Welcome to Weddings at St Giles’
Everything you need to know about who can marry here, planning, and the day itself
Who can marry in St Giles'
In October 2008 there was a relaxation in the rules governing who can be married in church. This makes it possible for those who have previously had a link, or been part of the community to marry here. One of you will need to fulfil one of these criteria,
you were baptized or confirmed here
you have at some time lived in the parish for six months or more
you have regularly attended public worship here for six months or more
or you may have a family link,
one of your parents has regularly attended worship at St Giles'in your lifetimes
your parents or grandparents were married here
If one or both parties have previously been married, pastoral provision is made for re-marriage in church. We understand that life is complicated, and never wish to judge, but the couple need to arrange to meet the Rector before other preparations are made.
If you wish to get married here under this legislation or need any other information about eligibility (or re-marriage) please look at Church of England policy on its website, www.yourchurchwedding.org
We are here to help you with the planning of your wedding and we hope this information will make it a little easier. The Rector will meet you on several occasions to prepare with you for your marriage and the Parish Administrator will help with practical details of the service. The Director of Music will help with planning music for your wedding.
Planning
Booking the date
Book the date and time with St Giles’ as soon as you can, to avoid disappointment. We are happy to take provisional bookings up to two years ahead.
Six to nine months ahead
Confirm your booking date and time with the Parish Administrator and make an appointment to meet the Rector to discuss wedding preparation.
Three months ahead
Finalise details of the wedding service
Ensure all information for the calling of the banns has been supplied (including to other churches). The calling of banns in the parish where you are to be married, and in which all parties live is required by law.
Arrange an appointment for your rehearsal
Two months ahead
Payment for the wedding is due
One week ahead
A rehearsal is held in church for all those directly involved in the service. This normally takes place in the early evening and lasts for a little under an hour. You should try to have the best (wo)man, bridesmaids/men and an usher/other guests who are helping present. This is a time for those with important roles in the service to come to the building, learn where the loos are, and which door guests come in so you can help others on the day. We go through the spoken parts of the service and put you at your ease. Some families use this as a chance to show the church to those who have not visited it before, and many go on to an informal family dinner afterwards. It is an exciting beginning to the wedding days.
How much will it cost?
The Administrator will give you a breakdown of church fees and additional costs and advise you when payment needs to be made. Weddings in London nowadays can be very expensive. At St Giles’ we help celebrate grand and expensive weddings, and also very simple and affordable weddings. We understand the reality of such considerations. Please speak to the Rector openly about expectations early on.
Calling the banns
Your banns of marriage – the public statement of your intention to marry – will be called at St Giles' on three Sundays in the months preceding your wedding. If one of both of you lives outside the parish or is on the Electoral Roll of another church, that church too. (These are called Away Banns). Please come and hear your banns being read. For Away Banns, it is your responsibility to make contact with the Parish Church and to arrange to have your banns read there. (To find your parish church, check www.achurchnearyou.com and enter your postcode. There is a fee payable for the publication of Banns.) When they have been read, collect the banns' certificate and give it to the Rector of St Giles’ at least a week before the wedding. The marriage cannot legally take place unless the banns are in order.
The forms for both Banns and Away Banns can be found here.
The Wedding Day
How long will the service last?
We allow about forty-five minutes to an hour for the service but this does not include time for taking photographs outside the church or inside if it is raining. Please allow sufficient time for your journey to the church. Please do not be late. We ask that there is a mobile phone connection with one of the ushers if the bride is arriving by car, so we can be advised of any traffic problems and warn the organist and bell ringers accordingly.
Please note that our professional musicians may have other engagements elsewhere after your ceremony, so if your service seriously overruns its allotted time the choir and organist may have to leave, whether or not your service has concluded.
Witnesses
You need two witnesses who are over 18 years of age.
Orders of service including choice of music
You do not have to have a printed order of service. If you prefer, we can simply provide your guests with hymn books. Most couples do produce their own order of service and you will be helped by the Rector and Director of Music in compiling this. They need to approve your final choice of readings, music and hymns. The outline of the service can be downloaded from the Church of England website www.yourchurchwedding.org Hymns are for you to choose yourself and two or three would be suitable. Choose well known hymns that your guests will enjoy singing.
Part of the fee you pay to the Director of Music includes her professional advice about what to choose. We recommend that you book our excellent quartet of professional singers, together with our Director of Music/Organist. If you prefer to book your own musicians (organist and/or singers) our Director of Music/Organist and Choir are all entitled to receive 50% of their usual fee; additionally, you must make clear on a printed order of service that the musicians are not the regular musicians from St.Giles.
Ushers and Seating
You need to provide ushers who will welcome your guests and assist people as they arrive. One usher per 25-30 guests is a good ratio, so for a congregation of 100 we suggest you have four. They need to be present 30 minutes before the wedding to distribute orders of service and buttonholes and take people to their seats.
Photographers and video
We do allow photographers in the church. Professional photos may be taken during the singing of hymns, the signing of the register and as the couple process down the church at the end of the service. Guests are asked to put all cameras and ‘phones away for the duration of the service but may join the professional photographer during the signing of the register. A video may be taken of the ceremony, the person taking it is to remain in one place and not come forward from the nave aisles into the chancel area as this is distracting. The north side of the organ loft may be used by photographers with the permission of the Director of Music but must not move while the choir is singing.
What do I do about flowers?
St Giles' is a big space, and one or two large arrangements work best. Increasingly couples don’t bother with flowers at all, considering the church beautiful without them. Couples may arrange their own, ask family and friends to help, or employ a florist. Please arrange with the Administrator for a suitable time to deliver or arrange flowers in the church.
Confetti
Sadly, no confetti is permitted in and around the church by local regulation. Even "bio-degradable" confetti is not allowed. Some couples like to use bubbles instead, or throw confetti at the reception venue, or on the main road, after leaving the Barbican Churchyard.
Parking
It is easy to park in the City on Saturdays. Please check the City of London website for notification of any road closures due to weekend building work. We can accommodate 10 cars outside the church during the service, as well as official cars for the bride and bridesmaids. In the event of rain, the bride's car can stop within two feet of the west door. Some families hire a coach to take guests to the reception and this must be parked in Fore Street. If you are arranging your reception locally, please move cars at the end of the service as the barrier to the churchyard is locked. There is ample parking in the Barbican Centre complex.
Queries
It is your wedding day. We will do everything to help make it a wonderful day to remember. If there are any queries you have, anything that you think we have left out, please ask. We all enjoy weddings here and we want you to enjoy yours.
‘God is love, and those who live in love live in God. and God lives in them.’ 1 St John 4.16