Worship Ministries...

Your church wedding in the Christian tradition is more than a recognition or commemoration of a legal contract between two persons. We believe that marriage is part of God's desire for human beings and so we celebrate marriages with worship traditions thousands of years old. In a Christian wedding, as the vows of marriage are made, those in attendance give praise to God for the love which has drawn the couple together. The couple makes promises in the presence of God, under the cross of Christ. Here at First United Methodist Church, we strive to make the celebration of marriage a holy event in the lives of the couple being wed and their guests.

More than anything else, a wedding is a celebration of love. You should expect to have a good time at your wedding, but the party is not the point. While receptions, photographs, and all the other customs of modern weddings are welcome at First United Methodist Church, we hope you will recognize that worship and praise, centered in your promises to each other and to God, are the reasons your wedding is conducted in a church.

How Big Should My Wedding Be?

Your wedding can take on a life of its own if it gets too big. Couples planning a wedding often become so caught up in the details of the wedding that they miss the meaning of the celebration entirely. What should be a highlight of a person's life becomes a headache instead.

The sanctuary at First Church seats 600 persons comfortably. An additional 150 persons may be seated in the balcony. Smaller gatherings can be seated using the front section of the sanctuary only. The chancel area feels crowded if more than fourteen persons are in the wedding party. The ideal wedding party in the First Church sanctuary consists of the bride and no more than six bridesmaids, the groom and no more than six groomsmen. The bride’s escort, a flower girl, and a ring bearer are welcome additions to the wedding party. If there are additional persons you would like to have involved in your wedding, they may serve as ushers, guest book attendants, greeters, soloists, or readers. Smaller weddings may take place in the beautiful Jones Chapel. The chapel seats about 50 persons. We recommend no more than three attendants per side in chapel ceremonies.

A pastor from First Church will officiate at the service. The church organist will provide musical accompaniment. A wedding coordinator is required for weddings at First Church. The fee for the use of the sanctuary or chapel, a pastor, organist, and wedding coordinator, as well as a custodian and an acolyte, is included in the wedding fee for non-members. The wedding hostess will be your primary contact person with the church and will assist you and the pastor with the details in the planning for your wedding.

At least one meeting with a pastor is required for couples being married at First Church. It is recommended that this meeting be scheduled approximately two months prior to the wedding. At this meeting the pastor will get to know the couple and explore the couple’s understanding of marriage, as well as discuss plans for the service. Following this preliminary meeting, the pastor may schedule additional meetings with the couple.

Prior to the initial meeting with the pastor, a couple is required to take a pre-marital inventory known as FOCCUS. Completion of the questions takes approximately an hour. Brides and grooms take the FOCCUS inventory in separate rooms. The inventories will be scored and given to the pastor who will review the results with the couple during the counseling session. Arrangements for taking the FOCCUS inventory may be made with the church office. It should be completed at least a week prior to the couple’s meeting with the pastor.

What About Pictures at My Wedding?

Photographers are welcome to take photos before and after the wedding service. However, we ask that no flash photos be taken during the service itself. Professional photographers have the equipment and skills to do their job within these guidelines.

Many couples have videos made of their weddings. We have some simple rules for videographers. An attended camera on a stationary tripod may be placed against the side wall of the sanctuary, opposite the organ. A second camera may be placed at the rear of the sanctuary or in the balcony. Under no circumstances are persons with video cameras to move about the building during the service. No special lights may be used. Concealed wireless microphones may be used with advance approval of the pastor.

What Kind of Music Should I Have at My Wedding?

Music is an important part of a wedding service. All music for services at First Church is expected to reflect the sacred nature of the service. The church organist can provide beautiful music appropriate for the occasion. Special requests for music must be approved a month in advance of the service by the organist and the pastor. Soloists are welcome in your service and should arrange rehearsal time with the organist. Recorded music, played over the church’s sound system, is allowed. We strongly recommend that you audition any friends or acquaintances you might ask to provide music for your wedding. Qualified musicians are welcome to use the sanctuary piano.

A wedding rehearsal is required for all sanctuary weddings. Rehearsals are normally scheduled for the afternoon or evening before the wedding. It is important that every member of the wedding party be present and prompt. A rehearsal is not a formal event, and people may come comfortably dressed. At the rehearsal, the wedding hostess will go over all the details of seating, ushering, placement of the wedding party, and so forth. Wedding rehearsals are not designed to provide rehearsal time for special music. Musical rehearsal need to be scheduled separately. The wedding rehearsal usually lasts about an hour.

What does it cost?

Fees for weddings at First Church defray the actual costs of maintenance, utilities, and all of the personnel involved in providing a wedding. Please contact the church office for a current schedule of fees. A $200 deposit is required to be paid to the church office in order to confirm your wedding date. All costs must be paid to the church office in full four weeks prior to the wedding rehearsal. An honorarium for the pastor is included in the wedding costs.

Other Important Considerations