Church takes a stand at national wedding show

Three Yorkshire bishops met engaged couples and offered help and advice on church weddings when the UK Wedding Show came Harrogate at the weekend. The Church of England mounted an exhibition stand at the national show in the Harrogate International Centre , and visitors were able to meet clergy, talk through their wedding service ideas, and receive advice and literature on everything from hymns and readings to churches where they can get married.

Pictured above (right), the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, Rt Revd John Packer joined the church team on Day Two while the Bishop of Bradford, Rt Revd David James also went on the church stand later in the day. The previous day the Bishop of Wakefield, Rt Revd Stephen Platten had dropped in and helped on the stand.

A new range of literature has been developed by the Church of England to help both churches and couples plan their big day, and a new website was recently launched, www.yourchurchwedding.org

Visitors to the church stand were able to find out about the new regulations which give many couples a wider choice of churches for their wedding, and pick up some of the newly developed material containing much useful advice.

Bishop John Packer commented, “Many more people would choose a church wedding if they knew they could have one. We're taking the initiative to be at this event where people are planning their big day.

"The team drawn from across Wakefield, Bradford, York and Ripon and Leeds was  working hard to let people know we welcome them for a wedding, whether they go to church or not. I think many people are surprised to discover that a church wedding is now a lot easier, and probably less expensive as they think.”

Alongside the churches’ stand at the UK Wedding Show, were more than  90 suppliers specializing in everything from cakes, cars and catering, to bridalware, balloons and beauty tips.

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