wedding use policies |
Wedding Use Policies
Dear Friend,
You have either asked our Pastor to officiate at your wedding or you desire to use the facilities of the First Baptist Church of Rice. Marriage is such an important step in life and for that reason, if you have asked our Pastor to officiate your wedding, it is important that you meet with me to discuss some issues of life. If you have not already set a date to begin these discussions, please contact our pastor as soon as possible at [email protected]. In order for our Pastor to officiate your wedding, at least two private sessions are required with the bride-to-be and groom-to-be.
Setting the Date
Please contact our pastor to set a date for your wedding.
The Use of the Church Facilities and Equipment
The facilities of First Baptist Church are available to members of the church and to their immediate family members. We also make the church facilities available to non-members on a fee basis.
The pulpit and chairs may be moved, but with special care. They must be moved by someone whom you designate (see last page) and they must be replaced immediately after the wedding in exactly the same position. Moreover, any cables or wires may only be disconnected by an authorized member of the church. You will be expected to pay for or repair any damage which occurs to the church’s property.
Decorations
Elaborate decorations, particularly in the worship center, are discouraged. No tape, tacks, nails, wire, or staples may be used on walls, woodwork, or pews.
Only non-drip candles and candelabras which prevent drip may be used.
All decorations must be removed from the worship center immediately after the wedding. You must designate someone to be responsible for removing them (See last page). If rented equipment is left at the church after the wedding, you must designate someone to move it to an unused designated area before the next regularly scheduled service of the church (See last page).
Considerations
Remember that the church has many weddings. You, hopefully, have one in a lifetime. The church has to do its work before, during, and after your wedding. Therefore, remember to be on time for the rehearsal and for the wedding and ask your wedding party to be on time. Time is valuable. The Pastor frequently has other arrangements as do the others members of your wedding party.
Please feel free, but not obligated to invite the Pastor and his wife to your rehearsal supper and reception. If he does not receive an invitation, he will not attend. If there are plans to serve alcohol at any wedding activity, rehearsal supper, or other related activity of the wedding, the entire wedding must be moved elsewhere and performed by another officiate. We reserve the use of our facilities for Christian weddings only.
Expenses
The church makes no charge for the use of the church’s facilities to church members or their immediate family members for weddings, although donations are appreciated. Members may choose to pay a $100 janitorial fee for the Worship Center to be cleaned.
USE FEES FOR NON-MEMBERS
Worship Center: $250
Gym: $250
Kitchen: $100
Fellowship Hall: $100
* If the Worship Center is not cleaned after use, a janitorial fee of $100 will be required. The party reserving the Worship Center may also request that the church janitor clean the Worship Center for $100.
* If the Gym is not cleaned after use, a janitorial fee of $100 will be required. The party reserving the Gym may also request that the church janitor clean the Gym for $100.
* If the Family Life Center rooms, the Kitchen and/or the Fellowship Hall is not cleaned after use, a janitorial fee of $50 per room, $50 for the Kitchen, and/or $50 for the Fellowship Hall will be required. The party reserving these rooms may also request that the church janitor clean at the same rates.
* If the Church Secretary provides a party with a key, the key must be returned within 24 hours or an additional fee of $25 will be required.
* It is understood that some groups have been approved use of our building for years and the original agreements made with them shall be honored.
Janitorial Service
The church janitor will clean the Worship Center as well as the Family Life Center and Fellowship Hall if you have paid a janitorial fee. However, the church janitor will not clean dishes, etc. That is entirely your responsibility, someone whom you designate, or the responsibility of your caterer. You will be charged a janitorial fee for any area you do not clean.
Photographs and Videos
No flash pictures are to be taken after the giving of the bride away until the wedding party begins exiting the church. Photographers are to refrain from causing distractions by moving around during the wedding or standing on the furniture. If you engage a commercial photographer, courtesy suggests that your friends and relatives refrain from taking pictures until he or she has completed taking his or her photographs. Please make your friends aware of this courtesy.
