Plotting the bridal path to church
The Southwell and Nottingham diocese is to do all it can to encourage more couples to marry in church.
The number of church weddings in the diocese dropped in 2006, in line with the most recent statistics released by the Office for National Statistics.
Marriages in England and Wales fell by 4% to 236,980 in 2006. This was the lowest since 1895.
Since 1992, there have been more civil ceremonies in England and Wales than religious ceremonies. In 2006, civil ceremonies accounted for 66% of all ceremonies, an increase from 59% in 1996.
In the Southwell and Nottingham diocese there were 1,400 weddings in 2005 which dropped slightly to 1,260 in 2006.
A spokesman for the diocese said: “Despite this drop a survey conducted in 2006 for the Church of England showed that 53% believe church is the proper place for a wedding.
“The marriage measure approved by the Church of England’s General Synod is expected to become law later this year and will make it easier for couples to marry in a church where they have a family or other special connection.”
The diocesan chief executive, Mr Nigel Spraggins, said: “For those who choose to marry, the church still offers a first class service.
“We’re looking forward to making it much simpler for people to be married in church in the future and hope we’ll see a rise in church weddings locally and nationally.”
The long-term picture for UK weddings is one of decline from a peak of 480,285 in 1972.
The number of weddings at Newark Parish Church increased from 12 in 2005 to 19 in 2006.
There were 18 weddings and one blessing at the church last year and a total of 15 weddings have been booked so far this year.
A further two or three bookings are expected later in the year.
The Rector of Newark, the Rev Vivian Enever, said: “The local church figures hold up — although clearly there has been a decline in weddings nationally.
“The reasons locally might be that the couples receive a friendly but professional service from the church, which always includes marriage preparation.
“I, or one of my colleagues, see the couple on at least three occasions — initial meeting, wedding preparation and then rehearsal.”
He said: “We can agree to accommodate most couple’s wishes within a stunning setting and a preparation within the Christian tradition.”
He said those who wanted a more intimate service at the church, which seats more than 600 people, had the opportunity to take their vows at the High Altar. He said it seated 60 people and was like a church within a church.
Mr Enever said: “The Christian Church is strongly supportive of marriage but also offers encouragement to other long-term relationships where there is a significant degree of commitment, love and companionship.”
Mr and Mrs Jonathan Derrick, of Mackleys Lane, North Muskham, were married at Holy Trinity Church, Southwell, on August 12, 2006.
The couple met at a Christmas ball at Brackenhurst College, where they were both studying, about 15 years ago.
Mrs Isabel Derrick, née Bourne (38) said they wanted to get married because it showed commitment to each other and they wanted to grow old together.
She said: “When you have been going out with somebody for that length of time you can get a bit comfortable. We thought it would bring us closer together.”
Mrs Derrick, a sales administrator, said: “Some people say it is just a bit of paper, but until you have actually experienced it you cannot say that.
“It is a commitment to each other.”
She said she thought the cost of a wedding could put people off wanting to get married.
Mrs Derrick said: “You can have a church wedding and still do it reasonably cheaply.”
Mr Stephen Wilson (34) of Inglewood Close, Balderton, has no intention of getting married.
Mr Wilson has twin sons George Wilson and Archie Wilson (4) with his partner of ten years, Claire Chakiri (42).
Mr Wilson said: “I am not religious in any way so marriage holds no importance for me — it would just be a legal agreement.”
He said: “I think it is completely outdated and a lot of money to spend on one day.
“Having children and a mortgage is a far greater commitment.”
Mr Wilson, the Advertiser’s IT and production director, said his partner agreed in principle but would still consider getting married if asked so that she would have the same surname as their children.
MARRIAGE equals commitment for Mr and Mrs Jonathan Derrick, who wed at Holy Trinity Church, Southwell.
NEWARK Parish Church, where there has been an increase in couples marrying.
Ceremony, not setting important to couple Marriage was always the obvious choice for a couple who met in the Advertiser newsroom.
Reporters Mr Chris Kirk and Miss Caroline Boyd, who have been together since July 2004, are to marry next month.
Mr Kirk (27) who is from Grimsby and Miss Boyd (26) who is from County Antrim, in Northern Ireland, live in Creswell, Derbyshire.
They will marry in a civil ceremony in Belfast on May 24 followed by a reception at a hotel in County Down.
Miss Boyd said: “It is what I have always wanted and Chris and I talked about marriage from very early in our relationship.”
She said: “Although we have lived together for more than three years and have a mortgage, we feel marriage is the next natural step and the ultimate commitment.”
She said: “Although we are not having a church wedding, I am quite traditional and it was important to me to be married before having children.”
Miss Boyd thought the cost of getting married could put a lot of people off.
Regretting
She said: “We are lucky that my parents are sharing the cost but I am too scared to add up how much we are spending in total.
“It could have been a deposit on a new house but I did not want to cut back on what I wanted to save money and risk regretting it later.”
She said: “If a couple are already living together and happy as they are, I can understand why they might not see the need to get married.”