Getting married at St Gabriel’s Church, Popley,  Basingstoke

Wedding Information:

Welcome, we hope that you will find this booklet helpful in preparing for your wedding at St Gabriel’s Church. The addresses and telephone numbers of those people whom you will need to contact are at the bottom of this series of pages. Please read it and send back the returns slip and booking deposit as soon as possible.

The Vicar:

May be contacted by phone at the Vicarage. Arthur has an open office on Saturday mornings at St Gabriel’s Church Office, inside the Church at Popley from 9.30 until 11.00am. You do not need to make an appointment.

Qualification for Marriage at St. Gabriel's CHURCH:

One or other party must be resident or on the church electoral roll of the Team Parish of Basingstoke. For those living outside of the parish boundary, the requirement to come on the electoral roll is regular worship over the minimum of a six-month period. The Electoral roll is normally revised in March each year.

Alternatively, an application may be made for an Archbishop’s Special Licence (in place of Banns). The address and telephone for application by yourselves is The Faculty Office, 1 The Sanctuary, London SW1P 3JT. Telephone: 01171 222 5381 ext: 2262 (10am – 4pm, Mon-Fri) All communications should be addressed to ‘The Registrar'.

They will want to know good pastoral reasons for the marriage to take place here. The Archbishop’s Special Licence will never be granted where either party has been divorced and the previous spouse is still living. The Vicar of your home parishes will need to give their approval.

Banns of Marriage:

It is a legal requirement that Banns of Marriage are read on three consecutive Sundays at the main service in the Church of England parishes of both parties to the marriage, within three months prior to the wedding.

Banns will normally be read at St Gabriel’s in the 10.30am service on the three Sundays beginning six weeks before your wedding. If you have come onto the Church Electoral roll you must still have your Banns read in your parish(es) of residence.

Please note that it is your responsibility to make sure that the Banns are read at the other parish and to obtain the certificate. Failure to produce the Banns Certificate may mean that the wedding cannot take place.

 If the parental home address is being used for Banns, then it must be used consistently on all the forms relating to the marriage and there is a legal requirement to live at that address for 14 days before the marriage.

 In certain circumstance marriage may take place by Common Licence instead of after Banns. It is mandatory to follow this route if one of you is not a British or Irish National. Banns are not required if you are being married by Archbishop’s Special Licence.

Marriage Blessing After Civil Marriage

A fee will normally be payable to the Church in addition to the fees due for the bells, flowers, organist and video – see table of fees on page 7.

Pastoral Preparation

Please feel free to come and chat pastorally at any time before or indeed after your wedding. We would also encourage you to spend time at a number of Sunday services to gain an understanding of the Christian faith and Christian marriage and a deeper insight into the place of hymns and music in relation to the church itself.

Payment

A table of marriage fees will be found on page 7 of this booklet.

Booking Deposit

A non-returnable deposit of £50.00 is payable at the time of booking your wedding. Cheques made payable to ‘St Gabriel’s DCC’’.

Booking Slip

(separate to this booklet). Please complete and return this slip, together with the booking deposit of £50.00, as soon as possible to the Vicarage.

Fees

Church fees are normally payable not later than one calendar month before the wedding and an invoice will be sent to you before the Banns are read. Fees for the Organist will be required in cash please, these may be brought to the Vicarage in the week before the wedding or on the day of the wedding.

Music

At present we have no resident organist but professional CD music can be played.  If through your own choice you wish to bring your own organist, it is important that you let us know. A CD of suggested organ music ‘Music for Weddings’ is available to be borrowed from us.

The usual number of hymns for a wedding is three. It is suggested that well known and easily sung hymns help your service go well. A bright hymn of praise for the beginning and end and a quieter one for the middle is recommended (some suggestions are on page 5/6 ).

Arthur will be pleased to help you and run through the music with you. He will also assist with the music for the entrance of the Bride, the signing of the Registers and for the end of the service when you exit as husband and wife.

Order of Service Sheets

Having consulted Arthur about the order and content of the service, arrange for your stationer to print enough service sheets for the congregation. Don’t forget to allow enough for the organist, vicar, etc. These should contain all the words to the hymns and should be made available by your ushers at the church door on the day. Not only does this provide a good keepsake, but prevents the juggling of hymn and prayer books by the congregation whose powers of concentration are usually focused elsewhere (ie on you!)

Please consult Arthur on the order and content of service sheets before having them printed. We can also produce a simple good quality sheet at a very reasonable charge (£45.00 for up to 100 copies).

Readings

One or two Readings may be used, at least one of which should be from the Bible. For example: 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 verses 4-7 from a modern translation of the Bible is particularly suitable:

‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.’

It can be read by anyone of your choice, otherwise the Vicar will read. Another reading can be included if you would like this. Some suggestions include:

Please check with the Vicar about the content of any non-Biblical readings.

Rehearsal

Please arrange with Arthur a rehearsal, which is usually a few days before the Wedding. Those attending should be ideally: yourselves, Best Man, a representative of the Ushers, Bridesmaids, parents etc. The only essential people however are yourselves.

