Church joins Scottish Wedding Show for first time

The Scottish Episcopal Church will be the first church denomination to take part in a major commercial wedding show when it joins the Scottish Wedding Show being held at Glasgow's SECC on 16 and 17 February 2008.

One of the clergy who will represent the Church at the Wedding Show, the Very Rev Kelvin Holdsworth, Provost of Glasgow's Episcopal Cathedral said, "The Church knows quite a bit about weddings - we've been doing them for a very long time.

"Generations of people have been coming to church to mark the most significant events in their lives and if a number of people who are planning a wedding are visiting a national wedding show then the church should be there too."

The Scottish Episcopal Church will be handing out booklets at the wedding show listing a number of questions and answers about getting married in church - including whether membership of the church is necessary, how to have a tailor-made wedding, marrying a divorcee, availability of clergy and wedding venues.

The Scottish Episcopal Church is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion and has over 300 churches across Scotland, each of them celebrating a rich tradition of liturgy. Last summer the Church renewed its marriage liturgy to create a balance between what the Church wants to say about God's love and what the couple getting married want to say about their love and commitment to one another.

While the Anglican Church south of the border has been present at national wedding shows, this is a first for Scotland. "Marriage is an exciting time in people's lives," said Rev Holdsworth.

He continued, "What will be exciting for the Church in attending the wedding show will be the opportunity to meet people we may not otherwise meet and answer their questions about getting married in church.

"Despite reports that more and more people are choosing to live together rather than marry, many do marry and it is important for them to know what the Church can offer for their 'special day' and beyond."

Throughout the Scottish Wedding Show, representatives of the Church's clergy will be present on the Scottish Episcopal Church stand.