Sanctuary
Wedding Information
1. Church Wedding
Staff
Pastors' Assistant
Lynn Sangster, schedules weddings and will be your contact persons as plans
progress. You may contact Lynn, 686-3163, ext. 219, or email
lsangster@firstumc.org.
(No question is trivial - don't hesitate to ask.)
Pastors
One of our pastors will preside at your wedding and wedding rehearsal.
All weddings at First Church use a United Methodist ceremony. The
pastor will meet with you several times before the wedding to discuss the
spiritual significance of Christian marriage and details of the ceremony.
Please call three (3) months before the wedding to schedule your first
meeting with the pastor. (686-3163, ext. 219)
Organist
Matthew H. Corl, Associate Director of Music and Organist, will help you
plan the music for your wedding. Please call him two (2) months before
the wedding to make an appointment (687-9856, ext.274). Matthew has
the final approval on whether a particular musical selection is appropriate
for a wedding ceremony at our church.
Custodian
A friendly and capable member of our service staff will be at the rehearsal
and wedding. The custodian's job is to open and close the buildings,
set up and take down church equipment and do normal clean up after the
wedding. Fees for extra cleaning or taking down and storing rental or
personal equipment left after your wedding part has left the premises will
be charged against your wedding deposit. The church is not responsible
for the safety of larger items that may need to be stored outdoors.
Church Wedding Coordinator
Emily Corl will be at the rehearsal and wedding to assist with last-minute
needs, help family and attendants start down the aisle at the proper time,
and generally keep things running smoothly. Please call Emily three
(3) weeks before the wedding to talk about the details of the wedding
service (647-4624).
Sound Technician
One of our sound technicians will run the audio for your wedding. If
you have special audio needs (musicians, soloists, CD/Taped music, scripture
readers, etc.), please discuss them with Matthew Corl when you meet to plan
the wedding music.
2.
Flowers and Decorations
Church Equipment
Available at no extra charge: One pair brass 7-tier candelabra (church
provides candles; unity candle holder (you provide candles); kneeler; two
tall and two short tables for flower arrangements; brass vases (florist
provides plastic liners); two wooden display easels. No church
equipment may be removed from the premises.
Decorations
All decorations should blend in with the dignity and beauty of the
Sanctuary. No arches, columns or other artificial settings are
allowed. The cross, candles and white altar cloth may not be handled,
moved or removed. Nothing may be taped or tacked onto walls of
furnishings. Pew end clips must be plastic or plastic-coated.
Candles must be spring loaded or oil, no wax except unity candles. No
glitter or others small pieces that are difficult to vacuum. Aisle
runners are not allowed.
Flowers
You may use fresh or artificial flowers, including rose petals in the aisle.
Flowers or greenery may be attached to the candelabra or altar rail using
plastic or ribbon, no tape or tacks. Florists using our brass vases
must provide waterproof liner. All plants must be in waterproof
containers.
Church Availability for Deliveries and Decorating
Church facilities are opened two hours before the wedding. If
decorators would like to come earlier, we will make every attempt to
accommodate the request, provided there are no other events at the church
that day (call Lynn 2 days prior to your wedding to check, 686-3163).
Florists can use the Sacristy for finishing touches; it is air conditioned
and has running water. Supplies in drawers and cabinets belong to the
church and may not be used.
Clean Up and Removal of Equipment
Our custodian does routine clean up after weddings. Cost for extra
cleaning or removal and storage of rental or personal equipment left on the
premises when the wedding is over will be deducted from the wedding deposit.
The church is not esponsible for the safety of larger items that may need to
be stored outdoors.
3.
Photographer and/or Videographer
Purpose of Guidelines
Because a wedding is a worship service, these guidelines are intended to
keep the focus of the ceremony on the sacredness of the vows the bride and
groom are making during the ceremony. Therefore we require strict
adherence to these rules.
When to Arrive
The church facilities and dressing rooms are opened two hours prior to the
wedding, unless the bride has paid for three hours. The women dress in
the Parlor (across the courtyard on the north side of the Sanctuary).
The men are in the pastors' robe room (off the hallway on the northeast
side of the Sanctuary.)
During the Ceremony
These rules are in effect from the time the first guest is seated
until the bride and groom start down the aisle after the ceremony:
- Photos or
videos may be taken ONLY from the balcony or the very back row of
the main floor of the Sanctuary. Exception: remote video
cameras (no attendant) may be set up in the choir loft to run
continuously during the service.
- No flash or
other artificial lighting is permitted from the time the bride and
her escort pass the back row of the Sanctuary at the beginning of the
wedding until the bride and groom begin walking down the aisle at the end
of the ceremony.
- Following the
ceremony, the pastor will be glad to return to the altar with you to
recreate any of the parts of the ceremony for flash pictures or video.
4. Bridal Consultant
Should a bridal consultant in addition to the church wedding
coordinator be hired, please advise him or her that the pastor is in
charge of the wedding rehearsal and wedding. The Pastor will guide the
ceremony according to our procedures.
5. Family and Friends
Attendants
If you have a large wedding party, the chairs in front of the front pews in
the Sanctuary can be removed for an additional charge. The decision of
chair removal must be made ONE week prior to the wedding.
Flower Girls and Ring Bearers
We strongly recommend that children participating in the service be at least
four years old.
Families and Blended Families
We want everyone involved in your wedding to feel welcome and comfortable.
If you have concerns about seating arrangements or other potential sources
of friction, please discuss these with the pastor. If you have
children from a previous marriage, the pastor can discuss options for
including them in the service in a special way.
ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ANYWHERE ON THE CHURCH PREMISES AT ANY
TIME. Anyone violating this rule (including wedding party members)
may be asked to to leave the property immediately.
6.
The Rehearsal
Rehearsals begin
promptly at the scheduled time (charges for late rehearsals may be deducted
from your deposit). All participants in the wedding must be present.
Be sure to give your marriage license to the pastor at the rehearsal, as by
law, the pastors cannot perform a wedding ceremony without the license in
hand.
7.
The Wedding Day
Seating Guests
Ushers arrive one hour before the wedding to seat guests. The seating
of grandparents, groom's parents, and bride's mother, begin five minutes
before the the time of the wedding. Guests arriving after this will be
seated down the side aisles.
Lost Items
As wedding days are hectic, it is not unusual for things to be left behind.
The church is not responsible for lost items, so please ask a friend or
family member to check the dressing rooms as the wedding party leaves.
8.
Dates to Remember
(Click Here)
9.
Bride & Groom Information Sheet (Click Here)
Under Construction
10. Wedding Fees
(Under Construction)
Members (click here)
Non-Members (click here)
Please contact Lynn
Sangster for current wedding fees.
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