Marriage“We affirm the sanctity of the marriage covenant which is expressed in love, mutual support, personal commitment, and shared fidelity between a man and a woman. We believe that God’s blessings rest upon such a marriage, whether or not there are children in the union. We reject social norms that assume different standards for women than for men in marriage.” The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, 2016, Paragraph 71, C.
The Marriage ServiceThe marriage service, whether simple or elaborate, is a worship service. It is not a time for colorful expressions intended to impress guests. Your marriage/worship service is a time to thank God for the blessings of your union and to ask God to strengthen the bond you share. God in Jesus stands at the center of your marriage as friend and Lord.
Where to BeginCouples should contact the pastor to confirm the wedding date and to begin the five premarital counseling sessions. These sessions are free to you but are required.
YOUR WEDDING DATE WILL ONLY BE HELD WHEN THE DAMAGE DEPOSIT OF $100 HAS BEEN RECEIVED BY THE CHURCH ALONG WITH YOUR SIGNED WEDDING CONTRACT. Dates are filled on a first-come-first-served basis, regardless of church membership. Deposit is non-refundable if the wedding is cancelled less than two weeks prior. Weddings will not be scheduled on the Saturday before Palm Sunday, Easter, or the Sunday on which Christmas is celebrated. The pastor will know if additional dates are not available The Role of the PastorThe Pastor of Garrett United Methodist Church will conduct the wedding ceremony and has final authority to permit any weddings at Garrett United Methodist Church. If you would like another pastor to participate or perform your wedding, inform the church office at least six weeks in advance. Please note that the pastor has final authority on who will be allowed to officiate your wedding.
CounselingFive premarital sessions will take place with the pastor. These must be concluded at least two weeks prior to the wedding and only one session may happen in any seven day period. A letter of documentation will be sent to the pastor at least one month prior to the wedding if pastor approved counseling is done elsewhere.
IT IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUPLE TO CONTACT THE PASTOR TO SCHEDULE COUNSELING SESSIONS. Counseling done by an outside minister must be arranged directly with them. In addition, the marriage license must be given to the pastor prior to the rehearsal. Rehearsal, Rehearsal Dinner, and Wedding ReceptionA wedding rehearsal is STRONGLY advised and all participants should attend. This is a big day for you and knowing how the service with proceed is very important to all involved. The time and date of this rehearsal will be worked out during the counseling sessions.
The Fellowship Hall of the church may be rented for a Rehearsal Dinner or Wedding Reception. All Rehearsal Dinners must be completed, this includes clean-up, by 9:00 pm and are limited to a three hour time limit. A Wedding Reception may also be held at the church. Receptions are limited to four hours and must be completed by 10:00 pm. This includes clean-up. Please remember smoking/tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, illegal substances, and firearms are not permitted on church property. This includes the church building and parking lot. No live bands or DJ’s are allowed for Rehearsal Dinners or Wedding Receptions. DecoratingDecorating The church may be decorated for the wedding, rehearsal dinner or reception during regular business hours (9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Monday-Friday). If other times are needed, the rate of $15.00 (members) and $25.00 (non-members) per hour will be applied. You must schedule all times (this includes regular business hours) with the church office in advance. Times are available based on Church programming and may not be available in every circumstance.
Photography, Video Recording, etc..All photography and video taping will be discreet and not detract from the service.
NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY IS ALLOWED DURING THE SERVICE. The pastor reserves the right to cease any disrespectful photography or video taping. The computer and projector are available for use only if a church technician is available. There is an additional fee to use the A/V in the Sanctuary. Additional InformationSnow Removal In the unlikely event that the pastor deems it necessary to have the church property cleared of snow on the day of the wedding, the couple will be billed directly for this. The Pastor’s Jurisdiction The pastor of Garrett United Methodist Church is empowered to make any decision on any points not specifically covered in this document. Filing the Marriage License Once all financial arrangements are complete and inspection of the building is done by the church staff, the marriage license will then be mailed by the church office to the appropriate county office. Organist Garrett has a pianist available for basic wedding repertoire. See fee list below. |
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
|
ROOM
Fellowship Hall Kitchen Lounge Individual Classrooms |
0-3 Hour Duration
$50 $25 $25 $15 |
> 3 Hour Duration
$100 $40 $40 $25 |
Members
No Charge to members
|
Custodian Charges are $20 per hour for room setup, tear down and clean-up (minimum 2 hours)
This charge applies to members as well.
This charge applies to members as well.