(photo by Dorset Wedding Photographer Paul Underhill)
Weddings at St James
If you are looking at this page with a view to getting married at St James', congratulations on your engagement! St James Church has been used for several hundred years for Christian marriage, and is a wonderful place to hold a ceremony.
Legal eligibility
There is a legal system governing church marriage which we have to adhere to closely. Basically, you can get married at St James if you currently live in the parish (i.e. at least one of you lives in the parish), or if you have a ‘qualifying connection’ to the parish.
You have a qualifying connection to the parish if:
Many people choose to worship in the parish in order to get married at St James. If you would like to do this, we ask that you come along to a service to try us out before booking your wedding. ‘Regular worship’ for this purpose means a minimum of once a month for a period of at least 6 months.
Marriage after divorce
This is at the discretion of the Rector. Please arrange to see her before booking your wedding.
Booking your wedding
Please phone the Church Office on 01202 677 117 to arrange a time to come in and book your wedding. When you come in, our administrator will spend time going through the details with you including banns of marriage and up-to-date fees.
Planning your Wedding Service
Our Rector, Lucy Holt, will spend time with you both prior to the wedding service to make sure that it is personal to you.
Marriage preparation
We offer a day once a year for all our wedding couples to come and think about marriage beyond the wedding service, and what it means to be married.
Weddings at St James
If you are looking at this page with a view to getting married at St James', congratulations on your engagement! St James Church has been used for several hundred years for Christian marriage, and is a wonderful place to hold a ceremony.
Legal eligibility
There is a legal system governing church marriage which we have to adhere to closely. Basically, you can get married at St James if you currently live in the parish (i.e. at least one of you lives in the parish), or if you have a ‘qualifying connection’ to the parish.
You have a qualifying connection to the parish if:
- one of you has at any time lived in the parish for a period of at least 6 months
- one of you was baptised in the parish
- one of you was prepared for confirmation in the parish
- one of you has at any time regularly gone to normal church services in the parish for a period of at least 6 months
- one of your parents (at any time after you were born) has lived in the parish for a period of at least 6 months
- one of your parents (at time after you were born) has gone to normal Church services in the parish for a period of at least 6 months
- one of your parents or grandparents was married in the parish
Many people choose to worship in the parish in order to get married at St James. If you would like to do this, we ask that you come along to a service to try us out before booking your wedding. ‘Regular worship’ for this purpose means a minimum of once a month for a period of at least 6 months.
Marriage after divorce
This is at the discretion of the Rector. Please arrange to see her before booking your wedding.
Booking your wedding
Please phone the Church Office on 01202 677 117 to arrange a time to come in and book your wedding. When you come in, our administrator will spend time going through the details with you including banns of marriage and up-to-date fees.
Planning your Wedding Service
Our Rector, Lucy Holt, will spend time with you both prior to the wedding service to make sure that it is personal to you.
Marriage preparation
We offer a day once a year for all our wedding couples to come and think about marriage beyond the wedding service, and what it means to be married.
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Grow in the life of Christ
Serve all in the fellowship of Christ
