Dear Friends:
Congratulations on your upcoming marriage! On behalf of all the staff, members, and friends at Faith Lutheran Church, we pray God’s blessing upon you both as you prepare for your life together. We will be here for you before, during, and after your wedding to help you in any way. God has shown us what love is in Jesus. We hope that He will be your model as you grow in love for each other.
Your wedding is a service of worship. That means that you and your guests will gather not just to honor you, but to give praise to God who is the source of all true love. Your wedding is the special time, which is set aside to celebrate the glorious and mysterious act, which the Lord performs as He takes a man and a woman and makes them one flesh.
To help you prepare for your marriage, we ask that you do the following:
Attend pre-marriage counseling.
To help your wedding go smoothly, we ask that you work with the Pastor and Wedding Coordinator assigned to your wedding. Call the church office 598-3630 to set up your initial visit at least eight months prior to your wedding.
Thank you for allowing us to share in your joy.
Yours in the name of Jesus Christ,
Vicar Ann Bjorklund
Congratulations on your upcoming marriage! On behalf of all the staff, members, and friends at Faith Lutheran Church, we pray God’s blessing upon you both as you prepare for your life together. We will be here for you before, during, and after your wedding to help you in any way. God has shown us what love is in Jesus. We hope that He will be your model as you grow in love for each other.
Your wedding is a service of worship. That means that you and your guests will gather not just to honor you, but to give praise to God who is the source of all true love. Your wedding is the special time, which is set aside to celebrate the glorious and mysterious act, which the Lord performs as He takes a man and a woman and makes them one flesh.
To help you prepare for your marriage, we ask that you do the following:
Attend pre-marriage counseling.
To help your wedding go smoothly, we ask that you work with the Pastor and Wedding Coordinator assigned to your wedding. Call the church office 598-3630 to set up your initial visit at least eight months prior to your wedding.
Thank you for allowing us to share in your joy.
Yours in the name of Jesus Christ,
Vicar Ann Bjorklund
Download the entire wedding policy book which includes everything on this page, and more information for you to review at home. If you need a copy printed for you please stop by the church office to get one. Congratulations on this moment in your lives!
| Faith Lutheran Church Wedding Policy |
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This form gets the process started for you. Simply fill out, submit, and the church will be in contact to discuss the next steps with you.
Wedding Coordinator
You will be assigned a Wedding Coordinator. The coordinator is to help you plan all aspects of the wedding. Because of the number of weddings at Faith, the Wedding Coordinator must be used.
Responsibilities of the Wedding Coordinator
Minnesota law requires a license to marry. You must apply for the license a minimum of five days before the wedding (not counting the day you apply). You apply at the office of the Clerk of Court. Only one person needs to apply for a license, but he/she must have proof of age for both bride and groom. The Minnesota license fee is currently $115.00. Bring the license to the church office at least two days before the wedding. Once your premarital counseling is complete, the pastor will give you a certificate which will then save you money when you apply for your license.
Responsibilities of the Wedding Coordinator
- Meet with the bride and groom to explain procedures and answer questions.
- Provide phone support from the initial meeting until the wedding.
- Update pastor and others that are involved about the wedding details.
- Assist the pastor at rehearsal.
- Open the church for the bridal party.
- Supervise decoration of the sanctuary.
- Work as a coordinator between people during the wedding day to keep it as stress free as possible.
- Supervise the church reception.
- Help to pick up the church and return everything to its proper place.
Minnesota law requires a license to marry. You must apply for the license a minimum of five days before the wedding (not counting the day you apply). You apply at the office of the Clerk of Court. Only one person needs to apply for a license, but he/she must have proof of age for both bride and groom. The Minnesota license fee is currently $115.00. Bring the license to the church office at least two days before the wedding. Once your premarital counseling is complete, the pastor will give you a certificate which will then save you money when you apply for your license.
Sound System Technician
The sound system in the Faith sanctuary must be operated by trained sound system technicians. The pastor will make arrangements to provide a Faith technician for your wedding service. The technician will contact you to coordinate any special needs, such as CD player for a soloist. The sound system technician will attend the wedding rehearsal. Please see the Wedding Honorarium schedule.
