1. These notes deal with the formalities for a wedding at a church or chapel of the Established Church (ie. the Anglican Church) in the Isle of Man. They do not apply to marriages at a non-conformist church or chapel. They are intended to be a brief outline only: further advice can be obtained from the Diocesan Registrar if required:
Diocesan Registrar
Sodor and Man Diocesan Registry
37 Farmhill Park
Braddan
Isle of Man IM2 2ED+44 (0)1624 675091
registrar@sodorandman.im
Also on this site are —
| NB The Church of England Marriage Measure 2008, which makes it easier for those who have certain connections with a parish to marry there even though they are not parishioners, does NOT extend to the Isle of Man. |
2. A request for a church wedding should in the first instance be made to the rector, vicar or priest-in-charge of the ecclesiastical parish in which the church where the wedding is to take place is situated. This will normally be a parish church of the parish in which the bride or groom lives. Certain churches and chapels other than parish churches are licensed by the Bishop for weddings.
For details of parishes, churches and clergy click here. Use the MannGIS online maps to find the parish in which any place is located.
3. No-one may be married who is under the age of 16. Parental consent is required where a party is under 18 (but may be dispensed with by the High Court if it is refused or cannot be obtained).
4. A wedding may not normally take place in an Anglican church or chapel unless it is the parish church, or the usual place of worship, of at least one of the parties. For further details see below.
5. A clergyman is entitled by law to refuse to marry, or to allow his church to be used for the marriage of, certain couples:
5.1 if their relationship is listed in the Marriage Act 1984 Schedule 1 Part 2, eg. where one is the child of the other's former spouse;
5.2 if one of them has a former spouse or civil partner still living; (the Bishop has issued advice to the clergy on the exercise of this discretion;)
5.3 if one of them is the former spouse or civil partner of the other's parent, or the parent of the other's former spouse or civil partner;
5.4 if the gender of one of them is an "acquired gender" (under the Gender Recognition Act 2009).
6. There are three different formalities allowed by law for a church wedding in the Isle of Man:
6.1 Banns Marriage after banns is the usual procedure for a church wedding. Notice of the intended marriage is given by the minister at a church service on three Sundays. Banns must be called in each party's parish church, that is, the parish church of the parish in which each party is living at the time the banns are called. If the parties are living in different parishes, banns must be called in both parishes. If the wedding is to take place in another Anglican church or chapel which is the usual place of worship of one of the parties, banns must be called there in addition.
Note: a church or chapel is the "usual place of worship" of any person if (and only if) he or she is on the church electoral roll of the parish in which it is situated.
At least 7 days' notice must be given to the minister of a parish before he may call banns. An application form is available. The wedding must take place within 3 months of the last calling of banns. If banns have been called in a parish other than that in which the wedding is to take place, a certificate of banns must be obtained and given to the minister who is to conduct the wedding.
If one of the parties lives in England, Wales or any of the Channel Islands, banns called at that party's parish church there are valid for a wedding in the Isle of Man.
6.2 Common licence Marriage by common licence is an alternative procedure if there is a difficulty with banns, eg. because one of the parties is abroad. A marriage can take place under a licence granted by the Bishop, the Vicar General or a surrogate (one of the local clergy or the Diocesan Registrar), and for this purpose one of the parties must have lived in the parish in which the wedding is to take place for at least 15 days before the application for the licence.
If either party is a national of a country outside the European Economic Area, the wedding should be by common licence issued by the Diocesan Registrar, and not after banns.
6.3 Special licence: The Bishop of Sodor and Man, in his discretion, may issue a special licence to marry at any convenient time or place in the Isle of Man.
An application form for a special licence is available; it includes guidelines indicating the matters to which the Bishop will have regard when considering applications for special licences. The Diocesan Registrar has issued a note about the procedure for applying for a special licence.
Enquiries about banns or a common licence should be addressed to the vicar or rector of the parish where the wedding is to take place. Enquiries about a special licence should be addressed in the first instance to the Diocesan Registrar (address above).
7. Fees are payable for banns, licences and weddings. The principal fees are fixed by statute, and are as follows:
| From 1.1.13 | |
| Publication of banns | £30.00 |
| Certificate of banns | £10.00 |
| Bishop's special licence | £255.00 |
| Common licence | £97.00 |
| Marriage service | £370.00 |
| Marriage certificate | £7.00 |
Other fees (eg. for church heating, music, videoing or recording of service) are set by the parish concerned. Details of such fees may be obtained from the rector or vicar of the parish.