Already living together? How British churches marry cohabiting couples
In short
Yes. Living together is no bar to a church wedding in the UK. ONS data on marriages in England and Wales in 2021 and 2022 show that 83.7% of couples marrying in a religious ceremony had cohabited first. Since 2009 the Church of England has also offered a combined marriage and baptism service for couples who already have children.
What the full article will cover
- Do UK churches require couples to live apart before marrying?
- What do the statistics say about cohabitation before church weddings?
- What is the Church of England's marriage and baptism service?
- How do Catholic and Free Churches approach cohabiting couples?
- What about banns and parish residence rules?
Frequently asked questions
- Will the vicar ask whether we live together?
- Can we marry in church if we already have children?
- Do Catholic priests marry couples who live together?
- Do we need to be baptised to marry in a Church of England church?
Sources
- anglicanjournal.com — https://anglicanjournal.com/church-of-england-to-offer-combined-marriage-and-baptism-8622/
- ons.gov.uk — https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/marriagecohabitationandcivilpartnerships/bulletins/marriagesinenglandandwalesprovisional/2021and2022
- churchofengland.org — https://www.churchofengland.org/node/391/printable/print
General information, not legal or religious advice.