Immanuel United Methodist Church Wedding Information
For more information about weddings at Immanuel United Methodist Church, or to request a reservation for your wedding, please contact the church wedding coordinator, Louanna Wyatt, at (859) 341-5330, Ext. 16 or lwyatt@immanuelumc.org
INTRODUCTION
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13
A church wedding is a joyful religious service of Christian worship in which the Rite of Holy Matrimony is conducted in an atmosphere of reverence for God. This guide has been adopted by the Church to assist couples in preparing for this holy event. Immanuel United Methodist Church welcomes you as you seek God’s blessing on your new life together. The vows you take and the giving and receiving of the rings are promises not only to one another, but promises to God. Seeking His help in your marriage will add joy, happiness, strength and meaning to your lives.
We seek to create a service that speaks of God’s love and celebrates the union of a new love which He blesses, and we, as the church, embrace and support. We look forward to working with you to create a service that is personally satisfying and ritually powerful in the connection between Christ and His Church.
The pastor, organist, wedding coordinator and other church staff will do everything they can to create an atmosphere of worship for your marriage ceremony. A carefully planned service will be a memorable occasion for all.
By requesting a date on the calendar and submitting a deposit, the wedding party is agreeing to the terms, conditions and policies of Immanuel United Methodist Church.
SCHEDULING DATES & RESERVING CHURCH SPACE Back to Top
Dates for your wedding and rehearsal must be cleared as far in advance as possible. No wedding or rehearsal will be scheduled that would conflict with the activities of the church. There will be no weddings scheduled in the Lakeside Park Sanctuary during Holy Week (Palm Sunday – Easter) or during the Advent season (Thanksgiving – Christmas). The Chapel or other Immanuel church buildings may be available during those times.
The church will, upon request and at the discretion of the lead pastor, make its facilities available to Christians who are not members of Immanuel United Methodist Church, providing that the purposes of the Service of Marriage of the United Methodist Church are achieved and that the guidelines in this booklet are carefully observed. At the Lead Pastor’s discretion, Immanuel facilities may be made available to other Methodist Churches in the Covington District.
Reservations for your wedding are only considered final after all of the following four conditions have been met:
- The wedding coordinator has received a request for a wedding date and time, and the time, if confirmed as available, and the church has received a nonrefundable $200 deposit for that date and time.
- The lead pastor has approved the wedding, and a qualified member of the clergy is available and has consented to conduct the wedding service.
- An organist is available and has consented to direct the selection of music and perform at the wedding.
- A custodian, the wedding coordinator or her assistant, and a sound and lighting technician are available and have consented to provide their services during the wedding.
If you have submitted a deposit and the church is unable to confirm the appropriate staff or worship space, the deposit will be returned to you by the wedding coordinator.
SCHEDULING WITH CHURCH STAFF Back to Top
Pastor
It is generally expected that one of the Immanuel United Methodist Church pastors will officiate at each wedding held in Immanuel buildings. If the bride and groom are members of our church and request a specific Immanuel pastor, the wedding coordinator will contact that pastor first for information about his or her availability. Otherwise, the lead pastor will direct the choice of pastor. An ordained pastor from another church may assist or officiate only if invited to do so by Immanuel’s lead pastor, and must work with the Immanuel pastor in charge of the wedding.
Organist
The Immanuel United Methodist Church organists will direct the selection and performance of wedding music for each wedding held in the church. Another musician may perform at your wedding if approved by our organist. The bride and groom must discuss their music selections with the organist well in advance of the wedding date and the Immanuel organist has the final word on music selection. An Immanuel organist is in charge of music selection and performance for each wedding; even if that organist will not herself/himself be performing during the wedding. Prerecorded music is not permitted.