Video

It is essential to consult the Vicar before entering into any agreements. A legal fee (£60.00) is payable to the Church if a video is used at Church and there is a form to be signed by the video operator. Video recordings will not be permitted in either the Church or the Churchyard, unless the form has been completed and the legal fee paid. You must also consult with the organist, who may well also require an extra fee for a video recording.

Photography

It is requested that NO flash is used during the service. As soon as one-person uses flash, others quickly follow. A Word of Warning; Do give your photographer clear and precise instructions as to what you want; in particular the time you are allowing him/her outside the church after the service. It is suggested that 20/30 minutes is more than adequate. Some photographers will take more than this (up to an hour!) if clear instructions are not given beforehand. This will test the patience of your guests.

 Some Popular Hymns

A new Commandment I give unto you

All my hope on God is founded

All people that on earth do dwell

Alleluia, Alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord

Angel voices ever singing

Blest are the pure in heart

Come down O love divine

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind

Father of all creation

Father hear the prayer we offer

For the beauty of the earth

Gracious Spirit Holy Ghost

Guide me, O thou great Redeemer

Jesus good above all others

Lead us Heavenly Father lead us

Lord of all hopefulness

Love divine all love excelling

Lord for the years

May the grace of Christ our Saviour

Now thank we all our God

O perfect love

O thou who gavest power to love

Praise ye the Lord

Praise my soul, the King of heaven

Praise the Lord, ye heaven adore Him

Praise to the Lord the Almighty

The King of love

We are happy to loan you a hymn book in order to help you in you choices.

Flowers

There are always some flowers in church except during Lent (the six weeks before Easter). If you would like to have your own special flowers, which most couples do, please contact Mrs Pat Ellis on 01256 841960; Pat will arrange to do your flowers cost plus a charge for the Church Flower Fund. One pedestal arrangement should be left in the church after the wedding please as there is not usually time to redo flowers for the Sunday after your service.

If you are booking your wedding well in advance it may be worth mentioning if you are willing to share flowers in the event of another wedding being booked  for the same day.

Those willing to do flowers privately or to hire professional services are more than welcome to do so, but you are asked to inform Pat in any case. Please note, that if there is more than one wedding on a particular day and one of the couples decides to have the flowers done privately (other than through the Church) then the maximum costs to the other couple for flowers will be £30.00 (unless they wish to contribute more).  The Church is locked during certain times, so please make sure you have arranged access for flower arrangers.

NOTE: it is the responsibility of couples to contact flower arrangers and organist telling them whether or not you require their services.

Confetti

It is helpful if confetti throwing can be outside of the church.

Passports

If you require a new passport in your married name immediately after your wedding, there is a special form available from the Post Office which clergy will need to sign. Allow plenty of time for this. 

If you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to ask the Vicar. 

Your wedding checklist is at the back of the booklet.

We wish you all God’s blessing with your

wedding preparations and in your life together.

Table of Fees 2007

Essential Fees

Calling of Banns of Marriage       £ 19.00

Certificate of Banns of Marriage (if required)           £12.00

Marriage Service              £240.00

Marriage Certificate              £3.50 

(any extra certificate at £6.00 each)

Verger        £   20.00

Extras

Heating & Lighting (April—Sept)           £35.00

Organist (cash or cheque made payable to the Organist)           £50.00

Flowers (approx cost) £30.00

Video recording           £60.00

NOTES:

For weddings October – March: Heating and lighting £50.00

£50 deposit on booking, full payment to be received 28 days before

We can offer a full range of music for your wedding on CD which you can keep after the wedding.  If you would like to listen to a sample please let me know.

For flowers please contact Pat Ellis on 01256 841960 to discuss your requirements.                                                               

Please make all cheques payable to St Gabriel’s DCC. Thank you.

Your Wedding Check List

Have you

Been in touch about the flowers?

Been in touch about the music?

Decided whether or not to have a video recording?

Paid your Booking Deposit (£50.00) to the Church?

Arranged to have your banns read at the other parish?

Nearer the time of your wedding

Paid the invoice from the Church, including cash for organist?

Checked service sheets with Vicar before printing?

Arranged the rehearsal time with the Vicar?

Returned and completed video forms?

Collected Banns Certificate from the other church?

All Correspondence to:                    Revd Arthur Botham

                                                            Vicarage

                                                            25 Tewkesbury Close

                                                            Popley

                                                            Basingstoke

                                                            RG24 9DU

Email address:                                  arthur.botham(at)btinternet.com

                                                            (please replace (at) with @

Flowers:                                              Mrs Pat Ellis

                                                            01256 841960

Seating capacity:                             120

Car parking

Please park inside the church car park behind the church, driving in from Tewkesbury Close,

all cars are parked at owners risk.

Washroom and toilet facilities are available in the foyer.  Please let us know if anyone with a wheelchair is expected. We can then make suitable

seating arrangements.

 Notes