Notes
Dispensation from needing a TV Licence has certain restrictions including:
* using television equipment (usually from your home) for which a television licence has already been paid
* no charges for viewing, although see also related issues from 2011
* the equipment can only be used for the Royal Wedding
* from our experience in 2011, the most reliable option was to use a television aerial; there were reports that the on-line broadcast crashed almost immediately
(In practice, you may wish to briefly check that your television equipment is working in advance, ensuring your aerial is pointing the right way...)
* Should your showing of the Royal Wedding take place in church, consider also:
- decorating the church as befits a royal event
- encouraging those helping, welcoming, ushering, door-stewarding... to dress for the occasion
- projecting the service sheet on a separate screen
- putting the hymn numbers up if they're in your usual book
- advertise in the area and encourage other churches to join together to promote the event, perhaps listing all the churches screening the wedding
- invite your local press/media at all stages
- The full Order of Service was published (pdf) on the Royal Family's website on Saturday morning (Evening Standard)
- The Royal Family website includes details of the broadcast, music, singers and musicians for the wedding
* Opportunities include:
- refreshing or reinvigorating local homeless provision (cf BBC reports on the homeless in Windsor)
- building up your welcome team, inviting and training new members, upskilling existing members
- improving links with other churches - and with the community
- try out or implement plans for new ministries; for example, Messy Church have a session prepared on marriage and weddings
- being a catalyst for bridging gaps in your community with a 'wedding party'
- and many more. Please let us know if you'd be happy for your ideas to be added to this list - fully acknowledged, of course!