Wedding Coordinator
Immanuel United Methodist Church requires that its wedding coordinator or her assistant be in charge of each wedding that takes place on an Immanuel campus. The Immanuel wedding coordinator is your contact for all your wedding plans with the church. She will contact you at several points in the planning process to discuss the details of your wedding service. She or her assistant will be present at the rehearsal and the wedding to ensure that the ceremony proceeds with a dignity befitting the religious setting of the church, and on schedule. If you have questions or need to make changes to your arrangements, contact the wedding coordinator. (Please note: the church wedding coordinator does not make arrangements for apparel, flowers, or any other needs beyond those concerning the church and the worship service.)
Other Church Staff
The wedding coordinator will arrange for custodial staff for your wedding and rehearsal, and also for a sound and lighting technician. It is expected that the wedding party communicate any specific needs for custodial and sound/lighting assistance clearly and in advance.
HONORARIUM AND FEES Back to Top
Building Facilities
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Facility
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Cost
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Lakeside Park Chapel
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$ 125.
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Lakeside Park Sanctuary
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$ 400.
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Lakeside Park Wesley Hall
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$ 300.
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Grace Sanctuary
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$ 500
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New Hope Sanctuary
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$ 200
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New Hope Wesley Hall
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$ 175
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Church facilities are available 90 minutes prior to the ceremony and one hour following the ceremony. Facility fees for longer hours will apply if there is a need for longer hours than normal. Typical rate would be $100 for each additional hour.
Only brides/grooms who are not members of Immanuel United Methodist Church would pay fees for using the facilities. They must be immediate family members of members to use the facilities for weddings, but do not have to be actual members themselves.
Grace Campus Sanctuary may represent a special case for use by non-members. See the Wedding Coordinator for more information.
Staff Services
(Staff services fees apply to all weddings.)
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Staff
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Fee
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Pastor
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$ 200
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Organist
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$ 175
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Wedding Coordinator
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$ 200
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Custodian
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Lakeside Chapel
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$ 50
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Lakeside Sanctuary
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$ 100
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Grace Sanctuary
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$ 100
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New Hope Sanctuary
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$ 75
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Sound and Lighting Technician
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Lakeside Sanctuary
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$ 75.
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Grace Sanctuary
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$ 75.
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New Hope Sanctuary
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$ 75.
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Custodian [for reception]
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$ 100.
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Wedding Coordinator [for reception]
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$ 50.
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Communion Service
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$ 50.
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All brides/grooms pay for staffing.
If the bridal couple chooses to have a pastor from outside of Immanuel United Methodist Church officiate at their wedding, the staff service fee for an Immanuel pastor still applies. The Immanuel pastor in charge of the wedding will consult with the officiating pastor, assist in the wedding service, and, if desired, will serve communion to the congregation during the wedding service.
Even if the bridal couple chooses to have an organist or musician from outside of Immanuel United Methodist Church perform at their wedding, the staff service fee for an Immanuel organist still applies. The Immanuel organist must approve the outside musician and all music. The Immanuel organist will consult with the bridal couple on all music choices and rehearse with all musicians before the wedding.
If the bridal couple chooses to have an outside social planning service coordinate their wedding and reception, or chooses not to employ such a service, the staff service fee for an Immanuel wedding coordinator still applies. The Immanuel wedding coordinator is an employee of the church and manages the church's interest and negotiations between the bridal party and church staff and leadership, during the planning process as well as during the wedding ceremony. Wedding coordinators employed by the bridal party for social planning or any other purpose will not override the choices or discretion of the Immanuel United Methodist Church wedding coordinator.
The Communion Service fee applies only if you choose to have Communion served during your wedding service. Please see the Planning the Ceremony section for more information about communion service.
Either the bride or the groom must be a member of Immanuel United Methodist Church in order to be given member consideration in determining scheduling or wedding fees. Members of Immanuel include those from the Immanuel campus in Lakeside Park, the Immanuel Grace campus in Covington, and the Immanuel New Hope campus in Southgate. Member consideration cannot be given to those who are relatives of Immanuel United Methodist Church members, members of other United Methodist churches, or any other non-members.
