The Sacrament of Matrimony
Preparing for your Marriage
Church Documents and Requirements
- Minimum of six months’ notice is required
- Arrange an appointment with the Parish Priest
- Book date for Marriage in person with the Parish Priest
- Marriage preparation course must have been attended (see below)
- Recent certified copies of Baptismal Certificate for each Baptised person. These must be produced and dated NO EARLIER THAN 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE DATE OF THE WEDDING - Original certificates from the time of Baptism are NOT acceptable. You should approach your church of Baptism for certified copies
- Confirmation Certificate. If the original is not available, a letter from the Parish Priest at your church of Confirmation will be required, giving all appropriate information
- Declaration of Freedom - a separate one from each - to be signed before a Commissioner for Oaths or a Solicitor
- Dispensations: these are church permissions applied for in the case of a Catholic marrying a person from another Christian tradition or a non-baptised person, or for a couple who were married civilly but want to share now the Sacrament of Marriage (convalidation). There are other areas that may require a dispensation, so it is important that these matters are addressed at the earliest possible time and before a date is set for marriage
- There may be a modest charge for documents that have to be processed through the Chancery Office of the Diocese, to cover costs of couriers or postage between dioceses as required
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Marriage Preparation Course
The Archdiocese of Southwark provides approved Marriage Preparation courses in various locations in the area throughout the year. Non-approved courses will not be acceptable. Courses normally involve a Wednesday evening, followed by a Friday evening and a Saturday daytime across a single weekend. There are bespoke weekend courses where one party is not Catholic/Orthodox. A donation of £100 is requested, which you may Gift Aid if applicable. The Parish Priest will provide you with the necessary forms to enrol. |
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Civil Registration: Certificate for Marriage
Must be applied for by both individuals from the Registry Office at their respective Council/s, in the borough/s in which they live. You must make an appointment and be interviewed. The Certificate for Marriage documents are held and displayed publicly for 21 days, after which you must collect them in person. It is most important that you make sure that you contact the council/s if you have any queries regarding their procedures, as these may vary from one local authority to another. It is advisable to begin the process of obtaining your Certificates for Marriage at least four months before your wedding. Both Certificate for Marriage documents should be given to the Parish Priest as soon as you receive them. You cannot be married without them.
Marrying in another City or Country
If you are planning to marry anywhere outside the Archdiocese of Southwark, whether at home or abroad, and you have lived in your current location for more than six months, the Parish Priest is required to gather all your documents and forward them through the Chancery (Diocesan Office) who then send them on to Chancery of the diocese in which the marriage is to take place. That diocese will then process the documents and send them to the Church in which you are to be married.
Civil Requirements for another Country
If you are getting married in another country, you must find out all that you need to do to comply with the Civil Authorities’ requirements for your marriage. You should contact the relevant Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as appropriate for information.
Time of Wedding at St Bartholomew’s
Usually on Saturdays commencing between 13:00 and 14:00.
Weddings can take place on weekdays but not on Sundays.
Rehearsal
A rehearsal will be arranged for a few days before the wedding. It is important the all the main people involved should be present. Readers should also be present at this rehearsal. This is an appropriate time to bring envelopes with the registrar’s fees and offerings to the priest. The rehearsal is the best time to bring the offerings and fees for the Wedding day.
Costs
Priests are often asked the cost of getting married. There is, of course, no charge for the Sacraments, which are dispensed by the Church as gifts from God to the community. There is, however a long-standing custom of free will offerings made by the faithful on the occasion of certain sacraments. These offerings reflect both gratitude to God and appreciation of the ministry of priests. Your offering should recognise the expenses which a parish incurs in connection with all that is involved with your marriage, and should be in proportion to the other costs of the wedding celebrations.
Registrar
Our Parish Priest is an official Registrar for the London Borough of Lambeth. Where he is not involved in the ceremony, a local authority Registrar from the London Borough of Lambeth would be required. You would need to book a Registrar well in advance, checking with the Registry Office as to their fee. In such cases, the registrar would be required to hold a short interview with each party, separately, before the ceremony commences, which you would need to build into your schedule.
Flowers
By arrangement with our Parish flower arrangers, or you can make your own arrangements.
Music
By arrangement with one of our team of Parish organists, or you can make your own arrangements.
Time Keeping
Please be punctual and allow for all eventualities.
Recording and Photography in Church
Only the official appointed photographer should move around on the sanctuary, and then only as agreed with prior approval of the priest.
Confetti
Whilst we would prefer that you do not use confetti, bio-degradable confetti may be used, but only outside the church. Please bear in mind that somebody will have to clear up afterwards.
Must be applied for by both individuals from the Registry Office at their respective Council/s, in the borough/s in which they live. You must make an appointment and be interviewed. The Certificate for Marriage documents are held and displayed publicly for 21 days, after which you must collect them in person. It is most important that you make sure that you contact the council/s if you have any queries regarding their procedures, as these may vary from one local authority to another. It is advisable to begin the process of obtaining your Certificates for Marriage at least four months before your wedding. Both Certificate for Marriage documents should be given to the Parish Priest as soon as you receive them. You cannot be married without them.
Marrying in another City or Country
If you are planning to marry anywhere outside the Archdiocese of Southwark, whether at home or abroad, and you have lived in your current location for more than six months, the Parish Priest is required to gather all your documents and forward them through the Chancery (Diocesan Office) who then send them on to Chancery of the diocese in which the marriage is to take place. That diocese will then process the documents and send them to the Church in which you are to be married.
Civil Requirements for another Country
If you are getting married in another country, you must find out all that you need to do to comply with the Civil Authorities’ requirements for your marriage. You should contact the relevant Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as appropriate for information.
Time of Wedding at St Bartholomew’s
Usually on Saturdays commencing between 13:00 and 14:00.
Weddings can take place on weekdays but not on Sundays.
Rehearsal
A rehearsal will be arranged for a few days before the wedding. It is important the all the main people involved should be present. Readers should also be present at this rehearsal. This is an appropriate time to bring envelopes with the registrar’s fees and offerings to the priest. The rehearsal is the best time to bring the offerings and fees for the Wedding day.
Costs
Priests are often asked the cost of getting married. There is, of course, no charge for the Sacraments, which are dispensed by the Church as gifts from God to the community. There is, however a long-standing custom of free will offerings made by the faithful on the occasion of certain sacraments. These offerings reflect both gratitude to God and appreciation of the ministry of priests. Your offering should recognise the expenses which a parish incurs in connection with all that is involved with your marriage, and should be in proportion to the other costs of the wedding celebrations.
Registrar
Our Parish Priest is an official Registrar for the London Borough of Lambeth. Where he is not involved in the ceremony, a local authority Registrar from the London Borough of Lambeth would be required. You would need to book a Registrar well in advance, checking with the Registry Office as to their fee. In such cases, the registrar would be required to hold a short interview with each party, separately, before the ceremony commences, which you would need to build into your schedule.
Flowers
By arrangement with our Parish flower arrangers, or you can make your own arrangements.
Music
By arrangement with one of our team of Parish organists, or you can make your own arrangements.
Time Keeping
Please be punctual and allow for all eventualities.
Recording and Photography in Church
Only the official appointed photographer should move around on the sanctuary, and then only as agreed with prior approval of the priest.
Confetti
Whilst we would prefer that you do not use confetti, bio-degradable confetti may be used, but only outside the church. Please bear in mind that somebody will have to clear up afterwards.
