United Benefice of Ampfield, Chilworth and North Baddesley

We warmly welcome enquiries about marriage at our churches and look forward to working with you to make your wedding a memorable, joyful and spiritual occasion. Please contact us early if you wish to make enquiries about being married here as we book up very quickly, especially for the summer months. Unfortunatley due to the number of Sunday services and baptisms which we run, we are not able to offer Wedding Services on a Sunday, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

St John the Baptist N Baddesley and St Denys Chilworth churches can be seen on this site through our Virtual Tour. These are both quite small churches with a capacity of 85 at St Johns (including the gallery) or 90 at St Denys. St Marks Ampfield and All Saints North Baddesley are larger with a capacity of up to 200. Our organists will be pleased to arrange to play suitable music at the service, and we have very skilled flower arrangers who can decorate our churches for you most attractively at quite reasonable costs.

If you live within the ecclesiastical parishes of Ampfield, Chilworth or North Baddesley you are normally entitled to be married at any of our churches. Special arrangments also apply for those who live in Valley Park.
Since 2008 new arrangements have been in existence where people who have a Qualifying Connection with a church can apply for marriage there. These connections are to do with attendance at the church or residence in the parish in former years, either your own or your parents. If you want to find out if you qualify for marriage in our parishes please contact either the Vicar or the Parish Office.

In 2011 a very simple wedding can cost as little as £290 (without music or flowers) with a more elaborate service in the region of £600, but the exact amount will depend on a number of choices which we can discuss with you directly.

Recently the Church of England has launched a new website to help you find our more about wedding services and to help you plan your wedding. please go to www.yourchurchwedding.org/. However before you plan your ceremony it is crucial to talk to the clergy of your parish as not all options are available in every parish.

If you are not sure in which parish you live, that website will also help you find out.

Banns of Marriage:
If you are being married elsewhere and need to ask us to read your Banns of Marriage we will need at least one months notice, preferably two. When the Banns have been read you will need to collect a certificate from us to take to the church where you are being married.

For further information or general enquiries about a wedding at one of our churches, please contact the Vicar or the Parish Office.