A nonrefundable $200 deposit is required of all couples reserving a wedding date for one of the worship spaces. An additional $100 deposit is required to reserve Wesley Hall for a wedding reception. After the deposit is received, if the appropriate arrangements can be made with church staff, the wedding coordinator will send a letter confirming the date, time and officiating pastor. Announcements and invitations should not be printed, and reception hall arrangements should not be made until you receive written confirmation from the wedding coordinator.
The wedding coordinator will send an invoice at least one month prior to your wedding listing the fees due. All fees must be paid no later than two weeks prior to the date of your wedding. The invoice will give instructions regarding to whom your check(s) must be written.
Immanuel United Methodist Church provides candles for the altar and church candelabra at no additional charge. A few other decorative items are available for use at no charge; please see the section on Candles, Flowers and Decorations in this guide for further information.
If the wedding party remains in the building for more time than is deemed reasonable by the wedding coordinator, or if its presence requires cleanup beyond reasonable expectations as determined by the custodian, an extra fee of $100 per hour will be billed to the couple. Please discuss any concerns you might have about the amount of time you will need at the church with the wedding coordinator.
PREMARITAL COUNSELING Back to Top
Premarital counseling is required of all couples to be married at Immanuel United Methodist Church. This counseling will be provided by either the officiating pastor or an independent certified counselor. An additional short meeting with the officiating pastor will also be required, in order for the pastor and couple to finalize plans for the order of worship of the wedding service. Contact the church office as soon as you know whom your officiating pastor will be, in order to schedule these meetings. The wedding coordinator does not schedule premarital counseling.
WEDDING LICENSE Back to Top
Remember to bring the wedding license to the rehearsal. In most circumstances you may apply for a marriage license at either Kentucky County Clerk’s office in Kenton County. These offices are located in the Independence and Covington courthouses. You do not have to be a previous or current resident of Kentucky to obtain a marriage license that is valid statewide. There is a mandatory three-day waiting period. You must be eighteen years of age or older to marry without parental consent. A birth certificate may be necessary at the clerk’s office to show proof of age. Your license will expire thirty days from the date of issue, so please plan carefully.
CHAPEL AND OTHER CAMPUS WEDDINGS Back to Top
The Immanuel United Methodist Church Chapel, with its lovely full-color stained glass windows, is a beautiful setting for a small and private wedding ceremony. The Immanuel New Hope campus in Southgate also has a beautiful Sanctuary. In general, the guidelines and policies set forth in this booklet apply to weddings in all Immanuel United Methodist Church worship spaces. However, the following special allowances are also made:
- Though Immanuel United Methodist Church cannot schedule weddings in the Lakeside Park Sanctuary during Holy Week (Palm Sunday – Easter) or Advent (Thanksgiving – Christmas); the Lakeside Park Chapel, Grace Campus or New Hope campus worship spaces may be available during those times.
- The services of an organist or pianist are not required for a Lakeside Park Chapel ceremony. If music is presented, the officiating pastor or Immanuel organist must approve the musicians and the music they will present. No prerecorded music is permitted.
- The services of a sound and lighting technician are not required for a Lakeside Park Chapel ceremony.
- Grace Campus Sanctuary may represent a special case for use by non-members. See the Wedding Coordinator for more information.
PLANNING THE CEREMONY Back to Top
The officiating pastor will have complete authority over the wedding ceremony. He or she will discuss the order of worship for the wedding ceremony with you. The official Ritual of the United Methodist Church will serve as the standard for weddings held in our church. A typical wedding service includes:
Prelude
Seating of the Mothers
Processional
Greeting
Charge to the Couple
Declaration by the Man and the Woman
Response of the Parents
Prayer
Sermon, Scripture, Readings or Homily
Intercessory Prayer
Exchange of Vows
Blessing and Exchange of Rings
Declaration of Marriage
Candle Lighting Ceremony
Blessing of the Marriage
The Lord's Prayer
Benediction
Recessional
Communion
In the United Methodist Church, we observe open Communion, which means that there is no private Communion for the bride and groom, or just the bridal party. When Communion is to be celebrated it must be administered by an Immanuel United Methodist Church pastor to or for the entire congregation. Fees apply; please see the Honorarium and Fees section for more details. If you are thinking about observing communion during your wedding ceremony, please discuss it with your officiating pastor.
