Weddings
St Etheldreda’s church is very popular for weddings, because it is ancient, beautiful, enchanting and secluded, but most of all, we hope, because couples find there a spiritual atmosphere and a sense of the sacred that alone can provide a worthy setting for the moment when they pledge their love to God and to each other.
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​Through the sacrament of marriage the mutual love of man and woman becomes a symbol of Christ’s love for his Bride the Church and a vivid expression of that exchange of love which takes place in the depth of God’s being: ‘All that I have is yours, and all that you have is mine.’
‘Married love … wells up from the fountain of divine love and is structured on the model of Christ’s union with His Church...Authentic married love is caught up into divine love and is governed and enriched by Christ’s redeeming power and the saving activity of the
Church’
Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et spes, 48
To be married in any Catholic church, at least one of the parties must be Catholic, and a non-Catholic partner must be willing to approve of the Catholic party undertaking to do their best to bring up the children of the marriage as Catholics.
Wedding at St Etheldreda's © Mark Wallis Photography
Getting married at St Etheldreda’s
If you wish to be married at St Etheldreda’s you should email us at least 6 months before your proposed wedding explaining:
– who you are;
– your religious background and that of your fiancé(e);
– why you wish to get married at St Etheldreda’s;
– and when (exact day, if possible).
Please provide full names, postal addresses, mobile telephone numbers and email addresses.
If the church accepts your request you will be invited to a preliminary meeting, where the initial paperwork will be completed and the whole procedure will be explained. Instructions will be given for marriage preparation, you will be advised how to obtain necessary documentation, and there will be an initial discussion of how you envisage your marriage ceremony. A second meeting will be arranged for about 6 weeks before the wedding when paperwork will be checked, details of the wedding ceremony finalised and a date arranged for the rehearsal.
Weddings take place on Fridays at 4pm
and Saturdays at 1pm or 1.30pm and,
3.30pm or 4pm. We would also consider a wedding ceremony to be held on a weekday at 4 pm. Please contact the parish office for details.
Many couples who marry in St Etheldreda’s Church hold their Reception in the beautiful and ancient setting of St Etheldreda’s Crypt. To do this you must choose a 4pm wedding service and book your wedding at least 8 months in advance.
To couples who are about to be married, whether at St Etheldreda’s or elsewhere: we wish you lasting joy as you journey together along the path that leads to God.
Click here to see a short video of a wedding at St Etheldreda’s.
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