From supporting couples through their wedding planning, attending wedding fairs with the Devon Church Weddings team, and officiating wedding ceremonies; Rev'd Lewis Eden is no stranger to the joy that a church wedding can be. Lewis, who is an Assistant Curate at Holy Cross Church in Crediton, has recently experienced first hand the joy of his own Devon Church Wedding, as he recently married his bride Catherine.
Lewis has been a part of the Devon Church Weddings team since it began in 2021. He has attended wedding fairs; helping couples to find out more about getting married in their local church and supporting them on their journey.
Lewis said, "When I joined the Devon Church Weddings team, I did not think I would end up getting married myself.
"As a cleric (member of clergy) and part of the Devon Church Weddings team, I was aware of the practicalities involved in planning a church wedding, but I never thought I would need to complete any of them until I met Catherine."
When they began to plan their special day, Lewis and Catherine knew they wanted to get married in a church, as they wanted to make their Christian faith a key part of their day.
However, the couple did have discussions about which church to get married in, and where their wedding might be. Lewis is from Aberdeen, Scotland, whereas Catherine is from Devon. Ultimately, they decided to choose to get married in Devon, as it was easier for guests to travel to.
The couple decided to get married in Holy Cross Church, Crediton, which was the place they had first met. Lewis said, "it felt right to get married at Holy Cross, Crediton, as we had grown as a couple there and everyone in the church had supported us through the early stages of our wedding. It felt only natural to have our wedding there."
Couples can get married in churches if the have a Qualifying Connection. Some examples of a Qualifying Connection include if you, your partner or your parents have lived in the parish for a period of at least six months, if your parents or grandparents were married in the parish or you were baptised (christened) in the parish. There are many more Qualifying Connections, click here to find out more.
Lewis and Catherine were able to make their wedding service unique to them as a couple; Catherine has always been a part of church choirs and enjoyed singing, so she chose some of the music for their wedding ceremony. Lewis chose the bible verse readings, and they also chose the 'If You Live To Be A Hundred' poem by A.A Milne, following the Winnie the Pooh theme they had used on their Order of Services.
Their wedding was officiated by the Bishop of Crediton, the Rt. Rev'd Jackie Searle. Bishop Jackie was there to support them on in the planning of their wedding day and helped them to decide on readings and the song choices.
Your wedding ceremony should be a reflection of you as a couple, and you are free to choose songs, bible readings or poems that are special to you. If you are unsure or need any advice, do speak to the Vicar who will be able to help you with this.
The couple also were thoroughly supported by the church, as the church's flower and catering teams were keen to help provide flowers and refreshments for after the wedding ceremony. Lewis said, "this was a great way to include the church congregation in our wedding, and ensure they were part of the service, as they had witnessed us grow as a couple both before and after our marriage."
Some churches will have flower, catering and decoration teams who will be able to help and support you as you plan your church wedding service. Do speak to the church Vicar to see what is possible.
If you are considering a having your wedding ceremony in a Devon church, Lewis and Catherine said, "Do it! The people within the church will help guide you in making your wedding day so special, and help prepare you for the future.
"If you are unsure if you can get married in a church, do pick up the phone and ring your local vicar or drop them an email. They will love to hear from you."
If you would like to find out more about getting married in an Anglican (Church of England) church in Devon, click here to visit A Church Near You to find your nearest church.
If you have any further questions, please email our Devon Church Weddings team who will be more than happy to help you: devonchurchweddings@exeter.anglican.org
Photo credit: Hannah Frost Photography
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