| Facilites Available The sanctuary (seating capacity 650) is available for wedding services, subject to prior schedules and limitations. Air-conditioning or heating will be provided for both the rehearsal and the wedding. The building and bride’s room will be open two (2) hours prior to the wedding ceremony. In addition to the use of the sanctuary and bride's room, the administrative assistant will assign a room for use by the groom and groomsmen. Receptions may be held in the Fellowship Hall, the Parlor, the Christian Life Center’s gymnasium, or the Prayer Garden. Established Fees Procedures for Making Reservations Weddings must begin no later than 7:00 P.M. The facilities must be vacated by 9:30 p.m. Rehearsals should normally be scheduled no later than 7:00 p.m. on the day preceding the wedding. The rehearsal date and time should be scheduled at the same time that the Wedding Date and time are scheduled. Weddings and rehearsals may not be scheduled on the following days: Sunday Any day on which a wedding has already been scheduled. Please note: Weddings scheduled during the month of November must be willing to accept the harvest decorations in the chancel area which the church proudly displays each year. Pre-Wedding Conferences The Services of Christian Marriage contained in The United Methodist Book of Worship will be the standard service. Any deviations from these services must be approved by the Senior Pastor. The Ministers A guest minister of the couple’s choice may “assist” in the service with the approval of and invitation by the officiating pastor. Guest ministers will not be allowed to participate in the ceremony without the PRIOR approval of the officiating minister. The honorarium for the minister is to be paid to the minister at the pre-wedding conference. Church Wedding Hostess/Consultant Member Wedding Non-Member Wedding Prior to such confirmation, the bride and groom must meet with the pastor, who will then present the request to the church staff for calendar approval. Contact Cindy Broyles for more information. Music for the Wedding (Click here for Music) The church’s organist or the Director of Music will serve as the organist for all weddings and must approve all music two (2) months prior to the wedding date. An appointment should be made with the church organist or the Director of Music to discuss appropriate music for the wedding. The organist’s fee is to be paid at this time. If neither of these musicians are available, the Director of Music can provide the bride with appropriate organists to contact. All vocal solos should have a sacred text that is clearly centered on God or on the Holy Scriptures. If secular music is desired, it may be used prior to the wedding ritual or following the service at the reception. Recorded music (including soundtracks for accompaniment) must not be used. Both music and musicians must be approved by the church’s organist or Director of Music at Moody Memorial First United Methodist Church at least two (2) months prior to the wedding date. The church’s organist is to be in charge of all music at the wedding, even if there is other music in addition to organ music. Hymn music is encouraged and should be selected from The United Methodist Hymnal. If a vocal soloist is desired, the church’s organist or the Director of Music can recommend and secure a qualified singer. One rehearsal period will be allotted with the organist. Instrumentalists must be approved by the church’s organist or the Director of Music. Recorded music (including soundtracks for accompaniment) must not be used. THE ORGAN CONSOLE AND THE PIANO CANNOT BE MOVED WITHOUT THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC’S APPROVAL. ANY APPROVED MOVE WILL BE EXECUTED BY ASSIGNED CHURCH FACILITIES STAFF. The Rehearsal The Moody Memorial First United Methodist Church minister will be in charge of the rehearsal and will be assisted by the church wedding hostess. The rehearsal will require approximately one (1) hour. The parents should be present. The ushers should be present. The marriage license should be delivered to the minister at the rehearsal. Remember that NO SMOKING and NO ALCOHOL are allowed in the church at any time or place. To facilitate the needs of the wedding party, the church wedding hostess will be present at the rehearsal and at the wedding to uphold the policies of the church and to assist the presiding minister. In addition, an outside wedding consultant may be present and will function under the guidance of the church wedding hostess. The Reception A church reception hostess will be present if the reception is held at the church. If a caterer is used, the church will provide the facilities and tables. The caterer must provide everything else necessary for a complete reception and is required to leave the facilities clean and orderly. The Bride is responsible for seeing that the caterer receives and signs the form of instructions provided by the church. Strict compliance with the following rules is required as a provision for holding the reception in the church: NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. NO SMOKING. NO RICE, BIRDSEED, GRASS SEED, CONFETTI, POTPOURRI, or other such matters, on church property. Audio Engineering No reconfiguration of the public address system or microphones by anyone other than the officiating pastor or Director of Music will be allowed. Under special circumstances, the officiating pastor or Director of Music may suggest the professional services of the audio engineer for Moody Memorial First United Methodist Church. A professional audio recording of the wedding ceremony is available upon request, using our equipment only. Please contact church prior to wedding about requirements. For any last minute audio adjustments, the additional fees will be deducted from your deposit. Florist Two candelabra and Unity Candle stand are available. The cost of the candles, which must be ordered through the church office, is included in the required fees. The Unity Candle itself must be purchased by the bride. All candles used must have drip protectors. If a unity candle is to be used, the couple should consult with the