The Catholic Catholic Churches of St Joseph’s, St Mary’s, St Pius X & St Edward welcome couples wishing to get married in our churches.  We, the priests, deacons and people of the Guildford community are witnesses to something special each time a wedding takes place in our churches, or even when we just prepare a couple for a wedding that is to take place elsewhere, sometimes on the other side of the world.

We would like to assure you of our prayers, not only for a successful and happy day, but also for a fulfilling life together for the rest of your lives. When you get married your marriage partner becomes an important part of your way to God. Each sign of love within your relationship can sustain, heal and help you to grow in holiness. 
​Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life and we will do all that we can to help you arrange it as you wish. 
We ask that couples wishing to marry give at least one year's notice to the priest (prior to booking the venue) and undertake a course of Marriage Preparation. ​

Steps to get married in the guildford parish

IF YOU LIVE IN THE CATHOLIC PARISH OF GUILDFORD

• Register yourself and partner on the parish database if you are not on it already.
• Contact the Parish office using the contact form below to arrange an appointment to meet a priest to discuss the process of marriage within the Catholic Church. When you have met with the priest he will give you a direct link to enrol on our Marriage Preparation Course.
• Read this page in detail as it contains answers to many common queries.

IF YOU LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE CATHOLIC PARISH OF GUILDFORD

• First make contact with your own parish priest and explain that you wish to be married in Guildford parish.
  
• He will then commence your wedding paperwork and (if you need it) will give you a direct link to enrol on the Guildford Marriage Preparation Course.
• Read this page in detail as it contains answers to many common queries

Register on the Parish Database

 MARRIAGE expression of INTEREST FORM

The priest will then contact you to make an appointment.

Some Important Information

• (Do not obtain any certificates/permissions. The priest will tell you when and how to do this.)
  
• In the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton it is required that at least twelve months notice of an intention to marry must be given to the parish.
• Your parish is the local catholic church which has pastoral responsibility for the area in which you live.
• Evidence of completion of the Marriage Preparation Course.
• A copy of the Baptismal Certificate must be produced by all Roman Catholics. This must be a new copy as it also acts as a certificate of freedom to marry. (You can obtain this from the church where you were baptised. It is a kindness to enclose a stamped addressed envelope when you write.)
• Further evidence of freedom to marry may be required. (The priest will advise)
• For baptised Christians of other denominations, a baptismal Certificate or other evidence must be provided.
• Permission from the State for your marriage to take place.
• For couples not getting married in the Catholic Parish of Guildford an administration fee of £50 is charged to cover the cost of the paperwork

upcoming weddings in our parish

Marriage Authority Certificates

Before a couple can marry they need the permission of the State. To obtain this you must both give notice of your intention to marry, in person, to the Superintendent Registrar of the registration district in which you reside and you must have lived in this district for at least seven days before you apply. A £35 fee is payable for each notice. Two superintendent registrar’s certificates (the marriage authority) must be produced before a marriage may be solemnised.
You will need to give a minimum of 28 days notice of your intention to marry, after which the certificates may be issued. The Marriage Authority Certificates MUST be given to the Priest/Deacon who is conducting the wedding, as soon as they are obtained.
A Notice of Marriage is valid for twelve months. If the church where you are to marry is in a different registration district to where you live, you need to prove to the registrar that the church is your normal place of worship. If you cannot do this, you will be required to give notice in the registration district in which the church is situated, after having met the necessary residency requirements.
You will find the Guildford Registrar of Births, Marriage and Deaths at Artington House, Portsmouth Road, Guildford, GU2 5DZ Tel: 01483 562841.
If you live in separate registration districts you will need to visit both registry offices.
It is a legal offence, punishable by imprisonment for a priest to marry you without the Marriage Authority Certificates! Even if you and all your guests are assembled in the Church, the wedding cannot go ahead without them.
These legal requirements are applicable in England and Wales only. If you plan to marry in any other country, including Scotland and Ireland, you must check the requirements there.
​The church has personnel authorised by the state to conduct marriages on their behalf. The fee payable to the Authorised person at the time of the wedding is £90. 

The wedding day questions

​The details of the service need to be worked out between yourself and the priest/deacon who is conducting your wedding. Is a nuptial mass appropriate on this occasion or not? We will try to make your wedding service something you can look back on with joy. Besides thinking of the music you will have, you need to make a careful choice of appropriate passages from scripture. You will be provided with examples of readings. Time also needs to be taken to prepare some Intercessions (Bidding Prayers), which should include things you particularly wish to pray for on your wedding day. You need to think of people who can read for you and to lead the Intercessions, as well as your witnesses, ushers etc
​Music
​You are welcome to invite your own organist or musicians. We are able to provide an organist who will be able to help you choose the music if required, please contact the office to help with this. An organist is entitled to double his fee if the service is being recorded, and can similarly refuse to play if he has not seen the copyright licence.
Parking
St Edward the Confessor, St Mary’s and St Pius X have their own car park. At St. Joseph’s on Saturdays the car park under the church is open to the public on a “pay and display” system.  However During the week the car park is used for private non church parking and you will get a parking ticket if you park during the week. There are other pay and display car parks nearby at G-Live and York Road
Flowers
Please contact and discuss with the parish office and priest to ensure your wishes are possible
Fees
Please contact the office to obtain the Marriage fee. It covers the church expenses; the celebrant fee for preparing the paper work, order of service and conducting the wedding. It also includes the Authorised Person as registrar according to the Registry Office fees, and one certificate.  
Video and Photography
Your official photographer is allowed to take photographs in the church as long as he/she doesn’t get in the way or distract attention from the service, and similarly with video recordings. However with sound or vision recording you may be breaking copyright laws by recording texts, hymns and music. You may need a Limited Manufacture (LM) licence; a one-off licence costs @ £15, available from the Performing Rites Society (PRS). Each church holds licences; please check with the Parish Office if the printing is covered by these licences and ensure that the licence numbers are printed on the service sheet together with the name of the author of the text. If you are not marrying in the Guildford Parish, do check with the priest in the parish where you are to celebrate your wedding and if they don’t have a licence you can apply for one to: Christian Copyright Licensing Tel: 01323 417711. (There is a small charge for the licence) 

THE ART OF MARRIAGE
A good marriage must be created.
In the marriage, the little things are big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands.
 It is remembering to say “I love you” at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry.
It is having a mutual sense of values
 and common objectives
 It is standing together and facing the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers
in the whole family.
It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating
gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere
in which each can grow.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
 It is not only marrying the right person,
It is being the right partner.