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The Aldersgate Christian
Wedding
Aldersgate United Methodist Church is
pleased that you wish to celebrate your wedding with us.
One of the great joys of the Christian community is the time
of joining together couples in the holy covenant of
marriage.
The Christian
wedding ceremony is a sacred act of worship that requires
thorough preparation. The ministers and staff of
Aldersgate are committed to assisting you with this joyous act
of faith. We are pleased to offer you this handbook that
outlines the accepted customs, policies and procedures related
to weddings at Aldersgate. As you prayerfully plan for
your important day, please read the handbook carefully and
mark any items about which you have questions. We also
invite you to call us at any time with your questions.
Reserving the
Church
Reserving the church is a very important step in the
success of your wedding plans. In order to insure that
your needs are met, we want to be certain that there are no
misunderstandings. To that end, we have established a
process to place your wedding on the church calendar. More
information on reserving the church.
Fees
Please refer to the
Wedding Fee
Schedule for the various fees associated with use of
the church for your wedding. All fees must be paid two
months prior to the date of the wedding. If you schedule
your wedding within two months of the wedding date, all fees
are due at the time you reserve the church. Unless
otherwise noted, please make all checks payable to Aldersgate
United Methodist Church. If you need to cancel your
wedding, any facility fees will be refunded up to the day
before the wedding.
The Minister and Pastoral
Counseling
The
minister retains complete control and approval of the wedding
ceremony and vows. He has the final word in any matter
of procedure. More
information on minister and pastoral
counseling.
Services of the Church
Hostess
The services of our
Church Hostess are part of every wedding at Aldersgate.
She is the minister’s assistant and as such is your primary
point of contact for the details of your wedding. She is
not a bridal consultant but she does have a thorough
understanding of Aldersgate’s wedding policies and procedures
and will assist you in planning your wedding ceremony.
You should schedule a meeting with her two weeks to one month
prior to the wedding. More
information on services of the church
hostess.
Music Selection and
Planning
Aldersgate’s Music
Director will help you plan your wedding music, including the
selection of beautiful Christian music and the coordination of
musicians and soloists. In most cases, Aldersgate’s
Church Organist will be available to play for your
wedding. In order to ensure the Church Organist’s
availability, please make an initial contact with the Music
Director as soon as your wedding reservation has been
made. Also, you should meet with him at least one month
prior to the wedding to plan your wedding music and to make
your selections. Please call the Music Director
to schedule an appointment. More
information on music selection and
planning.
Photography/Videography
Wedding Pictures are among the most cherished reminders
of a beautiful wedding. You will want to select an
experienced wedding photographer who is adept at working with
people, is familiar with accepted wedding procedures and
understands the need to dress in proper church attire. More
information on photography/videography.
Flowers and
Decorations
Aldersgate’s sanctuary makes a lovely setting for a
wedding. We recommend simple flowers and decorations
that will compliment its natural beauty. The Church
Hostess will work with you as you plan suitable decorations. More
information on flowers and
decorations.
Reception at the
Church
If you wish to hold
your wedding reception at the church, the John Wesley Center
can accommodate groups of up to 450 persons. Please
refer to Aldersgate
Wedding Facilities and to Aldersgate’s Rental Agreement,
which is available from the Church
Receptionist.
Others Church
Policies
Aldersgate is a sacred place of
worship. We ask that the members of the wedding party
and their guests respect the sanctity of the sanctuary, its
furnishings and the campus. In that regard, Aldersgate
has the following specific policies:
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Alcoholic beverages in any form are not
permitted on Aldersgate property.
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Smoking is not permitted inside any church
building and is discouraged everywhere on Aldersgate’s
property. If your guests must smoke, please arrange to
have someone pick up their cigarette butts.
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Rice, birdseed and confetti may not be
thrown on Aldersgate property. Bubbles may be used
outside of the sanctuary only.
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Please remove all personal items from the
sanctuary and the New Room within one hour after the
ceremony. We suggest that you designate a friend or
family member to be responsible for all valuables.
Aldersgate cannot accept responsibility for lost or stolen
items.
Pulling pranks, such
as decorating the bride and groom’s car, do not show proper
respect to the House of God. We suggest that you
designate your Best Man as the responsible party to ensure
that pranks do not occur.
The Wedding
Rehearsal
The
wedding rehearsal is an important part of the wedding and is
usually a lot of fun. In order to ensure that everything
runs efficiently, please tell everyone in the wedding party
that they need to attend the rehearsal and to arrive on
time. The minister is in charge of the rehearsal and
will direct the participants in their roles.
More
information on the wedding rehearsal.
The Wedding
Ceremony
Aldersgate Wedding
Facilities
Aldersgate has a number of heated/air-conditioned
facilities available for wedding activities up to 450
people. The prices to use these facilities are shown on
the Wedding Fee Schedule.
More
information on our wedding facilities.
Closing
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