Add a Wedding
To add a wedding event, from the LED dashboard, click the ‘Add Wedding’ button.
When we click the ‘Add Wedding’ button, we will be taken to the ‘Main’ tab. Here we can enter the event details. We can add a reference number, if we’re using them, that will be added to the Marriage Document, the number of guests, the date and time of the wedding, the church it will take place in and the vicar who will conduct the wedding.
If the Banns for the wedding are being read in another church, we can switch on the “Banns read elsewhere” toggle and enter the location at which the Banns are being read. We can also add any notes. These will be visible to anyone that has access to view the Wedding.
If we don’t have a confirmed date and time for the wedding, we can leave the Date and Time boxes empty. We will be able to come back to this once the details have been confirmed, and add the date and time of the wedding.
Add the Bride & Groom
Next is the Bride tab, which is where we can enter details of the bride. If this is someone who is already in the LED, we can search for them in the Search in Diary field. The details will then be completed automatically and we can make any alterations that may be necessary. If they are not already in the LED, we will need to complete the details for the bride.
We will be able to upload an image of the bride, after we have saved the wedding, by clicking Edit on the Bride tab and then clicking the Add Image button.
We can add the Bride’s title and name. If the name has changed, or the bride is known by another name, we will be able to indicate that by switching on the Formerly Known As, Otherwise or Name Changed by Deed Poll toggles, and completing any relevant details.
If the bride’s surname will be changing after the wedding, we can tick the tickbox and enter the new surname.
The Bride’s date of birth can be entered and the system will calculate the bride’s age at the service, if we’ve added a date for the service.
Next, the bride’s address can be entered. If we’ve seen proof of the address, we can switch on the Proof of Address Seen toggle and enter the details. We can also add their other contact details, such as email address and phone numbers, and their occupation.
Under Status we indicate the bride’s current status. If we select Couple Remarrying Following Divorce, we’ll be able to enter the details of the previous marriage. If there has been a divorce, we are able to indicate that the Decree Absolute has been seen by switching the toggle.
Switching on the Proof of ID Seen toggle will allow us to record the ID that has been seen, when it was seen and by whom.
We can record the bride’s home parish and diocese, whether the bride is a foreign national and upload any relevant documents, such as ID or a Decree Absolute.
We can indicate if there is any relationship or connection between the bride and groom, in the Relationships and connections section. If we select Yes, we’ll be able to provide more details.
Finally, we can record which methods of contact have been consented to.
The Groom tab will allow us to add the same details for the Groom.
Associated People
The Associated People tab will allow us to enter details of the Bride and the Groom’s parents. We can add the details for the first parent of the Bride, at the top of the page then, to add additional parents, we can click the Add Parent button at the top right. The process for adding the Groom’s parents is the same. We are able to add up to 4 parents each for the bride and the groom.
If there are any other key people, you can add them here, as well.
Marriage Measure
The Marriage Measure tab will allow us to record how the couple qualify to be married in our parish. We only need to select one of the options, but we can select multiple options, if we wish.
Documents
In the Documents tab, we can upload any documents that we might need to keep attached to the wedding. We’ll just need to click the blue upload button and then select the file from our hard drive. If we need to remove a document, we can simply click the red dustbin button to the right of the document.
Finance
In the Finance tab we can add costs for the Wedding. Costs and payments can only be added after our event has been saved in The Church Organiser.
There are a number of costs that are set by the Church of England and are standard across all Church of England churches, such as the cost of the Marriage Service itself. These costs have already been added to the LED and can easily be added to a service. We are also able to add our own Costs, such as the cost of an organist or an extra Verger.
We will see a list of all the set costs and any costs we have entered, on the left. Each cost item has a green + button alongside it. If we want to add a cost to the service, we need to click the green + next to the cost we wish to add, the cost will be moved to the right and the total will increase. We can click the + next to as many cost items as we need to add and the system will calculate the total cost for us. Once we have added all of our costs, we can click the Save button to save the costs.
When a payment is made toward the costs, we can record this in the LED, allowing us to keep track of whether payments have been made.
To record a payment, we will need to go to the bottom of the list of prices where we will see the Add Payment button. We’ll need to click the button and, in the window that opens, add a description of the payment and the amount that is being paid. We can, then, click the Add button. We will see the payment appear and the total outstanding for the service will be decreased.
If we need to print the details for the payees records, we will need to click the View button and then the Service Profile button. This will produce a PDF file containing details of the service, including the costs added and any payments made, which can easily be printed or emailed.
Adding Costs
If there are any additional costs that we wish to add, such as the cost of an organist, we can add them by going to Settings, clicking Life Events Diary, making sure the Wedding tab is selected and clicking the Add Cost button at the top of the page.
We will need to give the new cost item a name so it can be identified when we are creating the service in the LED.
If this particular item is only to be available for a limited time, or is only available at certain times of the year, we can switch on the Set Validity Dates toggle and add Fixed From, and Fixed To dates.
If this is a fixed cost, switch on the Fixed Cost toggle and add the amount for the Cost. If it is variable, leave the toggle switched off. We can then add the cost when we add it to the service.
If more than one of this particular item can be requested, we can switch on the Allow Multiple Toggle. We can also add a description if we need to.
Service Plan
We are able to add a Service plan to the Wedding by going to the Service Plan tab.
Under Organise Plan by, we can choose how we want to organise the different Items on our plan. If we choose None, we won’t be able to add any timings to the different items in the plan. If we choose to organise by Duration, we will be able to set how long has been allocated for each item. If we choose to organise by Time, we will be able to choose the time that each item should begin.
We can then create our Plan by adding Sections and Items. Sections are a way of creating a header within the Plan that related Items can be listed under. For example, we may have a Bride’s Arrival section that contains Items showing the order of the Bridal Procession, the music that will be played and so on.
To add a Section, click the Add Section button and a text box will appear. Add the name of the Section in the text box.
We can then add Items below the section, by clicking the Item button. We will be able to add a duration or time for that item, depending on how we have chosen to organise our Plan, add a title for the Item and add any notes that relate to it. To add another Item click the Item button again and, to add another Section, click the Section button again.
Once our Plan is complete, we can click the Save button. When the Plan is saved, we will see a PDF button appear at the bottom right of the Plan. We can click this to generate a PDF file that can be emailed or printed.
To Do List
If we have set a date and time for the wedding, the To Do List will be automatically populated, this will include the Banns readings. The To Do List contains a set of automated Processes that can remind us and our team to carry out certain tasks before, or after, an event.
If we want to alter the steps for an individual service, we can click the Edit button and click the pencil icon alongside the relevant step. This will allow us to change who the task is assigned to, the name of the task and the date it is due to be triggered. Once we’ve made our changes, we’ll need to click the Save button.
Once we reach the date that a particular step has been set to be triggered, the system will send an email to the person it has been assigned to, to remind them to carry out the task.
Notify
The Notify tab allows us to Notify different groups of people when a new service is added, or when changes are made to a service.
We just need to select which group, or groups of people we want to notify, by ticking the tickboxes alongside the relevant groups. When we save the service, an email will be sent to all those in the group to let them know that either a new service has been created or that a change has been made to an existing service.