What we have seen and heard we announce to you also, so that you will join with us
in the fellowship that we have with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3)
 
THE ANGLICAN
CHURCH
 
OUR CHURCH
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
THE TOORAK
VILLAGE
 
SERVICE TIMES
 
RESTORATION APPEAL
 
 
 
 

WEDDINGS AT ST. JOHN'S

St. John’s Toorak has been a popular and desirable church for couples planning to be being married since the very first bride, Mary Steavenson (after whom the Victorian town of Marysville was named) was married at St. John’s in September 1862. In addition to the outstanding beauty of the church, the central aisle, at 23.4 metres long , has provided a memorable walk to the altar for countless brides over the passage of years. St. John’s has developed a comprehensive wedding package that arises out of the long experience of the parish in hosting the marriages of all manner of people, among them many celebrities and prominent Melburnians.

 

 

Photographs from the marriage of Gerrard Woods and Melinda Straw, April 2008, by Paul Lunnie (www.paullunniephotographer.com.au).

THE WEDDING PACKAGE

 

Our wedding package is all inclusive and includes within the fixed fee of $1,750

  • Use of the church for the wedding and rehearsal
  • Use of the church grounds afterwards 
  • Provision of the celebrant for the wedding and a rehearsal  
  • Provision of, and payment to, the organist
  • Provision of, and payment to, the verger who sets up the church, operates the sound system, and cleans up afterwards
  • Flowers inside the church
  • Red carpet along the steps out the front of the church (weather permitting)
  • Candles down the aisle of the church
  • Pew bows
  • Completion and lodging of all documentation
  • Provision of, and payment to, the bellringer: the bells are rung as the bride arrives and again as the groom and bride leave the church
  • A professionally administered program of marriage education and preparation, run by a qualified instructor

   

Couples should note that the fee is all inclusive and non-negotiable, and includes the parish obligation and commitments to its own staff. Those wishing to provide their own musician or vocalist, for instance, will still need to pay the full fee, even if the parish provided organist is not required to play at their wedding. A non-refundable deposit of $250 must be paid as soon as possible to confirm the booking, and the balance of $1,500 should be paid no less than one month prior to the date of the wedding.      

The 23 metre central aisle in the renovated nave (body of the church).

Photo courtesy of Lovell Chen.

WHO CAN BE MARRIED AT ST. JOHN'S?

St. John's has an open policy in regards to marriage. Anyone desiring to be married in our church may be. You do not need to live in the parish area or be a member of our church or another.

FIRST CONTACT

 

The Marriages Act 1961 requires that at least one month’s notice be given to the proposed celebrant before the marriage takes place. Couples desiring to be married at St. John’s should contact the parish office during business hours (Ph. 98261765), or by e mail, to check that the time and date desired is available. At this point a tentative booking can be made, although this will not be confirmed until the $250 deposit has been paid. 

 

CELEBRANT

 

At most marriages at St. John’s the celebrant will be the vicar of the parish, the Revd Dr Bradly Billings, or the Assistant Priest, the Revd John Griffiths. Couples who have an existing relationship with another Anglican priest who holds a license issued by Archbishop of Melbourne may invite that priest to conduct their marriage, after first contacting the vicar of St. John’s to discuss their reasons for desiring this and obtaining approval to do so. St. John's is an Anglican church. An Anglican church may only be used for the purposes of Anglican worship with an Anglican priest presiding. It is not possible for the church to be "hired out" or "used" for other purposes. Whilst this means Ministers or Pastors from churches other than the Anglican Church are unable to conduct marriages at St. John’s, they may participate, usually at the point of the homily (sermon) and / or prayers. Couples desiring this must contact the vicar of St. John’s to discuss this and obtain approval to do so, before inviting another Minister to participate. Under no circumstances may a civil celebrant preside at, nor lead, any part of a marriage service at St. John's.   

 

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO MARRY (NOIM FORM)

 

All couples being married at St. John’s must arrange to meet with the celebrant to complete and sign a Notice of Intention to Marry (NOIM) form, which must be lodged with the celebrant at least one month prior to the wedding taking place. It is best to complete this requirement as soon as possible. Couples are asked to attend a service of worship at either 8am or 10am on any Sunday and to make themselves known to the vicar of the parish at that time (if there are special reasons preventing this couples should make arrangements to meet the vicar at another mutually convenient time). To complete the NOIM form both parties to the marriage will need to supply original birth certificates or extracts, or if one or both were born overseas, a Passport issued by a country other than Australia is acceptable. If one or both parties to the marriage have been previously married evidence of the end of the previous marriage must also be provided (this will usually be in the form of a document issued by the Family Court in the event of divorce, or a the certificate of death for the previous spouse if a widow or widower).    

 

PREPARATION

 

Pre-Marriage and Relationships Skills Courses at

St John’s, Toorak

 

Pre-Marriage and Relationships Skills Courses at St John’s are an educative experience designed to strengthen and grow a couple’s relationship. Research tells us that good, skills-based pre-marriage education can equip couples with the tools needed to handle the complexities of life and reduce the risk of divorce by up to 30%. Couples today face more demands and have fewer areas of support than ever before. The typical marriage – managing two careers while rearing children and running a household – requires that couples have strong, well-established skills in communication, resolving differences, setting goals and maintaining intimacy.

