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| Church marriage rules to be eased | Church marriage rules to be eased |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Plans to make it easier for couples to get married in the Anglican church of their choice are expected to be approved by a parliamentary committee. | Plans to make it easier for couples to get married in the Anglican church of their choice are expected to be approved by a parliamentary committee. |
| The changes mean people will be able to get married anywhere they have lived for six months, or where their parents or grandparents were married. | The changes mean people will be able to get married anywhere they have lived for six months, or where their parents or grandparents were married. |
| Currently couples can get married in an Anglican church only if they attend it regularly or live within the parish. | Currently couples can get married in an Anglican church only if they attend it regularly or live within the parish. |
| Some villages fear the changes will attract too many couples. | Some villages fear the changes will attract too many couples. |
| The proportion of people choosing a Church of England wedding has declined in recent years, - partly because of the current tight restrictions, it is believed. | The proportion of people choosing a Church of England wedding has declined in recent years, - partly because of the current tight restrictions, it is believed. |
| Half of all first-time marriages took place in an Anglican church in 1981, but less than a third were held in a Church of England church in 2001. | Half of all first-time marriages took place in an Anglican church in 1981, but less than a third were held in a Church of England church in 2001. |
| If they've just come here because it's pretty, that undermines the church, undermines rural life Paul MoorcraftChurchgoer The Church's governing body, the synod, has already backed the change in the rules, saying couples who want to marry in an Anglican church should be able to choose where they would like the service to take place. | If they've just come here because it's pretty, that undermines the church, undermines rural life Paul MoorcraftChurchgoer The Church's governing body, the synod, has already backed the change in the rules, saying couples who want to marry in an Anglican church should be able to choose where they would like the service to take place. |
| Because the Church of England is the official state church, the amendments to the rules governing weddings have to be approved by the Parliamentary Ecclesiastical Committee, which is expected to do so later. | Because the Church of England is the official state church, the amendments to the rules governing weddings have to be approved by the Parliamentary Ecclesiastical Committee, which is expected to do so later. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYThose who proclaim themselves to be atheists and have a church wedding are hypocrites Steve, Reading Send us your comments | |
| But churchgoer Paul Moorcraft, from Shere in Surrey, is among those concerned that churches in some famously pretty villages will be overrun, and that the changes would create "wedding tourism". | But churchgoer Paul Moorcraft, from Shere in Surrey, is among those concerned that churches in some famously pretty villages will be overrun, and that the changes would create "wedding tourism". |
| "People are committed to this village, they're committed to this church and if they've just come here because it's pretty, that undermines the church, undermines rural life, and this village in particular," he said. | "People are committed to this village, they're committed to this church and if they've just come here because it's pretty, that undermines the church, undermines rural life, and this village in particular," he said. |
| The changes are expected to take effect in the autumn. | The changes are expected to take effect in the autumn. |