Weddings at
First United Methodist Church

 

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

 

 

GUIDELINES

              The buildings and grounds of First UMC are dedicated to God for the sacred purpose of worship, education, fellowship, and service to the community. Please help us keep the facilities dignified and beautiful by observing these guidelines.

               In order that you may have a sacred and dignified wedding ceremony, you are urged to make thorough preparations. Specific plans for the ceremony should be discussed with the minister during pre-marital counseling sessions.  We consider a wedding ceremony to be a service of worship so it should be planned with care and carried out with reverence. The beauty of the ceremony is not determined by the elaborateness of the decorations, but rather by the spirit of love, trust, and faithfulness in the attitude of the participants.

               These policies have been prepared with these thoughts in mind. Please be sure and give a copy of these guidelines to your wedding coordinator, caterer, decorator and/or florist.
  

Officiating:

               If a pastor from this church is officiating, you must clear the wedding and rehearsal dates with him or her. If an outside person is officiating, that person MUST be invited by the resident pastor. Regardless of who officiates, you will be required to participate in three pre-marital counseling sessions (between 4-6 hours total)

Confirming Your Reservation:

              A reservation is considered confirmed after:

  • The exact date and time of the ceremony (and rehearsal if needed) is cleared through the Church Office.
  • The reservation deposit has been made.
  • .The name of the officiating minister (and any assistants) has been listed and he/she has agreed to participate.
  • The Wedding Guidelines have been read carefully and all paperwork filled out, signed and returned to the Church          Office

            Any changes (date, time, etc.) must be made in consultation with the Church Wedding Coordinator, the Church Office and the officiating minister.

Facilities for Weddings:
  1.  
  • NO sanctuary furniture may be moved without the permission of the pastor. The Altar table and Cross may not be          removed from the chancel nor obstructed. The Pulpit may not be moved.
  • Absolutely NO food or drink is allowed in either the Sanctuary or the Chapel
  • Absolutely NO alcoholic beverages are permitted on the church campus. Smoking is not permitted inside the                  building or near entrances
  • The person booking the facility will be personally responsible for all damages or breakages to that facility during          the event. No rooms other than what has been booked are to be used without permission from the church office.
  • Hymnals, Bibles, etc., are not be removed from the pews.
  • Non-flammable material must be placed under all candelabra, vases, pots, or baskets, etc., to protect the carpet and     furnishings. Altar candles are provided by the church.
  • Lighted candles may not be placed in the sanctuary windows due to fire hazard.
  • No thumbtacks, fasteners, glue, tape, etc., nor any other items which might deface the furnishings or walls of the         church or the handrails outside the church may be used.
  • NO rice may be thrown; bird seed and/or rose petals are acceptable. 
  • DO NOT open both the outside entrance doors and the inside Narthex doors at the same time. If the outside doors         are to be opened, the Narthex doors are to remain closed!! The air conditioner and/or heating units CANNOT                   maintain any comfort level for your wedding guests if all the heating and/or cooling is allowed to escape. This could     also cause damage to our units that you will be held responsible for.
  • All decorations, floral arrangements, etc., must be removed the day of the ceremony. 
     Kitchen – Wash all dishes and utensils and return them to their proper place. Throw away all leftover food.                       containers are provided for all paper products and garbage. None of the furnishings, dishes, utensils, or                           equipment should leave the premises.
 
      The church is not responsible for valuables. There is no locked storage space available.
 
      All furniture, equipment, etc., must be cleaned and returned to the proper place.
 
      The user is responsible for any damages or breakages. (Clean it up the best you can and contact the Church Office            the first business day after the incident.)
 
      The handrails outside the church or the fellowship hall may not be covered. They are there to assist the guests as            they enter and exit the facility.
 
      The tables in Wesley Hall will be stored when you arrive. You are responsible for arranging the chairs and/or              
      tables as you want them.

 

      The kitchens, Norman Barnett Hall, the lounge and the Alice Lee Room will already be set up for Sunday morning            and should remain that way. It is not okay to move coffee makers, rearrange furniture, etc., in these areas!

 

      If the church sound system is to be used (Sanctuary or Wesley Hall), it must be approved by Rev. Pam Barnhardt                (251-238-2500). 

Music and Photography:

  •               The music for the ceremony should be in keeping with the atmosphere of worship which pervades the whole of the worship service.
  • Music may be arranged through our Organist/Pianist, Ms. Nancy Carleton (251) 564-4512. The base fee is $300.00 and     additional cost may be incurred depending on the requirements for the wedding, i.e., rehearsal music, special               anthems, extensive preludes, etc.
  • If you would like to use your own musician, contact Ms. Carleton so that she may meet with him/her to ensure the         outside musician is familiar with our instruments.
  • This church allows NO flash photography during the ceremony. It is considered to be inappropriate and distracting.     Photography is permitted from the balcony of other unobtrusive locations so long as there is no noise of distraction.     Photographers and videographers are not permitted to stand on furniture nor may anything be placed on the                 furniture that may cause damage. Violations of these parameters will result in the violator not being allowed to work     on this campus in the future.
  •  
  • M here will be no flash photography during he ceremony.  is considered to be inappropriate and distracting to have flash pictures taken during the ceremony. All  UMC USAGE FEES                                                                                                         
  • We do not “rent” the church. These fees cover costs incurred by the church for janitorial services, utilities, facilities upkeep and equipment replacement. A space is not considered “booked” until $100.00 deposit is paid to secure the date. This deposit is NOT refundable for any reason. The fees must be paid in full before a key is issued. The key may be obtained between 8am and 1pm Monday through Thursday. The key must be returned in a timely fashion after the event.
  • You can bring by the Business Office, with payment, Monday – Thursday from 9am – 1 pm.  Forms can also be faxed, emailed, or mailed with payment to FUMC  324 Pineville Road Monroeville, AL  36460
  • If you plan to have a rehearsal dinner and the reception at the church, that will be considered two separate days with two separate charges. You are also required to pay a security deposit and a cleaning fee.
  • There is also an additional charge for the use of the sound system in Wesley Hall.
  •  
Absolutely No alcoholic beverages are allowed on church premises
 
NOTE: Positively no food or drinks allowed in the Sanctuary or the Small Chapel!! If the wedding party will be eating prior to the ceremony, Norman Barnett Hall should be used!!
 
 
 
If you would like to reserve our church and facility for your wedding, please email Caroline Hardin, Business Manager, at fumc324@gmail.com