Church offers joint weddings and baptisms

The guidelines have been issued in response to figures from the Office for National Statistics showing for the first time that having a child is the first major milestone in adult life, followed by marriage. Statistics also show that more couples are living together before they get married.

The Church of England said many of its 16,000 churches were reporting a rise in weddings since the Church changed the law last year to make it easier for people to marry in the church of their choice.

The Bishop of Wakefield and Chair of the Liturgical Commission, the Rt Rev Stephen Platten, welcomed the guidelines.

"Baptism normally is celebrated in a Sunday act of worship - but patterns of relationship and marriage within society are presenting new opportunities for the Church,” he said.

“We are therefore offering guidance on how thanksgiving for the gift of a child, or indeed baptism, might be incorporated within a marriage service so that the church can respond pastorally to our changing world if a priest feels it would be advisable to offer this option."

The Rev Tim Sledge, vicar of Romsey in the Diocese of Winchester, has been asked to ‘merge’ wedding and baptism services several times.

He said: “It has been lovely to give couples this flexibility to enjoy an extra special celebration for the whole family. Now the guidelines are available online, the Church can ‘say yes’ and offer an even warmer wedding welcome to couples with children.”