Receiving Line
The receiving line can be held outdoors in the front of the church if the weather permits, in the Narthex at the back of the Sanctuary, or in the Welcome Center outside Wesley Hall if you are having your reception at the Lakeside Campus.
Similarly, for New Hope Campus, the receiving line can be held at the back of the Sanctuary or in the New Hope Wesley Hall.
At the Grace Campus of Immanuel, the receiving line may be held in the Narthex or outside the front doors.
Many couples choose to hold their receiving lines at their receptions, rather than at the church.
REHEARSAL Back to Top
The wedding rehearsal will generally take place the evening before the wedding. Please make sure that everyone who will be participating in the ceremony is present. This includes the parents, all ushers, all attendants, the ring bearer, the flower girl, soloists, accompanists, any musicians, etc. Rehearsals must begin promptly so be sure each person in your wedding party knows where the ceremony will be celebrated.
At the rehearsal, the ceremony is explained so that all persons involved will know their parts. The positioning of the wedding party members, lighting and sound levels for the ceremony, and the processional and recessional will be decided and practiced. Each member of the wedding party will also be shown where to dress on the wedding day. The wedding coordinator is present to guide the process and assist in the ceremony. The church staff reserves the right to set and require adherence to standards of decorum and good taste.
MUSIC Back to Top
Music is a great and glorious gift from God which is acceptable as prayer and appropriate to use in praise of our Creator. Historically, the Christian church has used music to glorify God and for the edification of His people. It is the hope of the church that the music you choose will be a blessing to you throughout your lives together. Although we do not require that the music is necessarily sacred or classical, it will in all aspects be music that uplifts the spirit and moves all those gathered into the presence of God.
An Immanuel United Methodist Church organist must approve all wedding music regardless of his or her personal involvement at the wedding. Likewise, the organist must approve and rehearse with all musicians before the wedding. Since the wedding is an act of communal worship, only competent musicians shall present music during the service. Competent musicians may or may not be professionally trained and friends or members of your family are certainly acceptable if they will be able to present the music with integrity. All music used must be legally purchased and in agreement with current copyright laws.
The Immanuel United Methodist Church organist will be able to suggest appropriate musical selections for all parts of the wedding service. Musical selections, both instrumental and vocal, should express praise, love, joy and marriage themes appropriate for a Christian wedding, and they should also reflect the reverence and respect normally observed in church services. Appropriate sacred, classical, contemporary Christian or traditional selections may be used. Contact the organist well in advance to schedule an appointment to discuss the selections of music for your wedding, and to arrange rehearsal time for any musicians.
SOUND AND LIGHTING Back to Top
The sound and lighting technician is present to provide sound and lighting to the specifications of the wedding couple and wedding coordinator. He or she will be present at the rehearsal and will make sure that all microphones, music stands, and other church sound and lighting equipment is set up properly before the wedding. He or she will also operate the equipment during the rehearsal and wedding, and will expect each musician to practice at least part of his or her presentation at the rehearsal in order to obtain proper settings for the sound system.
CANDLES, FLOWERS AND DECORATIONS Back to Top
Candles
The Lakeside Park church has two seven-branch candelabra that you may use for your ceremony. You may wish to put a small spray of flowers on them, or leave them undecorated. Special candles are needed, so the church provides the candles for the candelabra at no additional charge. The church also provides the two candles for the altar. Candles may not be surrounded by any flammable materials.
We have a brass unity candle stand. If lighting a unity candle is part of your wedding service, you must provide one three-inch pillar candle and two taper candles. Often the three are sold as a set. We ask that you do your best to purchase dripless tapers. You may choose to decorate the unity candle stand with a bow or floral spray.
