Congratulations on your upcoming marriage.
Weddings in our church are worship ceremonies and all elements have significance.

The Pastor will be glad to help you plan your service so that it will be honoring to God, beautiful and memorable.

May God’s richest blessings be on you both as you become One in Him.

General Church Wedding Policies:

One of the family members of the wedding party must be a member of Village Baptist Church to have a wedding or reception at the church.

There is no alcohol or tobacco allowed in the buildings or on the church property.

No dancing is permitted.

Weddings at Village Baptist Church are held only for unions between a man and a woman.

No food or drink is allowed in the Sanctuary or Fireside Room.

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Reservations for Weddings:

1. Call the church to make an appointment with the senior minister to perform your ceremony. If he is unavailable for your wedding, he will refer you to one of our other ministers.
2. Meet with the senior minister or the minister performing your ceremony.
3. Set the date and time with the minister for your rehearsal and ceremony.
4. Fill out wedding forms, audio request forms and room reservation forms and turn them into the church secretary as soon as possible. She will determine whether your desired date is available and notify you as to whether she was able to place your date on the church calendar. Securing the date with the minister does NOT reserve the church. The reservations must be made with the church secretary. Include reservations for the Fellowship Hall, Commons area or plaza for the rehearsal dinner and/or reception as needed. In order to secure your desired date, the reservation forms should be turned in as soon as possible. It must be turned in no less than one month prior to the wedding.
5. The reservation form turned into the secretary first has priority for that date.
6. We have found it best to schedule only one ceremony per date; however, it is possible to have more than one if necessary. The families of both parties may confer on flowers and share the cost of both parties using the same flowers. If this isn’t desirable, the first wedding party must have their florist remove the flowers from the church two hours prior to the second ceremony. Rehearsals and reception times will be scheduled on an individual basis.

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Presiding Ministers:

1. If a minister from outside the church is to conduct or assist in the ceremony, notify the church with his name. Gratuity for the visiting minister should be considered including traveling expenses.
2. One of Village’s pastoral staff must be present at every ceremony, including those using visiting ministers and will be reimbursed according to the standard scale.
3. Ministers don’t always attend the rehearsal dinner depending on their schedule.
4. Ministers’ fees are paid directly to Village Baptist Church one month prior to your ceremony.

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Childcare:

Childcare for your wedding may be available upon request and availability of our church sitters. Since the rooms must be sanitized after use, the floor cleaned and trash taken out, we require that our trained church employees do all childcare. There must be a minimum of two caregivers. The number and ages of the children needing care determines the number of childcare givers needed. Each caregiver receives $6.00 per hour. You may contact Linda McGirt at 678-7178 (ext. 221) or 425-8927 for further information.

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Flowers:

1. You will need to contact the florist of your choice to decide on flowers, greenery, decorations, candelabra, candles, columns, kneeling benches or unity candles for your wedding. Our sanctuary is very lovely and needs little added decorations for a beautiful wedding. Only dripless candles may be used and candelabra should be placed on sheets of plastic to prevent wax on the carpet.
2. In order to protect our sanctuary, no nails, tacks, staples, pins or anything that will damage woodwork may be used. Tape may be used to mark the standing position of the wedding party as approved by the presiding Minister. No tape may be used on walls or pews. No candles may be attached on pews unless they are in fixtures. Bows may be used to mark family pews.
3. The custodians will move the pastor’s pulpit, the pulpit chairs and greenery at the front of the pulpit area unless otherwise requested. Any other furnishings you desire moved or items you desire to be brought in must have the approval of the presiding minister. (You are welcome to use our greenery if you desire.)
4. Please call the church office to schedule your florist’s delivery so the building will be unlocked.
5. Florist’s equipment must be removed immediately after the wedding.
6. Prior to the wedding, please inform the church office if you wish the flowers to be used in the next church worship service or to be sent to shut-ins or to the hospital and if you will be responsible for someone to take them or if you want our church to take them for you.

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Wedding Director:

It is advisable to secure a wedding director to help you plan your wedding and direct your rehearsal and ceremony. Your director should be given these policies and should contact the church office at least one month prior to your wedding with instructions on your desired arrangement of the furnishings in the sanctuary and other areas you will be using so it can be placed on the custodian’s calendar. Your wedding director should be paid at the rehearsal.

