Thousands of couples dreaming of a wedding will find more churches to choose from after 1 October when the new Church of England Marriage Measure comes into effect.

The Marriage Measure completed its parliamentary process last month, making it possible for bishops to issue the official guidance to clergy on how the new rules, published today, will work.

Existing law establishes a right for a couple to marry in the Church of England in the parish church where one or both of them live, whether they are baptised or not, and whether they are churchgoers are not. To marry in any other parish requires a special licence or six months of regular attendance followed by entry on the local church electoral roll.

But new laws, initiated by the Church of England and now approved by Parliament, will add to this right of residency, making it just as easy for couples to marry in a church where they have a family or other special connection, even if they don't live there.

The new rules mean that the Church of England's network of 16,000 churches can offer a wider wedding welcome than at any time in the Church's history.

Couples planning a wedding for this autumn will be able to make plans now, knowing that the new legislation will be in force, whilst clergy have the summer to find out exactly how the changes will take effect.

The General Synod decided that the existing laws were too restrictive in a mobile society and took the initiative to change them last July. Synod wanted churches all over England to be free to celebrate more weddings and support more marriages.

The changes will mean an engaged couple are welcome to be married in a Church of England church in a parish if one of them was baptised or prepared for confirmation in the parish; one of them has ever lived in the parish for six months or more; one of them has at any time regularly attended public worship in the parish for six months or more; one of their parents has lived in the parish for six months or more in their child's lifetime; one of their parents has regularly attended public worship there for six months or more in their child's lifetime; or their parents or grandparents were married in the parish.

Chris Varnom and Emma Price are just one couple who have been watching closely when the new law will take effect. They live in High Wycombe but plan to marry 200 miles away at Christ Church Ainsworth in Bolton, where Mr Varnom grew up and where his parents were married and still live.

Ms Price said: "Because we haven't lived in High Wycombe for long, home - his or mine - was always where we wanted to marry. But because the church and the community are such an important part of Chris's story, we can't imagine marrying anywhere else. It's just fantastic news that now we can do that more easily."
The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, the Rt Rev Nigel Stock, who was a member of the group that steered the Marriage Measure through the General Synod, welcomed the news.

"Once the new measure comes into effect I really do hope that we will be welcoming many more people for marriage in church. It is already our privilege to celebrate the weddings of 57,000 couples every year and of course, welcome their guests to the occasion.

"Research does show that many more people would like to marry in church than actually do. I hope that this new law will make it much easier for clergy to say 'yes' to couples when they first enquire."

Simon Hughes MP, speaking in a House of Commons Committee in support of the Marriage Measure, said: "In an age when we bemoan the loss of community, the consequences of greater globalisation and the greater difficulty that people have in maintaining roots back to the places that they come from...more people will be likely to get married in churches, because they will be able to marry in those that they think are important and valuable.

"That will be a good thing for the Church, for couples and for their families, who will feel more involved in the process."

The Church's official publisher, Church House Publishing, is currently preparing a book aimed at clergy entitled 'Welcoming Weddings' detailing the pastoral and practical implications of the changes, due to be published in January 2009.