Couples have enjoyed being married at St Stephen’s in Willoughby for well over a century. It is a privilege for us to be a part of every wedding celebration here, not only recognising your commitment to each other in a Christian ceremony but also helping to ensure your commitment and marriage is filled with resolution as well as happiness.
Our beautiful church is an 1880’s Blackett church, built of Sydney sandstone and can comfortably seat 300 guests. However, even with a smaller number of guests, the classic carved stone pillars create an atmosphere of intimacy. The church is traditionally built with a long aisle and has impressive stained glass windows, as well as a thirty stop pipe organ, which will enhance the atmosphere of the most traditional wedding. Alternatively, our thirty-six channel PA desk can cater to the most contemporary weddings. Saturday is when we usually conduct weddings, although other days are possible.
St Stephen’s is located in Willoughby, one of Sydney’s most desirable suburbs, and is conveniently located for some of the city’s best wedding reception venues as well as being close to the CBD.
Make an Enquiry
If you would like to enquire about being married at St Stephen’s please complete our Application Form and we will contact you to arrange a time for you to come to the church to discuss your next steps. If we agree to move forward at this stage you will need to pay a small deposit for your wedding day to be confirmed.
For more information please contact: weddings@st-stephens.com.au
What You Need to Know
Pre-marriage course
We see a pre-marriage course as a valuable investment in your marriage. If you are a member of St Stephen’s our minister will discuss the course that we run with you; if you are from another church we suggest you talk to your own marriage celebrant and let us know that you have arranged this important part of your wedding.
The Service
For members of St Stephen’s we run a classical wedding service according to the Prayer Book of the Anglican Church and we can happily provide you with a copy; the service typically lasts about 45 minutes. We can also provide you with a template for your Order of Service which you will need to design and send to us for approval prior to you having it printed.
Decorations & Flowers
We will arrange for the church to be open for before and after the ceremony so that you can decorate it and this can be discussed in more detail when you come to see us. There may be an additional fee if you require use of the church or any other rooms, for the purpose of decorating, before the wedding day. We have our own decorations which you are welcome to use if you wish. Alternatively, you are welcome to provide your own (subject to approval). Please note, we request that your guests do not throw confetti or rice, either on church property or on the street; this is a safety and littering issue. If you would like to scatter flower petals outside the church or down the aisle of the church, this is permitted for a small additional cleaning fee.
Music
Music is an important part of your wedding and you are likely to want music for the following parts of the ceremony:Music is an important part of your wedding and you are likely to want music for the following parts of the ceremony:
- The Processional;
- The hymns or songs if you wish to have them;
- The signing of the register;
- The Recessional.
You may also like to have music as your guests arrive. Options for music include our marvellous organ, piano, soloist, choir, musicians, iPod. All music will need to be approved by the minister and details discussed with our Sound Operator. If additional equipment is required, there may be an additional charge.
Readings & Hymns
Your wedding is a Christian ceremony and we advise you to choose readings from the bible. You can also choose other readings or poems but these must be approved by the minister. We will be happy to provide you with examples of both readings and hymns to help you if needed.
Catering
The Hainsworth Hall is available for you to use if you would like to offer refreshments to your guests after your ceremony. Light buffet style food / canapes are permitted and we work with three different caterers who will be able to provide you with a great selection to choose from. We can discuss all of this with you in greater detail when you come to the church to see us. The charge for hiring the hall is $750 and a refundable bond is applicable for cleaning should you choose to provide your own food as opposed to using our caterers.
Parking
Wedding vehicles can be accommodated in the paved area in front of the main entrance via Sydney Street. In addition there is limited off street parking available for guests via our Mowbray Road entrance. There are specific parking regulations if parking on the street and we can let you know about these when you come and see us.
Fees
The basic wedding fee is $2050. We require a $200 deposit and the balance 7 days before the wedding. In addition, you will need to allocate $100 for two parking attendants unless you only have a small number of guests attending your ceremony. If you are a member of St Stephen’s, please contact us at the email below for more information as different rates apply.
Fees include the following:
- Use of church for the rehearsal and wedding;
- Attendance of the Wedding Administrator and Sound Technician at the rehearsal and wedding;
- Lodging of Government documents if required;
- A 30 stop pipe organ and grand piano (we can provide recommendations of organists for you to negotiate with directly);
Our bank details are as follows:
Acct: St Stephens General Fund
BSB: 062-272
Acct No: 00490436
Reference: The last name of the groom with the date of the wedding, for example, TAM121019.