Weddings at St Michael's

Marriage hands St Michael's church is a beautiful location for a traditional wedding service. To find information you might need before getting married here, download our booklet Getting Married at St Michael's Church Tilehurst - A Guide for Engaged Couples - or you can pick up a copy from the Parish Office.

There are some basic rules before you begin your journey towards marriage in the Church of England, relating to whether you live in, or have a connection with, the parish where you want to marry. In outline the rules are:

At least one of the couple should (a) live within the parish boundaries, or (b) be on the Electoral Roll of the parish church, or (c) have a 'qualifying connection' with the parish. A 'qualifying connection' is defined as any of the following conditions being met:

One of the couple was baptised in the parish church.
One of the couple was prepared for confirmation by the parish church.
One of the couple has at any time lived within the parish boundaries for at least 6 months.
One of the couple has at any time regularly attended public worship in the parish church for at least 6 months.
One of the couple's parents has lived within the parish boundaries for at least 6 months at any time after that member of the couple was born.
One of the couple's parents has regularly attended public worship in the parish church for at least 6 months at any time after that member of the couple was born.
A parent or grandparent of one of the couple was married in the parish church.

References to worship, baptism, confirmation or marriage in the above conditions applies only to Church of England services.

Even if you cannot demonstrate any of the above connections, we want to help you explore whether it may still be possible for you to marry in your chosen church. Talk to the Rector well in advance to discuss the options open to you.

If your address is outside St Michael's parish boundaries, but in one of these parishes

St Catherine of Siena, Tilehurst
St Matthew, Southcote

then you are entitled to be married at St Michael's if you wish. But remember, your own vicar would be pleased to marry you in your own parish church.

If you think you live in the parish of St Birinus, Calcot, please note that it ceased to exist as a separate parish in 2007 - the area served by St Birinus was split between St Catherine's, St Michael's and St Matthew's, so you will need to check which of those you now live in.

Charges

For details of fees charged for the various elements of the wedding service, please refer to the Wedding Fees 2024 document. Note that these charges may change in subsequent years.