You may choose to ask one of our sound technicians to run the sound system for the ceremony from our booth in the rear of the Worship Center. This will assure very good audio. You are required to pay our sound technician $50 for the rehearsal and $50 for the wedding when you submit the building use request form. Only First Baptist Church trained technicians are allowed in the audio booth.
Services
The church will announce weddings of members in the bulletin on request. The pastor’s wife is a professional wedding consultant. You may request her services and pay her the fee she requires to serve as your wedding consultant. It is a must that whomever you have as your consultant counsel with the pastor prior to the rehearsal.
The church does not provide a pianist or soloist. You must make your own arrangements and compensate them in some manner.
Conduct
The use of tobacco within the church building is absolutely prohibited and the use of such is discouraged outside on the sidewalks. Common courtesy calls for people not to discard trash or cigarette butts on the grounds of the church.
No person will be permitted to come to any of the wedding activities at the church who has been drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs. Failure of members of the wedding party or guests to abide by this will create a very embarrassing situation (disruption of the wedding). No soap bubbles or birdseed should be brought into the building at any time and rice is not allowed inside or outside. Birds eat seeds but they do not eat rice.
For your information, etiquette suggests the pianist, soloist, sound technician, etc., are cared for separately by the bride's parents.
The pastor is compensated by the groom, traditionally.
Conclusions
Weddings in First Baptist Church are considered a sacred service as well as being a legal ceremony. This fact will govern your wedding plans, the selection of music, and the nature of both the wedding and reception. You must speak with the pastor before finalizing your plans, including the selection of songs. This will prevent any misunderstandings and embarrassment.
The desires of the bride are considered in making plans for the wedding, but writers of etiquette point out that the pastor's discretion is observed in weddings held in the church which he pastors. This remains true even when the service of the wedding consultant is engaged.
For all weddings, the pastor will wear a suit instead of formal attire unless a tux is provided for him.
We want this to be a joyful event for you, your family, your friends, and the church. We will cooperate with you to make your wedding all it should be.
Please download the wedding request form and building use form below and return it to the church.
You have either asked our Pastor to officiate at your wedding or you desire to use the facilities of the First Baptist Church of Rice. Marriage is such an important step in life and for that reason, if you have asked our Pastor to officiate your wedding, it is important that you meet with me to discuss some issues of life. If you have not already set a date to begin these discussions, please contact our pastor as soon as possible at [email protected]. In order for our Pastor to officiate your wedding, at least two private sessions are required with the bride-to-be and groom-to-be.
Setting the Date
Please contact our pastor to set a date for your wedding.
The Use of the Church Facilities and Equipment
The facilities of First Baptist Church are available to members of the church and to their immediate family members. We also make the church facilities available to non-members on a fee basis.
The pulpit and chairs may be moved, but with special care. They must be moved by someone whom you designate (see last page) and they must be replaced immediately after the wedding in exactly the same position. Moreover, any cables or wires may only be disconnected by an authorized member of the church. You will be expected to pay for or repair any damage which occurs to the church’s property.
Decorations
Elaborate decorations, particularly in the worship center, are discouraged. No tape, tacks, nails, wire, or staples may be used on walls, woodwork, or pews.
Only non-drip candles and candelabras which prevent drip may be used.
All decorations must be removed from the worship center immediately after the wedding. You must designate someone to be responsible for removing them (See last page). If rented equipment is left at the church after the wedding, you must designate someone to move it to an unused designated area before the next regularly scheduled service of the church (See last page).
Considerations
Remember that the church has many weddings. You, hopefully, have one in a lifetime. The church has to do its work before, during, and after your wedding. Therefore, remember to be on time for the rehearsal and for the wedding and ask your wedding party to be on time. Time is valuable. The Pastor frequently has other arrangements as do the others members of your wedding party.
Please feel free, but not obligated to invite the Pastor and his wife to your rehearsal supper and reception. If he does not receive an invitation, he will not attend. If there are plans to serve alcohol at any wedding activity, rehearsal supper, or other related activity of the wedding, the entire wedding must be moved elsewhere and performed by another officiate. We reserve the use of our facilities for Christian weddings only.
