Couples join church’s marriage celebration

A CELEBRATION of all the marriages which have taken place at Boldre’s St John’s church was held, to which all those who have tied the knot there were invited.

Weddings at the church – a site of worship dating back to 2000BC – are so popular there are already 20 booked in for this summer.

The oldest bride to attend the celebratory service was Alice Coles who is now in her 90s and was married at St John’s in 1946. She still attends Sunday service each week, often riding her bike to the church.

At least three-quarters of the congregation at the special service were couples who had been married at the church. One couple revealed that, in their family, seven couples had been married at St John’s.

The hymns for the service had marriage themes, and there were three specially written canticles. The anthem ‘I give you a new commandment’ took on special meaning at the event, during which those who had married at the church were invited to talk about their wedding days.

After the service the couples left the church to a shower of rose petal confetti (pictured) and enjoyed wedding cake and champagne in the sunshine.