Introduction

 

Both St Peter’s and St Paul’s are both beautiful settings for your marriage however because we want your marriage ceremony and wedding day to go smoothly, we have outlined some guidelines and advice to help with your preparations.

 

It is important to make early contact with our Vicar to secure a preferred date and work through your requirements and details with us.

 

If you make a confirmed booking and decide that you no longer require this please let us know straight away as some other wedding couple may well like that date.

 

Licence

 

Your wedding is not only a service to ask God’s blessing, it is also a legal ceremony.

To do this you need a marriage licence. You can apply for this up to 3 months in advance of your wedding date.  Make application at a Courthouse or a Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages well before the week of your wedding.

 

Without a licence there can be no wedding!

 

The court will give you an application form which both parties need to fill in and return to the Court.  After 3 days, the Court will issue you a licence that authorises the Vicar to conduct the marriage.

You will sign these documents on you wedding day.  You get to keep one copy, and the Vicar posts the 2nd one back to the office from where you received this.  All these documents must be with the Vicar at least one week before your wedding day.

 

Marriage Services

 

Within the Anglican  Church there are three forms of services and we are obliged to use one of these forms for any wedding service held in Anglican Churches.

 

1.    The First service is traditional in its wording and form.  It has the classical vows and declarations, and expresses a more formal type of service.

 

2.    The Second service is much more congregational-orientated, in that it has more responses and parts for the congregation to participate in during the service.

 

3.    The Third service is different again where you can mix and match from the two styles of services however it is important that you understand and let the Vicar know the style that you want.

 

Readings

 

You might like to have one or two readings in the service, one at least of which must be from the Bible.  We have a suggested list of readings available.

 

Music

 

Music for weddings varies widely and you will need to select one piece to enter with; a piece to sign the register and one to leave the church by.

St Peter’s has a PIPE ORGAN or baby grand piano.  The organ needs a competent organists to play it.  St Paul’s in Arrowtown has a more modest keyboard organ.

Music and who will play needs to be discussed with the Vicar.

You can also choose one or two Hymns to sing during the service and we can give you some suggestions. 

 

Should you wish to have other forms of music, you are welcome. 

 

We do have an experienced organist available details of which can be advised by the Vicar.  The cost for the organist is $250 and is separate from the church fee.

 

Flowers

 

Both St Peter’s and St Paul’s have lovely artificial flower arrangements in the church’s.  Should you wish fresh flowers we suggest for St Peter’s you contact any local florist who can then coordinate with the Vicar about certain rules that apply to the churches.

At St Paul’s Arrowtown there is a dedicated small flowers team who can coordinate doing fresh flowers for a wedding service.  

Please discuss your flower requirements with the Vicar.

 

A Clean Green Wedding!

 

Confetti poses considerable clean up problems and is not to be used.  Flower petals are fine however none inside the churches or on the concrete steps at St Peter’s.

 

Parking

 

Parking outside St Peter’s in Queenstown is a big problem whatever time of day you choose for your wedding. There is room for 1-2 wedding cars to be parked on the paved area outside the Lytch gate on the corner of Camp and Church Streets.  There is an underground carpark on Church St.

 

There are no parking problems at St Paul’s in Arrowtown.

 

Photographs

 

We ask your photographer to respect the occasion and not provide distraction with the taking of the photographs. Your photographer should speak to the Vicar prior to the service.  The Parish Hall can be used for group photos should the weather not be favourable and there is no parking of vehicles on the grassed area of St Peter’s grounds.

 

Costs

 

All payments are to The Anglican Parish of Wakatipu

 

*    New Zealand & Overseas couples:    $1500

 

*    Wedding’s outside of our Parish facilities are at the discretion of the Vicar, with a minimum fee of     

    $700.

 

The fees cover all of the Parish costs including administration, planning of your service, rehearsal and your wedding day.

 

*    A non refundable deposit of $250 is to be paid

*    The balance of the fee must be paid prior to your wedding on receipt of the invoice from the Parish.

 

Payments can be made by direct bank deposit:

Wakatipu Anglican Parish

BNZ account

02-0948-0020591-000

(Cash is not accepted)

 

 

Other Ministers or Celebrants

 

The Vicar of the Parish has the first option to take weddings in Parish Churches.

 

Other Ministers from mainstream denominations are welcome to participate with the Vicar’s permission and approval, but they must agree to use the approved liturgies of the Anglican Church of New Zealand.

 

It may be that the Vicar is unable to take your service and may need to ask someone else to officiate.

 

We do not allow Civil Celebrants to officiate at weddings in our Churches.