St. Paul’s United Church is an open and welcoming community of faith, and we are pleased to assist you in one of the most beautiful and sacred occasions of your life. The Church Council hopes you find this brochure helpful in planning your wedding service. We describe the covenant of marriage as “our ministry” because we believe the Church is called to support and nurture all marriages.  As you begin anew as a married couple, we hope you will discover the rainbow of programs and ways to serve God within this community of faith called St. Paul’s United Church. We wish you God’s Blessings on your journey.

We believe that a church wedding is quite different from a civil ceremony.  A church wedding is not a spectacle or a mere formal observance, but an act of worship.

In this Service of Worship, we give praise and thanks to God for the gift of marriage and for the love the two of you have found in each other; we ask God’s blessing upon you and your marriage; and the two of you make promises of life-long commitment to each other in the presence of God and God’s people.  It is important that such an occasion include the reverence, dignity, beauty and joy of sincere worship and commitment.  Therefore, everything about it (readings, music, symbols, etc.) should be consistent with a service of worship, and it is important that you take part in this religious ceremony in good faith as people of faith.

AFFIRMATIONS
 

• The United Church of Canada and St. Paul’s United Church affirm that marriage is a gift of God through which people make a covenant with one another and with God.  In marriage we offer one another the promise of lifelong companionship, rich expression of human affections and sexuality, and nurture for any children.  Marriage, as an institution, can underpin each relationship and provide stability for society.  We affirm the value of marriage and support those entering into a covenant relationship with each other.
• The United Church of Canada and St. Paul’s United Church affirm that this unity is a creation of God and is greater than the two individuals.  The covenant of marriage takes precedence over all other relationships.
• The United Church of Canada and St. Paul’s United Church affirm that the final responsibility for the marriage service and all matters related to the conduct of weddings rests with the minister(s) and the local congregation.
• St. Paul’s United Church affirms that it:

1. supports the traditional definition of marriage between one man and one woman, and
2. will consider all legitimate requests  for marriage, regardless of gender.

• The minister(s) of St. Paul’s United Church will preside at weddings of members and adherents of our congregation as well as family members and friends of the congregation.  The minister(s) may also preside at civil wedding ceremonies on request.
• Weddings will be performed by minister(s) of St. Paul’s United Church; or those minister(s) designated as “Volunteer Associate Minister” (VAM) with St. Paul’s United Church; or other clergy who may be invited by the minister(s) to participate in the service.
• Marriages may be performed outside the Church building at the discretion of the minister(s).
• The minister(s) has (have) the right to deny involvement in a wedding if it is felt the couple does not exhibit appropriate commitment to the covenant relationship.

INITIAL ARRANGEMENTS

Contact the Church office to discuss your plans and discern possible wedding dates and times. A wedding information package will be made available to you, including a Wedding Agreement form. Once an initial contact has been made with one of St. Paul’s ministers, you may proceed with booking your wedding, by delivering to St. Paul’s the completed Wedding Agreement form and your deposit (see section on Wedding Fees). You will then receive a memo to confirm the date, and time of wedding, the date and time of rehearsal (rehearsals are customarily Friday nights at 7 p.m.) as well as contact information for the staff involved.

St. Paul’s is a beautiful place of worship with two aisles, wheelchair access and seating for over 400 people. Parking for the wedding party is reserved in the James St. Parking lot, and parking for your guests is available at the municipal parking lot across from the Church.  Please note that there is a strict policy of “no smoking” and “no consumption of alcoholic beverages” on the church premises.

VISITING ST. PAUL'S 

If you have never been in the sanctuary at St. Paul's, we recommend that you visit the church.  St. Paul's is a beautiful place of worship with two aisles, wheelchair access and seating for over 500 people. To view photos of the sanctuary, please follow this link.

THE ORGANIST / PIANIST

 
The St. Paul’s Church organist/pianist or another qualified musician will be available for your wedding. Couples will discuss their music selection with the church musician prior to the rehearsal. If you choose to have a soloist and/or other musicians, this is a private arrangement made by you.  However, an extra $25 fee is required for each rehearsal with the church musician.      

WEDDING COORDINATOR and CUSTODIAN

 
The wedding coordinator will be present at the rehearsal and wedding, and attends to numerous details to ensure that the wedding proceeds smoothly and tastefully.  Use of the St. Paul’s wedding coordinator and custodian is mandatory.

 
LICENSE

 
In the Province of Ontario, a wedding is performed under the authority of the License, which is obtained from the Municipal Offices. The license is valid for ninety days. All information required on the license will be given to the minister, and completed by the Church administration. The license should be brought to the minister performing the wedding ceremony as soon as possible, and no later than two weeks before your wedding.

CHURCH DECORATIONS

 
VIDEO RECORDING

 The videographer should check with the wedding coordinator 30 minutes before the service to be advised of the appropriate location for the tripod.

 
THE WEDDING DAY

 
We allocate a special block of time for each wedding and rehearsal to ensure that the wedding can be conducted in a relaxed manner without conflict with any other wedding party. To accomplish this, promptness is essential. Ushers should be present 30 minutes before the service. The wedding party should arrive outside the church 10 to 15 minutes before the service. The use of confetti or rice in or around Church grounds is prohibited. 

WEDDING FEES

Payment (in the form of a cheque, debit or credit card) for the following fees should be made out to St. Paul’s United Church.  For weddings to be held at St. Paul’s, a $100 deposit (non-refundable 90 days or less prior to your wedding) is to be paid at the time of booking your wedding and will be applied to the total price.   In addition, a payment in the amount of $200 is required as a damage deposit. This cheque/payment will be cancelled 30 days following the wedding if not needed.

Please arrange the following payments (either cash or cheque) clearly marked in envelopes 30 days before the wedding:

Minister                   $200

Church musician        $150

Wedding coordinator  $125

Custodian                  $30

St. Paul’s (for use of the church; non-members only) $200

Optional additional charges:

each rehearsal with a soloist $25

more than 4 hours required by wedding coordinator $30/hour

use of grand piano by other than church musician (non-members only) $75

use of organ by other than church musician (non-members only) $55

Off-site weddings:

$200 plus $ .40/km mileage for the minister

additional $50 administration fee (non-members only)