How to approach priest re wedding ceremony?

I personally would write a nice letter with your reasons as to why you (and your family and friends) are so attached to the church.

Do you need permission from the priest in your area? I had my son christened in the 'wrong' church and the vicar asked that I get permission from my local parish, which I did.

You have a tie to the church, so you should be ok to get married there. I would just call him up and explain that you are planning to get married on said date and are enquiring into the possibility of getting married in his church. Our vicar just then arranged a date for us to go and have a chat.

We went into the church after the Sunday service and spoke to them. They were all really nice and very helpful.

You will be given a form to fill in which asks name, addresses, age, parents name address, are you baptised.....

I suggest once you fill this in you photocopy it and keep copy in your wedding folder (the first one I handed in they lost!)

The reverend then contacts you by post about 6 months before. I am marrying in my Parish church so apparantly this is very simple. If you live outside the parish there is more paperwork and I believe you have to go to church before to prove you are part of the community. Not 100% sure as this didnt apply to me.

I have my meeting with the reverend tonight so can't tell you what happens in that meeteing just yet! I found organising the church part very daunting but actually its been quite simple and enjoyable. Good Luck.

We went along to the church and had a coffee with the vicar afterwards.

If your parents got married there or you were baptised there you'll be fine proving a link to the church. If its not your local church anymore you'll still be fine it's just the marriage banns will have to be read in both places!

Also, hello & welcome!

In a Catholic Church it is also worth remembering that you need to give notice and have a registrar present (don't worry, it's not too expensive!)

I'm in a similar situation, our Priest is totally relaxed about it and I'm just making an effort to go every month, and probably every weekend in the run up.

Thanks for the advice ladies, esp the registrar point! Gahh, so many things I need to think about xx

Sorry, didn't realise this wasn't the norm! My priest is a bit old fashioned though.

No - giving notice is a very non-CofE thing. You have your banns read for a CofE wedding and this means you don't need to give notice. For anything else you need to get your marriage licence from the council - and in most cases you do this by giving notice.

OP, as you can see, the legal situation is not completely straightforward. Talk to your priest about what you need to do.