 

At St John’s, Pre-marriage and Relationships Skills Courses are run to the highest professional standards.  Facilitated by a qualified and experienced educator, courses are based on current marriage research and sound ‘adult learning’ principals. In a group environment, most activities and discussion are done within the couple setting. Each course is divided into 5 sessions and includes:

  • Changes in society
  • The influence of family of origin
  • Effective communication skills
  • Resolving conflict constructively
  • Finances
  • The difference a family makes
  • Creating intimacy
  • The Marriage Order of Service

 All courses are available to couples marrying elsewhere. Please contact Gay Djumas, our Marriage Ministry Co-ordinator at marriagemin@saintjohnstoorak.org  for more information.

 

The candlelit aisle above, and below with the lights dimmed.

THE CEREMONY

 

The vicar of the parish attends a session of the marriage preparation program to discuss the ceremony with all couples preparing to be married at St. John’s. As part of this session couples will be provided with a CD-ROM containing the full text of the marriage ceremonies authorised for use in the Anglican Church, as well as extensive resources pertaining to each aspect of the ceremony. There will be an opportunity for all present to ask questions and to raise any  concerns, as well as to seek clarity about special requests or requirements.  

 

(i) Printed Order of Service. The resources provided by St. John’s will assist couples in preparing a printed order of service for their marriage. It is essential that a draft of this is checked by the celebrant prior to printing. This can usually be done conveniently by e mail. Couples requiring assistance in putting together an order of service may contact their celebrant for further help.  

 

(ii) Readings. At the ceremony planning session a large number of readings from the Bible and from other sources will be provided to assist couples in making selections. A marriage service inside an Anglican church must include at least one reading from the Bible, however there may be further readings from other sources. Normally, no more than three readings are included. Couples may invite family members and / or friends to read. 

 

(iii) Prayers. A large selection of prayers is contained on the resources CD-ROM. Couples may invite a family member or friend to lead the prayers, or the celebrant will lead the prayers. The Lord’s Prayer is usually said at the conclusion of the prayers. 

 

(iv) Music. Extensive choices regarding the music to be played and for hymns that may be sung are provided at the ceremony planning session. There are three points at which music is needed – as the bridal party enters the church, during the signing of the marriage certificates, and as the bride and groom and their attendants leave the church. The parish provides an organist for each marriage in the church, however couples may arrange (at their expense) for musicians, choirs, or vocalists etc. to participate also. The parish choir may also be invited to lead the singing and contribute in other ways at your wedding, this will attract an extra fee and is dependant on their availability.

MORE INFORMATION & HELPS

For more information about the wedding ceremony, follow the link below to see the guide, Putting Together the Wedding Ceremony, which is distributed on CD-ROM with some further extensive resources to all couples as part of the marriage preparation course at St. John's.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE GUIDE PUTTING TOGETHER THE WEDDING CEREMONY

 

Signing the marriage certificates. Marriage of Bryan Wai and Wai-ee Thai, March 2009.

Photo courtesy of the couple.

REHEARSAL

 

The rehearsal normally takes place during the week prior to the wedding. Typically the rehearsal will take between 30 and 60 minutes. The time and date of the rehearsal is arranged in consultation with the priest who will be the celebrant.

 

CONFETTI etc.

 

Please ask your guests to refrain from throwing anything at the entrance of the church, as a courtesy to other weddings taking place on the same day. Biodegradable matter only (i.e. rose petals and potpourri) may be thrown in the church grounds on the south lawn (along Clendon Rd), or you may distribute bubbles. Paper products (e.g. confetti) are not to be used, nor should rice be thrown as it becomes a trip hazard on paths when wet.     

 

PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEOS

 

The church has no objection to professional photographers taking photographs of the service nor to the ceremony being filmed by a videographer arranged by the couple being married. It is helpful if the photographer and / or videographer introduce themselves to the clergy before the service begins.

 

Leaving the church

Photo by Paul Lunnie, www.paullunniephotographer.com.au.

The attractive grounds at St. John's provide many photo opportunities afterwards.

Photo by Paul Lunnie, www.paullunniephotographer.com.au.

HOLD YOUR WEDDING RECEPTION AT ST JOHN'S

AT THE NEWLY RENOVATED BUXTON HALL

The newly renovated Buxton Memorial Hall, adjacent to the church offers a wonderful environment to hold wedding receptions for anywhere from 20 to 350 guests. Your guests do not need to drive to a new location for the reception. A short walk from the church through the picturesque gardens, The Buxton Hall offers ambience, convenience and style.

 

CONTACT

 

Phone.

Parish office (business hours): 03-98261765

Vicarage: 03-98264360 

E Mail.

Parish office: reception@saintjohnstoorak.org

The Revd Dr Bradly Billings, Vicar: vicar@saintjohnstoorak.org  

Ms Gay Djumas, Marriage Ministry Coordinator: marriagemin@saintjohnstoorak.org