Weddings
Wedding Home Page
Wedding Fees
Wedding Music
Hymns for Weddings
Anthems for Weddings
Organ
About
Appeals
Baptism
Benefice/Deanery/Diocese
Bell Ringers
Books
Choir Abbey Visit
Church of England Website
Collect
Contacts
Events
Exhibitions
Forthcoming Events
Home Groups
Intercessions
Lent Sermons
Links
Lunchtime Concerts
Organisation of the Church
Music
Psalm of the week
Sermons
Search Site
Site Map
Stewardship
Sunday Services
Virtual Walk around St Mary's
Vision for Action
Walker Organ
Walker Organ Restoration
Weddings
Weekly Bulletin In pdf format
Weekly Services
Where to find us
Who are we?
Young Families
Young Peoples Group - Smyle
CONTACTING
YOUR VICAR
Wherever you live in our parish you are entitled to be married at St. Mary's
Church, but usually it is the Vicar of your district who conducts the service.
You will probably have already made contact with the Vicar. If you have
not, you will find telephone numbers at the end of this document.
If your own Vicar is not able to conduct the service, we will arrange for
one of the other members of the clergy team to do so and let you have this
information well before the date of your wedding. You will then be able
to meet with the Vicar concerned to plan your wedding service - the music,
the hymns and the prayers.
BOOKING THE DATE
St Mary's Vestry is open on Tuesdays from 6.30-7.30pm. You should go
there only after your initial interview with your Vicar, taking with
you your completed booking form. There you will find someone to welcome
you, to book a date and time for your wedding and to receive payment
of the fees. The Vestry phone number is 242585. If you change your
address having booked your wedding, it is very important that you inform
your Vicar.
PAYING THE FEES
A deposit of £50 is taken when you book your wedding. Thereafter
it is possible, if you wish to pay by installments. We ask that you ensure
that you have paid in full not later than four weeks before your wedding.
You can come to the Vestry any Tuesday evening to make your payments.
There is a separate leaflet with details of the current fees. Cheques
should be made payable to "Hemel Hempstead Parish Fees Account".
CALLING THE BANNS
If one of you lives outside our parish, it is your responsibility to
see your local Vicar and arrange to have your Banns of Marriage called
in the church where you live. You should do this about four months
before the wedding. Your local Vicar will then issue a Banns Certificate
which
is valid for three months. You should pass the certificate to the Vicar
who is conducting your wedding. If we do not have that certificate,
we are forbidden by law to marry you.
If either or both of you live in the Hemel Hempstead Team Parish, we
will let you know when and where your banns will be called, so that
you may be present to hear them read.
PLANNING THE SERVICE
Music
You will need to give careful thought to the music and hymns for your
wedding. You should discuss this with the Vicar taking your service.
Flowers
St. Mary's Church provides the flowers at weddings. Outside professional
florists are not allowed. The wedding service fees include a contribution
towards the cost of the flowers, though special conditions apply during
Advent (the four weeks before Christmas) and Lent (the six weeks before
Easter).
Photographs in church
Only your official photographer is allowed to take photographs during
the service in church. The Vicar will explain the arrangements for
this when you meet.
Video recordings
There are very strict rules about this and an extra fee to pay. Please
ask for further information when you see your Vicar:
Confetti
Confetti causes us great problems. We ask you to do all you can to
deter your guests from using it in the church or churchyard.
Being on time
Make sure your plans allow for the bride to be ready to enter the
church on time with all the pre-wedding photographs finished.
During the summer,
on Saturdays there can be as many as five weddings in succession.
It helps us all to enjoy the day if everyone is on time. A late
start may mean we have to shorten the service by leaving out
hymns.
REHEARSAL
We expect couples to come to St. Mary's Church on an evening
shortly before the wedding to familiarize themselves with the
building
and to run through the service. This rehearsal will be arranged
with
the Vicar
conducting your wedding.
SOME USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS
The Vicar of St. Mary's 213838
St. Alban's, Warners End & St. Peter's, Gadebridge 251897
St. Barnabas, Adeyfield 253681
St. Paul's, Highfeld 255023
The Church of the Resurrection, Grovehill
and Woodhall Farm 270585
St. Mary's Vestry 242585
Parish Office 253977
The Team Rector 213838