Marriage

We are delighted when members of the College wish to get married in one of our beautiful chapels, either the College Chapel on the Strand or the Chapel of Thomas Guy, and we will do everything that we can to make your day a special and memorable occasion.

Please email us with your interest and requirements.

On Marriage Equality in the Church of England

We deeply regret that the Church of England does not currently conduct marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples. We would like to be able to celebrate all unions between couples in a spirit of inclusion and love which affirms rather than discriminates, and continue to work for this within the church.

We are bitterly sorry for the pain the church continues to cause to our LGBTQ siblings, and stand with you in your anger and distress.

Your Dean and Campus Chaplains affirm that:

God loves all people equally without regard for gender or sexual orientation
Same-sex love is holy love, and a gift from God
Marriage is a rite that should be available to all couples

Your Dean and Campus Chaplains commit to:

Welcoming same-sex couples to have their marriages blessed in the Strand Chapel and Guy’s Chapel
Campaigning for equal marriage within the Church of England
Living out a faith that sees God’s love as extravagantly inclusive

We are able to offer a service of blessing on your marriage in either of our two Chapels, and will do so with joy and in a way tailored to you so as to make your day as special and meaningful as possible. Please email us with your interest and requirements.

Also: Read the letter to the Bishops which adds the voices of the Dean and Campus Chaplains to the many who are urging the Church of England to move forward with marriage equality (October 2022).

The Church of England describes marriage in the following way:

A wedding is one of life's great moments, a time of solemn commitment as well as good wishes, feasting and joy. St John tells us how Jesus shared in such an occasion at Cana, and gave there a sign of new beginnings as he turned water into wine.

Marriage is intended by God to be a creative relationship, as God’s blessing enables the couple to love and support each other in good times and in bad. For Christians, marriage is also an invitation to share life together in the spirit of Jesus Christ. It is based upon a solemn, public and life-long covenant between two people, declared and celebrated in the presence of God and before witnesses.

Find out more about marriage in the Church of England

You can be married in one of the College Chapels if:

one of the partners is a current member of College (student or staff)
one of the partners left College not more than 5 years ago.

You will need to apply for an Archbishop's special licence to be married in a College Chapel - we'll help you through this process.

There are set fees for Church of England weddings and there will also be a cost involved if you would like an organist or a choir.

Further details about fees

Please contact The Revd Tim Ditchfield (for weddings in the College Chapel, Strand Campus) or The Revd Jim Craig (for weddings in the Chapel of Thomas Guy, Guy's Campus).

Eternal God, our maker and redeemer,
as you once enriched the wedding at Cana
when your Son turned water into wine,
so by his presence now bring your joy to this day.
May we drink deeply from your boundless love
and know in our hearts the delights of your Holy Spirit. Amen.