- No wedding can be scheduled conflicting with regularly programmed church activities.
- No alcoholic beverages may be served on the church premises at any time. Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the building.
- Rice, confetti, or other such materials are not to be thrown inside the church building.
- The wedding party may dress at the church. The church parlor on the lower level will be available to the bride and her attendants. The groom’s party may dress in the Choir Room area or the Baraca-Berean Class.
- Any damage to property should be promptly reported to the church Custodian. Any expenses incurred by the church will be billed to the bride.
- With the confirmation of the wedding date, it is assumed the bride, the bridegroom, and the wedding director will understand and abide by these wedding policies set forth by FirstBaptistChurch.
As you begin your married life together here at FirstBaptistChurch, we hope that your spiritual lives will continue to grow as you unite together with a fellowship of Christians.
If you plan to live in our community we welcome you to worship with us. If you live elsewhere it is our wish that you unite with a church in your new community and continue your walk together in Christian faith.
May God Bless Your Marriage
FirstBaptistChurch
Rutherfordton, North Carolina
FIRSTBAPTISTCHURCH
Wedding Policy
The most important decisions and events in life take place in the church. We are happy that you have chosen FirstBaptistChurch for this significant occasion in your life. It is our desire that your wedding in this sacred place be an occasion long to be cherished. To help bring this about, we have established the following wedding policies.
Request to UseChurch Facilities
The bride or groom will contact the pastor or office manager and request permission to use the church facilities. The bride or groom or a designated family member must personally meet with the Pastor or office manager and fill out an information sheet at the time of reserving the church facilities.
Member weddings cannot be scheduled more than 12 months in advance. Non-member weddings cannot be scheduled more than 6 months in advance.
The sanctuary and fellowship hall are available for use.
Weddings and the activities surrounding them normally require two full days of facilities use. The following fees therefore apply to all weddings to help offset the expenses associated with them.
Weddings for members and regular attendees: A $200.00 fee is required payable one week prior to the wedding.
Other Weddings: All other weddings require a $50.00 deposit at the time of the reservation request with a balance of $950.00 due two weeks prior to the event. If the balance is not paid within two weeks of the event, the reservation will be cancelled and removed from the church calendar unless prior arrangements have been made with the Minister of Administration or office manager.
This $1,000.00 total fee will include the custodial service, a sound system technician to operate the church sound system, a kitchen committee member present if the kitchen is being utilized, as well as the additional utility and maintenance expenses.
The church custodian will be responsible for set-up for rehearsal, the wedding, and reception (if held at the church), and for the cleaning afterwards. The custodian will handle all arrangements for the church to be unlocked and locked, temperature control, and moving/replacing of church furniture.
Minister
If another minister is to perform the service, the bride shall request that the Pastor extend an invitation to the officiating minister.
Music
The Minister of Music is available to assist with the music planning.
Keep in mind a church wedding is a service of the church and the music should be in keeping with the reverence that should be observed upon entering the House of the Lord.
Arrangements should also be made with the Minister of Music if an organist or pianist other than the regular church Organist or Pianist is used.
Guest organists should reset the stops to the original registrations or notify Minister of Music to reset.
Decorations
- Only dripless candles are permitted. They should be in candelabras which will catch and contain all drippings, and the floor and furnishings must be thoroughly protected. For protection of the woodwork, window candles in holders should not exceed 12” in height. It is suggested that candlesnuffers be used to extinguish candles. (Window candles should have globes).
- Decorations shall not be attached to the pews and other furniture by pinning, nailing, gluing, or taping. They should be attached by weights or tying.
- Rice bags or any substitutes shall not be distributed until guests have left the church building.
- For a wedding in which the wedding flowers are to be used for the following Sunday worship service, advance notice should be given to the church Secretary so that the regular floral order can be cancelled and that proper recognition may be placed in the church bulletin.
Pictures
The taking of pictures in the sanctuary during the ceremony should be discussed with the officiating minister.
Reception
Reception or rehearsal parties may be held in the fellowship hall. The caterer, or person in charge, is responsible for the condition of the kitchen following the occasion. The kitchen must be left clean and ready for the next group that will use it. The bride is responsible for discussing these policies with the person in charge of the reception. A list of dishes and serving pieces available-for-use may be obtained from the church office.
General Policies
- It is expected that members of the wedding party will recognize that the church is the House of God and will conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the atmosphere of the place of worship.