Isle of Hope United Methodist Church Wedding Rules and Regulations

We at Isle of Hope United Methodist Church are pleased that you are considering the use of our Sanctuary for your wedding. In your Worship Service of Christian Marriage, we ask that you preserve and honor the sacredness of the church by adhering to the following Rules and Regulations for Weddings.

Pastor

  • The pastor is responsible for all weddings held in the church. All arrangements pertaining to the Worship Service of Marriage shall be made in full consultation with the pastor. The traditional ceremony will be used unless other arrangements are made with the pastor.
  • Pastors of other denominations are welcomed; however, one of the Isle of Hope United Methodist Church pastors will be the presiding pastor.
  • The date and time for any wedding must be arranged with the pastor through our church wedding coordinator.
  • The pastor will request conferences with the bride and groom well in advance of the wedding date.
  • The pastor performing the wedding will attend the rehearsal with the church wedding coordinator and your wedding director.

Use of Sanctuary

  • All weddings must be scheduled at times that will not conflict with regular church services and will allow time for the installation and removal of decorations.
  • All furnishings are to remain in place unless other arrangements have been approved by our wedding coordinator before the wedding date.
  • Any damage to the facilities and/or breakage will be the responsibility of the bride and groom.
  • No alcoholic beverages are permitted in any of the church buildings or on the church property.
  • No smoking is permitted in any of the church buildings or near church property.
  • Please do not leave money or valuables unattended on the church property or in personal vehicles.
  • Children participating in the wedding must be at least 4 years old.

Flowers and Decorations

  • The beauty and elegance of our church exists through its architectural simplicity. This beauty is best enhanced by flowers and decorations which are also simple in nature. Please keep this in mind when planning and decorating for your wedding.
  • The florist should make arrangements with the wedding coordinator to enter the church early to decorate for weddings and receptions. The church will be open 2 1/2 hours before the time of the ceremony. Decorations must be completed one hour before the time of the ceremony. All decorations must be picked up by noon on Monday after the wedding.
  • We encourage you to leave your wedding flowers for our Sunday Worship Services. They will be acknowledged in the church bulletin and redistributed after the worship services to nursing home residents and shut-ins.
  • Electric candles and globes are available for use in the windows. The florist should supply decorations around the globes.
  • No more than 4 candelabra (12 candles each) will be permitted at a time. They must be dripless candles with sleeves to prevent drips (Paradise Candles).
  • If a Unity candles is to be used, a drop cloth must be placed underneath to protect carpet and cushions, if candles other than Paradise candles are used.
  • Do not tack, staple, screw or tape any decorations to the walls, woodwork, or furniture inside or outside the building, including the pulpit furniture. The balcony posts and altar rail may not be decorated. Pew ribbons should be on a pew clip, not taped to the pews.
  • An aisle cloth or runner must be used if the flower girl drops real flower petals. This protects the carpets from staining.
  • No rice or confetti may be thrown inside or outside the church. Bird seed may be used outside.
  • A letter will be sent to the florist notifying him/her of the policies of the church concerning decorations. He/she is responsible for any damage to the facilities and/or breakage resulting from decorating the church.
  • When the church is decorated for a special season, such as Christmas and Easter, or the pumpkins in the yard in October, etc., the decorations will remain in place for your wedding. Please coordinate your flowers with the church decorations.

Music

  • Music used during the Service of Christian Marriage must be sacred in nature and should accentuate the reverence of the occasion. All music must be chosen in consultation with our church organist. Even if you are not using our organist, the music must be chosen in consultation with her.
  • We prefer you use our church organist.
  • Compensation for the services of the organist and other musicians is to be handled directly with those involved.
  • Our sound system is available upon request. If there is a reader or singer during the service, the sound system will be necessary.

Photographs

  • Photographers should be reminded that they should not distract from the Worship Service of Marriage in the practice of their profession.
  • Photographs made during the Worship Service with flash bulbs or electronic flash are prohibited by photographers and guests. Please advise family and guests of this rule.
  • Photographs may be made during the Worship Service only from the balcony using available light. The Worship Service begins when the prelude music begins.
  • After the Worship Service, pictures of the bride and groom, the wedding party and families exiting the church may only be taken from the Narthex of the Sanctuary.
  • Photographers must not stand on the pews. No one will stand on the altar cushions.
  • A video tape of the Worship Service may be taken from the balcony only.
  • A letter will be sent to the photographer advising him/her of our church’s policy about photographs during the Worship Service of Christian Marriage.
  • The Sanctuary will be available for thirty (30) minutes after the Worship Service for photographs.

Wedding Coordinator

  • The wedding coordinator is responsible for all wedding plans, from the time the wedding is scheduled until the end of the wedding. She will coordinate the scheduling with the pastors, musicians, secretary, hostess, custodian, video operator, and sound system operator to ensure that all plans are carried out smoothly and efficiently. She is responsible for seeing that the wedding adheres to all the rules and regulations of the church. She will be at the rehearsal and wedding – arriving 2 1/2 hours before the ceremony. We require a professional Wedding Director for your rehearsal and wedding. You may have your own or use our wedding coordinator as your wedding director. The use of our wedding coordinator as your wedding director is preferred. Compensation for her services as your wedding director is to be handled directly with her.

Fees for Non-members

Wedding and Rehearsal:  $300.00

Pastor:  $200.00

Custodian:  $100.00

Organist (with 1 additional musician):  $200.00

Organist (with 2 or more additional musicians):  $250.00

Video or Sound System Operator:  $100.00

Video and Sound System Operators:  $125.00

  • Your wedding date is confirmed for your wedding upon the receipt of your non-refundable church fee of $300.00.
  • The Pastor, custodian, organist, video operator, sound system operator, wedding director and/or additional musicians should be given a check for their services, in their name, no later than the rehearsal date.
  • The Sanctuary will be open for your rehearsal for only one (1) hour. If you need additional time, and the church is available, you will be billed at the rate of $25.00 per half hour.
  • The church will be open 2 1/2 hours before your wedding. If you need it to be opened earlier, and the church is available, you will be billed at a rate of $25.00 per half hour. Please consult the wedding coordinator regarding this.

If you have any questions regarding any of these policies, please contact Tricia Windom, Wedding Coordinator, at 912.356.0488