Occasional Services

Weddings

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                                                        Photo courtesy of Ian Giles Photos    www.iangilesphotos.co.uk

The Abbey at Minster is a special place to be married and each year we have over 30 weddings. If you are interested in exploring the possibility of a wedding at the Abbey you should first call the Parish Office (01795-879200) and talk to Maggie our Administrator. We will have to establish that you have a qualifying connection with the Abbey and Maggie will be glad to talk that through with you. Once it is possible for your wedding to be at the Abbey you are advised to book early especially for a wedding in the summer.

The basic cost for a wedding in 2011 is £334.50. This does not include items such as bells, organist, video licenses, flowers or choir which are optional and vary in costs, details from parish office. For Winter weddings there is an extra charge for heating. There will an increase in fees for 2012

Once you have had an initial interview and paid a deposit a meeting is arranged in the spring to which all wedding couples are invited. This is a preparation event which is run by parish clergy and gives the opportunity to discuss weddings at the Abbey and ask questions. Nearer the time of the wedding there is a private meeting with the officiating minster to finalise details and make final preparations before the wedding.

There are a number of good websites that help with planning a wedding in church and we would recommend one from the Church of England  http://www.yourchurchwedding.org  which has an excellent link to a ceremony planner


Baptisms

The Abbey has the joy of celebrating a number of baptisms each year. The first point of enquiry is to phone the Abbey Parish Office 01795-879200 and talk with Maggie our administrator. You will then we put on an invitation list for a ‘Baptism Information Evening’. These happen fairly regularly and usually within 4-6 weeks of initial enquiry.

The information evening is the opportunity to meet with one of the clergy team who will explain all that is involved and the various options available. You can then have the information to come to the right decision for your family. Once you have decided and contacted the Abbey Parish Office we can begin the preparation process.

The services of ‘Baptism’ and ‘Thanksgiving’ are offered as part of our main Sunday morning worship at the 10.30 service. There is no charge for the service and we work hard to make it a real celebration for you and your family. A helpful website for more information is http://cofe.anglican.org/lifeevents/lifeevents/baptismconfirm/baptism1.html


Funerals

Although most funeral services are now held in a crematorium the Abbey is also available for funeral services. The funeral directors will liaise with the Abbey Parish Office to make the arrangements. The clergy and reader team from the Abbey work with the family to design the right form of service and try to reflect the family’s wishes. There is an extra cost of £100.00 (there may be an extra charge for heating during the winter) for the use of the Abbey.

More information can be found on the Church of England website http://www.cofe.anglican.org/lifeevents/funerals