Church relaxes wedding venue rules again

Members of the General Synod, meeting in York, backed a request for a new law allowing couples hoping to get married a greater choice of churches.

The move would mean clergy no longer have to apply for special licences for couples with a "qualifying connection" to one church who want to marry in another church within the same benefice, or grouping of parishes.

The Rt Rev John Packer, Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, proposing the move, said it would allow couples greater choice about choosing a church to suit their needs.

"It is always surprising how many people want to get married in churches at the ends of muddy lanes surrounded by cows, a warmer church, or at time like this, a cooler church, churches which fit the occasion and where the parish priest can work with a couple and their family to create the right ambience for the wedding to take place," he said.

The Venerable Jan McFarlane, Archdeacon of Norwich, said she had seen "queues" of people at wedding shows hoping to get married in hotels.

She said: "If we say no for whatever reason, we turn people away. We have lost them because they have 101 other places to go.

"On the other hand if we welcome them, and their family and friends, and they have a magnificent day, then who knows where it will lead.

"Let us be a Church that not only likes to say yes, but likes to say 'we are here for you, welcome'."

The move further relaxes laws already implemented by the Church of England giving couples more choice about where they get married.

The debate came at the end of a Synod meeting once again dominated by controversies over women bishops and gay priests.