If you are interested in scheduling a wedding at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, contact Cindy Bowden, wedding coordinator, at (501) 664-3600 or cbowden@phumc.com. She can schedule a wedding date.
WEDDING CHECKLIST
1. Meet with
wedding secretary:
a.
determine available dates for wedding
b. receive
"Wedding Policy and Guide
Booklet"
2. Fill out wedding information sheet & register for
Pre-Marital Workshop.
3. Read "Wedding Policy and Guide Booklet"
4. Meet with a
Pulaski Heights UMC pastor:
1. to place your
wedding on the church calendar Date_____
and return information sheet
2. to plan worship service Date_____
3. to finalize plans
Date_____
5. Meet with the wedding director Date_____
Phone 664-3600 (at least 4 weeks before wedding)
6. Meet with the
organist to plan music Date_____
Phone
664-3600 (at
least 6 weeks before wedding)
7. Schedule PHUMC TV for video tape* Date_____
Phone
664-3600 (at least 6 weeks before wedding)
8. Consult with wedding
secretary to plan printed bulletin*
Date_____
(at least 3 weeks before wedding)
9. Schedule with caterer, if reception is to be at church Date_____
10. Attend Pre-Marital Workshop Date_____
11. Pay wedding fees Date_____
(two weeks before wedding)
* optional
A
GUIDE FOR SERVICES OF CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE
* Revised 7/23/04
In our society, marriage involves legal, social and
where desired, religious considerations and customs. The legal aspects are
covered by the laws of the state. The social considerations are emphasized in
showers, dinners, receptions and parties. The responsibility of the Church,
both to God and to the couple being served, is to provide for the expression of
the Christian celebration of marriage. Those seeking to be married in a United
Methodist Church by a pastor are asking specifically for a Christian marriage
and are expressing their intention to be a part of the Christian community
after their wedding service.
The
purpose of this Booklet is to help you have a ceremony that is as meaningful
and problem-free as possible. In planning for your wedding, you will be working
with church staff members who are dedicated to making each wedding a
significant and joyful act of Christian worship. Decisions regarding personal
preferences in the service will be discussed in a spirit of commitment to honor
God in worship, and to witness with integrity to the special character of
Christian marriage.
Carefully read and
consider these policies and guidelines. We
look forward to sharing with you in this important service of worship, and pray
it will be one of the most meaningful experiences of your Christian discipleship.
After reading this Wedding Policy and Guide, you should
call the wedding secretary (664-3600),
or make an appointment with one of the Pastors. Before your date can be confirmed,
you must have your appointment with a Pastor on staff and return the
information sheet to the wedding secretary. For this reason, it is
important that you complete the form as thoroughly as possible. Certain
sections of the form are completed during your discussions with the wedding
director, organist and pastor.
All Services of Christian Marriage performed at Pulaski
Heights United Methodist Church have the blessings of this church. One of the
Services of Christian Marriage from the United
Methodist Book of Worship shall be used.
THE PASTOR(S)
One of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church's pastors
will officiate in all marriage services. A pastor from another congregation may
assist upon the written invitation of the Pastor. The role of a visiting pastor
will be determined by the PHUMC pastor in consultation with the couple. All pastors wear liturgical robes and
stoles. Pastors of other churches are welcome to use our robes and stoles when
assisting in a service.
PRE-MARITAL WORKSHOP
All
persons married at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church are required to
participate in the pre-marital workshop. The pre-marital workshop covers the
important topics implied in the marriage vows, such as Christian marriage as a
vocation, style differences between couples, communication and conflict,
intimacy and sexuality issues, financial planning, spirituality, and handling
the unexpected in your marriage and family. The workshop also includes a panel
discussion by veteran couples, continental breakfast, lunch, a wedding planner
and fellowship with other young couples, church members and pastors. (There is
a registration fee for each couple, but scholarships are available to those who
have financial needs.) Couples register
for the workshop when their wedding date is confirmed.
THE
WEDDING DIRECTOR
The services of our
wedding director are required at any wedding in the sanctuary or chapel where
there is music and a processional.
The director works with the pastor(s) and the wedding party. The director will
provide guidance regarding decorations, procedure, facility use, and seating of
family and guests. The wedding director will be present at your rehearsal and
wedding to assist you. You may reach the director through the church office,
664-3600. If the family hires an outside wedding coordinator, it needs to be
known that they will have no responsibilities/involvement while at the church
the day of the wedding.