Decorations, Plus a Few Other Concerns
Decorations, Plus a Few Other Concerns
Decorations, Plus a Few Other Concerns
Floral Decorations: If floral decorations are wanted, the couple must provide them. Cut, live flowers may be placed on stands or in vases provided by the church. The altar guild will take the vases to the florist a few days prior to the wedding, so be sure to notify the office if that is what you plan. Also inform the office if you intend to leave those flowers for worship on Sunday morning. Silk flowers cannot be placed in the altar area, but can be placed in other areas.
An Aisle Runner is allowable, but discouraged due to the risk of tripping on it. They also must be arranged for through the florist by the couple.
Candles: We always have two white candles on the altar, and in addition, you can rent two candelabra, each holding 7 candles. Let us know if you want them.
Pew Decorations: Pew clips are available to decorate the ends of the pews. Tape and tacks are not allowed on the pews.
The Paraments of the church (the colored cloth on the altar) will remain in accordance with the season of the church year. They are not changed to go with any color scheme of the wedding.
Ushers should be secured for taking care of the crowd and seating guests and the wedding party. They are also responsible for lighting the candles. A minimum of two ushers is suggested, but four is better if there will be many guests. Their work will largely determine whether your wedding starts on time or not, so your ushers should be mature and confident people who will take their tasks seriously.
Worship Bulletins: A wedding bulletin may be ordered from a catalog through the church office, and it can be printed by the church office, or you may use another printing method of our own choosing. The bulletin must be viewed by the pastor before printing. If a bulletin is to be printed by the church office, please have the information available to the office at least two weeks prior to the wedding day.
Photographs: The professional photographer’s sessions may be held before or after the ceremony.
When taken before the wedding, all should be completed at least 30 minutes prior to the wedding. Flash pictures are not to be taken during the service. They may be taken before or after the worship service.
An Aisle Runner is allowable, but discouraged due to the risk of tripping on it. They also must be arranged for through the florist by the couple.
Candles: We always have two white candles on the altar, and in addition, you can rent two candelabra, each holding 7 candles. Let us know if you want them.
Pew Decorations: Pew clips are available to decorate the ends of the pews. Tape and tacks are not allowed on the pews.
The Paraments of the church (the colored cloth on the altar) will remain in accordance with the season of the church year. They are not changed to go with any color scheme of the wedding.
Ushers should be secured for taking care of the crowd and seating guests and the wedding party. They are also responsible for lighting the candles. A minimum of two ushers is suggested, but four is better if there will be many guests. Their work will largely determine whether your wedding starts on time or not, so your ushers should be mature and confident people who will take their tasks seriously.
Worship Bulletins: A wedding bulletin may be ordered from a catalog through the church office, and it can be printed by the church office, or you may use another printing method of our own choosing. The bulletin must be viewed by the pastor before printing. If a bulletin is to be printed by the church office, please have the information available to the office at least two weeks prior to the wedding day.
Photographs: The professional photographer’s sessions may be held before or after the ceremony.
When taken before the wedding, all should be completed at least 30 minutes prior to the wedding. Flash pictures are not to be taken during the service. They may be taken before or after the worship service.
Suggested Bible Readings
You should choose one reading from the Old Testament, one Psalm and one reading from the New Testament:
|
Old Testament
Genesis 1:26-28, 31 Genesis 2: 18-24 Ruth 1:16-17 Psalm 33:1-5 Psalm 37: 3-7 Psalm 67 Psalm 100 Psalm 103 Psalm 121 Psalm 127 Psalm 128 Psalm 150 Song of Solomon 2:8-13 Song of Solomon 8:6-7 |
New Testament
Matthew 5:1-12 Matthew 7:24-27 John 15:9-17 Romans 8:31-39 Romans 12:1-2, 9-18 1 Corinthians 13 Ephesians 3:14-21 Ephesians 5:2, 21-33 Colossians 3:12-17 1 Peter 3:1-9 1 John 3:18-24 1 John 4:7-16 |
Sample Marriage Service
Faith Lutheran Church
The Marriage Service Of
____________________________________________
And
____________________________________________
Date
The Marriage Service Of
____________________________________________
And
____________________________________________
Date
Prelude
Solo (optional)
Processional
Greeting
Declaration of Intention
Prayer
Solo/Hymn (optional)
First Lesson
Second Lesson
Sermon
Vows and Exchange of Rings
Unity Symbol (optional)
Blessing of the Couple
Solo/Hymn (optional)
Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
Benediction
Presentation of the Couple
Solo/Hymn (optional)
Recessional
Postlude
Solo (optional)
Processional
Greeting
Declaration of Intention
