Wedding Customary

GENERAL GUIDELINES

A. All regular members of the congregation are entitled to the use of the church for a wedding service. Non-members will be accommodated at the discretion of the Rector.

B. If either party has been married before and divorced, and the former spouse is still living, the entire matter must be dealt with in consultation with the Bishop and depends upon the recommendation of the priest on the basis of his or her knowledge of the couple. No less than two months must be allowed for this process between the initial application and date of the wedding.

C. The couple should not make any announcement of a wedding at King of Peace Church until they have had an interview with the priest and have received consent to proceed. In the event a judgment is necessitated by virtue of a divorce, no announcement should be made until the Bishop has signified his permission.

D. Unless good cause is shown, King of Peace clergy will not officiate at weddings other than in the church.

E. Weddings can be arranged at such times as do not conflict with regularly scheduled services or previously scheduled meetings or events. Weddings are not usually scheduled for Sundays, during Lent, during Holy Week, and between Christmas and New Year’s.

F. Weddings are usually scheduled on Saturday at 11 a.m. or 3 p.m. Rehearsals on Fridays at 4 or 6 p.m.

G. The Rector will conduct the service although other ministers, soloists, organists, etc. can be invited to participate as approved by the Rector.

H. Schedule rehearsals in consultation with the Rector.

I. You are responsible for any damage to church property that occurs as a result of your use the church facilities, including dishes, furniture and so on.

J. Deliveries should be scheduled during the regular office hours of The Preschool, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Other arrangements can be negotiated with the Rector or Altar Guild Representative on duty.

K. Wedding decorations will be furnished by the wedding party; except the regular altar candles.

L. All activities must be finished by 8 p.m. on Saturday, unless special arrangements can be made for cleaning.

M. Alcohol use before the ceremony is not appropriate. Anyone who shows indication of alcohol consumption will not be allowed to take part in the ceremony.

N. A valid Marriage License must be given to the Rector before the rehearsal.

MARRIAGE PREPARATION

A. The service for the Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage (which often involves the Eucharist as well) is a Sacrament of the Church. There are some options that the couple may elect; it should be borne in mind that the form of the service, itself, is prescribed by the Church and neither the priest nor the couple is free to alter the service beyond permissible options.

B. Under the canons (rules) of the Episcopal Church, applications for marriage must be made to a priest at least 30 days prior to the date of the wedding. This is a minimum and actually leaves insufficient time for proper premarital counseling required the Church and the many other details that arise in planning a wedding. We recommend a period of four to six months for scheduling a wedding.

C. Premarital counseling is required by the Episcopal Church, and therefore, by King of Peace; the Rector will provide the 4 sessions required following the taking of a Life Innovations premarital survey.

ALTAR DECORATIONS & FLORIST GUIDELINES

A. NOTHING, EXCEPT CANDLES, MAY BE PLACED ON THE ALTAR. The Chancel area is not to be rearranged without the Rector's approval.

B. Flowers may be placed in front of the altar; or as approved by Rector or Altar Guild Representative.

C. If candles are placed for decoration, they must be prevented from dripping on the floor and chairs.

D. All extra materials, candles, or flower stands must be removed immediately after the wedding.

PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEOTAPING

A. Photo sessions should be arranged before or after the service with photography completed at least 30 minutes before the service.

B. No flash photos are allowed during the ceremony by either guests or the wedding photographer.

C. The photographer may not enter the altar area during the ceremony.

D. Videotaping is allowed only if the camera and operator remain stationary and use no extra lights, with placement of camera to be arranged in consultation with the Rector or Altar Guild representative. Guests should be informed not to take photos during the ceremony. A notice in the bulletin is suggested: The Bride and Groom request that guests do not take photographs during the ceremony. Please keep our wedding service a sacred and beautiful occasion, unspoiled by cameras and flashes.

THE CEREMONY

A. The Marriage Ceremony is a worship service and is conducted with decorum and reverence. It is not a private act, and the Rector is under obligation to conduct it according to Church traditions.

B. The Rector of King of Peace or other ordained clergy with the Rector's permission will be the Presiding Minister at all marriages. The marriage couple may also request the Rector to invite Assisting Ministers to participate.

C. The Rector will work with the marriage couple to create an individually meaningful ceremony based upon the couple's ideas and the traditions of the Church.

D. If the service is a Nuptial Mass (the Marriage Rite within Holy Communion), all Christians who are communing members in their own congregations will be invited to receive the Sacrament.

E. Family members or friends may be invited to read a lesson or share in some way in worship leadership.

MUSIC

A. If the wedding party is not supplying its own music/musician, a consultation with the King of Peace Church Musician should be arranged no later than 30 days prior to the wedding, with 4-6 months notice being the norm. The King of Peace Church Musician will discuss music possibilities with the couple and advise them.

B. The wedding is a sacred service, and as such, any texts that are sung or played must be from the Holy Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, or other authorized services, or the hymnals of the Episcopal Church, or be theologically consistent with them.

C. The final decision on the appropriateness of the music must reside with the officiating clergy in consultation with the King of Peace Church Musician. All soloists and instrumentalists must be arranged through the Rector.

CATERING/RECEPTION

A. Arrangements can be made with the church office to use kitchen facilities and equipment.

B. It is preferred that caterers provide all their own equipment, except for coffee makers.

C. Clean up directions are explained on the Kitchen Use Guidelines form.

WEDDING FEES

Checks for all fees are to be given to the Altar Guild Representative at the rehearsal, who will provide you with a receipt for each payment. Checks should be made out individually to the King of Peace Episcopal Church (for facilities rental, cleaning fee and damage deposit) and to each person being paid an honorarium or fee (Rector, Church Musician director, and other musicians, if required).

Neither the rehearsal nor the wedding will be performed if the Rector has not received the marriage license and/or if the fees have not been paid prior to the rehearsal.


Fees for Church Members:

There is no charge for use of the Sanctuary nor for the Reception area.
A $300 honorarium for the Rector is suggested.
Music Director Honorarium: $150.
Custodial service: $150.
Damage Deposit: $150.

Anyone who uses the church facilities agrees to replace or restore anything that is damaged, including furniture, dishes, etc., in excess of $150.

Fees for Non-members:

Facilities - Sanctuary only: $500.
Reception Areas: $300.
Rector Honorarium: $500.
Music Director Honorarium: $200.
Custodial service: $150 ($200 after 7 p.m. Saturday).
Damage Deposit: $150 (Deposit may be applied to Facility Fee)

This damage deposit will be refunded unless damage is assessed. Liability for damage is not limited to this amount; anyone who uses the church facilities agrees to replace or restore anything that is damaged, including furniture, dishes, etc. in excess of $150.
 

Photographs courtesy www.calhounclicks.com