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Music:

1. Village Baptist Church’s Minister of Music must approve all music and will be happy to confer with you about appropriate selections. You may contact Rev. Marten Spena at church at 678-7178. Selections of music should be made at least one month prior to your service so the musicians will have adequate time to prepare the music.
2. The wedding music should be God-honoring and invoke God’s blessings on the marriage. Secular romantic music, popular songs or Broadway-type songs are not appropriate in a sacred service. Music should be suitable for a Sunday service of worship.
3. If you desire vocal selections, you may ask the Minister of Music or a church soloist to sing or you may ask outside soloists. To assure their availability, contact your musicians immediately. It is the responsibility of the soloist to contact the organist/pianist for rehearsal.
4. Out of town soloists should bring their music in the desired key or their accompaniment tape and meet with the organist/pianist or sound technician at least thirty minutes before the rehearsal begins.
5. If an organist is desired, Village Baptist Church’s organist must be used for all weddings due to the complexity of the instrument. Dr. Mary Anne Martin-Howell may be contacted at 829-9028 to schedule your wedding date.
6. You may contact one of Village’s pianists/instrumentalists or contact an outside pianist if you desire piano, keyboard or other instruments.
   Mrs. Ronda Spena 484-6120, Mrs. Connie Magnum 426-5361.

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Wedding Fees:

1. Fees for the minister, sound technician, custodians and reception must be paid to Village Baptist Church one month prior to your wedding. (See the fees at the end of the booklet). If you haven’t paid within this time frame, the church reserves the right to schedule other activities on that date as needed.
2. The musicians’ fees and director fees are paid directly to them at the rehearsal.

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Rehearsal Procedure:

1. Couples usually schedule the rehearsal the evening prior to the wedding. Our Fellowship Hall, Commons Area or plaza (area outside the commons between the buildings) is available for the rehearsal dinner if you desire. Usually these dinners are catered; however, your party may use the kitchen with the understanding they must clean up after the dinner.
2. If you are using Village facilities for your rehearsal dinner, there is a $100 required deposit. The deposit is refundable upon clean-up according to our policies. Your director must let the church know one month in advance how you desire the Fellowship Hall set up and the furnishings you need. We have 14 round tables and 10 rectangular tables with metal folding chairs available. A fee of $25.00 is charged for use of the kitchen.
3. The dishwasher may be operated only by trained personnel.
4. No equipment may be removed from the kitchen.
5. After the rehearsal dinner, the custodians will clean the floors, take out the trash, and set the rehearsal area up for the next activity. They don’t clean counters, stoves, dishes nor take care of left over food.
6. We have place settings for 100 and stainless utensils for 200 available upon request. There is a minimal rental fee.

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Reception Procedures:

1. Receptions in our facilities are available only to couples being married at Village Baptist Church.
2. If your reception is at the church, you need to reserve which area you will be using: the Fellowship Hall, Commons area, or plaza. A fee of $50 is charged for use of the Fellowship Hall or Commons area. This will include your set-up, floor cleaning afterwards, and re-setting for the next activity.
3. For use of the kitchen, we charge a $100 fee refundable upon everything being clean and in order after the reception. There is a non-refundable fee of $25 for mopping the kitchen floor and trash removal. Your caterer or reception director is responsible for leaving the kitchen clean, in order and the dishes washed.
4. The dishwasher can be used only by trained church personnel.
5. Village has approximately 200 clear glass plates and cups, 2 silver punch bowls with a round tray, 2 silver ladles, and 4 large silver rectangular trays for rent if you desire. They must be checked out and cleaned before and after your event.
6. We have several ladies in our church who cater receptions. If you need further information, ask the church secretary.

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Photographs, Videos, Sound & Tapes:

1. Photographs are lovely remembrances of your special service. If you desire photographs, contact the photographer of your choice. Photographs can distract from worship. For that reason, flash photography is not permitted during the ceremony. Effective time exposures can be taken from the railing of the balcony if desired. Photographers may not be on or in front of the stage area or in the front aisles to photograph during the ceremony. They should be very discreet so as not to distract from the service.
2. Video cameras may be used by your photographer from the back of the sanctuary or the choir loft with the permission of the officiating minister. They may not be on or in front of stage area.
3. Village’s sound system may be operated only by one of our trained sound technicians. There is a fee for this service.*
4. A cassette tape or CD recording of your wedding will be available if you request it ahead of time.

* Contact Mr. Keith Johnson at 322-8524 to schedule sound or request a cassette/CD.

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Dressing for your Wedding:

1. The bride and members of the bridal party may use specified rooms in which to dress if they desire. The Fireside Room, restrooms in the Commons area, restrooms at the rear of the Sanctuary, restrooms and adult classrooms on the adult wing off the Commons area are available.
2. Additional rooms needed must be reserved through the administrator or the presiding minister.
3. The Preschool Ministries Building and the Kindergarten Building are not available for dressing rooms. These buildings have been sanitized and set up for the next services.

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