Sermon preached on 2 July 2017 by Kelvin Holdsworth
Wedding Music
One of the most exciting parts of planning for a wedding at St Mary’s is the range of musical possibilities.
Music for weddings is organised in conjunction with the Director of Music who is always happy to give advice to anyone about what might be possible and what might be appropriate.
Most weddings have an organist and hymn singing from the congregation. St Mary’s can often also offer an excellent choir to help lead the singing too. The choir of this cathedral church can be regularly heard on BBC Radio and sing twice every week on Sundays during term time.
It is also possible to arrange for soloists to sing or for collaboration to take place with other groups of musicians.
Part of the process of planning a wedding at St Mary’s is talking to the person conducting the ceremony. This person will then ensure that contact is made with the Director of Music who will be delighted to help.
Wedding Fees
Fees are reviewed annually in January based on the Consumer Price Index for the preceding December. Couples pay the current fee at the date of their wedding. The cathedral uses PayPal for those wishing to pay using a credit or debit card. Payments can also be made by bank transfer.
Some couples want to decorate the church with flowers, others simply enjoy the stunning building without flowers. It is often preferable for the couple to make their own arrangements for flowers if they want them. It is possible for those who organise the flowers in St Mary’s to arrange for flowers for weddings. The cost will depend on how many flowers are requested.
Video recording is only allowed by prior arrangement and fees are doubled for the celebrant, the organist and the choir.
No charge is made for the building for simple weddings taking place in St Anne’s Chapel.
In cases where either of the parties to the marriage or civil partnership are on benefits and choose not to have the choir and bell-ringers, the charges for the cathedral and the celebrant are waived.
The following fees are charged for marriages and services of blessing for civil partnership.
Use of the Cathedral – £550
Celebrant – £340
Organist – £195
Choir – £550 (Not usually available on weekdays)
Bells – £305
(Fees last updated January 2024)
Second Time Around?
People quite often ask whether or not it is possible to get married in church, or in particular by one of the priests of the Scottish Episcopal Church when one or other of the people involved have been married before.
In most circumstances it is possible for such couples to be married by a priest though the priest does need the permission of the local bishop before he or she can conduct the wedding. This is a routine part of the pastoral care which the bishop offers to local clergy and local people.
A bishop would be unlikely to agree to a wedding if it was going to cause an obvious scandal. A bishop would also be unlikely to allow a marriage to take place if there were children from a previous marriage or partnership who were not being looked after properly, including appropriate financial provision.
Any couple seeking marriage in church where one or other of them have been married before should speak to the priest whom they hope will marry them at the earliest opportunity.
Bishop Gregor (our local bishop) asks for three months notice to be given to him to enable him to be able to come to a decision. All people getting married in the Scottish Episcopal Church should expect to speak with members of the clergy before they get married. For many couples where one or other of them have been married before, meeting the bishop is part of the pastoral process leading up to the wedding itself.
A significant proportion of weddings conducted in Scottish Episcopal Churches are those where one or other (or both) of the people getting married have been married previously.
If you have children and are getting married you can discuss with the priest conducting the service ways of involving them in the ceremony.
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