Way back in ancient times, marriage was much more informal. Couples could make a promise to each other in front of a witness at any spot or precious time, and it was recognised as a joining arrangement. In fact, it was regarded as enough to call God as a witness; His power was considered to be sufficient to override His lack of physical presence! This of course led to many a Knight making a statement of marriage to a girl, having his wicked way then disappearing, leaving her to suffer the consequences.
As many marriages were fixed to bring money or power into the family, or to sustain status and position in the neighborhood, arranged weddings between members of the family were common. In the 11th century the Council of Westminster decreed that no man could assemble the marriage of any female in his family group not having church approval, and gradually the church began to have an affect, restricting inter family relationships and driving the ceremony into the Church itself.
To start with, weddings generally took place in the church porch, which is why this space is normally so large in many churches. By the 15th century, Trent Council decreed that every wedding that took place without having a priest was nullified, and the Church was now recognized as the only location to get wedded. The traditional form of the marriage vows, “To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part” have been incorporated into the Book of Common Prayer in 1552 and have played a important part in church weddings since.
The architecture of many of our churches makes for quite beautiful settings, and the grounds of the church have grown to be the traditional area for many of the professional photographs to be taken. Both the signing of the register and the happy family group outside the church door are significant pictures for both the professional photographer and the happy family snappers!
If you found this short piece interesting, you might want to take a look at a blog, wedding photography near Hope Valley.
