Our churches are popular for weddings, and we would hope to make your wedding very special. St Mary’s offers one of the grandest settings in the county for a traditional wedding, with a magnificent building and (we claim) the second longest aisle in a parish church in the country. St Peter’s also offers a delightful setting for your wedding if you are looking for something more intimate.
The law has changed and it is much easier to be married in the church that you wish, so please do contact Jackie Crofts for more details using the contact details below.
If one or both partners have been divorced it may be possible to be married in our churches, so do please get in touch.
From 1 January 2024, the basic cost of a wedding in our churches is the statutory fee of £567 plus £130 for an organist and £105 at St Mary’s (for verger and PA operator) or £52.50 at St Peter’s (for verger). In other words, a standard wedding with organist at St Mary’s costs £802 and at St Peter’s costs £749.50.
The basic cost of a service of blessing after an act of the civil registration of marriage is £290, with extras as above
There are additional costs if you would like bells (£95 – St Mary’s only), flowers (depending on what you would like), or a choir (£295 – St Mary’s only). You can bring in your own florist and choir, if you wish.
In order to be married in our churches, we ask people to attend one of our wedding days, about 6 – 12 months before your wedding, when we will talk about the wedding day, do some of the legal and practical stuff, and think through relationships: how we can make our marriage last and our love continue to grow. These are on Saturdays and run from 10am – 4pm. Lunch is provided. The office will let you know when these are.
If you would like a service at either St Mary’s or St Peter’s, or more information, please contact Jackie Crofts, Events Manager, jackie.crofts@stmaryschurchbse.org (07561 334695).
With thanks to Ben and Sarah Sainsbury, and to Mark and Michelle Wright (and Hello! magazine) for permission to use the photographs.