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Weddings at All Saints Whitstable
(video of church below)
All Saints Whitstable is a very beautiful church set in amazing grounds with two car parks and only one mile from the centre of Whitstable and the coast of Tankerton. It is the oldest church in the parish dating from the 12th century and has been the venue for weddings for many, many centuries.
We suggest you go to the About section of this website and watch "Videos of our church" if you are considering a wedding here or watch the above video first.
Thanks for reading this. It contains all the most important information necessary in order to book your wedding All Saints. Please can you read all of this information below as it is all important if you are considering having your wedding at All Saints. Thank you. Below is information about how to book, the ID you will need with you when you book, and also the need to have a connection with All Saints or with Whitstable before you book, though there is a way to marry as explained below if you do not.
Please note
There will be disruptions inside the church from
September 16th 2023 to April 30th 2024 due to refurbishment works
There may be a scaffold tower in the church and some dust sheets.
I am afraid we cannot give you a reduction due to this and it may be best to book your wedding before or after these dates unless you are not too concerned by this.
Your contact to make enquiries after you have read all the below is
Revd Simon Tillotson at
simon@teamvicar.org or text / Whatsapp him on 07833 448287
Please read all of the below first before contacting Simon - thank you so much
PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION BELOW FIRST
NB "Whitstable" means the town of Whitstable including Seasalter, Tankerton, Chestfield and Swalecliffe
Unfortunately church law requires couples to have some historic or current link with Whitstable through residence for six months or more or specific family connections as stipulated before. This is the case with all Church of England churches throughout the country.
If you do not have the relevant links with Whitstable (see below) but have your heart set on a wedding here, you can agree to attend church once a month for a period of six months and book your wedding on that understanding. If you fail to complete the six months attendance, you will still be eligible to a church blessing after doing the legal bits at a Registry Office in the morning or earlier in the week. This can be a perfectly good option.
If you live in Whitstable, or used to live in Whitstable, or have other links with Whitstable in the way described below, there is no need for you to attend church before your wedding, though we do like you to come and hear your banns read the month before your wedding, and Simon will explain this more.
WHO CAN MARRY AT ALL SAINTS WHITSTABLE?
Unfortunately it is not possible for everyone to marry at All Saints. There has to be a "qualifying connection" as listed below.
Also if at least one of you has been married before we have to consult
with the Bishop before booking the wedding.
Please let us know if this is the case.
A member of the clergy will meet up with you to discuss why this is necessary.
It is a relaxed and informal experience.
Also if at least one of you is not a UK citizen then there may be further processes involving the civil authorities which are necessary before we can confirm your wedding date. Please again let us know if this is the case when you initially make contact with us. Thank you.
If at least one of you lives in Whitstable, or has lived in the past for more than six months in Whitstable , and neither of you have been married before, and you are both UK citizens, then this gives you the automatic right to marry at All Saints Whitstable without any further processes required in advance.
However, if neither of you do live in Whitstable or have lived in Whitstable in the past there are some extra qualifying connections that also give you the right to marry at All Saints if you are not
currently living in Whitstable.
At least one of you would need to have one or more of these as qualifying connections if at least one of you does not live in Whitstable:
1) At least one of you was baptised or confirmed in one of the Church of England churches in Whitstable.
OR
2) At least one of you any time had his or her usual place of residence in Whitstable for a period of not less than six months. (This has already been mentioned but is repeated here for clarity).
OR
3) At least one of you has at any time habitually attended public worship in a Church of England church in Whitstable for not less than six months;
NB You can decide to do this in advance of your wedding on condition that if you do not fulfill this requirement the wedding becomes a "blessing" with the legal parts happening elsewhere, usually the Registry Office earlier in the day or week. Attendance is no less than once a month.
You can book a date now and agree to attend and then if you fail to attend monthly the wedding would automatically become a Service of Dedication and Prayer after a registry office wedding beforehand. This can be a lovely service too.
OR
(d) One of you have or have had a parent who during your lifetime had his or her usual place of residence in Whitstable for a period of not less than six months or habitually attended public worship a Church of England church in Whitstable for that period.
OR
(e) One of you has a parent or grandparent whose wedding took place in a Church of England church in Whitstable.
Your contact to make enquiries after you have read all the above is Rev Simon Tillotson at simon@teamvicar.org
Please note
The church will not be available for weddings from
September 16th 2023 to December 25th 2023 due to refurbishment works
FEES FOR MARRIAGES AT ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH, WHITSTABLE 2023
For weddings services between 1 January and 31 December 2023
FEES FOR 2024 and 2025 are decided in November of
the previous year and fall in line with the rate of inflation
Statutory Marriage Fees (these are not optional)
Marriage Fee £505
Banns fee £34
Certificate of banns if you are marrying in a church outside of Whitstable £17
Non Statutory Fees (these are all optional and extra
but you are strongly advised to have the verger, and organist if you want hymns)
Flowers £80.00* (external flower arrangers not permitted)
Fees for organ £90.00
Fees for verger £40.00
Choir £130.00
Bells £130.00
Heating (October to April inclusive) £45.00
The £50 deposit you pay when booking your wedding is deducted from the total when you pay the
outstanding balance. It is not refundable if there is a cancellation of your wedding.
*FLOWERS This is the contribution asked if you wish to have specially chosen flowers for your wedding. Otherwise, the flowers on your wedding day, in the church will be the normal weekly flower arrangements. Please note we do not permit private individuals or businesses to come in and organise flower pedestals or arrangements at the church as it may conflict with another wedding on the same day or with the plans of our flower arrangers. However, pew ends may be brought in separately.
The fee is to be paid by cheque to the Treasurer FOUR weeks before the wedding. Cheques are to be made payable to All Saints’ Whitstable DCC.
To discuss online payments call our church wedding administrator Karen on 01227 273448 or even better email our treasurer Malcolm Waller at malcolm.waller@outlook.com
Confetti may be thrown providing this is done well away from the entrances to the church.
Your guests are requested not to take photographs during the wedding service. Professional photographers may take photographs during the signing of the registers and (with limited flash) during the service. Everyone may take photographs as you walk through the church at the end of the service. If there is a wedding following your service, we ask that you move as soon as possible to the south side of the church for photographs.