|
First Presbyterian Church, Nashville, Tennessee
We are happy that you have decided to have your Christian wedding in First Presbyterian Church. The Session has established certain policies that we would like to bring to your attention, which will be helpful in planning your wedding. Any exceptions to the policy must be approved by the entire pastoral staff.
Facilities
The facilities belonging to the congregation are available upon request only to church members, the children of church members, and current church staff.
Both the church sanctuary and Stanford Chapel are available for weddings. The sanctuary seats approximately 800 people, the chapel seats approximately 100 people. The Cheek House (100 maximum capacity), and Courtenay Hall (350 maximum capacity) are available for receptions.
Scheduling
The scheduling of all weddings at First Presbyterian Church is done through the church wedding assistant. Wedding reservations must first be confirmed with the requested officiating pastor. Wedding reservations will be final only after the Wedding Request form and fees are turned in to the church office. You will receive a letter of confirmation from the church office, at which time your wedding date will be confirmed.
No weddings are scheduled on Sundays, on Palm Sunday weekend, Easter Sunday weekend, on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.
Please inform the wedding assistant of any changes in date or time for the rehearsal or wedding as soon as possible.
Pastors
Only an ordained pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Nashville may officiate at weddings in our facilities. If you so wish, the officiating pastor may extend an invitation to a pastor from another church to participate in the wedding service. Participation by an assisting pastor will be determined by the pastor at First Presbyterian Church officiating at the service, and shall be limited to a prayer and/or participation in the exchange of vows.
Every effort will be made to provide the requested pastor to officiate. Occasionally, because of the many responsibilities of church pastors, the pastor you requested may not be able to officiate at the time of your wedding. Be assured, however, that another FPC pastor will be available to officiate at your wedding. The final decision on this will rest with the pastoral staff of our church.
Premarital Counseling
All persons marrying at First Presbyterian Church are required to attend premarital counseling. Premarital counseling is also a requirement of the State of Tennessee in order to obtain a marriage license. It is the responsibility of the bride and groom to contact the officiating pastor to make arrangements for premarital counseling several months prior to the wedding.
Wedding Guild
The Wedding Guild of First Presbyterian Church will be of invaluable service to you and will perform the services of wedding director for all weddings. Outside wedding consultants shall not serve as the wedding director for the wedding service or rehearsal, which is a worship service of the church.
A member of the Wedding Guild will be assigned as Wedding Director for your wedding ceremony. The Wedding Director will review the church's policies and assist you with your wedding plans. The director will also be present at the rehearsal and wedding ceremony to insure that all details go smoothly.
Order for the Service of Marriage
The wedding ceremony shall be planned with the designated pastor under guidelines prescribed by the Book of Order (W-4.9000) and the Session. The wedding is a corporate worship service of God. In the Presbyterian Church, it indicates what we believe about God and marriage. Since a marriage ceremony is a worship service, the order shall include affirmation of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and an affirmation of commitment by both bride and groom to each other. The ceremony may include affirmation of families, particular vows along with the exchange of rings, prayer and the sealing of the commitment as the pastor deems appropriate in planning the service with the couple.
A typical order for a service of marriage may be the following: The entrance of the family, pastor, groom, groomsmen and bridesmaids into the sanctuary; the processional of the bride; greeting and call to worship by the pastor; a hymn; the meaning of Christian marriage; prayer; vows; exchange of rings; dedicatory prayer; declaration of marriage, exchange of a kiss; benediction; recessional. The pastor has various resources and advice that will help a couple plan a joyfully unique and Christ-centered service for their marriage. All suggestions, changes and instructions in this service must be approved by the officiating pastor.
The Session has established certain policies that will assist the bride and groom and their families in answering questions regarding the wedding ceremony and in making plans.
Music
It is the policy of the Session of First Presbyterian Church to offer unto God only music of the highest quality in the wedding ceremony, as is the case with any service of the church. It is important that the music conform to the Christian ideals of marriage. Secular music, no matter how beautiful or filled with the sentiments of love, is not appropriate for a worship service.
The bride and groom are expected to arrange an appointment with the Wedding Music Coordinator (one of the church's staff organists) for the purpose of planning music for the service. The Wedding Music Coordinator will direct all musical elements of the wedding service, including assisting the bride in the selection of music, and directing other instrumentals and vocalists. One of First Presbyterian Church's organists plays for all weddings celebrated in our church facilities. If the bride desires to have vocalists or instrumentalists of her own choosing, they must be approved in advance by the Wedding Music Coordinator.
Decorating
First Presbyterian Church has been blessed with a beautiful sanctuary and chapel. Decorations should be restrained and tasteful, respecting the simple existing architectural beauty of the worship spaces. The dossal clothe and paraments used during the wedding ceremony are white or the seasonal color. The following guidelines must be followed for decorating:
It is the responsibility of the florist (or wedding party) to remove all decorations from the church immediately after the wedding ceremony.
Rearranging of furniture in the church or Cheek House is not permitted.
Candelabras (not in excess of four candelabras) may be used in the chapel and sanctuary, provided proper precautions are taken to protect the floors and furniture. (Candelabras are not provided by the church.)
Only drip-less pillar candles, that are no larger than 3-inches in diameter, are allowed for use in the sanctuary windows. Drip trays must be used under the candles, and the entire candle and wick must be covered by a hurricane glass cover.
