Weddings & Special Events

Bethlehem is a church much favored for weddings. Its excellent pipe organ, center aisle, and attractive, light-filled sanctuary make it the perfect setting. Non-members are welcome to be married at Bethlehem. The policies and fees for non-members are below. Church members are asked to call the church office and speak to the pastor for special fee and wedding service scheduling guidelines. The church office staff can give you a tour of the sanctuary and dressing rooms during normal office hours (9 AM to 4 PM, Monday thru Friday). One of the best ways to get a feeling of what a wedding would be like is to come to any of our worship services. At the 10:15 AM Sunday worship service our magnificent organ is played. We take your marriage seriously and believe marriage is a rite of the church – sacred, holy, and ordained by God.

Bethlehem Church Wedding Policy-Edited on January 2007

When two persons come to the church altar for marriage, they are participating in one of the most solemn services of the church of Jesus Christ. With this in mind, the following policies of the church govern the wedding and the use of the facilities:

Setting the Date and Time– Call the church office and check with the pastors to determine date and time availability. The policy of the church is that all weddings on the same day must have a four hour time period between them. Therefore, if a 1:30 PM wedding is scheduled the earliest another wedding can be scheduled is at 5:30 PM. If you agree to the terms stated on this web page call the church office as soon as possible to schedule a two hour pre-marriage counseling session.

Counseling and Worship Planning – The minister requires a two hour pre-marriage counseling session with all couples as soon as possible. Also, lunch with a married couple from the church to get a married couple’s perspective of a healthy marriage and a one hour marriage service planning session no later than one month prior to the wedding are required. With approval of the pastor a guest pastor may perform the two hour pre-marriage counseling session. Children are not allowed to attend any of the counseling session or lunch. Child care arrangements must be made.

Visiting Clergy – Other members of the clergy are welcome to participate in the wedding ceremony with the minister. However, protocol requires that the minister be consulted and he then may extend a personal invitation to the guest minister and discuss his or her role in the service. No wedding can be conducted solely by a guest minister. The minister of Bethlehem Church at the second meeting with the couple will do all marriage service planning and conduct the rehearsal. After the second meeting, the minister will contact the guest minister and discuss his or her role in the service.

Music – The wedding music, like the ceremony, should be an act of worshipping God and should not be secular popular music. The minister, in consultation with the organist, must approve any music played during the ceremony at the service planning session. A guest organist must be approved by the minister and may be required to meet with the organist to be introduced to the organ and other equipment.

Photography – To protect the dignity of the service no flash photography may be used during the ceremony and must be stated in the program. Photographers or videographers will be not allowed to shoot from the chancel area. Staged photography preceding or following the service is welcomed.

Required Fees

$250.00 Deposit – Not refundable. Fee is due at the first counseling session cash or check payable to Bethlehem Church. The deposit guarantees the wedding date will be reserved on the church calendar. This deposit pays for the use of the facility.

$175.00 Organist Fee – This includes a consultation, one hour rehearsal with the soloist/musician, attending the 1 hour rehearsal, and playing for the service.

$105.00 Wedding Assistant Fee – The assistant will be at the church 15 minutes prior to, one hour of, and 15 minutes after the rehearsal. The assistant will be at the church 2 1/2 hours before the start of the wedding for floral arranging, photography etc, during, and 45 minutes after the ceremony. If small children must be present during the 2 1/2 hour time period before the wedding, for their own protection, they must be supervised at all times by an adult. The assistant helps the wedding party by opening up the building and preparing it for the wedding rehearsal and wedding. They unlock doors, regulate heat or air conditioning, adjust the sound system, prepare the altar, arrange chancel and altar area, place candles in the sanctuary if requested by wedding party, clean and put back candle globes and holders, assist the pastors in coordinating the wedding party procession, assist the wedding party and photographers by being available for questions on how the facility can best serve needs which arise, provide security, plus many other duties.

$50.00 Additonal Wedding Assistant Candle Arranging and Cleaning Fee – If pew, window hurricane, or candelabra candles are used.

$80.00 Custodial Fee – Necessary cleaning prior to or after the service.

$50.00 Sound Technician Fee – If CDs and or tapes are played at the service our sound technician must be used.

$190.00 Clergy Fee

These required fees for the minister, organist, wedding coordinator, and custodian are due in the form of cash or a check payable to each person at the rehearsal. If more time or services are required of any of the above, additional charges will be incurred. Also, the wedding license is to be brought to the wedding rehearsal for the minister of Bethlehem Church to prepare and/or copy even if there is a guest minister.

Additional Fees – Two seven-tiered candelabras, candles included, are available for $14.00 each. The church will also charge for buying [12] 8” pew candles and [12] 12” window candles. These charges are payable to Bethlehem Church.

The fees may be adjusted at the discretion of the ministers in cases of extreme financial hardship. A scaled down wedding can be arranged.

Additional Items – Seasonal decorations can not be removed to accommodate a type of wedding theme. Only bubbles and handbells are allowed to be used as the married couple recesses the church. Smoking is not permitted in the building and alcoholic beverages are not permitted in or on church property. Food is not allowed to be brought in the day of the wedding. Extra cleaning fees will be assessed if these guidelines are not followed and these fees will be collected on the day of the wedding by the custodian. The church is not liable for any items left by the wedding party or florist and all flora and personal property must be removed immediately following the ceremony. If using an aisle runner from a florist, it must be at least 75 feet in length. Fees for having rehearsal or reception dinners in our Fellowship Hall are quoted upon request.

If you have questions, contact the pastors at [812] 867-2497. Thank you for your interest!