Marriage
CAN WE BE MARRIED AT HOLY TRINITY?
Yes! Provided you are legally allowed to marry each other, you can do it at Holy Trinity if one of both of you:
1. Live in HT’s parish, or
2. Are on HT’s electoral roll (you can be entered on this if you are over 16 and have worshipped here regularly for at least 6 months); or
3. Were baptized at Holy Trinity; or
4. Were confirmed after being prepared for confirmation here; or
5. Lived in the parish, or worshipped in the parish, for at least 6 months at any time in the past.
You also qualify if your parents or grandparents were married at Holy Trinity, or if one of your parents lived in the parish, or worshipped here, for at least 6 months during your lifetime.
If you aren’t sure whether you qualify, contact us and we’d be delighted to help. We may need to ask you for further documentation or information.
WHAT IF ONE OR BOTH OF US HAS BEEN MARRIED BEFORE?
If your former spouse is still alive, that is not a bar to getting married at Holy Trinity. Before agreeing to marry you, the minister will meet to talk to you about it.
WHAT IF ONE OR BOTH OF US IS NOT A UK NATIONAL?
Special issues arise in this situation, so you will need to discuss it with a minister as soon as possible.
WHAT ELSE MUST HAPPEN LEGALLY BEFORE I CAN GET MARRIED?
Usually, you must have banns of marriage read out at our main service on three Sundays before your wedding, but you may need a Superintendent Registrar Certificate. The minister will ask you to fill out a form to provide the information we will need to read your banns and, later on, for the marriage document. Marriage Registers are now issued from the local registry office at Waltham Forest after being electronically logged - you are still officially married at your wedding ceremony, it is just the registration that has changed (beginning May 2021) . We encourage you to come and hear your banns being read! Our Sunday service starts at 10.30am and lasts just over an hour.
Please note: If either or both of you lives outside the parish, you must have your banns read in the other parish(es) too. You will have to produce a banns certificate from the other parish(es) to the minister. We suggest you contact the other parish(es) as soon as possible about applying for your banns to be read.
WHAT PERSONAL MARRIAGE PREPARATION WILL THERE BE?
You will have at least three meetings with the minister. Small group preparation is also sometimes available.
WHAT ABOUT THE ORDER OF SERVICE?
The minister will be happy to help you create your own special ceremony. For more information, please see the Church of England’s weddings information.