'Church is no place for a best man’s speech’

[Still Waters]

It was billed as an ideal way for couples to cut costs on their big day – by holding their wedding reception in the church where they had just married.

The scheme, under which vicars offer couples budget ‘all-in’ packages, including the service, food, drink and dancing in the aisles, has been strongly promoted by the Church of England as part of its efforts to halt a big decline in religious weddings.

But now the Church’s own legal advisers are pouring cold water on the practice – because of the risk of ‘bawdy speeches’ and drunkenness in sacred places of worship.

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