WEDDING POLICIES OF

MYRTLE GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH

Pensacola, Florida

 

Marriage is a religious ceremony and all the elements of the service must have significance.

 

Myrtle Grove Baptist Church is available for weddings for all Myrtle Grove Baptist members.  (The bride, groom, or an immediate family member must be a member of Myrtle Grove Baptist Church.)  Only professing Christians will be married in the church.

 

In order that you have a sacred and dignified wedding ceremony you are urged to make thorough preparations, spiritual as well as temporal.  The ministers and staff of Myrtle Grove Baptist Church wish to extend every possible assistance to you toward the end that your wedding in the church will be a memorable experience.

 

You are urged to read the following material carefully and cooperate fully with the church in upholding the high standards which the church desires.

 

Setting the Date: The date of your wedding and rehearsal should be secured on the church calendar as far in advance as possible. 

 

To set the date of your wedding:

Contact the pastor’s secretary and inform her of the date you wish to be married.  She will determine if the date is clear on the church calendar.

Complete and return the attached wedding application form with the appropriate fees. (Form available from the church office)  The date you reserve will be held for 10 days.  When the form and fees are turned in, your date is secure.

Set up a personal conference with the pastor, who is in charge of weddings.  He will determine the couples’ qualifications for marriage.  No dates should be announced or specific plans made until the bride and groom have met with the pastor.

 

Note: No wedding or rehearsal will be scheduled on Sundays, holidays, or after 6 p.m. on Saturdays, nor times that will conflict with any service or event involving the church membership as a whole.

 

The Pastor: It is the policy of the pastor to guide the couple in a series of pre-marital counseling sessions in order to make proper plans for the ceremony so that the Christian meaning of marriage may be fully understood.  These sessions are meant to help you build a strong foundation for your marriage.

 

Another minister may be permitted to officiate in your wedding ceremony with the approval of the pastor.

 

Your Wedding Coordinator:  A Wedding Coordinator will be assigned after the pastor gives his approval for the wedding to take place.  The Coordinator will assist you with your wedding details, organize the final plans into an order of service for the rehearsal, and direct the wedding rehearsal and wedding.  The pastor and Myrtle Grove Baptist staff ministers require a Myrtle Grove Baptist Coordinator.  If the bride has her own director, a Myrtle Grove Baptist Coordinator must still be present.   All fees (including musicians) will be collected by the Coordinator in accordance with the fee schedule contained in these policies. 

 

Your Wedding Music:  A church wedding is a Christian ceremony of worship and celebration in which two persons are joined together in holy matrimony.  The Minister of Music is to be consulted regarding the selection of both music and musicians.  Competent musicians are available upon your request.  It should be noted that the musicians are not paid by the church for playing at weddings.  Your church assigned Wedding Coordinator can assist you in securing musicians / soloists.  If you choose to use outside musicians, this must be cleared with the Minister of Music through your Myrtle Grove Baptist Wedding Coordinator.

 

Your Wedding Party:    Members of the wedding party should recognize that the church is a holy place and they should conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the atmosphere of a place of worship.  It is expected that members of the wedding party will refrain from using alcoholic beverages both at the rehearsal and at the ceremony.  No alcoholic beverages may be served on the church premises at any time.  Smoking is not permitted in any of the church buildings.  It is the responsibility of the bride and groom to make certain that these rules are made known to the wedding party.

 

The church will not be responsible for personal items if lost, stolen, or damaged.  However, it will use every reasonable effort to assist the wedding party in protecting such property.

 

Your Wedding Decorations:  As you plan the decorations for your wedding, please observe the following guidelines:

The florist should call the church assigned Wedding Coordinator to arrange a time for decorating the church.

All decorations and equipment should be removed promptly following the ceremony.

No tacks, pins, nails, or glue should be used to fasten any decorations to the furniture, building, or carpet.  Only wrapped wire or ribbon is to be used to fasten bows to the pews.

Candelabrums should have sufficient coverings under them to prevent any wax from dripping on the carpet.  Only spring-load, high quality candles or votive candles may be used and must be in candelabra.

Except the piano, the musical instruments will remain in place, and nothing should be placed on them.  (If requested, the piano will be moved only by MGBC staff personnel.)

The modesty rail and choir chairs will remain in place for the ceremony.

The pulpit, platform furniture, Lord’s Supper table, and surrounding speakers may be moved for the ceremony by the sound technician and custodian.  Arrangements should be made in advance through your church assigned Wedding Coordinator.

The foyer furnishings (tables, chairs, or plants) may only be used if prior arrangements have been made through your church assigned Wedding Coordinator.

No rice or confetti may be thrown inside nor outside the church facilities.  Birdseed may be thrown outside the facilities.

 

Note:  At various times during the year, such as Christmas and Easter, the worship center will be decorated for special church services, and it is understood that these special decorations will not be removed or disturbed for weddings.  

 

Photography: The photographer may take pictures before or after the ceremony.  No pictures are to be taken in the worship center during the ceremony except time exposures taken from the back or from the balcony.  The photographer may take a picture of the bride and her father as they start down the aisle and the bride and groom as they leave.  Ushers should inform wedding guests with cameras to refrain from taking pictures during the ceremony.  Video taping of the ceremony is allowed as long as it is done discreetly.

 

Sound and Lights: Your church assigned Wedding Coordinator will schedule a Myrtle Grove Baptist Church sound / lighting technician for your wedding and rehearsal.  Our technicians must be used for all weddings in which the church sound system is used.  He will set the lighting, set up all microphones, speakers, and necessary equipment as directed by your church assigned Wedding Coordinator.

 

Facilities: The bride is responsible for communicating to her church assigned Wedding Coordinator when the facilities need to be opened and any special instructions for set-up of the worship center, fellowship hall, Family Life Center, etc., as well as the times that heating and cooling will be needed.  The church assigned Wedding Coordinator will schedule custodial personnel for your wedding. 

 

The custodian will be responsible for:

Setting the heating / cooling for all facilities to be used.

Having the church cleaned and ready for the wedding.

Clean-up and set-up platform furniture after wedding.

Disposing of all trash from the wedding.

 

The custodian is NOT responsible for kitchen clean-up.  The kitchen should be left as it was found.  Failure to clean the kitchen may result in the loss of your general use deposit.  In general, we simply ask that you leave the church properties in the same condition in which they were found.  (Food or beverage are not permitted outside designated areas.)

 

The custodian prepares the building for the wedding prior to the rehearsal and does not clean up between the rehearsal and the wedding.

 

Wedding Fee Schedule: The following wedding fees are charged by Myrtle Grove Baptist Church.  Checks should be made payable to Myrtle Grove Baptist Church or to the individual listed.  The type of wedding you choose will determine the cost.  Your church assigned Wedding Coordinator will collect the fees.