FACILITIES
There is a total of 4 hours allowed for the wedding
event. The church will open 2½ hours
before the wedding begins for the wedding party to dress, take pictures, and
for florists to decorate. Clean up should be completed 1½ hours after the
wedding begins.
Wedding receptions may be scheduled for the Parlor,
subject to availability on the church calendar. This facility should be
reserved when the wedding date is confirmed. Alcoholic beverages, including
champagne punch, are not served at receptions held in the church facilities.
Smoking will not be permitted.
There is a total of 5 hours allowed for a wedding
reception. The facilities will open for
1 hour setup time, 2 hours for the event, and clean up completed in 2 hours. A
custodian is required for the reception; a kitchen helper is required if using
our serving area/supplies.
Any catering service must be approved by the church
administrator, providing license and deposits.
SCHEDULING
Weddings may be held in the sanctuary or chapel whenever
worship services are not being held. However, no weddings are scheduled:
a) on Sundays
b) later than 7:00 P.M.
c)
on official church holidays or
on the eve of the day following those holidays
Wedding
times available are:
Morning:
10:00 or 11:00 a.m.
Afternoon:
2:00 or 3:00 p.m.
Evening:
6:00 or 7:00 p.m.
No weddings will be held on the half-hour.
Plans are not final and will not be scheduled on the
church's calendar until the pastor who is to perform the wedding ceremony has
approved and returned the wedding information sheet to the wedding secretary.
INFORMAL
WEDDING
An Informal Wedding is one that has no processional, no
music, no flowers, no professional photographs, nor additional candles. It requires no rehearsal. Information
regarding fees for such wedding is listed at the end of this booklet. *
Rehearsals are held at 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on
Fridays. In the event that there are
three weddings on Saturday, one rehearsal will be scheduled on Thursday evening
preceding or early Saturday morning of the wedding date, to be coordinated by
the pastor with wedding party, organist, wedding director and wedding
secretary.
Any wedding with music and a bridal party must be
rehearsed. All attendants in the wedding party as well as ushers are expected
to attend the rehearsal. The rehearsal should be scheduled in consultation with
the pastor. Remember, one hour should
be allowed for rehearsals when planning your rehearsal dinner.
The music that is sung or played has great power to give
the service its character. Congregational singing is most desirable, and a
choir may also sing. The use of vocal and instrumental music expresses the joy
of the event. The use of specifically Christian music is required. It ensures
the proclamation of Christian faith and hope. Such texts and music express the
joy, praise, and thanksgiving that characterize marriage in a Christian
context. When choosing vocal music for services of Christian marriage, one is
usually on safe ground when the text is taken from the Bible or from the United
Methodist Book of Hymns.
Because the choice of music is so important, the PHUMC organist or music director must be consulted in all decisions
regarding music selection, choice of soloists or other instrumentalists.
Musical selections and rehearsal schedules with soloists should be completed
two months prior to the service. Any other arrangement is exceptional and
requires approval of the organist or music director. The music staff will
assist in scheduling consultation regarding music selections, soloists and
instrumentalists. Only a staff musician will be allowed to play the pipe
organ in the sanctuary.
Just as it is important that the integrity of the
service and the musicians be respected, so, also, it is important that the
music speak to the needs of the couple. There will be no taped or recorded
music played for the service in either the sanctuary or the chapel. Often, a
meaningful song, contemporary in text or music, is better sung or played at the
reception following the wedding, rather then during the service itself. The
organist is available at a separate fee to play if requested.
It is concern for the sanctity of the service of
Christian marriage which prompts the above guidelines rather than an attempt to
proscribe a certain taste. Our music staff is available to guide and help you
as you make plans for this most sacred event.
DECORATIONS
The flowers for your wedding should be in place at least
one hour before the service begins. Because
of the liturgical integrity of the sanctuary and the chapel, we ask that you
use discretion in your floral decoration. The paraments are in order with
the liturgical calendar and cannot be removed. There can be no wiring, taping,
gluing, or tacking of decorations to pews or furnishings. No flowers or decorations may be placed on the altar. The wedding coordinator must approve any
exterior decoration. Due to possible staining, no petals may be tossed on the
aisles. Your florist or a family member
should remove all flowers immediately following the departure of the guests and
wedding party unless other arrangements have been made. Florists may bring in
candelabras, etc. on Friday (during office hours), unless there is a conflict
with the Church's calendar. Your floral/decorating plans must be submitted
to the wedding coordinator for approval four weeks before the wedding date.
