Getting Married in St Robert's Church, Harrogate
We hope that here you will find background information to getting married in St Robert's Church but please do contact the parish priest, Fr Simon, either by email (simon.bradbury@dioceseofleeds.org.uk) or via the contact form on the right.
Marriage Enquiry
Ideally, speak to Fr Simon after Mass but, if you live away, then drop us a line and we’ll get back to you.
Weddings at St Robert's
Couples are warmly invited to contact us here at St Robert’s if they wish to enquire about getting married in the church. First step is simply to have a chat with the parish priest, Fr Simon, to discuss possibilities including dates. He will give further details about registering the wedding at your local registry office and engaging musicians and organising an order of service for the day. There is a certain amount of paperwork to be completed but this can be done after making an appointment. The priest will refer the couple to a marriage preparation course organised by Marriage Care.
For those not resident in Harrogate - by all means make contact with us via 'Marriage Enquiry' above. A time and date for your wedding can be put into the parish diary and, ideally, you would need to arrange a meeting with Fr Simon but if you live away, this could be done by phone or online. He will advise you to contact your local priest for the necessary permission and for you to request that he prepares the paperwork necessary from the Church perspective in order for the marriage to take place at St Robert's Church.
A link to the local registry office is given below along with further information about getting married in the Catholic Church.
Fees from the church side are simply £300 for the church, £104 for the registrar’s standard fee on the day and around £70 should you wish an organist to play and a further £70 for a singer. You are, of course, welcome to arrange for your own musicians/singers but the music in church must be sacred music.
An important point to make early on is that the couple are responsible for making sure the marriage is registered at their local register office; which you must have lived in that registration district for the past 7 days. You and your partner will need to give notice separately if you live in different registration districts; you must do this on the same day and within six months of the date arranged.
There is a lot to think about initially but don’t feel overwhelmed. Fr Simon and the parish administrator, Caroline Walker, can guide you through the process and, as the couples who have been married here recently will attest, the day itself is a lovely celebration of your love for each other.