The church has ten fourteen-inch-tall hurricane globes and bases that may be used in the ten Lakeside Sanctuary windows if desired. Candles to fit in these globes must be dripless pillar candles, three inches in diameter and no taller than ten inches. Any decoration placed at the base of the globes must be fire-safe and is the responsibility of the wedding party.
Flowers
Please make arrangements for the florist’s delivery and/or pickup of your flowers at the church with the wedding coordinator, so you can be certain that the church will be open for the florist. The arrangements that you purchase for your wedding are yours, and you may take them to your reception. If you wish to leave your floral arrangements for Sunday worship services, please inform the church office well in advance so that a dedication of the flowers can be added to the Sunday bulletin.
Your florist must provide its own fillers and vases. In the Lakeside Sanctuary, we have two brass flower stands that will hold your larger flower arrangements. Please check with your florist to be sure that the arrangements will fit inside the stands. In the Lakeside Chapel, the lovely vibrant colors in the low stained glass windows make flower arrangements optional. If you choose to have flowers, the arrangement will be placed on a wooden pedestal table thirteen inches in diameter and thirty-six inches high.
Aisle Runner
An aisle runner seventy-five feet long will cover the aisle from the bottom of the chancel rail step to the middle of the Lakeside Narthex. You will need an aisle runner one hundred feet long if you wish it to go out the front door of the church. The custodial staff will lay the aisle cloth; a member of the wedding party will pull it down. Once the aisle cloth has been pulled down the center aisle, anyone entering the Sanctuary before the bridal party must use the side aisles.
At New Hope, the runner would need to be sixty feet long.
At the Grace Campus of Immanuel, the runner would need to be one hundred feet.
Wedding Bulletins
Wedding bulletins, if desired, must be provided by the wedding party and must be approved by the officiating pastor before they are printed. Covers can be purchased at any religious bookstore. The following phrase is to be included: “Please Note: No flash photography during the ceremony.” Please be sure that names are spelled correctly and printed legibly.
Sanctuary Adornments
It is expected that a worshipful atmosphere will be maintained for the ceremony. Therefore, no church symbols or furniture may be removed or rearranged in the worship spaces. Church seasonal decorations already set up shall remain in place.
The altar is pulled back from its usual place for worship services in order to accommodate the pastor and bridal couple on the top step of the Chancel while vows are being made. White paraments with gold embroidery will be on the altar, the lectern and the pulpit. Two candles in brass stands are on the altar with a plain cross. The cross is thirty inches high and no floral arrangement or other decoration should be taller than the cross. No flowers, candles, or other decorations are to be placed on the piano, organ, or in the outside aisles.
Guidelines for Adornments at Immanuel New Hope
In general, the same guidelines apply to worship spaces at the New Hope campus as apply to the Lakeside Park campus. Please discuss any plans for decoration at the Immanuel - New Hope campus with the wedding coordinator.
General Guidelines
All flowers, candles, candlesticks, aisle cloths, kneelers, etc. are to be arranged so that the furniture, carpeting and woodwork are not marred in any way. Under no conditions shall any flowers or other decorations be attached to pews, walls, or furnishings with tape, pins, tacks, glue or nails. Nothing sharp, sticky, or metal may be used to attach decorations to the pews, or to hold a decoration. Violation of this policy may result in request for payment of damages. You may use ribbons, tulle, very large rubber bands (available through your florist), or plastic pew clips to attach flowers or decorations. If the flower girl will be scattering flower petals as she walks down the aisle, artificial flowers must be used for that purpose.
All flowers and decorations must be removed immediately after the ceremony or they will be discarded. Overnight storage is not permitted.
PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY Back to Top
Photographs and videos are an important way to remember your wedding day. However, neither should be recorded in a manner which is disruptive, intrusive or disrespectful to the sacred activity occurring.