supervising pastor about its placement. Protective plastic for the floor covering must be used under all candles. Candles and candelabra that are provided by the florist must first be approved by the Church Wedding Hostess. Florists will be held responsible for cleaning or removal of spilled wax from their candelabra. Fasteners such as tacks, pins, nails, or tape must not be used on wood surfaces or walls. Wedding runners or aisle runners are not allowed under any circumstances. Furnishings in the sanctuary must not be moved without the consent of the officiating pastor or the Director of Music. The sanctuary will be open two (2) hours before the wedding ceremony starts for florists to decorate. Decoration must be completed one (1) hour before the start of the service. All decorations must be removed from the sanctuary immediately after the wedding, unless the wedding party chooses to leave the flowers for use in the Sunday Services the following day. The florist or decorator is responsible for any damage done to the church building. Any repairs must be made to the satisfaction of the church’s business administrator. It is expected that the building will be left in the condition in which it was found. The church wedding hostess will be of help to the couple in all of these matters. THERE IS A SEPARATE FORM FOR THE FLORIST/DECORATOR WHICH MUST BE SIGNED BY THE FLORIST/DECORATOR AS EVIDENCE OF WILLINGNESS TO COMPLY WITH THESE STATEMENTS. THE BRIDE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RETURNING THIS FORM TO THE CHURCH AT LEAST THREE (3) WEEKS PRIOR TO THE WEDDING. Click here to download form. Photographer and Video Photographer During the wedding service including the processional and recessional, no photographer shall be present in the aisles or in the chancel area. Photographs of the wedding may be completed when the service is over. All video equipment must be placed in the balcony. No lights are to be used. One stationary video camera may be allowed in the chancel area, at the direction of the church wedding hostess. THERE IS A SEPARATE FORM FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER and VIDEO PHOTOGRAPHER WHICH MUST BE SIGNED BY THE PHOTOGRAPHER AS EVIDENCE OF WILLINGNESS TO COMPLY WITH THESE STATEMENTS. (IF THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND THE VIDEO PHOTOGRAPHER ARE DIFFERENT PEOPLE EACH SHOULD BE PROVIDED WITH A DIFFERENT FORM.) THE BRIDE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RETURNING THIS SIGNED FORM TO THE CHURCH AT LEAST THREE (3) WEEKS PRIOR TO THE WEDDING. Click here to download form. Caterer The church provides the facilities only, although tables are available for use. The caterer should provide everything necessary for a complete reception and is required to leave the facilities clean and orderly. Strict compliance with the following rules is required as a provision for holding the reception in this church: NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. NO SMOKING. NO RICE, BIRDSEED, GRASS SEED, CONFETTI, POTPOURRI, or other such materials, on church property. THERE IS A SEPARATE FORM FOR THE CATERER WHICH MUST BE SIGNED BY THE CATERER AS EVIDENCE OF WILLINGNESS TO COMPLY WITH THESE STATEMENTS. THE BRIDE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RETURNING THE SIGNED FORM TO THE CHURCH AT LEAST THREE (3) WEEKS PRIOR TO THE WEDDING. Click here to download form. Small Weddings and Weddings Away from the Church Other Policies No rice or bird seed is allowed in the sanctuary or connecting buildings as it presents a safety hazard, potentially causing people to slip or fall. It is also difficult to clean up. The marriage license should be handed to the minister before the wedding, preferably during the rehearsal. He will fill it out and return it to the county clerk for filing. The county clerk will return it to the couple after processing. No alcoholic beverages are permitted on church property including the parking lots. Please do not ask the pastor to perform a wedding in any place where alcoholic beverages will be served before or during the service. The pastor will not conduct a pre-marital counseling session, rehearsal, or wedding if either the bride or the groom appears to the pastor to be intoxicated. (Please save yourself the embarrassment of having your wedding postponed after the guests have arrived.) Any member of the wedding party who is intoxicated at the rehearsal or wedding will be removed from the wedding. Please feel free to talk with the pastor about any questions you have concerning your wedding. We want to help you make it the beautiful and meaningful occasion that it should be. May God bless you richly as you enter into the new covenant. 1. Make the necessary reservations for the following
2. Place a deposit to request the reservation of your date. Your request will then be submitted for approval by the Church Staff. 3. Schedule the two (2) pre-wedding conferences with the minister well in advance. The minister should be paid at the time of the initial pre-wedding conference. 4. Contact the church wedding hostess at least two (2) months in advance to schedule a consultation. 5. Schedule a meeting with the church organist to decide and approve the music. Organist fees must be paid at the time of the initial meeting with the organist. 6. Make arrangements for the following:
All fees for the wedding must be paid in full no later than thirty (30) days prior to the wedding. Groom brings wedding license to wedding rehearsal. Guest ministers must be approved by the church minister two (2) months prior to the wedding date. The church minister will invite the guest minister to assist in the service. Guest organists must be approved by the church organist two (2) months prior to the wedding date. The bride is responsible for seeing that the florist, photographer, video photographer, and caterer receive the appropriate sheet of instructions provided by the church. Each of these instruction sheets should be read and signed by the service provider. The bride should return each of these sheets together with final payment of fees at least thirty (30) days prior to the wedding. |
Wedding Consultant |