Expenses
The church makes no charge for the use of the church’s facilities to church members or their immediate family members for weddings, although donations are appreciated. Members may choose to pay a $100 janitorial fee for the Worship Center to be cleaned.
USE FEES FOR NON-MEMBERS
Worship Center: $250
Gym: $250
Kitchen: $100
Fellowship Hall: $100
* If the Worship Center is not cleaned after use, a janitorial fee of $100 will be required. The party reserving the Worship Center may also request that the church janitor clean the Worship Center for $100.
* If the Gym is not cleaned after use, a janitorial fee of $100 will be required. The party reserving the Gym may also request that the church janitor clean the Gym for $100.
* If the Family Life Center rooms, the Kitchen and/or the Fellowship Hall is not cleaned after use, a janitorial fee of $50 per room, $50 for the Kitchen, and/or $50 for the Fellowship Hall will be required. The party reserving these rooms may also request that the church janitor clean at the same rates.
* If the Church Secretary provides a party with a key, the key must be returned within 24 hours or an additional fee of $25 will be required.
* It is understood that some groups have been approved use of our building for years and the original agreements made with them shall be honored.
Janitorial Service
The church janitor will clean the Worship Center as well as the Family Life Center and Fellowship Hall if you have paid a janitorial fee. However, the church janitor will not clean dishes, etc. That is entirely your responsibility, someone whom you designate, or the responsibility of your caterer. You will be charged a janitorial fee for any area you do not clean.
Photographs and Videos
No flash pictures are to be taken after the giving of the bride away until the wedding party begins exiting the church. Photographers are to refrain from causing distractions by moving around during the wedding or standing on the furniture. If you engage a commercial photographer, courtesy suggests that your friends and relatives refrain from taking pictures until he or she has completed taking his or her photographs. Please make your friends aware of this courtesy.
You may choose to ask one of our sound technicians to run the sound system for the ceremony from our booth in the rear of the Worship Center. This will assure very good audio. You are required to pay our sound technician $50 for the rehearsal and $50 for the wedding when you submit the building use request form. Only First Baptist Church trained technicians are allowed in the audio booth.
Services
The church will announce weddings of members in the bulletin on request. The pastor’s wife is a professional wedding consultant. You may request her services and pay her the fee she requires to serve as your wedding consultant. It is a must that whomever you have as your consultant counsel with the pastor prior to the rehearsal.
The church does not provide a pianist or soloist. You must make your own arrangements and compensate them in some manner.
Conduct
The use of tobacco within the church building is absolutely prohibited and the use of such is discouraged outside on the sidewalks. Common courtesy calls for people not to discard trash or cigarette butts on the grounds of the church.
No person will be permitted to come to any of the wedding activities at the church who has been drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs. Failure of members of the wedding party or guests to abide by this will create a very embarrassing situation (disruption of the wedding). No soap bubbles or birdseed should be brought into the building at any time and rice is not allowed inside or outside. Birds eat seeds but they do not eat rice.
For your information, etiquette suggests the pianist, soloist, sound technician, etc., are cared for separately by the bride's parents.
The pastor is compensated by the groom, traditionally.
Conclusions
Weddings in First Baptist Church are considered a sacred service as well as being a legal ceremony. This fact will govern your wedding plans, the selection of music, and the nature of both the wedding and reception. You must speak with the pastor before finalizing your plans, including the selection of songs. This will prevent any misunderstandings and embarrassment.
The desires of the bride are considered in making plans for the wedding, but writers of etiquette point out that the pastor's discretion is observed in weddings held in the church which he pastors. This remains true even when the service of the wedding consultant is engaged.
For all weddings, the pastor will wear a suit instead of formal attire unless a tux is provided for him.
We want this to be a joyful event for you, your family, your friends, and the church. We will cooperate with you to make your wedding all it should be.
Please download the wedding request form and building use form below and return it to the church.