We love having Weddings at St. Guthlac’s Church and do all we can to make the day a special and memorable one for you both. Getting married in Church is an exciting and happy time. It is a chance for your relationship to be Blessed by God as you make your promises, in love, to each other in front of God and your family and friends. We enjoy helping couples to have a meaningful, beautiful service. We hope the information below will provide the answers to some of your queries.

Frequently asked Questions

Who can get married at St. Guthlac’s Church?

If you live in Market Deeping Parish, you can be married in St. Guthlac’s Church. Or, if you have a certain connection with the Church, known as a ‘qualifying connection’, you are able to get married here. Some qualifying connections which couples regularly have, include: one of them used to live in Market Deeping, their parents live in Market Deeping, one of them was Christened at the Church, they or their parents attend the Church, their parents or grandparents were married here.

What Parish am I in?

To find out which is your Parish Church, go to www.achurchnearyou.com and type in your postcode.

Myself and/or my partner are divorced, can we get married in the Church?

We welcome wedding enquires from people who have been divorced.  We understand how difficult an experience divorce can be.  We believe in a forgiving, loving God.  The Rector will want to meet with anyone who has been previously married, for a conversation about this, and will need to see the Decree Absolute.  Please do not let this put you off, we seek to make this process as sensitive and relaxed as possible, and we often do marry people who are divorced.

How much does a wedding at St. Guthlac’s cost?

The cost of a wedding for 2023 is £699. This includes everything necessary for the wedding. In October-April there is also a £100 fee for heating. If you would like, for an additional cost, you can book the Church choir, which really boosts the singing on the day and sounds wonderful, and/or the Church bells, which also sounds wonderful and signals to the town that this happy occasion is taking place.

When a booking is made, we take a non-refundable deposit of £40, which is deducted from the final invoice. We then like the rest of the payment a month before the wedding is to take place.

Our fees are reviewed annually and updated each year. Therefore, if you book a wedding for 2024, the cost will be the fees as they stand from January 2024, and not the previous year’s figures. The fees do not rise by a large amount though.

Can we make the service personal?

Yes. While certain parts of the Marriage Ceremony cannot be changed, such as the vows, you can adapt the Service to make it personal by choosing the hymns, Bible reading, and any poems or other music you would like.

While most couples choose the traditional Bridal March by Wagner for the entrance of the bride and the Wedding March by Mendelssohn as the couple exit, our organist is happy to play something else, as long as this is arranged in advance. While the marriage is witnessed with a document being signed, the choir can sing, the organist can play or you can bring a special song to play -any music you bring needs to be checked in advance that it works on our sound system.

You can bring your own flowers or pew ends if you want to decorate the Church, but please do be in touch with us in advance to let us know your hopes and suggestions.

If you are having a photographer we like to talk with them in advance about where they can stand.

Biodegradable confetti is also approved of, but the further away from the Church porch door it is thrown, the happier we are!

Please remember we are here to help you to have the Service and occasion that you would like.

What are Banns of Marriage and how do we arrange them?

Banns of marriage are the public announcement that you are getting married. They are read in Church during our Sunday 10am Service and you will be notified which three Sundays they are to be read. We like you to attend at least one of these, ideally the first reading.

If you are getting married at St. Guthlac’s Church but one or both of you live outside of the Parish of Market Deeping, you must arrange for your banns of marriage to be read at your local Church of England Parish Church too. To do this, please contact that Church directly.

If you are getting married at another Church but live in the Parish of Market Deeping, please contact our Administrator to arrange for us to read your banns of marriage here. There is a fee of £51 for this.

Do I need proof of Identification?

Yes. It is a legal requirement that we see a valid Passport for both the bride and groom. If you do not have a Passport, or a Birth Certificate from before 1983, we need to see a copy of your parents’ Birth Certificates or Marriage Certificate.

Wedding Bookings

To book or discuss a wedding, please get in touch with our Parish Administrator on 07972 839963 or by emailing administrator@stguthlacs.org.uk .

We look forward to hearing from you and helping you plan your special day.