should make is with our Parish Office – 628552 or cliftonchurchoffice@gmail.com – to discuss a day and a time for your service. The only time stipulation is that the service needs to take place during the hours of daylight! The service lasts at least 35 minutes, depending what you would like in it, so factor this into your day’s plans. You will also need plenty of time for photographs.
Once the day and time is sorted out, one of the clergy team in the parish will contact you to fix up a time to meet to discuss the service. There are certain elements that you have to have in – but there is also a lot of freedom when it comes to music and readings. Different people can also be involved, so it is good to think about this. We help you put the order of service together.
The week before your wedding
In the week before the wedding, there will be a rehearsal in church. This gives you a chance to calm some of your nerves, and for us to run through the service. There is plenty of time for questions. And then on the day itself, we are with you every step of the way to make sure everything runs smoothly. We can’t ensure that the bride arrives on time but we can help with most other things. The most important thing is that you enjoy your day, celebrate your love for each other, and just get a sense of God’s love for you.
Things to know
There is a fee to be paid – you can ask the office about this when you first make contact, and we will need to ‘call the banns of marriage’ – just to make sure that no-one knows any reason why you should not get married! (See below for more details about banns). We look forward to talking through your wedding service with you, making it a day that you will never forget!
Reading of the Banns. If you are getting married at Clifton Parish Church, we will automatically read the banns. If one of you lives in another parish, you must have the banns read in that parish church. If you are a couple planning to marry at a church other than Clifton Parish Church, and either (or both) of you live in the Parish of Clifton, then your Banns of marriage will need to the called here at Clifton Parish Church. There will be a small charge for this service of £36 (2023 fee). This will usually be done at the 11:00am service on the first three Sundays of the month preceding the month of your wedding.
Please fill out this form and return it either by emailing it to: cliftonchurchoffice@gmail.com or posting it to: Clifton Parish Office, Vicarage Lodge, Clifton, York, YO30 6BH.
We will be happy to make the necessary arrangements for your Banns to called. Of course if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the church office at the above email address or on 01904 628552.