Due to the Church of Englands recent marriage rule reforms, around 50 clergy from the Diocese of Hereford have signed to attend a course about weddigns. Ministers from South Shropshire, Herefordshire and parts of Wales and Worcestershire will be attending the training course to learn about the new rules regarding church weddings.

The new rules make it easier for a couple to choose their own church wedding which is expected to increase the number of services. Spokeswoman for the diocese told Christian Today:

We are still the largest provider of wedding venues locally and have maintained the number of services we conduct, despite competition from other secular venues. But we do have lots of historic churches in beautiful settings, capable of fulfilling any bride’s dreams

The new rules came into force at the start of October

After nearly eight years of marriage, Madonna and Guy Ritchie are to split. Their PR representatives have confirmed that the they expect to agree a settlement out of court. The news comes following several months of rumour surrounded the couples marriage include an announcement back in July that claimed the marriage did not need saving.

The couple married in at Skibo Castle in December 2000 and have two sons, seven year old Rocco and David Banda, whos adoption from Malawi was approved back in May of this year. The singer also has a 12 year old daughter, Lourdes from a previous relationship.

The traditional Chinese divorce process is quite interesting. A Chinese marriage can be dissolve in following three ways.

The first way is No-fault divorce in which the fault of either party does not require and the marriage may be dissolved due to personal incompatibility but a divorce note is required from husband.

The second way of divorce is through a state-mandated annulment of marriage. This way applies when one of spouse commits a serious crime. However it should be based on the seven reasons to give divorce in this method. For example if wife fails to bear a son, she is vulgar or lewd, she is jealous, she has got a vile disease, she is not good with her in-laws, she is gossipy or she commits a theft.

However unilateral divorce can be disallowed under the following conditions.

Wife has no family to return.

She had observed a 3-years mourning for parents in-law.

Her husband was poor at the time of marriage and now he is rich.

Chinese marriage is a ceremonial ritual within Chinese societies which is established by the pre-arrangement between families. In Chinese culture love marriages are allowed.  In some of Chinese traditions people in primitive societies didn’t marry, but had sexual relationship with one indiscriminately.  In Chinese society males should not marry females of the same surname.  This is seen as incest.

A Chinese marriage initiated by a series of three letters.

1)      A formal request letter is sent from groom’s family to bride’s family.

2)      A gift letter sent to groom’s family to the bride’s family shortly before the wedding.

3)      The wedding letter is given to bride’s family officially accepting the bride into the groom’s family.

In the United Kingdom marriage can take place at a register office, in a church, at an approved building for civil marriage or any other religious building which is registered for the solemnisation of marriage.

There are two types of marriages in England and Wales religious marriages and civil marriages. Usually religious marriages take place in a church or other religious building according to the religion while a civil marriage can take place in any register office.

The most important residency requirement for marriage in United Kingdom is that both lived in a registration district for at least seven days before giving notice of marriage. This requirement applies to all couples, including those travelling from abroad should they wish to register their marriage in UK.

Evidence of your name, age and nationality has to be shown to a superintendent registrar. The legal age for getting marriage in England and Wales is 16 years, with parental consent. A notice of marriage is a legal requirement. Your notice of marriage is displayed on notice board at register office for fifteen days and it is valid for 12 months.

A notice of marriage states for each person:

• Name and surname

• Age

• Condition

• Address

• Occupation

• Nationality

• Intended marriage venue