Wedding Policy for Non-Members
Welcome to First Presbyterian Church
The minister and Session of the First Presbyterian Church of Stroudsburg hope this time of committing to joining two people together in the sacrament of marriage will be among the most meaningful moments of your lives.
It is the hope of the Session that couples will be touched by the love of God shown through this faith community as they are married in this building built and dedicated to the worship of that God.
The following information should serve as a guide as you plan your wedding.
First Steps
Examine the fees and guidelines associated with a wedding in our sanctuary. (This only includes the sanctuary and two rooms in which the wedding party will wait before the service. Fellowship Hall is not included.)
The minister at FPC will officiate your wedding, but a second minister may be included. The couple must meet several times with the pastor. She is charged by our faith tradition to discover whether “the couple demonstrates sufficient understanding the nature of the marriage covenant and a commitment to living their lives together according to its values.”[1] She will also discuss details of the Christian service and confirm the availability of the date.
After your first meeting with the pastor, the Session (our governing board) will consider approval of the wedding. Session meetings are the third Monday of each month and the couple will be notified the morning after the meeting of the Session’s decision.
Appointments with the minister can be arranged by telephoning (570) 421-7751 and asking for a wedding conference. The minister will work with you to find a compatible time and you will meet in her office at the church, 575 Main St., Stroudsburg (entrance in the back off the alley).
Couples applying to be married in the First Presbyterian Church of Stroudsburg are asked to assist the minister by completing the wedding form provided by the church administrative assistant [or click on the link at the end of this page].
[1] Book of Order PC(USA) W-4.0602
Staff
Staff who may assist you with your wedding:
Minister (required)– Coordinates all aspects of wedding planning, preparation, and service.
Organist (optional) – Plans music with couple, rehearses with soloist(s) if needed, and plays at the wedding.
Coordinator (required) – Assists and guides at rehearsal and wedding, supporting and directing the bridal party.
Custodians (required) – clean and straighten after the wedding party has finished. The wedding party is expected to leave rooms in good order and to remove all sanctuary decorations unless an exception is approved in advance.
Obligations
These are general requirements for weddings in the sanctuary of the First Presbyterian Church of Stroudsburg:
1) Decorations, flowers, or ribbons may be attached to pews with fasteners (pipe cleaners, ribbons, beads, etc.) that in no way deface the furniture. Furniture placement must be negotiated with the minister. No furniture or instruments may be moved by the wedding party.
2) Church fabrics and liturgical decorations will be removed before the wedding. Exceptions may be negotiated.
3) No rice or confetti should be thrown or scattered inside or outside the building. The use of bubbles, bells, etc. is permissible.
4) A fee is expected to cover the use of the sanctuary, church facilities, and staff time. Please see attached schedule. Fee must be paid one month in advance of wedding date.
5) The playing of the organ is limited to the organist at FPC. The organist, in partnership with the minister, will have final authority on the choice of musical selections played during the wedding.
6) The taking of flash photographs during the service is not permitted, except during the processional and recessional. Please make sure your photographer understands this.
7) Video, like photography, is permitted with limitations, under the supervision of the minister.
Rehearsal
A period of not less than forty-five minutes should be allowed for the rehearsal, preferably within twenty-four hours prior to the wedding. The following general rules-of-thumb should be kept in mind:
1) A 45 minute rehearsal should be scheduled before, not after the rehearsal dinner.
2) All participants in a wedding party musts be present at the rehearsal.
3) The church will be open 15 minutes before the rehearsal is scheduled to begin and will be closed 15 minutes after the rehearsal ends. Wedding parties who do not clear the building in a timely manner will be charged an additional $50 fee to be paid before the wedding the next day.
4) Family members and friends not participating in the wedding are welcome to attend the rehearsal.
5) The minister will ordinarily lead both the rehearsal and the wedding. A guest minister should work with the coordinator to be sure things work together smoothly and respectfully.
6) The wedding license must be brought to the rehearsal, or brought to the church office at some earlier time.
Before the Wedding
The following suggestions are offered as being helpful in planning weddings in the sanctuary:
Groomsmen, or designated ushers, are expected to be available in the narthex for ushering at least thirty minutes prior to the scheduled hour of the wedding. All guest should enter the sanctuary through the street entrance. Guests who require handicapped accessibility should use the lift and enter through the doors in the front of the sanctuary. If you know of guests needing accessibility, you may want an usher/groomsman at the front of the sanctuary as well.
Before the wedding, the groom and best man will wait in an upstairs classroom; the bridal party will wait in the downstairs lounge.
The Wedding Service
On the day of the wedding, here is what will happen at the church:
The church will be open 1 hour prior to the wedding.
Groomsmen/ushers should be ready to seat guests no less than thirty minutes prior to the scheduled time of the wedding.
In seating guests, groomsmen should escort women down the aisle on whichever arm is convenient; male guests should follow behind.
The organist will begin playing fifteen to twenty minutes prior to the start of the service, as arranged in consultation.
At the appointed hour for the wedding to start, and when the bridal party is ready to process, the bride and groom’s immediate family members will be seated.
After the Wedding
Immediately upon the entire wedding party reaching the back of the church, two appointed groomsmen should return to usher out family members and guests.
The church will be open for 75 minutes after the wedding. Guests should be ushered out quickly so that pictures can be taken (if desired). The wedding party should clear the building after the hour and fifteen minutes.
Other Considerations
1) The marriage license will be completed by the minister with one portion kept on record at the church, and the other portion mailed to the courthouse of origin.
2) Parking is available in a municipal lot behind the church, as well as on-street parking around the church. Parking is free after six p.m. and on Sunday. Church parking is NOT available for use except as cleared by the minister (typically for handicapped guests).
3) Wedding parties should follow the instructions included in this pamphlet to insure the wedding goes smoothly and as planned.
4) There are eleven rows of pews on the main floor of the sanctuary, and four (4) rows of pews in the balcony. The sanctuary can seat 200-250, and is air-conditioned.
5) The wedding party may use the PA system with guidance from the wedding coordinator. FPC has two wireless headsets and one wireless microphone.
Wedding Fees
Sanctuary….. $600 (including a $150 fee for wedding coordinator)
Minister……. $325
Organist……. $250 (for wedding rehearsal and wedding)
(an additional $30 fee will be charged for each instrument/soloist requiring rehearsal and accompaniment)
Custodian….. $100
(Fees for staff must be paid one week before the wedding. Checks should be made out to the individual staff.)
Wedding Information Form
A “Wedding Information Form” should be completed and returned to the church office as soon as possible.
The policy was approved by Session on August 19, 2019