Grandville United Methodist Church
Wedding Policy
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! We hope this policy information helps you as you prepare for your wedding in our sanctuary. Once your wedding is scheduled, each couple is expected to meet with our wedding coordinator at least twice- once by phone approximately 4 months before your wedding, and then again at church about three weeks before your wedding. Please contact the church’s wedding coordinator, Mary Travis to schedule your first meeting.
Down Payment/Deposit- a down payment/deposit is required from all couples; it is due when your wedding is scheduled. It includes the pre-marriage sessions held with the pastor, and the wedding coordinator's fee. This amount is $150.00, and is not refundable.
For active member families of this church, the charges for a wedding will total $ 350.00, in addition to the wedding down payment/deposit. Active membership in the Grandville UMC is understood to mean frequent worship attendance and continuing financial support of the church’s ministry during the preceding twelve months. This amount includes an honorarium for the Grandville UMC pastor performing your wedding, and the services of the church sound system operator and custodian. The organist’s fees are listed below. There is no charge for the use of the facilities. No adjustments will be made to this amount if any of these services are not needed. Additional charges may apply also.
For all others- the charges will total $500.00 in addition to the wedding down payment/deposit. This amount includes use of the sanctuary, narthex, rest rooms, bride's room and groom's dressing area, an honorarium for the Grandville UMC pastor performing your wedding, and the services of the church sound system operator and custodian. The organist’s fees are listed below. No adjustments will be made to this amount if any of these services are not needed. Additional charges may apply also.
Specific information:
Clergy- To be a pastor of the Grandville United Methodist Church, or someone invited by our pastor. The couple is expected to meet with the pastor at least three times before the wedding, primarily to focus on the marriage. You are expected to contact him no later than 4 months before your wedding to schedule your appointments for meeting with him. The decision to perform your wedding ceremony is at the discretion of our pastor. Another clergyperson may assist the pastor, upon our pastor's invitation. We will welcome duly ordained pastors to be part of a service that the Grandville UMC pastor will lead. Availability will be subject to the church's and the Grandville UMC pastor’s schedule. The honorarium paid to a guest pastor is your responsibility. If our pastor does not take part in the wedding, there will be an outside clergy administrative fee of $50.00. If our pastor performs your wedding away from church property, the pastor's fee for an off-site wedding will be a minimum of $200.00.
Pre-Marriage classes- Information from the pre-marriage classes is now included in your meetings with Pastor Tom. We also expect you to attend church services at some time during your pre-marriage counseling time with the pastor. The fee for these classes is included in your down payment/deposit. No refunds will be made if you do not attend the classes.
Organist- Please contact our church organist, Nancy Poltrock. You are expected to contact her at least six (6) weeks before your wedding to choose and plan the music. Her fee includes one consultation at the organ to select appropriate organ music for your wedding service. If you plan to have a soloist that requires accompaniment, they must provide Mrs. Poltrock with a legal copy (no photocopies) of the music at least one month prior to your wedding date.
The organist‘s fees are ceremony only, $250.00, rehearsal plus ceremony, $325.00, one extra practice with a soloist, $50.00. These charges are due in full at your final meeting with the wedding coordinator, about 2 – 3 weeks before the wedding. Your check should be made payable to Mrs. Poltrock. If she is not available on a particular date, she will help you arrange for a replacement organist.
Mrs. Poltrock is also available to play the church's grand piano for your wedding. The same fee structure and timeline listed above apply.
Special Music- Please remember that your wedding is a religious worship service, and make appropriate musical choices. Soloists, musical selections, and recorded music need to be approved by the pastor and or the organist. Please notify the wedding coordinator of any special sound system requirements such as microphones needed for soloists and musicians, if any recorded music will be used, or if the musicians or vocalists will need to do a sound check before the ceremony.
Sound System Operator-required for all weddings and will be scheduled by the wedding coordinator.
Custodian-required for all weddings and will be scheduled by the wedding coordinator.
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How and when to pay fees: Your deposit/down payment is due when the wedding is scheduled. All other fees are due no later than three weeks before the wedding. Checks should be made payable to The Grandville United Methodist Church, however, the organist‘s fees are paid directly to her as listed in the organist portion of the policy. Her payment is also due three weeks before the wedding at your final meeting with the wedding coordinator. She will make sure the organist receives it at the appropriate time.
Clearing the building:
For weddings held on Saturdays, the building must be cleared by 7:00 PM. For weekday activities, the building must be cleared by 8:00 PM.
No alcoholic beverages of any type can be brought into or used anywhere on church property. The pastor reserves the right to remove anyone in the wedding party, including the bride or groom, who is intoxicated at the wedding rehearsal or on the day of the wedding.
Smoking is not allowed anywhere in the church buildings, including restrooms. The designated smoking area is out the back doorway on the south side of the church building.
Throwing of rice, birdseed, confetti, rose petals, or similar materials is prohibited inside or outside the building. Bubbles must be done outside.
No food or beverages of any type (this also applies to bottled water) may be brought into the sanctuary at any time. This means before, during, or after the rehearsal, the picture-taking time before or after the ceremony, or the ceremony itself. This also applies to photographers and musicians.
No flash photography is permitted during the ceremony. Remember, your wedding ceremony is also a worship service. The only exceptions to this rule are during the processional and recessional of the couple and their attendants. This is best worded in your program as “Please wait until after the ceremony to take flash pictures”. Please remind your guests to turn off all cell phones while they are inside the church building. Signs will be posted in the church narthex also with this information.
Videotaping- the video camera operator should remain in a stationary position, preferably in the back of the sanctuary next to the sound equipment, or in the outside aisles on the north and south sides of the building. No cameras of any type are allowed beyond the communion rail during the service. Church staff controls lighting of the sanctuary and no auxiliary lighting is permitted.
Use of the church’s projection equipment and screen is not permitted.
General information about the church:
Address: 3140 Wilson Ave. SW, Grandville, Michigan 49418 website: www.grandvilleumc.com
Church office phone- 616-538-3070, office hours are Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 9:00 am-5:00 pm
The sanctuary is the only part of the building that is air-conditioned.
Last policy update – 9-22-2017
