Weddings

Weddings

Weddings are able to take place in the Parish of Benalla, normally in one of the three Churches within the parish. This needs to be arranged with the Parish Priest and will involve a period of preparation. Please read the following information about being married in the parish.

Issues Needing Early Clarification

• The Wedding Service must be according to the Rites of the Anglican Church of Australia and conducted by one of the parish clergy. Only in exceptional circumstances will approval be given for a visiting celebrant, who must also be an Anglican priest.
• It is a normal requirement that at least one of the couple be a baptised Christian.
• If one or both of the couple have been married before and divorced, the priest has to seek permission of the Bishop to marry the couple. This requires sensitive discussion with the couple at the initial interview;

Contact

• Initial enquiries to ascertain availability of the Church and a priest for the proposed date and time and to clarify other procedural matters ought be made through the Parish Office;
• In due course the couple will need to contact the priest to arrange the date and time of an initial interview and subsequent interviews;
• Contact details are listed at the bottom of this page.

Wedding Times

• The Wedding Service would normally be on a Saturday, with the possibility of other days to be arranged with the parish priest.

Fees

• Fees are set annually by the Diocese of Wangaratta and the Parish and are payable at least one week before the rehearsal. The current fees are a minimum of $650, plus fees for the organist and flowers if you wish the parish to provide those for you.
•  The fee does not include a Marriage Preparation Course which is a normal requirement for couples intending to be married in the Parish of Benalla
• The Fee covers the following:
  • Two or three interviews with the priest to prepare the necessary documentation, discussion of details of the Service (basic Service for Marriage or in the context of Eucharist) and other relevant issues so that the Service may be as personalised as possible;
  • A rehearsal with the priest and wedding party;
  • The bell – rung as the couple leave the Church;
• The Fee does not cover the following:
  • Marriage preparation course, details of which will be discussed between the priest and the couple; and
  • Service booklets containing the order of service. The text of the order of service will be arranged with the couple following discussion and planning with the priest, and the final text for printing will be provided. The Parish is able to provide a very simple printed order of service for an additional charge.

Marriage Preparation

• Given the huge investment made in the wedding day itself, it is even more important to invest in the enrichment and strength of the couple’s ongoing relationship.
• Therefore, it is a normal requirement for couples marrying in the Parish of Benalla to undertake a marriage preparation course, the details of which the priest will discuss with the couple. The cost is not included in the fees payable for your wedding. This is discussed with the Parish Priest

Contacting the Parish

Locum:          Bishop Dino Gabriel
Phone             0401 773 746
Email              dinogabriel1955@gmail.com

Parish
P.O. Box 250
Benalla Vic 3671

Phone             03 5762 3134
Email              anglicanbenalla@bigpond.com