Congratulations on your decision to get married.  There are certain things you will need to know as you begin to make your plans and preparations for the big day. 

You are required to give a Notice of Marriage to the local Registrar approximately 6 weeks before the date of your wedding.  For Marchmont St Giles' the appropriate Registrar’s office is at India Buildings, Victoria Street,  Edinburgh, 0131 220 0349.  They will advise you of all the necessary paperwork which will have to be completed and brought to them for the wedding to go ahead.

The Registrar will then issue a Marriage Schedule shortly before the wedding.  It should be collected by the bride or groom and brought to the wedding rehearsal, which is usually the night before "The Big Day".  This is the document that we will sign on the day, and without it the marriage cannot go ahead.  It’s that important, so don't forget!  After the ceremony the Schedule must be returned to the Registrar within 3 days and a Marriage Certificate will be issued in due course.  The fee for this process is currently £58.50. 

The fees for weddings are currently £50 for the organist, £25 for the church officer and a donation of not less than £300 to the church.  Ideally this should all be combined in one cheque made payable to Marchmont St Giles'. If you are a taxpayer and kindly sign the enclosed declaration, we can claim Gift Aid on this at no further cost to you. 

It is essential that we meet up to discuss such details as the music to which you will come in and go out, and the hymns and readings to be incorporated into the service.  You can discuss this with me or our organist, Robert Parsons through the church office on 0131 447 4359 or e-mail robert_parsons@btinternet.com. 

You can choose from various vows which can be used in a Church of Scotland wedding: I can let you have a note of these when we discuss your wedding. 

As time goes on you will need to make arrangements for flowers and photographs etc. Please note that photographs are only permitted before and after the ceremony, and during the signing of the register. Also, it is usual to leave flowers in place for the Sunday service. 

The day you get married should be the most important day of your life, and the ceremony is more important than the reception!  If you have any requests or questions - and soon you will have lists of them - don’t hesitate to get in touch with me at the address below.  In the meantime you would be warmly welcome at our 10.30am Service

The Reverend Karen Watson

Tel 0131 447 4359

E-mail: theminister@marchmontstgiles.org.uk