Could this have happened . . .?

[Jayson]

Hi everyone

I have question regarding a marriage that I hope my fellow rootschatters can help with.  Would it have been possible for a wealthy couple to have a marriage ceremony performed at either of their parents' home instead of the usual church ceremony?

Jayson

[KathMc]

Jayson,

I wouldn't see why not. Like today, enough money and you can get the clergy to do anything.  (Oooo, did I just say that out loud  ?)

Kath

[Jayson]

Hi Kath

This particular marriage was in the early nineteenth century - definitely before 1814 . . . would this still be the case?

Jayson

[01debbie]

Hi Jayson,  I THOUGHT if it was a religious ceremony, it could only take place in a Church, Temple etc.  & that civil ceremonies have to be held on licenced grounds???  

I'm sure someone on here will know the answer!

Debbie  

[Tuscany]

If they were wealthy enough was it possible that they had their own private chapel as some of these large houses did?  

Otherwise as Kath says if a large donation was made to the church by the local land owner then I'm sure the vicar would have been only too happy to oblige.  Most definitely I would think it was highly likely in the early nineteenth century, the ag labs would have been too poor to contribute to the church so it relied greatly on the local gentry.

[Jayson]

Hi debbie

Yeah, that's what I thought but I really don't know enough about the subject to be absolutely certain  

Jayson

[Gadget]

Hi Jayson

In England and Wales, after Hardwicke's Marriage Act of 1753, it was only really allowed for Jewish and Quaker marriages.

There's lots on this, see for example:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_Act_1753

Gadget

Added - what was the locatiion, Jayson?

[Elizabeth Revel]

A recent wedding in Windsor would suggest that having money does not solve all the problems about where weddings may take place, even today.

Beth

[Tuscany]

Beth

Wasn't that more down to pressure from the head(s) of the church of England because divorced people can be married in church if the vicar agrees.  I think in this case it was moved to avoid upsetting anyone, because it was originally destined to be St. George's Chapel.