Weddings at Shakespeare’s Church

We are delighted that you are thinking of getting married at Holy Trinity Church.

The first thing to do is check if  one (or both) of you has a qualifying connection with this church, according to the rules laid down by the Church of England. If you are unsure, please contact the Parish Office for advice.

A person has a qualifying connection with a parish if:

that person:

• was baptised in the parish. (This does not apply where the baptism formed part of a combined service of baptism or confirmation); or
• had his or her confirmation entered in a church register book of a church or chapel in the parish; or
• has at any time had his or her usual place of residence in the parish for at least 6 months; or
• has at any time habitually attended public worship in the parish for at least 6 months;

or

• a parent of that person has at any time during that person’s lifetime:
• had his or her usual place of residence in the parish for at least 6 months; or
• habitually attended public worship in the parish for at least 6 months;

 or

• a parent or grandparent of that person was married in the parish.

The next step is to contact the Parish Office (Tel: 01789 266316, Email office@stratford-upon-avon.org) and arrange to attend a Wedding Surgery with a member of the clergy. You will each need to bring with you your passport, birth certificate and driving licence (if you have one). If one or both of you have been married before, we need to see your divorce papers too. The proposed date of your wedding can be discussed at this meeting.

Before the wedding, we ask that you both attend a Marriage Preparation course. And immediately before the big day, there will be a rehearsal for those taking part in the ceremony, at which the priest who is conducting it will go through exactly what will happen and answer any last-minute questions.

We look forward to hearing from you, and wish you every happiness on your wedding day and for the rest your lives together.