You can get a FREE church wedding under plans to boost ‘traditional ceremonies’ – but there’s a catch
COUPLES can get a FREE church wedding under plans to boost ‘traditional ceremonies’ – but there’s a catch.
On Tuesday, the General Synod voted on a motion from the Rev Tom Woolford, the vicar of New Longton, near Preston in Lancashire, to scrap wedding fees.
People who marry in a church in their home parish must pay a maximum of £539, or £641 if they marry away from where they live, according to Church of England fees for 2023.
In a regional trial approved as a first step by the church’s parliament, weddings will be free in a particular diocese for a period of time to see what difference it might make.
However plans for the pilot, such as the location, have not yet been agreed.
Rev Woolford said: “This seems to me to be the right thing to do, but also the right way of doing it.
“This is a chance for us to do something which I believe could be really good for us, good for our soul.”
He added: “I’m delighted that the motion was approved.
“While everyone likes the principle of free weddings, there is understandable anxiety about the unknown effect on church finances of doing so: the amendment to authorise a regional trial means we can allay those concerns.
“I’m hoping and praying the trial goes really well and we can bring a motion for the full abolition of wedding fees in due course.”
Charging couples hundreds of pounds is a major contributor to the decline in church weddings, critics say.
Rev Woolford said they added to the phenomenal cost of a wedding.
He said: “We believe marriage is a gift from God. Well, if it is, why are we charging for it?
“We should encourage couples to get married in church because it’s good for them, good for society, good for the church and good for their children.”
According to the latest figures, there were 63,371 Church of England weddings in 1999, compared with 31,430 in 2019 – a fall of 50 per cent.