Weddings (Please scroll down for Baptism information)

St Mary Magdalene church is a beautiful setting to conduct your wedding and you can be sure of so much more than just a service. Our team will make you feel really welcome and special as you prepare for your 'big day'. To find out more about getting married in the Church of England you can click here. You can also download our wedding flyer here. Want to do some 'reading up' on planning a church wedding first? Then click here to view the excellent 'yourchurchwedding' website.

While we of course recognise that your wedding will be a very special day and we will want to do everything we can to enhance that experience, there are a number of legal and practical things that have to be taken into account. In order to make the process as simple and stress-free as possible, please read the following information...

When you visit Parish Office to book your wedding, please ensure that you bring all the supporting documents along as without them we will not be able to book your wedding. the documents required for each person are:

ID - Following changes to legislation (March 2015) proof of your nationality and address are required to begin the process. Therefore we need a CURRENT Passport or FULL Birth Certificate. If neither of these are available, please speak to the Vicar during Parish Office on a Monday.

Proof of Address - Three forms of address ID are required, these must be a utility bill or bank statement or similar no older than three months. Originals only can be accepted, photocopies are NOT acceptable.

Different arrangements apply if one of you are a non-EU national.

We are able to marry those who live outside the parish if they have a Qualifying Connection (QC). You can check which parish you live in on www.achurchnearyou.com If you live outside the parish you can discover what is a QC by visiting www.yourchurchwedding.org You must bring supporting evidence with you. For example if your QC is that your Grandparents were married at St. Mary Magdalene you should bring their Wedding Certificate with you. Medway Archives are able to provide copies of old Wedding Certificates if you do not have the original.

If you have previously been married, but that marriage has been dissolved, please bring your Decree Absolute. We are happy to marry those that have previously been married subject to a meeting with the Vicar to ensure that Church of England guidelines are met. If your previous spouse is deceased, please bring the Death Certificate.

if you have any questions please contact the Parish Administrator on 01634 853459 or email gilliinghamparishchurch@gmail.com

The cost of your wedding at St Mary Magdalene church includes, from January 2016, a statutory fee of £445 which includes the marriage certificate, and £27 for reading of Banns (which will be doubled if banns need to be read at your home church as well). These charges are laid down by law and therefore are non-negotiable. There are additional local charges. These include: Vergers and Sound System Operator £45 (compulsory), heating (compulsory between October and April) £40. Additional optional fees are: Choir £60, Bells £160, Printed Order of Service from £50 for 25 copies, School car park booking fee £30. Your requirements can be discussed at Parish Office when you book your wedding. We do require a refundable deposit of £50 when you book your wedding.

Baptisms

Baptisms at St Mary Magdalene are always a wonderful occasion for the worshipping community as we welcome newcomers to the church family. Baptism services are usually held at 12.30pm on the second Sunday of each month. Arrangements for Baptisms should be made at the Parish Office in Church on Mondays between 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm (except on Bank Holiday Mondays).

To find out more about getting baptised in the Church of England, you can click here.