Letter: Bride price

I know that weddings are expensive, (The Damage, Magazine, 15 August) , but wherever did you get the figure of pounds 263 for the church fee? The chart I have in front of me shows the official Church of England fee as pounds 138.50. To that I add pounds 25 for the organist and that's it! Considering the work that goes into preparing for and conducting weddings, I consider that fee (none of which comes to me personally) to be quite reasonable.

The only alternatives are not expensive church weddings or a cheap register office job. It is quite possible to have a simple church wedding without the trimmings; and (don't say this too loudly) if a couple really want to get married in church and really cannot afford the pounds 138.50, I am open to negotiation over what they can afford.

The Rev JOHN WILLIAMS

Parishes of West Wittering and Birdham with Itchenor

West Sussex