Reading of Banns
This involves notice of the forthcoming wedding being read out in both the bride and the groom's parish churches on three consecutive Sundays in the period three months before the wedding. When you visit the priest of the parish in which you live she will arrange for the banns to be "called" (to use its technical term). If you both live in the same parish that is all that you need to do but if one of you lives in another parish, banns will have to be called there too. Visit the priest here also to arrange for this to be done. When this has been completed the vicar will give you a banns certificate, to give the priest who will be marrying you.
When you make arrangements for the banns to be called in both the bride and the groom's parishes you will need the same information. This is your full names, dates of birth, addresses from which you will be getting married, your occupations and your fathers' names. If you hope to get married in a church with a special attachment to you or your family (for instance, where you grew-up or where your parents now live), you will need to use an address within that parish from which to get married.
As well as this residential way of the banns being called, you may also have your banns called in a parish church where you regularly worship, but in whose parish you do not live. Either way it is customary for couples to attend the calling of their banns. This will take place during the main act of worship on Sundays. Attendance will help you feel more comfortable with the church surroundings which will have obvious benefits in terms of your nervousness on the big day.