Fees for holding a wedding or funeral in church
The Church of England has traditionally charged a fee for weddings and funerals. The fees charged reflect the real cost of providing this ministry; this includes:
- The minister's time in preparing and taking the service
- Making the church available for the service, including the cost of lighting
- Routine administration, for example arranging dates, and recording entries in registers.
These fees will be the same in every Church of England church. For a wedding the main statutory fees in 2024 are:
- £37 for the publication of the banns of marriage
- £19 for a banns certificate (if required)
- £544 for the marriage service
If you are planning a wedding the Your Church Wedding website may be helpful.
The Table of Parochial Fees has been updated with new fees taking effect from 1st January 2025 and can be found here.
DBF fees
Please use this form when sending fees to the Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF).
The national church legal office has produced guidance on the law relating to fees for services taken at crematoria; this can be found here.
The DBF has published answers to questions frequently asked by funeral directors, or those who wish to organise a church funeral; this can be found here.
Fees paid to ministers for additional ministry
Worship and pastoral care are key aspects of our shared life in the diocese. Sometimes there are situations where additional authorised ministry is required to enable this to happen, and the Bishop’s Core Staff Team are grateful for the help and support offered that makes this possible.
The Coventry DBF policy on fee payments for additional ministry (weddings, funerals and other services) outlines the arrangements for ensuring that services are appropriately covered, and that all eligible ministers who take additional services are properly remunerated.
A minister should complete a claim form for fees for additional ministry and return it to the diocesan office.