Celebrating A Wedding Service at Temple Lutheran Church

At Temple Lutheran Church we deeply enjoy weddings as an opportunity for public celebration and recognition of a lifelong commitment rooted in love. At the same time, we hold a firm belief that a wedding is also something much greater.

A Christian wedding is an act of faith
The couple, the pastor, and the congregation together ask God to bless and take an active role in the days, weeks, and years of marriage which lie ahead. In turn, by having your wedding in a church setting, you are making a public expression of the intimate relationship you have with God. It is reasonable to expect that as lifelong partners you will seek to nurture each other and yourselves in Christian faith throughout your life together.

A Christian wedding is an act of worship
While popular conceptions of a wedding place the focus on the couple, events that occur in the midst of worship must ultimately honor and serve God. In worship, God is always the focus. As such, weddings at Temple Lutheran Church will be conducted in a manner which respects the unique, loving, and forgiving message Christians are called to proclaim to the world.

To this end, the following information & policies exist to help in your planning:

• Wedding planning begins by contacting the pastor and consulting with him/her regarding dates the church facility and pastor are available. If music will be included in the wedding service, the church's Director of Music in order to confirm availability.
• Couples must undertake and complete a series of pre-marital interviews. Normally, this means a minimum of five (5) sessions, each lasting 90 minutes. "Homework" between sessions is common. The pastor reserves the decision to perform a wedding until at least two pre-marital interviews are completed. Information regarding the cost of materials for these sessions is available from the pastor.
• All music selected for the wedding service needs to be approved by the Pastor or the Director of Music.
• Many couples choose to design and produce the worship bulletin themselves. This is welcomed as long as the actual service in the bulletin is approved by the pastor and follows current practices of our Lutheran denomination. All copyright laws must also be observed. A digital copy of the Lutheran service and copyright can be obtained from the church office. Often couples choose to have the church office produce the bulletin. Couples who choose this option need to coordinate the production of the bulletin with the church office at least four (4) weeks before the wedding. Information regarding printing costs and catalogs for special bulletin covers are available through the church office.
• A designated photographer may take photos during the service from a single location deemed appropriate by the pastor or church staff. Video cameras are to be mounted on a tripod and remain in a single location deemed appropriate by the pastor or church staff. Individual photos of worship events may be reenacted following the service, usually producing better pictures and greater artistic freedom.
• Recognizing and respecting the annual worship life of the congregation, weddings will not be scheduled during major church festivals and holidays.

The sanctuary at Temple Lutheran Church can comfortably accommodate up to approximately 160-175 persons.

For more information, including availability and associated costs, please contact the offices of Temple Lutheran Church.