St John’s, situated on the edge of the Moor, is beautifully located for Weddings. The church itself can accommodate up to 350 guests. That being said, smaller wedding parties will not feel lost within the worshipping space. However many people, St John’s always feels intimate and personal. Our grounds lend themselves to lovely pictures both before and after the Ceremony.
To book, please contact us today or scroll down for further information.
Legal Issues
Everyone who lives in the Parish or who has a Qualifying Connection to the Parish has the legal right to be married at St John’s – regardless of whether they are regular church-goers. Proof will be required when booking your Wedding that there are no legal objections to your proposed marriage.
Banns
Banns of Marriage are a public announcement of your proposed wedding. They must be Read at the main Service of the day within 3-months of the intended Wedding. Our practice at St John’s is to Read them for the first 3 Sundays of the month, 2 months prior to the Wedding.
If one of you (or both) live outside the Parish your Banns will need to be read in the Parish Church of the Parish to which you reside. An additional Fee is required along with proof that the Banns have been read without objection.
Qualifying Connections
You may qualify to marry at St John’s if, one or both of you can prove:
- You were baptised in the parish; or
- You were confirmed in the parish and the confirmation has been entered in a church register book belonging to the parish; or
- You have, at any time, had their usual place of residence in the parish for at least 6 months; or
- You have, at any time, habitually attended public worship in the parish for at least 6 months;
or that a parent of at least one of you has at any time during your lifetime:
- had his or her usual place of residence in the parish for at least 6 months; or
- habitually attended public worship in the parish for at least 6 months
- or that a parent or grandparent of at least one of them was married in the parish.
Foreign Nationals
Legal implications concerning weddings involving foreign nationals varies from Country to Country. Advice should be sought from the Vicar concerning the impact of these regulations.
Remarriage after Divorce
If you are seeking to marry again following divorce please contact the Vicar or the Parish Office. St John’s welcomes such applications, but as part of the Church of England, has strict guidelines for when such a Marriage maybe conducted.
Impediments to Marriage
The following criteria prevent marriages from occurring in Church: either member of the couple are under the age of 16, or are under the age of 18 and do not have their parent’s permission to marry; are already married; are being coerced into marriage; have been declared mentally incapable of marriage; are related to each other.
Booking and Preparation
Booking
1) Contact the Vicar or the Parish Office to identify your Qualifying Connection and legal position.
2) Come to the Office Hour (Tuesday evenings: 6.30pm-7.30pm weekly) to start the paperwork and identify the happy day.
3) To secure the date and time of your wedding, pay non-refundable* deposit of 25% of the total Fee due. (*See below Fees)
4) Wedding Bookings up to 2 years ahead are usually accepted.
Preparation
1) Preparation Evening: As a couple you will be invited to take part in a Preparation Evening with other couples preparing for marriage. This is usually at least 3 or 4 months prior to your wedding. During this Evening we shall look at what it means to be married, in particular within the Christian context, we shall look at the Service and possible components, and provide an opportunity for you to talk with the Priest conducting your ceremony.
2) So that you and the Priest conducting your ceremony knows each other a little, we ask that, about a month out from your wedding, we meet.
3) Rehearsal: In the week preceding your wedding a rehearsal will be organised. The officiating Priest will arrange this direct with you. It is helpful if those who have an active part in the ceremony can be present, i.e.: Bride’s Father, Best Man, readers, a Bridesmaid, and obviously the Bride and Groom. This takes about an hour.
Fees
The fee for a full wedding including organist and choir in 2024 is £967, or without the choir £842. We ask that you let us know your requirements as soon as possible.
To secure your wedding booking, a deposit of 25% is required. If you cancel your wedding 6 weeks or more before the date of your wedding, a full or partial refund of your deposit will be available on request; if you cancel your wedding within 6 weeks of your wedding your deposit will be retained. A full breakdown of the fees is available on request and they include everything except permission to make video or audio recording of the service. The balance is usually payable six weeks before the wedding date. Cheques to be made payable to “St John’s Boxmoor PCC”. NB: If you are booking your wedding more than a year in advance please note that fees are liable to an annual review and increase at the beginning of January.
Music
St John’s has a very fine organ and an excellent organist who can lead your music at your Ceremony. We also offer a choir to help lead the singing and to provide music during the Signing of the Registers.
A table of often-requested music and hymns may be found here to help you begin your planning, but this by no means exhaustive.
For wedding music idea, please view our Wedding Service Guide – 2023
Service of Blessing of a Marriage
There are occasions when it is desirable or expedient to have a Civil Ceremony and therefore not get married in church, whilst still wishing for God’s Blessing to be bestowed on the marriage. Please contact the Vicar to discuss the various options. A Wedding Blessing has no legal obligations and therefore can be tailored to the individual couple.