Prayer
Solo/Hymn (optional)
First Lesson
Second Lesson
Sermon
Vows and Exchange of Rings
Unity Symbol (optional)
Blessing of the Couple
Solo/Hymn (optional)
Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
Benediction
Presentation of the Couple
Solo/Hymn (optional)
Recessional
Postlude
Usher Instructions
Ten minutes before the wedding begins, the candles should be lit
At the beginning of the service, guests are seated in the following order:
Grandparents of the groom
Grandparents of the bride
Parents of the groom Mother of the bride
At the end of the service, guests of honor are escorted out in the following order:
Parents of the bride
Parents of the groom
Grandparents of the bride
Grandparents of the groom
Congregational Seating as you face the altar:
Left side is the bride’s side
Right side is the groom’s side
At the beginning of the service, guests are seated in the following order:
Grandparents of the groom
Grandparents of the bride
Parents of the groom Mother of the bride
At the end of the service, guests of honor are escorted out in the following order:
Parents of the bride
Parents of the groom
Grandparents of the bride
Grandparents of the groom
Congregational Seating as you face the altar:
Left side is the bride’s side
Right side is the groom’s side
Wedding Music
The marriage service is a service of worship. The music, therefore, must be carefully and discriminately chosen. It should embody high standards of quality, and the text should reflect the praise of God, the steadfast love of Christ for his Church, and invocation of God’s presence and blessing. Whenever music is employed in the service, and by whatever instruments or voices, it should be God-centered, not catered to the couple.
Guidelines in Selecting Music
Music used in the Marriage Service may be instrumental and/or vocal. It may be organ music or other instrumental music, such as strings, brass, or woodwind, performed by a soloist or an ensemble. It may be music with text sung by a single voice, duet, small ensemble, full choir, or congregational hymns.
While there are appropriate contemporary songs, it should be remembered that recordings of such music are made under ideal conditions with sophisticated electronic equipment and mixing devices. Renditions of these selections on a pipe organ or by the most talented amateurs, especially in nonstudio settings, will not sound like the recorded selections.
In summary, if you can answer “Yes” to the following questions, the music is probably appropriate:
(NOTE: One option which is often overlooked is that the reception for your guests provides an excellent opportunity, and perhaps a less “restricted” performance situation, for using lighter, less functional popular music of good quality).
Your active participation in the planning of music for your wedding is encouraged and welcomed. A meaningful worship experience generally evolves and grows in direct relation to the careful consideration given its planning. The staff of Faith Lutheran Church considers it a pleasure to assist you in designing a meaningful worship service and a memorable celebration for you and your guests.
If the organist from Faith Lutheran is retained to play a wedding, she will make arrangements to meet with couples and play pieces to help the couple select processional and recessional music. It is the responsibility of the couple to make an appointment with the organist.
Guidelines in Selecting Music
Music used in the Marriage Service may be instrumental and/or vocal. It may be organ music or other instrumental music, such as strings, brass, or woodwind, performed by a soloist or an ensemble. It may be music with text sung by a single voice, duet, small ensemble, full choir, or congregational hymns.
While there are appropriate contemporary songs, it should be remembered that recordings of such music are made under ideal conditions with sophisticated electronic equipment and mixing devices. Renditions of these selections on a pipe organ or by the most talented amateurs, especially in nonstudio settings, will not sound like the recorded selections.
In summary, if you can answer “Yes” to the following questions, the music is probably appropriate:
- Does this music/text reflect praise and/or thanksgiving to God?
- .Is it based on, or does it reflect, a Scriptural theme?
- Would this song be appropriate for a Sunday morning worship service?
(NOTE: One option which is often overlooked is that the reception for your guests provides an excellent opportunity, and perhaps a less “restricted” performance situation, for using lighter, less functional popular music of good quality).
Your active participation in the planning of music for your wedding is encouraged and welcomed. A meaningful worship experience generally evolves and grows in direct relation to the careful consideration given its planning. The staff of Faith Lutheran Church considers it a pleasure to assist you in designing a meaningful worship service and a memorable celebration for you and your guests.
If the organist from Faith Lutheran is retained to play a wedding, she will make arrangements to meet with couples and play pieces to help the couple select processional and recessional music. It is the responsibility of the couple to make an appointment with the organist.