General guidelines

A church wedding is a special act of worship in which God joins together a man and a woman through the bonds of faithful love and life-long commitment.  Since the marriage ceremony is a religious ceremony, the following guidelines have been established to ensure that God is honored through the marriage ceremony.

Approval and Calendaring of Weddings

Church weddings may generally be conducted for church members and their parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren, and for persons who regularly attend worship and/or are members of the Sunday School.  Any wedding conducted at Temple Baptist Church must have the consent of the Pastor.  Weddings for persons other than the ones noted above are held at the discretion of the Pastor.  Couples are required to complete two two-hour premarital counseling sessions, or the equivalent thereof, with the pastor before marrying.  It is requested that a couple visit Temple for a minimum of two Sundays during their engagement.  Persons using a minister from outside the church to conduct the wedding must have the minister contact the Pastor before approval can be given.  The Pastor has the discretion to deny the use of the church facilities for any wedding where permitting such would raise a moral issue or conflict inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible.

Reservations for the church facilities (sanctuary, social hall, preschool, etc.) are made by contacting the church secretary pending final approval by the Pastor.  Reservations for special equipment (candelabra, kneeling bench, trinity candelabra, punch bowls, cups, etc.) shall be made by contacting the church wedding consultant. These must be reserved as soon as possible to ensure the availability of these items.  Reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis.  Scheduling of more than one wedding or event in the sanctuary on the same date must first be approved by the church wedding consultant.  The first wedding party to reserve a date shall have priority over secondary parties requesting the same date.  Secondary parties are responsible to pay all fees applicable to their own event.

The Church Wedding Consultant

Soon after the wedding is approved by the Pastor and scheduled with the church secretary, the bride and her wedding coordinator shall meet with the church wedding consultant.  The consultant shall inform the bride of the guidelines of the church and any equipment or resources available to the wedding party. The church wedding consultant shall be present at the rehearsal, the wedding, and any rehearsal dinner or reception held on church property.  The consultant will serve to answer any questions the bride may have and to keep the bride informed of the location of equipment and the guidelines of the church.  The consultant will also be available to the bride to assist in coordinating the various aspects of the wedding.

Music

The music selected for the wedding must be appropriate for the Christian act of marriage and worship.  The Pastor and Music Minister reserve the right to review selections of music.  The Minister of Music or the church organist is available for help in the selection of music. The church wedding consultant shall provide the wedding party with contact information for the church organist.  The wedding party is responsible for contacting the church organist regarding availability, musical selections, times and dates.         An outside organist, if used, must be familiar with the instrument or instructed by the church organist in use of the instrument.  The music minister shall work to determine if this instruction is needed.