You’ve probably read all sorts of inflated figures as to the average cost of a wedding today. The cost of the Wedding Service itself, in church, does not have to break the bank.
For a wedding at Astbury some of the charges are set by the Church of England at the beginning of each year and include the fees for the taking of the service, reading of the banns, Marriage Certificate, Verger’s fee, heating, lighting, cleaning etc.
For weddings in 2012 this all-inclusive fee is £ 538. We’ve held our prices from 2011 so for all those of you who were waiting to see how much prices would increase….. you can buy extra buns for tea!
There are other facilities St Mary’s can offer to ensure your wedding day is designed around you and enables you to create the perfect setting. We have a professional organist, a robed choir and a set of eight bells (along with eight strong armed bell ringers).
The current fees for these extra facilities are also frozen from 2011:
Organ £125
Please note this fee is still payable to the church even if you engage your own organist.
Choir £200 (by arrangement on weekdays)
Bells £225 (£250 midweek)
The only other fee payable is if you are having a video taken in the service. You will need a separate licence (see below) and there is a fee (£125) for Permission to Video. A licence and additional fee are necessary because the music played in the service is copyright whether performed live or recorded. There is no charge if you use a photographer and only still photographs are taken.
So, the wedding service itself is £538 and you’ll have to add any of the above fees if you choose to have any of the “extras”.
Admittedly, this is a picture from preparations for an Amateur Dramatic Society performance but I’m sure it goes to show that everyone loves a good rehearsal.
Please also factor in to your plans a 45 minute wedding rehearsal. This would normally take place on the evening before the wedding to make it easy for anyone travelling from distance although this is flexible and can be discussed closer to the wedding date. It is not compulsory but it is a very useful time to walk through things and get a set of spoken vows under your belt. The primary purpose is to set your minds at rest and to reassure you that you have absolutely nothing to worry about for the day. You should bring along to the rehearsal the fee for the ceremony in cash (£5, £10 and £20 notes) together with the licence (if any video is to be shot).
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