We conduct wedding ceremonies Monday to Sunday.

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Unfortunately, we are not able to conduct ceremonies on a Sunday morning or public holidays,
and on the following dates:

20 December 2024 – 19 January 2025 (Christmas Holiday),

13 – 21 April 2025 (Holy Week),

20 December 2025 – 11 January 2026 (Christmas Holiday),

29 March - 6 April 2026 (Holy Week).

2025 Wedding fee $1,600.00 covers:​

* Use of the church for 100 minutes on the day:

40 minutes for guests to arrive and decoration + 60 minutes for the ceremony and clean up;​

* Service of our Clergy (minister, priest) and Verger (supervisor);​

* Up to one-hour rehearsal during Office hours (Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm);​

* Use of the sound system (including CD player, AUX cable to connect your own device, up to five microphones);​​

* Use of an up-right piano;​

* Unity Candle;​

* In-house heating during cold months;​

* Administrative cost.

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Extras:​

Bells (up to 20 minutes
    at the conclusion of the ceremony;

    it is a part of your 1-hour ceremony)                         $300

Service of our Organist                                                     $200

Additional time (subject to availability) 30 minutes:    $175

                                                                             1 hour:    $350

Rehearsal after Office hours (subject to availability)   $140

Live streaming                                                                    $260

Use of Grand Piano (tuning not included)                     $200

Set up and reset of additional chairs for the guests
         (if the number of guests is greater than 170)       $120

Cleaning fee                                                                         $300

We recommend that you confirm your booking as soon as possible because there can often be several requests for the same day and time.

A deposit of $400 will confirm the date and time of your booking. If you book additional time, it needs to be paid for together with the deposit.

The remaining balance is due within 7 days before the wedding day (we will send you an invoice).

St Matthew’s can accommodate up to 400 guests: the wooden pews seat about 160 people; the upstairs gallery seats up to 50 people; we have 190 additional chairs that can be used on request (please note that some additional seats will have a restricted view due to a number of structural pillars in the church).

At St Matthew's we are happy to offer hospitality to ministers of other denominations to take weddings.

In accepting our invitation to preside at a service in our church we expect that you will also respect that hospitality and St Matthew's role as an Anglican church which welcomes all people regardless of gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation.

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If one of the St Matthew's clergy is taking your wedding you can see the choice of services here:

Marriage Liturgy    First Form        View Online

Marriage Liturgy    Second Form   View Online                    Download Marriage Services

Marriage Liturgy    Third Form       View Online

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The clergy will guide you through selecting a service to suit you, and there is flexibility to add in personal touches such as your own vows.

Civil (independent) marriage celebrants are not permitted to preside in any Anglican Church in this Diocese.

You are welcome to book our organist to play at your ceremony. There is an extra fee.

The organist usually plays the Processional (bride walking down the aisle), during the Signing of the Copies of Particulars of Marriage, and the Recessional (the bridal couple leaving the church). You may listen to the samples from the list of suggested Traditional Wedding Music.

You are welcome to have your own singers, musicians / band. If you use a band they need to bring their own sound system.

You can use our grand piano for a fee. Use of our up-right piano is free of charge.

Our sound system can play music from a CD or any electronic device.

Make the most of the location and recruit the church's bell ringers to announce your union with the echoing chime of church bells. St Matthew’s is home to the only peal of bells (8 bellringers) in Auckland, and features the tallest bell tower in the North Island.

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The bells add a unique dimension to your wedding at St Matthew’s. A donation is payable to the Bellringers Society should you wish to have the bells rung after your ceremony.

You are welcome to bring in your own flower arrangements along with ribbons and flowers to tie to the ends of the pews (please do not tape, glue or pin to the wood).

Fresh rose petals are the only acceptable type of confetti for use inside or outside the church.

Helium balloons may not be used inside the church.

You must make arrangements for any decorations (including petals), boxes, discarded materials including hymn sheets to be removed by the end time of your booking.

All photographers and video camera operators must speak to the officiating minister before the service. This is a courtesy to both the minister and the bridal party. Guests are very welcome to take photos.

If you wish to take photographs in the church at the conclusion of your ceremony please inform the Events Manager so we book time for this (subject to availability and extra cost).

The bridal vehicle parks on the forecourt in front of the church.

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A limited number of parking spaces for your immediate families might be available.

The nearest parking facilities to the church are:

Wilson Parking     SKYCITY Carpark     Atrium carpark      Civic Car Park

If you would like to conclude your ceremony with brief refreshments please book extra time for this (subject to availability). You are welcome to use a professional caterer or self-cater. The provided food should be ready-to-eat. Alcohol cannot be consumed outside the church.

You must make arrangements for the clean up to be completed by the end time of your booking.

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If you wish to have a full reception it can also be arranged. For basic information visit Your Event Guide.

You will need to apply to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages (https://marriages.services.govt.nz) for a marriage licence around two months before your wedding day. The licence is valid for three months, and it takes three days to be prepared. If you have previously been married, you will need to show the Registrar the legal papers relating to the dissolution of that marriage.

To complete an on-line form choose Type of Ceremony Personalised ceremony.

Then you’ll need to have these details before you start:

• full address of the ceremony location (St Matthew-in-the-City, 132 Hobson Street, Auckland)

• the name of the celebrant you have arranged

• personal details of you and your partner

Please note that we cannot conduct a legal marriage without a licence. It is your responsibility to deliver the licence to the church's office (events manager) one week prior to the rehearsal day.

Please fill out the Wedding Booking Form. If you didn't hear from us for more than two working days and if your booking is urgent, feel free to give us a call on (09) 281 4893 Monday-Friday 11am-5pm.

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                                                         Updated 16 December 2024