Getting Hitched at St Giles

Early Summer has been a blur of (biodegradable) confetti and pealing bells. We’ve asked those recent married and preparing for their big day what is means to get married at St Giles.

We have had a flurry of weddings in the parish over recent weeks, rather putting the lie to the popular notion that “young people today” have given up on marriage and lifelong commitment. It is an enormous joy to see both newer and longstanding members of our congregation make this profound commitment in the sight of God.

In May, Will Grundy, who many of you will know as our PCC treasurer, married Gaia on a balmy bank holiday weekend. ‘Having attended services and lived locally over the last decade, it felt extremely special to have the service here,’ Will says. ‘We have lost count of the number of favours asked from our congregation, from Andrew on the coffee cart, Louise and team at the Phoenix Garden (where we had our reception), and Lesley in the church office, not to mention Tom, Phillip, Wil and the many others who gave us advice along the way. We feel enormously grateful.’ After the wedding, Gaia and Will set off on a round Europe caravan tour – a true test of commitment!

Gaia and Will have taken "getting hitched" very literally on their caravan honeymoon...

Earlier in May, it was Clare and Sharan’s time to tie the knot. As newer members of the community, they were struck by the welcome they received. ‘From our first visit, Tom made us feel at ease, and that warmth continued throughout our preparation. We felt embraced by the church community and that sense of belonging added a depth and meaning to the ceremony. It felt we were being supported and celebrated by more than just our family and friends, which made the day feel incredibly special and that's something we’ll carry with us for a long time.’

And in August the bells will be pealing again when our two churchwardens, Oliver and Catherine, marry. We don’t know if this is a first in the Church of England, but it will certainly be an especially joyful day for the parish. ‘One advantage we had over other couples was instantly knowing where our venue would be,’ Oliver says, ‘we knew there was nowhere else we would rather be married than St Giles-in-the-Fields.’

‘One of the things that we are looking forward to most is welcoming friends and family from all over the world to St Giles,’ Catherine adds, ‘As the two current churchwardens, we are so proud of the community we share and it is such a joy to show them what St Giles means to us, and how the Christian faith we have developed here has shaped our love for each other.’