Managing Life Events

Here you’ll find guidance, links and downloads to help with many legal and administrative aspects of life events.

This page suggests resources relevant to all life events. Follow the links under ‘Specific resources’ to see more for weddings, baptisms and funerals. 

Life Event Essentials

GDPR around life events

Many church leaders would love to stay in touch with the contacts they make through life events ministry. However, the GDPR means there can often me uncertainty over how to do this correctly. Visit this summary page which explains the basics (Link coming soon). 

Legal Advice

The resources on these pages aim to provide general guidance for navigating the legal aspects of life events. Otherwise, if you need specific legal advice relating to a particular situation, you should contact your diocesan registrar and/or Archdeacon accordingly.

Parochial Fees

All up to date fees information and tables relating to life events are presented on the Church of England website. Parochial fees are revised annually in October after a vote at General Synod followed by Parliamentary approval.  

Waiving Fees

Waiving parochial fees is permitted in exceptional circumstances and where a couple or family are experiencing genuine financial hardship. Discover more about when and how you can waive parochial fees. 

Specific Resources

Weddings

Baptisms

Funerals

More resources for all Life Events

The Life Events Diary feature on the Church Organiser online tool will help you organise the collection of personal data from families wanting to have a life events service. This tool will remind you by email of important events related to those services, such as banns dates, whilst helping you to manage all the administrative tasks surrounding life event services. 

If you would like to explore how your church can revitalise and grow your ministry around life events, this PCC Discussion booklet, available from Church House Publishing, will help to get you get started. 

‘Introducing mission and ministry through Life Events’ is an article on the Church Support Hub which outlines the huge opportunities for mission and ministry through all life events. 

Life Events: Mission and ministry at Baptism Weddings and Funerals, by Sandra Millar, is a key book resource to gain insights and practical suggestions for mission through life events.