A vicar is offering a cash incentive to encourage brides to arrive at their weddings on time.

Canon John Corbyn is giving £100 to each bride who walks down the aisle within 10 minutes of their scheduled service after a number of late arrivals.

The payment is being offered at Holy Cross Church in Bearsted and St Mary's in Thurnham to ensure every bride gets to the church on time.

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As many as 25 people can be involved in conducting a wedding service and Canon Corbyn has become concerned for the bell ringers, choir, organist and vergers – especially as some couples don’t apologise for their tardiness.

He said: “I wanted to show that I was taking my staff seriously because they weren’t doing it for the money.

“I thought this is the way to do it.”

Although being late is a long-held tradition for brides, Canon Corbyn explains some take it too far and it can have a real impact.

“When you’re talking about a bride being 20 minutes late that’s half the time of the wedding ceremony.

“You can talk of up to two dozen people waiting for that time.

“How would they react if I were 20 minutes late,” he joked.

Canon Corbyn first came across the idea during a sabbatical in Uganda visiting Namirembe Cathedral in Kampala.

He said: “They do weddings on the hour every hour and even do several weddings at the same time.”

The £100 incentive has been put in place at Holy Cross Church in Bearsted and St Mary’s in Thurnham.

Money from any service which does not qualify for the ‘bonus’ is then used to pay staff for the overtime they have had to do.

Canon Corbyn added: “Hopefully it has had the desired affect but it was really more about showing that I was taking my staff seriously and as an expression of my concern.”