Getting Married at St Michael's

St Michael's is a popular venue for weddings, for local people and for those who live further away, with a combination of beauty, space and location in the centre of Ledbury.
But above all, weddings at St Michael's offer an opportunity for couples to dedicate their relationship to God in an atmosphere of prayer and worship – to look for his guidance, strength and support that make all the difference to a relationship.

If you have any questions about weddings at St Michael's, then please contact the Team Office.

We're getting married, and would like to have the service at St Michael's

Many congratulations on your decision to get married. We do hope that all your wedding preparations will go well, and that you will be able to build a strong marriage and to know God's richest blessing on your relationship. Our aim is to serve you as best as we can, and to help you prepare smoothly for the day.

What do we need to do first?

Please contact the Team Office, and we'll send you an application form, together with our introductory leaflet. You'll need to complete the application form and return it to us with a deposit of £50 (payable to the Ledbury Team Ministry).
If you'd prefer, we've included both the form and the leaflet on this page for you to download.
When we receive the application form, we'll write to you confirming the date, time and venue of the marriage service. We'll also assign one of our Team Clergy to be the point of contact with you and to take the service. S/he will be in touch with you to begin to plan the service and to help you to prepare for it.

Can we get married at Ledbury if we live somewhere else?

Yes! Where you live affects where you can legally get married, but don't worry, as there is always a way through the regulations, and we've never yet had a wedding enquiry where we couldn't take the service.

If one or both of you live in our area, or have a genuine connection with it (e.g. you used to live or attend church here), then it's very straightforward. If this isn't the case, then it can sometimes a little more complicated, but there are always a number of different valid options that we can discuss with you, so please don't hesitate to enquire about booking your wedding with us – we will be able to do it!

What if one of us has been married before?

Until recently we were unable to conduct weddings for those who had sadly been divorced (and whose former spouse was still alive). This is no longer the case, and we welcome applications from people in all situations. Marriage is God's wonderful idea for the world he made and loves, and God looks for marriage to be faithful and lifelong, but at the same time we recognise that in the reality of human relationships this unfortunately isn't always the case.

The Lord Jesus Christ came and died for us on the Cross that all of us might know God's forgiveness and a new start in life through faith in him. We've discovered that new life, and want to offer the love of God and the possibility of that new start with him to everyone we can.

We want to help couples to address the issues from the past that might hurt or damage the new marriage, and to do what we can to make it as strong as possible.

We will meet with you to talk through honestly and openly your previous marriage, and how you are approaching your new relationship in the light of what has gone before. Most couples find this a very helpful and positive thing to do, and you can be assured of a warm and non-judgmental welcome, and that you will be treated with the utmost respect.

We cannot guarantee that we will be able to take the service in all cases, but If it turns out to be impossible for us to take your service, then we will gladly offer you a service of prayer and blessing (after a civil marriage ceremony). Such blessing services give us in fact much more freedom than with a marriage service to put a service together that really works for you, and many people find them a more than satisfactory alternative.

How much will our Marriage Service cost?

We're required by the Church nationally to charge for each marriage or blessing service that we take. Charges are made up of an amount that goes to the Church nationally to support all clergy, an amount that goes to the local Church for upkeep of the building and to cover administrative costs, and fees paid to various people taking part in the service (e.g. the organist). Full information about our current charges is available from the Team Office

Just occasionally a couple find it difficult to pay the Church fees. If you think that this might be the case for you, then don't panic. Talk to us as soon as possible. There are some 'extras' within the fees that we might be able to remove (e.g. the Church organist or bellringers). We can also arrange payment by instalment over a longer period of time, or discuss with you ways in which you might save some expense in other parts of your wedding.

What if we'd like a Blessing Service after a Civil Marriage?

Blessing Services take place regularly at St Michael's. Many come immediately after a Register Office ceremony. Others are some time after a wedding, perhaps if there are special circumstances (such as when the wedding took place abroad and couples would like a service in this country to which everyone can be invited.

Blessing services are always devised specially by minister and couple together, and don't need to follow a set form.

Remember what's important...

There is a huge amount of planning and preparation for a marriage service. In all of this, it's very easy to lose sight of what it's all about. As a Church we aim to walk alongside couples, helping practically where we can and giving you space to talk over those things that really matter.

The Bible speaks of marriage as God's idea, and talks about the blessing that God longs to pour out on all couples preparing for marriage.

Why not begin even now to explore this dimension of your marriage by talking to God about it, sharing your hopes, fears and dreams, and asking for his help and strength?

My beloved speaks and says to me: 'Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtle dove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.'
Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If one offered for love all the wealth of one's house, it would be utterly scorned
Song of Solomon 2.10-13; 8.6-7 (The Bible)

Documents to Download

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Wedding Application Form