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weddings

 
Schedule the Wedding

The couple planning to be married should contact the church as far in advance of the wedding as possible. The couple should also get a copy of Openwater church’s Wedding Application from our website (click here), complete it and return it to the church. The Church Administrator along with the Pastor will review the Wedding Application at their next staff meeting. You will then be contacted with the staff’s decision and/or the availability of the facilities and/or pastor. Once the couple has been notified that the date and/or facility is available, a $100.00 deposit is required in order to reserve the date and/or facility on the church calendar.

 
Contributing to Spiritual Foundations

Openwater pastoral staff realizes that a public official other than a minister can legally marry a couple. If it is the couples desire to be married by a Christian minister and/or at Openwater Church’s facilities, this intent implies they are desiring a “Christian” wedding. Though common in today’s society, cohabitation (living together, sleeping together, fornication) before a couple is married violates Biblical principles and contributes to the future of failed marriages.
 
Wanting to contribute to the success of a couples future marriage, we require a couple currently cohabitating to make arrangements to live separately until they are married. The couple should submit, with their wedding worksheet, a brief timeline of these arrangements. Openwater Church’s pastoral staff does not act as judges, but as ministers to help build spiritual foundations for a Christian family. Please be sure to talk to the Pastors about how you will plan and arrange your current cohabitation to honor the Lord until the day you are married. We want to help you succeed, and start your marriage off honoring God in all ways possible.

 
Wedding Coordinator

Openwater Church currently does not have an in house Wedding Coordinator. The couple would be required to hire there own coordinator who would then communicate with the appropriate parties at our church. Guidelines for the Wedding Coordinator can be found at the end of this brochure. We strongly do not encourage the Bride to do be the Wedding Coordinator and if one cannot be afforded that an available family member or very close friend be appointed for the position. The Coordinator name and information and time available must be submitted and approved by Openwater before we will set and commit a date. The Coordinator will serve as the liaison for every aspect of the wedding having to do with the church, the pastor, the support staff, and the facilities. Should the wedding be extra large, over six attendants, a second Wedding Coordinator may be required.

 
Facilities

A. The sanctuary may be used for the wedding ceremony when it is available. If previously scheduled events, including services, require the use of some facility following the wedding, the wedding must be scheduled early enough to allow for the rearrangement of rooms without any undue pressure on any individual or group. The church currently is not available for receptions.
B. Chairs in the sanctuary may be moved by special arrangement with the Maintenance Person of Openwater. A church maintenance employee is required to assist wedding party volunteers in the rearrangement of chairs in the sanctuary for Sunday services and a fee will apply. The wedding party must supply two volunteers per each 50 chairs moved.
C. Some of the musical equipment in the sanctuary cannot be moved, but arrangements can be made to creatively cover the equipment and move other equipment with the help of the Maintenance Person and a fee will apply.
D. Rice or confetti is not to be thrown in or around any building at Openwater. Birdseed and/or bubbles are permissible outside the buildings.
E. A church custodian is required for all ceremonies and a fee will apply.

 
Pastor

A. It is assumed the pastor of Openwater Church will perform the ceremony.
B. The pastors reserve the right to decide for whom they will perform a ceremony.
C. The Wedding Coordinator will conduct the rehearsal for the pastor. The pastor will meet with the couple prior to the wedding.
D. It is the responsibility of the wedding party to bring the marriage license to the church on the day of the ceremony and to arrange for two witnesses.

 
Premarital Classes

A. The couple agrees to complete Openwater Church’s or equivalent (approved by OWC) Premarital Class. This class is required for all weddings performed by an Openwater Pastor. A schedule and the cost for the class is $400, $100 of which will be deducted for the deposit. The scheduled class will be for 4 to 6 sessions. The specific times will be decided between the Pastor and the couple.
B. Should the couple be unable to attend the scheduled class, they must make arrangements with the Pastor to complete the class on a personalized schedule.
C. If both parties have not been married before the couple is required to purchase, “Before You Say I Do” by H. Norman Wright and to read the first 3 chapters before the premarital counseling course can begin.  If both parties are remarrying the couple is required to purchase, "Before You Remarry" by H. Norman Wright and to read the first 3 chapters before the premarital counseling course begins.

