Open to visitors

Monday - Saturday

1 April to 31 October  9.30 am to 4.30 pm

1 November to 31 March  10 am to 4 pm

Sunday 2.00pm to 5.00pm

Getting married in St Machar’s Cathedral

General Information

Our first responsibility is to members of the Cathedral and to those living in the parish. Thereafter bookings are at the discretion of the minister and a call to the cathedral office in the first instance will determine if a desired time is free. Normally the procedure then is to make an appointment to see the minister and if all parties are happy, we can confirm the booking.  

Contact the Cathedral Secretary to get the latest fees for getting married in St Machar’s Cathedral. A lower scale of fees is applicable where one of those being married is either a member of the Cathedral or is part of the family of a member.  This fee includes the organist but not the bell ringers or additional video fee. We also require a deposit of 25 % of the fee payable within one month of the booking being confirmed.

You must apply to the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths at St Nicholas House, Aberdeen for a marriage licence three months prior to your wedding date and the completed forms must be returned there, no later than fifteen days prior to the marriage ceremony and then you will be issued with a Marriage Schedule. No ceremony whether in a church or elsewhere is legal without this. If one of you is a national of a non EU country, then you may need to apply to the Home Office for permission to marry. This process takes up to six weeks. All marriages are recognised in the UK and most countries, but may not be so in some countries. Foreign nationals should check with the Consulate of their own country. The minister of the Cathedral can offer you some guidance at your first meeting with him.

Meanwhile the cathedral is open daily from 10.00am to 4.00pm Monday - Saturday, 2.00pm to 5.00pm Sunday with services on Sunday at 11am . You are always welcome to come in at any of these times to look round and to attend the services.

You should ring the Cathedral office on 01224 485988, on a weekday morning to agree a date and time, and the secretary will take more details from you, arrange a vestry time to see the minister.

A major review of our booklet about getting married in St Machar’s is on hold until a minister is appointed to the church.

Music for weddings