No tacks, nails, screws, or adhesives that leave a residue, are to be used in the church. Floral decorations must be arranged so that there is no necessity to anchor or fasten them to the building or furniture.
Candle and floral decorations are not to be used in the narthex.
Columns in the sanctuary must be kept free of decorations.
When potted plants or greens are used, floors and furniture must be protected from stain or drippings.
Aisle runners are not permitted.
Flowers
Only one flower arrangement is allowed in the chancel (on the altar at the front of the sanctuary). Small bouquets may be attached to the ends of pews with ribbons.
Only artificial flower petals may be dropped by the flower girl(s).
Flowers on the railings are not permitted. Flower arrangements over the doorways in the sanctuary are not permitted.
During the Advent/Christmas season, the church's Flower Committee provides seasonal floral arrangements to decorate the sanctuary and no other floral arrangements will be allowed, except on the first Sunday in Advent. If additional wedding flowers are desired by the wedding party on the first Sunday of Advent, the church's floral arrangements/decorations are not to be removed, moved or changed, and the wedding floral arrangement must be approved by the Flower Committee.
Photography
Photographs in the sanctuary or chapel may be taken prior to the ceremony until the first groomsman leaves the narthex to begin ushering guests. At this time, all photography must cease until the conclusion of the ceremony. Please share this information with your photographer, family and friends.
A photographer may take pictures from the balcony of the sanctuary at the time the bride and her escort reach the chancel. A time exposure without any noise or flash must be used for these pictures.
A photographer may take pictures, without any noise or flash, of the bride and groom leaving the sanctuary. The photographer must not enter the sanctuary and may only take the picture through the open center narthex doors.
If photos are taken after the ceremony, they must be completed within 30 minutes of the conclusion of the ceremony.
Videos
Video cameras may be used discretely to record the service only if (1) the equipment is stationary and placed in the balcony, (2) the equipment does not obstruct the view of worshippers, and (3) no lights are used. An out-of-sight, remote-controlled video camera may be placed in the chancel. Videographers must wear appropriate dress.
Wedding Programs
Wedding programs are not provided by the church. If you will be providing wedding programs, please consult with the pastor and Wedding Music Coordinator about the order of service for the programs. Also, consider adding a note on your program that states "please refrain from taking pictures during the wedding service."
Rehearsals
The Wedding Guild Coordinator and/or designated pastor will meet with the wedding party for the rehearsal. Please plan to arrive promptly. If all members of the wedding party are punctual, the rehearsal should take no longer than 45 minutes.
Please bring the marriage license to the rehearsal and give to the wedding director or pastor.
Reception
The Cheek House (100 maximum capacity), and Courtenay Hall (350 maximum capacity) are available for receptions. If you plan to use the church facilities for your wedding reception, please contact the Property Manager to discuss your setup needs. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted on church premises. It is the responsibility of the parties using the facilities to leave them in a clean and orderly condition. Breakage costs will be assumed by the parties using the facilities.
General Rules
The use of tobacco and alcoholic beverages is not permitted in any part of the church or grounds.
The Bride's Room, located in the Cheek House, is available for the bride and her attendants to dress. It is recommended that the men dress at home.
Food or drink provided for the wedding party prior to the ceremony is allowed only in the following areas: (1) Food for the bride and bridesmaids may be placed on the table in the entrance hall in Cheek House; (2) Food for the groom and groomsmen may be placed on a table in Courtenay Hall.
Please arrange to have at least one usher or groomsman for each 50 guests.
The use of a Unity Candle during the wedding ceremony is discouraged.
No material of any kind may be thrown by members of the wedding party or guests, including, but not limited to, birdseed, rice, flower petals, confetti, and soap bubbles.
The church does not provide nursery accommodations for children.
The church is not responsible for valuables left unattended during or after the wedding. Please assign someone to gather valuables from the Bride's Room prior to the ceremony.
The use of guest books before the wedding service is strongly discouraged. Stopping to sign guest books causes congestion and delays in seating.
The wedding party and guests must leave the facilities within 45 minutes after the conclusion of the ceremony.
Wedding Fees
First Presbyterian Church does not rent its facilities for any purpose, including weddings. The following fees are meant to cover utilities costs, and fees for the custodian, sound coordinator, wedding coordinator and organist.
WEDDING:
Chapel $550
Sanctuary $900
RECEPTION:
Cheek House $200
Courtenay Hall $225
Your check for fees should be payable to First Presbyterian Church and remitted with your Wedding Request form. All fees must be turned in to the church office at the time of request. You will receive a letter of confirmation from the church office after your form and fees have been received, at which time your wedding date will be confirmed.
ADDITIONAL MUSIC FEES
If you choose to hire additional music for your wedding (i.e. soloist), or if you need an additional rehearsal with the organist, these additional fees are due in the church office one month before the wedding. Please make your check payable to First Presbyterian Church, and note "Wedding-Music" in the memo line.
PASTOR'S FEE
Weddings are a part of the normal responsibility of the pastor and no fee is charged to First Presbyterian Church members for the pastor's service. Often, families may wish to offer an appropriate love gift or honorarium.
NON-MEMBERS
Occasionally, a pastor may approve the use of church facilities for the wedding of a non-member. FPC is a church with many families and members, who understandably expect to have priority in scheduling their weddings. Non-members will be permitted to reserve the facilities not more than six months in advance of their wedding. A fee of $1,500 will be charged to non-members for a sanctuary wedding. A fee of $750 will be charged to non-members for a chapel wedding. |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