To
notify the church bulletin for altar flowers left for Sunday morning services,
please contact the church receptionist desk for availability of date.
Pulaski Heights will not be responsible for items left
at the Church following the ceremony. We will store any items found and attempt
to contact the florist. Note: During Advent (4 weeks prior to Christmas) the
Sanctuary is decorated for our Services. Consult with the Wedding Director for
further information.
Only the Church's altar
candlesticks and paraments are used on the altar. Candles in other areas of the church must be placed on
protective covering so that the carpet or slate is not soiled. No candles may
be placed in the center aisle of the church.
Air conditioning and heating vents make certain areas of the sanctuary
and chapel unsuitable for candles. The wedding director will point these out to
you so they can be tested before the candles are placed in or near these areas.
Because of the material of our sanctuary flooring and
the risks involved, the use of aisle runners is prohibited.
PLEASE REFER TO YOUR INSERT FOR FLORIST FOR FURTHER
INSTRUCTIONS.
Florists failing to abide by
the rules as stated in this Policy Guide will not be allowed to perform their
services at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, and families scheduling
weddings in this church will be so informed.
Photographs can be taken before and/or after the ceremony;
they must be completed 45 minutes prior to the ceremony for seating to begin on
time, only 30 minutes will be allowed for photographs after the ceremony. The bride and her escort may be photographed
by the professional photographer just prior to their procession. We ask that NO
FLASH PHOTOGRAPHS be taken by the photographer, family members or friends from
the time guests arrive until the completion of the ceremony. Once the service
begins with seating of the mothers, photographers are removed from the
sanctuary floor; natural light photographs may be discreetly and quietly taken
from the balcony during the service.
PLEASE REFER TO YOUR INSERT FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS FOR
FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.
Photographers
failing to abide by the rules as stated in this Policy Guide will not be
allowed to perform their services at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church,
and families scheduling weddings in this church will be so informed.
Pulaski Heights Broadcast Ministry can provide a videotape
or DVD of your wedding. The service will be recorded by the broadcast ministry
staff using the five color cameras and recording equipment permanently
installed in the Sanctuary.
By using the five cameras, the recording will be able to
show the wedding party and any soloists that will be singing at the wedding.
The recording will include the wedding music, the entrance of family members,
the attendants, and the bride. The audio will be recorded by the microphones in
place and a wireless microphone worn by the pastor. The views used in the
recording will be at the direction of the video director. You will receive your
video immediately following the service.
The Broadcast Ministry requires six (6) weeks notice to
schedule a crew. Any special request will need to be submitted in writing,
three weeks prior to the service. Please make your video request known to the
wedding secretary so that the necessary contact can be made.
WHEN VIDEOTAPED BY A CONTRACTED PERSON
Video and/or audio recording of the ceremony by someone
other than the Pulaski Heights television crew may be done provided: All videotaping must be done from the
balcony of the sanctuary or from the rear of the chapel. The videotaping must be from a single,
stationary position (i.e., the photographer may not move around to various
locations), it must be silent, and it must not involve any lighting changes or
additional portable lighting.
WEDDING FEES
* Revised 1/17/06
All fees must be
paid at least 2 weeks prior to the wedding. An itemized invoice will be mailed at that time. Checks should be
made payable to the individuals listed and mailed to P.O. Box 250768, Little
Rock, AR 72225-0768. Within a week after the wedding, the Church will contact
you to be sure that no articles were left and that extra charges were not
incurred (i.e. custodial fees, damages, etc.).
Clergy (non-member only) $200.00
Organist 150.00; n/m 200.00
Director 150.00; n/m 200.00
Custodian (weddings) 100.00
Kitchen help (receptions)
125.00
Custodian (receptions) 125.00
Use of Chapel (non-member only) 200.00
Use of Parlor (non-member only) 300.00
Video 600.00; n/m 800.00 *
Bulletins (set-up only, per sheet)
30.00
Pre-Marital Workshop 100.00
* Fee includes one consultation, rehearsal, and the
wedding; an additional charge of $25 per consultation or rehearsal is extra.
Soloists and instrumentalists are available upon request with additional fees.
INFORMAL WEDDING FEES *
Fees include:
Clergy
(non-member only) $150.00
Usage fee (non-member only)
50.00
+ Custodian 60.00
Pre-Marital
Workshop 100.00
+ there will be a custodial fee only if one is not
already scheduled on duty
<>< To qualify for member fees vs. non-member, one must be
an active
member of Pulaski Heights United
Methodist Church for one year,
or have immediate family who are
established members