Vicar made it inclusive and special for all our friends
Andrew and Fenella
Andrew and Fenella Pritchard were already familiar with church when they were married.
Fenella’s parish church, St Simon’s, Shepherd’s Bush, did not have many weddings because it was not the typical ‘pretty’ rural church. But the congregation and the vicar, the Revd Jonathan Clarke, were so delighted to have a wedding, they made considerable efforts to ensure it was a very special and personal experience for the couple.
The church was due a refurbishment with new carpets and curtains and the date for fitting them was brought forward by several months to ensure the church looked its best.
The church was used for the whole wedding, from the ceremony to the reception, and the couple were given a great deal of freedom to choose what they wanted, including the wording of the ceremony itself. “The vicar gave us the Marriage Book and said we could choose which bits we wanted, within the legal framework. It was so lovely to be given that trust,” said Fenella.
Some of our friends were able to do the prayers and preach and Jonathan helped us to choose hymns that would be familiar to all our guests. Jonathan had a great feel for what would be suitable for everyone, and made it inclusive and special for all our friends.
Following the service, the pews were pushed back so that the couple could share champagne and cake, (which friends had made) with all their guests, while a jazz band played. The party then transferred to the church hall for the reception.
Andrew is now training to be a vicar himself, and said he hoped to replicate the generosity and kindness shown to him at St Simon’s when he was asked to marry couples in the future.