If you have had a civil wedding, you may decide that you would like to have your marriage blessed in church soon afterwards.

This is possible whether you were married here or abroad. If you have married abroad, this can be a way of allowing family and friends to celebrate the marriage if they were not at the marriage itself.

The blessing is known as a service of prayer and dedication, acknowledging the commitment which has already been made between husband and wife in the earlier ceremony, and asking for God’s blessing and guidance for their union. Because it is not a marriage service, banns are not required, nor are rings exchanged or registers signed. The form of the service can be flexible. You may wish to have hymns, readings, and flowers in the same way as you might for a wedding ceremony.

Fees for such a service are not prescribed by the Church of England statutorily, but are set locally. You should discuss this with the Vicar or the Churchwardens.

If you wish to have a service of blessing because one or both of the parties has been married before, you should talk things over with the Vicar.