Your Wedding at Old West Church

Guiding You Through the Process

We at Old West Church are happy to help plan and to officiate at weddings of both members of the church and non-members. Weddings at Old West are conducted by the pastor. Members of the clergy from other denominations and faiths are welcome to participate with the pastor, and may be so invited by the pastor. Members of other congregations of the United Methodist Church wishing to be married at Old West Church by their own pastor may contact the Old West Pastor to set up this special arrangement.

The Marital Consultation

All Persons who are to be married at Old West Church are expected to engage in a minimum of three sessions of pre-marital counseling. The sessions usually last from 45 minutes to an hour and are scheduled at the mutual convenience of both the pastor and the couple.

The Process

As soon as you have decided on a wedding date, call the church to find out whether that day and time are available. Ask the person answering the telephone to pencil in the date in the church's calendar. As soon as possible thereafter, speak with the pastor to confirm the pastor's availability. The date is not official until it has been entered both on the pastor's calendar and the church's calendar.

The Service of Christian Marriage

The service of Christian marriage is provided for a man and a woman who wish to solemnize their marriage in a service of Christian worship. The ceremony, therefore, includes Proclamation of the Word, as well as prayer and praise. Christian marriage is proclaimed as a sacred covenant reflecting Christ's covenant with the church. Everything about the service is designed to witness that this is a Christian marriage. Both words and actions consistently reflect the belief that husband and wife are equal partners in Christian marriage and that they are entering into the marriage of their own volition. Those present at the wedding ceremony are understood to be an active congregation, not simply passive witnesses. They give their blessings to the couple and the marriage and they join in prayer and praise. Holy communion may or may not be celebrated, according to the desires of the couple.

[Adapted from the United Methodist Hymnal]

The Ceremony

The ceremony can take anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour, depending on how elaborate it is. If the couple desires that communion be served, they should keep in mind that in the United Methodist Church all present are invited to the Lord's Table. Serving communion will add several minutes to the ceremony. We welcome special music, prayers or cultural additions to the basic service that make the ceremony more meaningful for the couple. These also add to the length of time the ceremony will take.

Rehearsal

The pastor is responsible for conducting the rehearsal. Once all members of the wedding party have arrived, the rehearsal should take about 45 minutes to an hour. All members of the wedding party are expected to be present at the rehearsal.

Decorations

We ask that common sense prevail when decorating the church. All florists, decorators , planners, and consultants must work under the direction of the pastor while they are in the church. None of the furnishings in the sanctuary may be removed or replaced nor additions made without the express permission of the pastor. Should the couple wish to preserve decorations, it is their responsibility to make sure the decorations are removed in a timely fashion.

Photos / Videos

No flash photography is permitted, nor will there be pauses for photographs during the ceremony. Photographs may be taken before and after the ceremony. Videographers may select a position in the sanctuary to set up their equipment, as long as it does not interfere with the line of sight of the guests or with the ritual.

Fees

The fees for weddings at Old West Church are given below. The fee for Counseling Sessions applies to couples who are not members of the church. Since weddings are a part of the normal duties of the pastor, there is no Counseling Sessions fee for members of the church. However, couples who are members of the congregation may wish to make a donation to the church for the Counseling Sessions.

All checks must be made out to Old West Church, and we ask that all fees be paid seven days prior to the ceremony. We also ask that an initial deposit of $100.00 be brought to the planning session.

	Building use/ Wedding and Rehearsal	$ 500.00
	Organist/Musician	$ 175.00 to $250.00
	Counseling Sessions (3 @ $ 60.00)	$ 180.00
	Custodial Fee	$ 200.00