We thank you for choosing First United Church as the location for your wedding. This is a very special day in your life, as you make your marriage covenant before God and family and friends. A marriage covenant is intended to join you for life in a relationship so intimate and personal that it will change your whole being. As a congregation and staff we are happy to help you make this day as special as it ought to be.

Weddings in our church means extra work for a number of people and do not come under the salary scales of our staff. Most of the rehearsals and ceremonies take place when staff would normally be off. As a result, there must be remuneration for their services and for the extra heating and cleaning of the church. By action of the First United Board of Management the following guidelines and fee structures have been developed.

1. Adequate Notice:

To allow time for pre-marital counseling, and other adequate preparation, the church requires that all wedding be booked at least two months in advance of the wedding date. The wedding can be tentatively booked by calling the church office administrator. However, all wedding dates must be confirmed after the couple has received the marriage policy and have agreed to its guidelines and fees. The dates for each wedding must also be approved by the clergy before the wedding is officially booked.

a) the couple calls and makes the booking
b) the couple is given the marriage policy
c) the minister approves the wedding date
d) upon receipt of the signed statement the couple will be notified of confirmation of booking.

The minister of First United Church shall be responsible to perform all weddings. In a case where a conflict in schedules arises the minister will arrange for a substitute in his/her absence.

The minister reserves the right to refuse to marry any couple for reasons of professional ethics, serious incompatibility of the couple, or failure of the couple to agree to the guidelines established by First United. The minister also has the right to require couples to take part in a pre-marriage counseling course if she/he deems it necessary.

The law also requires that the officiating minister refuse to marry a couple when there is suspicion of intoxication by way of alcohol and/or other drugs.

The church recognizes that you may have a clergy person that has had a special influence in your life. We are happy to include that person. However, the decision to invite the guest clergy must first be cleared by the minister at First United. The couple is to present the name to the minister in the first interview and the minister will be the person to extend the invitation.

The minister shall conduct only the marriage liturgies that are in keeping with the approved liturgies of The United Church of Canada.

There is a government requirement that you must have a marriage license in order to be married in this Province. This license is valid for one month only, and must be obtained at least eight working days before the marriage. The church requires that the license be delivered to the church office at least four working days before the marriage.

6. Church Music

Here at First United Church, we have a professional organist on staff. The organist shall have the first right of refusal for all weddings. If the organist on staff is unavailable to play at your wedding then she/he is responsible to arrange a substitute.

While we understand that you may have a musician in your life who is special to you and you may want to have that person included in the wedding, it is the policy of our church that the person being requested be cleared, (before invitation) by the organist as having the gifts and skills to operate the equipment. The church organist fee is still payable even if another musician has been approved to play the service.

Music and instrumental selections are to be coordinated with the organist on staff.

We are not responsible for any decoration being placed in the church for weddings. The couple is welcome to have a decorator come to the church or decorate the church themselves. However, the appointment to have decorations placed in the church must be booked with the office administrator and must happen at regular business hours. Monday - Friday 9 - 3:30pm. In the case where there are two weddings happening the same day. The second wedding must make arrangements with the caretaker to book a time for decorating the church in between the two weddings.

Each wedding party must make arrangements to have the decorations taken out of the church directly after the wedding.( staff will not wait around for someone to come back later in the day)

Please note: no confetti or rice, bubbles are acceptable, and we also allow the dropping of rose petals at the entrance of the bridal party.

If this guideline is not adhered to, there will be an extra cost to you for the cleaning of the carpets.

The minister will assist the couple with the wording of the church bulletins.

The couple is responsible for purchasing, and producing the bulletins for use at the wedding.

Wedding bulletins can be purchased through the United Church Resource Center, 320 Elizabeth Ave, St John's (754-0386)

9. Fee Structures
Use of Church Building Nil
Caretakers Fee $ 25.00
Organist Fee $125.00
Minister's Fee $150.00
Total $300.00

Please note:
Additional-rehearsals will require extra payment. If there is a soloist who the organist must meet with, there is an extra charge of $25.00 to be paid to the organist on staff.

If paying by cheque please make cheques payable to the following staff persons who are currently working at First United.
    Caretaker - Mr. Gordon Bruce
    Organist - Mr. Peter MacDonald
    Minister - Rev. Ian March-MacCuish
    Minister - Rev. Donna Lawrence

Please feel free to call the church office and speak with one of our staff members - 368-2194.

Please complete the attached agreement and return to: First United Church, P.O. Box 921, Mount Pearl, NL, AIN 3C8 or fax: 368-2195.

Many times people request off-site weddings. There are no United Church policies preventing such weddings and it is entirely up to the clergy person on staff if they will perform these services. The fee for off-site weddings is $150.00 is payable to the Minister. However, any additional expenses incurred, will be the responsibility of the couple (ie. travel and accommodations etc)

_______________________________________________________________________________
Signature of Bride
_______________________________________________________________________________
Signature of Groom  

(please print)
Names: _____________________________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________________
Phone Number: _____________________________________________________________________

Wedding Information:
Date: ________________________________________________________________|
Time: ________________________________________________________________
Place: ________________________________________________________________