Arrange to meet the minister in charge of the Church where you wish to marry and he or she will guide you through the legal requirements and procedure. The minister will usually be the vicar, rector or priest in charge.
The Marriage Act sets out the law of marriage. The Act provides separately for the Church of England (being the national or established church) and the State (through Register Offices) to marry couples. By law a marriage can only be conducted after an appropriate preliminary for marriage which authorises the particular proposed marriage to take place.
There are three different preliminaries to a marriage to be solemnised in the Church of England: a certificate of the publication of banns of marriage, a common licence from the diocesan bishop and a special licence from the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The minister will guide enquirers and advise which is the appropriate preliminary for marriage for a couple wishing to marry in church. The minister will be able to deal with banns of marriage. If a common licence is required, application to one of the surrogates for marriage in the Diocese or the Diocesan Registrar is required. Names and addresses of the surrogates for marriage are available from the minister. If a special licence is required then application to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Registrar of Faculties is required; this should be made initially by telephone to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Faculty Office, 1 The Sanctuary, Westminster, London, SW1P 3JT (0207 222 5381) between the hours of 10am and 4pm.
In many instances it will be possible for a person who is divorced to marry in a Church of England church. The minister will give further advice, and if marriage in church is possible, will discuss which is the appropriate preliminary for marriage in the particular circumstances of the couple.
The marriage in church of persons subject to immigration control takes place in the Diocese of York by common licence. A person who is subject to immigration control wishing to marry in a Church of England church may therefore do so if a common licence is available for the particular circumstances of the couple. Again, the minister will discuss this with the couple. Persons are not subject to immigration control if they are nationals of the UK, any other EU country or Norway, Iceland, Switzerland or Liechtenstein, or if they have a passport or Certificate of Entitlement stating that they have the right of abode in the UK; other persons are subject to immigration control.
Notes of Guidance on preliminaries to marriage may be found in the restricted access area on this website for use by clergy currently authorised by institution or licence for ministry in the Diocese of York. To register [click here]
