Congratulations if you’re thinking of getting married in Church!
Christians believe that marriage is a gift from God and making your wedding vows in church means that God is part of your relationship to give you strength and guidance.
Getting married in the parish
You are able to be married at Ottery and Alfington churches, and each one offers a beautiful setting and you might even be marrying in a church where your parents and grandparents were married. Certainly you will get married in a sacred space that has seen many couples make their vows over centuries.
When you get married in church, you’ll find a supportive community there for you. You will get to know the Officiating Priest and your wedding will therefore be a personal and meaningful event. You are invited to a marriage preparation day, and we encourage you to attend church regularly in the run up to your wedding and especially to hear your banns being called. Weddings can be big or small – all are joyful occasions for us as a church.
The wedding process
We want your church wedding planning to be as straightforward as possible and we’ve set out here how the process works. If one or both of you have been married before please contact the Parish Administrator who will put you in contact with the parish priest. It is at their discretion as to whether you can be married in church.
Complete your wedding form
First all of - please fill in the booking form at the bottom of this page. This will guide you through determining whether you have the legal right to be married in the parish church you have chosen. Once that is established and a date agreed, you will be contacted by the priest who will be officiating at your wedding for an initial meeting.
Meet your priest
All the local clergy are licensed to take weddings in Ottery and Alfington: this means you may not have the parish priest officiating at your wedding but another member of the clergy. Your Priest will meet with you, to get to know you and work with you on your wedding service. They will need to see proof of UK nationality, your current address, or if you are not a UK national they will signpost you to get the correct paperwork.
Attend a marriage preparation day
All couples planning to get married at Ottery and Alfington are invited to one of our Marriage Preparation courses. Virtually all couples who have attended previous days have said how helpful they have been.
The day is an opportunity for you to spend quality time with your partner thinking about your marriage relationship, and especially the things that are important to you both in your particular situation.
For course dates and location, see below.
Plan your flowers and music
As your day draws closer you will want to plan things like flowers and music. Please contact the Parish Administrator to be guided to the right people to talk these things through with. Some things are possible in all churches, other things are location specific (i.e. not all our churches have peals of bells for example).
Finalise your order of service
You will also have the chance to talk through the order of service with your priest and decide how you are going to personalise the service for you. This is done through the choices you make for hymns, readings and music.
Have your banns called
You will be given the dates when your banns are read out in the Sunday service: this is part of the legal process for getting married. Banns are an announcement of your intention to marry and allow anyone to put forward any reason why the marriage may not legally take place. We are delighted to welcome wedding couples to our churches and especially when you come to hear your banns being called.
Attend the rehearsal
Just before the actual wedding day you will be invited to a rehearsal to enable the service to run smoothly and to ensure that everyone knows where to sit and stand. You may be assisted by a verger or churchwarden who knows the church building.
The marriage preparation course
While not compulsory, we strongly encourage couples to engage with our one day marriage preparation course. Feedback from couples who have attended has been overwhelmingly positive. People have appreciated the time to discuss their relationship, the meaning of love and lifelong commitment, and to meet other couples sharing hopes and dreams and planning ideas!
COURSES
- No further courses in 2026
COURSE LOCATION
The Narthex
St Michael’s Parish Church
Bendarroch Road
West Hill
EX11 1UW
Financial support
If you live in Ottery St Mary, Alfington, Escot, Tipton St John, Wiggaton or West Hill you may be entitled to a small grant of £500 on marriage. Thomas Axe, who died in 1691 left a considerable sum of money to support couples marrying in the old parish of Ottery St Mary.
As soon as you are married you should contact the chairman of the trustees of the Thomas Axe Charity – Mr Richard Coley on 01404 813163.
Book your dream day
Please complete the form below (it is slow to load). The Parish Administrator will then contact you to discuss your wedding and help you plan the best church service possible.
If you are not marrying in your home church, you will need your banns read in your home church. Please complete this form (it is slow to load) and the Parish Administrator will contact you to confirm the dates your banns will be read.
There is a fee for getting married in church and this depends upon whether you both live where you are marrying or if one or both of you are marrying away from where you live. Chose the appropriate question below to determine the fee you will need to pay to the church(es).
The fees quoted here are valid for 2025.
Are you both getting married in your home church?
Marriage service in church: £544
Publication of banns of marriage: £37
Total fees are £581
Is one of you marrying away from where you live?
Marriage service in church: £544
Publication of banns in the marrying church: £37
Publication of banns at your home church: £37
Certificate of banns from the home church: £19
Total fees are £637
Are you both marrying away from where you live?
Marriage service in church: £544
Publication of banns in the marrying church: £37
Publication of banns at your home churches: £74
Certificate of banns at your home churches: £38
Total fees are £693
There are a number of optional extras you can add to your church wedding service. The options and their prices vary per church so will be discussed with you by the Parish Administrator once you have sent in your booking form.
Bells
Have the bells rung before and/or after your marriage service
Choir
Have the hymns you have chosen sung by the church choir as well as the congregation
Flowers
Brighten up the church and the day with an assortment of flower arrangements
Heating
Add some heating during the winter to warm up the occasion
Organist
Have the music you have chosen played on the church organ
Verger
Have an expert on hand before and after the service to help with proceedings
