We share in the joy of your happiness in finding one another and are glad that you desire to be united in marriage before God in this church. There are many details connected with a wedding, whether it be large or small. To help you, we have prepared this pamphlet of guidelines for a Christian wedding.

First of all, remember that your wedding is a sacred ceremony “…instituted of God, and to be entered into reverently, discreetly, and in the fear of God.” We are sure that you want to keep it this way and not tarnish it with commercialism or inappropriate sentimentality.

Each wedding has its own character and reflects the personality of the couple. Proper attire and practices should be appropriate for the sanctuary or chapel. The officiating pastor has complete charge of the service, and all details must be approved by him or her.

Your wedding ceremony is yours to remember and cherish throughout your life together. Let it be a beautiful, dignified, and sacred service. If you have any questions concerning this information or the plans for your wedding, please feel free to call one of the pastors at. St. Paul.

May God richly bless you both, and may your love for each other grow deeper as you join your lives together.

Couples desiring to enter into Christian marriage are welcome in our facilities. Please note: Demand for our building has become such that our staff is no longer able to accept weddings from couples who are not members or are otherwise active in the life of the St. Paul congregation. Weddings will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, and according to a pastor’s availability. The scheduling of the rehearsal and service times must be approved through the church office.

Absolutely no alcoholic beverages or tobacco use are permitted in the church building or on church property. Church furniture, including the pulpit and communion table, is not to be moved without approval of the presiding pastor. Use of rice, birdseed or confetti is prohibited.

The church will be unlocked approximately one-half hour before the rehearsal and three hours prior to the service. If time is needed for decorating prior to the rehearsal, arrangements should be made through the church office. Please make your plans in accordance with these times.

You are free to use whatever florist you wish. However, please note that our regular office hours are 9 a.m. through 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The office is closed on FRIDAY. You should arrange to have flowers delivered in the time period after the building has been opened on the day of the wedding.

It is preferred that the bridal party have their hair styled prior to arriving at the church. Hairspray can damage the floor finishes.

Behavior of guest and wedding party are the responsibility of the bride and groom.

The pastors of St. Paul United Methodist Church have sole responsibility for all worship services which take place in the sanctuary, the chapel, or on church grounds. A wedding is, first and foremost, a service of worship. For this reason, no wedding will be performed without the consent of one of the pastors on our staff.

If a couple wishes to use the services of one or both of the pastors, at least 3-5 counseling sessions will be required.

Due to the complexity of our organ, it is recommended that one of the church organists be used for weddings at St. Paul. No outside organist will be permitted to use the organ without approval and instruction by our church organist, John Angle (717-597-8090). Fees are set by the organists. It is the responsibility of the couple to make arrangements for the organist.

All music for the wedding must be discussed with the pastor and the church organist. A church wedding is a service of worship. The music must reflect this. Use of a soloist or instrumentalist requires permission from the pastor and organist. Due to copyright laws, use of professionally produced music (tapes and/or CDs) is permitted only if the recording was intended for use as an accompaniment with a vocalist.

Any pew decoration must not scratch the pews. If the couple wishes to include a unity candle in the ceremony, we can provide a holder. It is the couple’s responsibility to provide the candle.

The rehearsal is an essential part of your plans if you want your wedding to go smoothly. It is imperative that EVERY member of the wedding party be present at the rehearsal and ON TIME. (Be sure to allow enough travel time for wedding party participants, taking into account work schedules and travel distance.)

Remember that this is a sacred ceremony, and anything which will detract from a worshipful attitude is not appropriate. Therefore, flash photography will not be permitted during the ceremony [natural lighting permitted], and no photography which interferes with the concentration and sacred character of the event will be allowed.

The florist is responsible for providing vases for all floral arrangements. If you desire to leave your flowers for the Sunday worship services following the ceremony, please inform the church office and an appropriate notation will be made in the Sunday bulletin.

The purchase and printing of any bulletins is the responsibility of the couple. Appropriate bulletins can be purchased at several area church supply stores.

The custodian will prepare for the rehearsal and clean and make the church facilities ready for the wedding service, as well as clean after the service.

Our sound system is high quality and very complex to operate. Therefore, our facilities manager, Gene Hoke, or someone trained by him, will need to be present in order for the system to be utilized. We have the capability make an audiotape and/or VHS tape of the service; the couple is asked to provide a blank tape(s) if this is desired.

Checks for fees involving the use of the church should be made payable to “St. Paul United Methodist Church” and paid to the church office or the pastor. A deposit of ½ of the total fee is to be paid as soon as possible to hold your reservation. The remainder is due no later than one week prior to the rehearsal. Checks for the custodian, the organist, and the sound board technician should be made payable to the respective individuals and are also due no later than one week prior to the rehearsal.

When the service is conducted by one of our pastors, the wedding license must be delivered to the church no later than the day of the rehearsal.