Church weddings are worship services; therefore, your photographers, friends and relatives should be instructed that no flash pictures may be taken during the ceremony (from the time the pastor begins speaking until the recessional music begins). The photographer is not permitted to enter the Sanctuary or Chapel during the ceremony for photographs, nor may any pictures be taken in the Chancel area once the aisle cloth is down. Time exposures from the balcony or Narthex are permitted. Under no circumstances shall the photographer stand upon the aisle cloth once it has been laid.
Formal pictures may be taken before or after the wedding service and the pastor will be glad to repose parts of the ceremony for the photographers afterwards. If taking photographs before the wedding, plan to be finished 30 minutes before the ceremony.
If the service is to be videotaped, the camera must be stationary and use natural light. The video camera operator will work with the light setting established by the church for the wedding worship service. The person videotaping your wedding should consult with the wedding coordinator for the best place to work. A remote controlled video camera may be located on a tripod in the balcony or in the rear of the Sanctuary. The equipment must not obstruct the view of any worshippers.
Photographers and video camera operators are to be properly attired for a wedding. The wedding coordinator will have complete authority over proper placement of cameras and personnel.
RECEPTIONS Back to Top
Lakeside Wesley Hall and the adjoining kitchen at the Lakeside Park campus or the kitchen and banquet facilities at New Hope campus may be available for your wedding reception. Receptions at Immanuel United Methodist Church are arranged through the wedding coordinator.
The church can provide the tables, chairs and kitchen facilities for your wedding party and guests. Everything else must be provided by the bride and groom, their families, and/or a caterer hired by them. If you have candles on the tables, they must be enclosed in a globe to comply with the fire code.
Additional fees apply for receptions; please see the section on Honorarium and Fees in this guide for further information.
BUILDING USE REGULATIONS Back to Top
Lakeside Park Sanctuary
The Sanctuary seats up to three hundred people comfortably, with a maximum of three hundred fifty. There are eighteen pews on each side of the main aisle; four of these are shortened for wheelchair access. Therefore fourteen pew ends are available for decoration. The pipe organ and a Yamaha baby grand piano are located in the Chancel. Musicians may also be seated in the Chancel.
Lakeside Park Chapel
The Chapel seats up to forty people comfortably, with a maximum of fifty. There are fifteen pews; one of these is shortened for wheelchair access. There is a Yamaha grand piano in the front of the Chapel. Musicians will be seated in the pews with the congregation.
New Hope Sanctuary
Please contact the wedding coordinator for information about capacity and seating at Immanuel - New Hope campus.
Grace Campus Sanctuary
The Grace Campus Sanctuary, with its magnificent stained glass windows and imposing center aisle, can easily accommodate 350 persons for a wedding.
General Guidelines
No smoking is allowed anywhere in the church buildings.
No alcoholic beverages are allowed anywhere in the church buildings or on church property. No rehearsal or wedding will be conducted if any member of the wedding party is under the influence of alcohol.
No food or drink is allowed within the worship spaces at any campus
The throwing of rice, confetti, birdseed or rose petals is not permitted. It creates hazardous walking conditions on the sidewalks and in the hallways.
Spraying with glitter hairspray anywhere in the church building is not permitted.
Heating or air conditioning will be turned on at a reasonable time prior to the wedding or rehearsal. Contact the wedding coordinator if you have any concern about the environmental controls.
Rooms are available so that the bride and her attendants, and/or the groom and his attendants may dress at the church. Please discuss dressing room usage with the wedding coordinator.
Please do not leave valuables, purses, money, or personal belongings unattended in the church. It is the responsibility of the bride and groom or those they designate to arrange to care for the property of the wedding party before, during and after the wedding. Since the church cannot be responsible for personal belongings, we request that you remove everything from the church immediately following the wedding.
Any damage to the building will be at the expense of the wedding party. An additional fee may be charged if the wedding party fails to comply with the policies set forth in this guide.
CONTACT INFORMATION Back to Top
For more information about weddings at Immanuel United Methodist Church, or to request a reservation for your wedding, please contact the church wedding coordinator, Louanna Wyatt, at (859) 341-5330, Ext. 16 or lwyatt@immanuelumc.org.
