Weddings at HPCUMC

“For love is strong as death…Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it…”

--Song of Solomon 8: 6,7

Whether you’re planning a large or intimate wedding ceremony, we desire to help you make the experience memorable and personal.

Plan Ahead

Weddings are not scheduled between Palm Sunday and Easter, Thanksgiving weekend nor the weeks before and after Christmas.

--From the United Methodist Church Book of Discipline (Part III, Paragraph 71-C)

HPCUMC Wedding Policies

Clergy

Weddings at HPCUMC must be conducted by one of our ministers. The wedding coordinator will invite a minister to officiate or will submit a request on your behalf. The officiating minister maintains ultimate responsibility for ensuring the solemnity of the service; he/she serves as your primary contact for service content.

• A note about wedding planners: We appreciate the role that a professional coordinator plays in overseeing details on your behalf. However, he/she cannot interfere, direct, or dictate any aspect of the Sanctuary or Chapel service during the rehearsal or the wedding. Please reserve his/her services for other areas of your special day.

Required Counseling and Classes

All couples being married at HPCUMC are expected to attend designated counseling, classes and worship. We believe this better prepares you for marriage, facilitates relationships with other couples and equips you to live out your vows. Requirements are:

• A minimum of  two sessions with the officiating minister. At the first session, you will get better acquainted and explore the nature of the wedding ceremony. You will also have one or more follow-up sessions to complete plans for your wedding ceremony.
• Weekly attendance at worship services—at the church of your choice—is also encouraged. If you do not have a church home, we invite you to attend HPCUMC’s Sanctuary services (Sundays 8:00; 9:30 and 11:00 AM. Summer Service Schedule: 8:30 and 10:30 AM)

Wedding Decorations & Floral Arrangements for HPCUMC

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you plan the church decorations for your wedding:

• HPCUMC will provide white paraments (decorated coverings) for the altar, pulpit, and lectern.
• You may not cover or obscure the pulpit, lectern or altar with other decorations.
• No tacks, tape or nails may be fastened to any part of the Sanctuary or Chapel furnishings, including the pews and floors.
• Appropriate floral arrangements are permitted on the altar. The length of the Sanctuary altar is 90 inches; the length of the Chapel altar is 82 inches. Remember to allow space for the altar candles (and unity candle, if desired).
• Ferns may be placed by the altar rail.
• An aisle runner is available at the church. The length of the Sanctuary aisle is 98 feet, while the length of the Chapel aisle is 34 feet. Aisle runner is required if flower girl drops petals.
• Selected wedding furnishings, altar candles and candelabra are available for your use.
  

Contact Pam Johnson (513) 979-8185 or [email protected] to reserve the following:

• Aisle candelabra and seven-branch candelabra
• Candles and holder for a Unity Candle Service, if desired.
• Two plant stands
  

For the florist:

It is not necessary to provide boutonnieres for the officiating minister and organist, as they will be wearing robes. Contact Pam Johnson to schedule a time to decorate and to notify the church if you plan to donate floral arrangements following the ceremony.

HPCUMC Wedding Music Policies

We believe a marriage ceremony is a hallowed occasion; our policies strive to cultivate a sense of worship and awe fitting for the circumstances. Music is an integral part of the service and should be used to direct attention to the glorification of God. Please reserve songs that reflect the romantic aspects of love for your wedding reception; taped music is prohibited.

The wedding organist, Brenda Portman maintains the right-of-first-refusal to play at all weddings involving HPCUMC’s organ. If you request—and Ms. Portman agrees—the use of an outside professional, full payment of fees are still due the church organist.

Ms. Portman must approve all musical pieces, including those performed by outside groups. She will gladly assist couples with selecting vocal and instrumental soloists who are familiar with HPCUMC’s acoustics. Other soloists are permitted, but approval by the organist required. Final musical selections must be submitted no fewer than six weeks prior to your wedding; the officiating minister maintains the right to reject unsuitable pieces.

A note to soloists: Soloists should contact the church organist at least two weeks prior to the ceremony to discuss certain technical details (use of microphone, musical arrangements and keys of selections, number of verses, etc.) and to schedule a time to rehearse (usually one hour prior to the service, although this can sometimes be done at another convenient time).

Music Suggestions

Prelude – Intended to set the mood of the service. It generally consists of 3-4 pieces of music (15-20 minutes), played while your guests are being seated. It is appropriate to include 1-2 vocal or instrumental pieces during the prelude. The seating of mothers and other special family members may take place during a specifically chosen piece of music at the end of the prelude.

Processional - The processional is the part of the ceremony during which the wedding party and bride enter the sanctuary. One or two selections should be chosen for the processional, depending on whether a separate piece of music is used for the bride's entrance. We recommend that you avoid slow, dirge-like music, as it results in slow, dirge-like processions! Rather, choose processional pieces that contrast with the last piece of the prelude - to set the tone and prepare the congregation for the beginning of the ceremony.