 
Music

A. Openwater Church will work with the wedding couple to accommodate music needs, but we do not provide musicians, instruments, CD’s, or tapes. Due to the sophisticated nature of the equipment, an Openwater trained sound and/or light technician is required for every ceremony held at Openwater Church and a fee will apply.
B. The wedding couple is responsible for the musical selections. All music shall be appropriate for a Christian wedding ceremony, remembering, this is a religious service. The music need not be excessively formal, but should glorify God. In addition, all music used at the reception, in the church facility should reflect the dignity of the wedding ceremony and should not be in any way considered anti- Christian or promote immorality.
C. If the couple decides to have a soloist the Wedding Coordinator/Pastor is to be informed, as far in advance as possible, of any special musical arrangement and will coordinate the soloist’s needs with the sound technician.

 
Wedding Party

A. We consider the wedding ceremony a religious service, and the wedding party is to act with reverence and dignity.
B. It is expected that the wedding party attire will characterize dignity, and be suitable to the occasion.

 
Wedding Pictures

A. Pictures may be taken with certain limitations. Limited pictures are to be taken during the actual ceremony. Pictures may be taken of the bride as she enters the sanctuary and of the couple as they leave the sanctuary. Any number of pictures may be taken after the wedding service. If you prefer photos to be taken before the ceremony, this must be planned ahead of time with the Wedding Coordinator/Pastor.
B. Videographers and/or photographers must detail any special needs for set up at least two weeks prior to the wedding. These needs must be arranged with the Openwater Wedding Coordinator/Pastor.

 
Programs

Programs are helpful in guiding your guests through the ceremony. The publication of the wedding program is the responsibility of the wedding couple.

 
Florist

The florist selected will be responsible for floral decorating and for the removal of decorations. A time frame for setup and takedown must be pre-arranged with the Wedding Coordinator/Pastor to prevent interference with any other scheduled activity. The florist must agree to:
 
-Use no nails or tacks in any furniture. 
-Use only ceramic, spring loaded, or gas filled candles.
-Provide an aisle runner, if used.
-Leave the sanctuary and lobby uncluttered.
-Be liable for any damage done to the church property through his/her negligence.

 
Deliveries 
 
 Delivery of rental items can be accepted at Openwater Church in advance of the wedding, during normal office hours. The wedding couple must notify the Wedding Coordinator/Pastor in advance of such deliveries and the Wedding Coordinator will then notify the church receptionist. Deliveries during non-office hours must be arranged with the Wedding Coordinator/Pastor and may incur a fee. It is the responsibility of the couple and wedding coordinator to accept, place and remove any deliverables to the church for their wedding.

 
Damage Fee

A breakage or damage fee will be charged to you if damage is done to the facilities or furnishings of Openwater Church.

 
Fee Policy
 
If the request for scheduling a wedding with the Pastor is approved, a $100.00 deposit is immediately required to hold the date and/or facility. The deposit should be made payable to the Pastor performing the ceremony and doing the premarital counseling. The wedding date and bride's name should be referenced in the memo line. The deposit will be applied to the total fees. If the wedding deposit is not received within three business days the church/Pastor assumes that the couple has changed it’s mind and is no longer interested in reserving the date and/or facilities, and the date will be considered available.
 
The Wedding Coordinator/Pastor will help the couple with applicable fee itemization and will work with the couple to ensure all payments are made in full 30 days prior to the wedding. Should the wedding be cancelled or postponed within 30 days of the ceremony, the deposit is nonrefundable.
 
 
Wedding Fees
 
Pastor Fee for performing ceremony  $200.00
Pastor Fee for teaching Premarital Class  $400.00
Sound Technician  $100.00
Light Technician  $100.00
Computer Technician $100.00
Maintenance $150.00
Stage Prep. Maintenance $ 50.00
Facility $400.00