There is no doubt that the choices you make about your wedding day can make a huge impact on the cost. If you choose to marry in church, we want it to be a day that is personal and special for you, but that need not mean you spend a fortune.
There is a relatively small fee for marrying in a church (compared to your other costs for your wedding day). The fees are set by the Church of England nationally so whichever church you choose, the basic fees are the same. The cost of a basic church wedding service in 2021 is £495*, which includes all legal preparation and a wedding certificate. It may vary for you depending on your circumstances. A full breakdown of these fees is available further down this page.
These fees have ancient origins and they make a contribution to the provision of a church in your community.
Heating, flowers and/or an organist are all considered as optional additional extras that can be provided. If you ask for any of these, then this will add to the final fee. Heating is nominally set at £60 for winter weddings. If an organist is required, that is negotiated on a case by case basis and is around an additional £70 to cover their fee. We can also help with flower arrangements although the cost is variable depending on the flowers required and so this would need to be discussed with one of the church members who regularly does the flowers.
You will need to work out all these costs with us early on so that you know what to expect and can budget accordingly within all that you are paying for your wedding.
* This figure is based on a couple living at the same address and living within the parish boundaries of St Philip and St James. It includes:
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the fee set by law payable to the church: £464
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having your banns read at the church: £31 (no need for a certificate of completion)
Total: £495 in 2021
If you live outside the parish then you will need banns to be read and certified at your local church(es) - that's £46 per church.
If you are a non-British national then different arrangements apply - do get in contact and we will be pleased to help.
You will also need a marriage certificate but since May 2021 that is issued only by the government. The minimum fee for that is currently £11.00 See here
It's worth noting that the Church of England sets these fees nationally every year with the change happening on January 1st each year and the fee payable is determined by the date you get married (not the date we take booking!). The link to the official fees table is here - they are the same as on this page.
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