Service Music  - We encourage the active participation of the congregation during the wedding service, in the singing of hymns and in the recitation of prayers and responses. It is also appropriate to include up to two vocal or instrumental solos during the service itself. These generally occur after the scripture readings and/or the lighting of the Unity Candle. Selections during the service should be no longer than three minutes each.

Vocal or instrumental soloists are optional. One or two solos before the wedding (during the prelude or seating of the mothers), and one or two during the service is the norm. If too many pieces are chosen, the concert-like atmosphere tends to detract from the focus of the service. If you have no particular preference as to solos, appropriate selections can be left up to the organist and soloist.

Recessional  - The recessional marks the end of the ceremony and is the point during which the bride and groom and the attendants exit. The music should be bright and upbeat, and its length should reflect the number of individuals in the wedding party. One selection is usually adequate to allow the wedding party to leave the sanctuary.

Postlude– Background while the congregation exits. The music can be an extension of the recessional if the selection is long enough, or it can be a separate piece of music. The recessional and postlude combined should not exceed ten minutes in length.

To Listen to samples of our music selections click here.

Choose your wedding music here.

Dressing Rooms

Dressing rooms are available for bridal party use.

Personal belongings

All belongings MUST  be removed from dressing room prior to ceremony. HPCUMC is not responsible for items left in the building before, during or after the ceremony.

Restricted Activities & Legal Requirements

Confetti, rice, or other material may not be thrown in the church or on the church grounds. Bubbles ONLY are permitted outside of the building.

The following activities are not permitted:

• NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE PERMITTED IN THE CHURCH BUILDING, ON THE GROUNDS, OR IN THE PARKING LOT.
• HPCUMC IS A SMOKE-FREE FACILITY. There is a smoking area at the rear of the building.
• Confetti, rice, or other material may not be thrown in the church or on the church grounds. On wet days, it creates a slipping hazard. It is also a cause for ecological concern. If you wish to practice this custom, we suggest you do so at your reception if it is held elsewhere. Bubbles ONLY are permitted outside of the building.
• No food or drink is permitted in dressing rooms.
  

There are certain legal requirements that you must meet in order to be married at HPCUMC:

• In the State of Ohio, you must get a marriage license from the Probate Court. This must be accomplished a minimum of five (5) days in advance of the wedding.
• You must bring your marriage license to the minister or to the church office at least forty-eight (48) hours before the wedding.
• The pastor will not be able to perform your wedding ceremony unless he/she has a valid Ohio marriage license in his or her possession.

Photography & Videography

Matrimony is a sacred occasion; flash photography is prohibited. Only dignified and unobtrusive professional photography and videography is allowed during the ceremony. Please ask your guests to refrain from photos until the service has ended.

• A note to professional photographers and videographers:
• Pre-ceremony pictures may be taken forty-five minutes prior to the ceremony
• Post-ceremony pictures may be taken forty-five minutes following the ceremony
• Natural lighting—not flash—may be used from the balcony or rear of the Sanctuary or Chapel to capture images during the ceremony
• Appropriate attire should be worn
  

It is the wedding party’s responsibility to communicate HPCUMC’s  photography/videography policies to family, friends, and especially photographers.

If you have any questions about this policy contact our wedding coordinator Pam Johnson at (513) 979-8185 or [email protected]

Contributions and Fees

Please note that we exclude certain fees for members of HPCUMC. This exclusion becomes effective one year after you become a member. All contributions and fees are subject to change.

Please make out checks for all services to "Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church". Please make out a separate check for the Minister's fee to the individual minister who is performing your ceremony.

A bill will be sent to you four weeks prior to the wedding.

Calendar Confirmation (non-members only)

These fees are non-refundable:
Sanctuary    
$400.00

Chapel
$225.00

Your wedding date is considered confirmed and you are entitled to use our facilities only after:

• This confirmation fee is received
• The date has been confirmed with the wedding coordinator
• The wedding coordinator has confirmed which minister will perform the ceremony

Fees for Church and Music Staff

(Please note that payment of these fees should be made to HPCUMC, with the exception of the Minister's Fee, which requires a separate check.)

Minister's Honorarium
$200.00 (Optional for church members)
Minister's Honorarium (Off-site)
$300.00 (Optional for church members)
Custodian/Set Up
$150.00
Organist's Honorarium
$200.00 (Includes phone consultation, a rehearsal with one soloist and the wedding service. )

The following amounts are charged for:

Additional Staff Soloist/Musician Rehearsal with Organist
Each additional soloist $25.00
Each additional rehearsal with soloist(s) $75.00

Organist Wedding Rehearsal
$100.00

Separate Fee for Staff Soloist/Musicians
$125.00
(If you use a soloist from the HPCUMC music staff. Includes up to 3 selections.) If you use musicians other than HPCUMC music staff, you are responsible for all arrangements.

Seven-branch candelabra
$25.00 (Set of two)

Aisle Candelabra
$4.00 each (16 available)

Aisle Runner (disposable)
$30.00

Unity Candle
$15.00