Am I being thick???

Hi, I am not getting married in a church but I believe you need to meet with your vicar, he will ask questions and then you will have your banns read in church over a period of a few weeks. You still need to give notice to your local council to do the legal paperwork.

Hope that helps a bit.

I've heard of bans being read before, I've got a added complication. Basically we're getting married in a pentalcostal church, and yes we have the wedding penciled into the diary but that's because my OH sister works for the church, we haven't actually been since getting engaged! I suppose I would class myself as Church of England, but not bothered about church, it's only because it means a lot to my OH and his family. X

Oh and forgot to say, we live in a different area to where we're having the wedding! There's not much info in wedding magazines about this kind of stuff! X

As the others have said, your banns will have to be read at both your parish church and the church you are marrying in. If I understand correctly, if you are getting married away from you parish, you need to pay your parish church for reading your banns.

Do I have to find a pentalcostal church where I live then?

The Pentecostal church first of all must be an authorised building, hopefully someone at the church can confirm that or you can check with your register office.

Secondly, if it is authorised for marriages you should then check with the minister if there is an authorised person there to register the marriage. If there is you should ensure they are available and then make an appt with your local register office to give notice but only within a year of your wedding date. if there isn't a person authorised to register the marriage yoo should book a registrar in the district where the church is and give notice in your local district.

If the church is not in your local area you will need to explain why you are not marrying in your local church.

I'm fairly certain Pentecostal churches are self governing? So it's a case of speaking to the specific minister to ask them what you need to do.

I could be totally wrong here!

Arghhhh! It's really confusing! I'll think I'm going to pass this on to the OH to sort out! Thank you for all your help!

Sounds complicated! Just call the church you are pencilled in with and ask them to be sure x

Don't be put off.

First step is

Quick call to church and ask if they are authorised to have marriages there and if they are have they got someone who registers the marriage.

Got tonsillitis at the mo so can't call, but we're going to the church in a couple of weeks so I'll ask then! Wedding isn't till sept 2014 so plenty of time! X

Yes plenty of time yet but if you do need to get a registrar they may be willing to let you book one now although some offices will only book a year in advance.