Weddings at Broadmoor

Policies and Information

The Church

We are pleased you have chosen to celebrate your marriage vows at Broadmoor United Methodist Church and we want to help you in every way as preparations are made.

The celebration of Christian marriage is an occasion of great joy and excitement, and at the same time, of great significance and reverence. It is a sacred ritual in which two persons pledge themselves to each other under the blessing of God and are united in the covenant of matrimony.

It is not necessary for a wedding to be elaborate in order to be beautiful. The natural beauty of our sanctuary allows you to use a minimum of decorations. This booklet has been prepared to ensure your ceremony is a joyous occasion. Our goal is to help you plan a service of worship which is dignified and meaningful.

Arrangements

Tentative dates must be cleared first with the administrative assistant who manages the church calendar—call the church office (924-6269). She will assist you in scheduling the time and date for your rehearsal and wedding. Reservations are not confirmed until one of the pastors has agreed to officiate at the wedding and a $100 non-refundable deposit has been received. It is recommended that the date for the wedding be set at least 6 weeks in advance. This allows adequate time for all pre-marital counseling with the officiating minister. A wedding date for non-members cannot be confirmed until 6 months prior to the date.

Weddings will not be held at Broadmoor United Methodist Church on the following days: New Year's Day, Holy Week, Memorial Day weekend, Fourth of July, Labor Day weekend, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Sundays and other church-related holidays.

Formal or Informal Wedding

A wedding is considered formal when there is a rehearsal, when music is performed and floral decorations are used. The term formal wedding has no bearing on the size of the wedding. They are usually held in the Sanctuary, which seats 400 in the nave.

A wedding is considered informal when no rehearsal is required or floral decorations are used. They may be held in the Sanctuary or the Prayer Room. Music is not available for an informal wedding.

The Minister

One of the ministers on the staff of Broadmoor United Methodist Church will be in charge of the marriage service. Other ministers are welcome to assist at the invitation of the officiating minister. After a date has been selected and tentatively scheduled, it is the bride and groom’s responsibility to contact the officiating minister.

Wedding Director

A Wedding Director is assigned to each wedding. The Wedding Director will be present at the wedding rehearsal and service to assist the officiating minister.

In the event that a Wedding Director is hired by the bride and groom, it must be understood that during all events held at Broadmoor United Methodist Church the officiating minister and our Wedding Director are in charge.

The Music

The Associate Director of Music Ministries shall be used for weddings where the organ or piano is the primary musical instrument. If other instruments are to be used (harp or string quartet, for example), she shall be consulted to assure that the musical selections are appropriate. Only sacred or classical music is permitted for the wedding ceremony. Popular or show tunes are appropriate for rehearsal dinners or receptions.

The sound equipment in the sanctuary has been specifically designed for the acoustics of the building; therefore, no additional equipment or taped music may be used. Sound equipment shall be operated by the sound technician.

Receptions

When the reception is on campus, the responsible party will make their own arrangements for all disposable supplies and extra equipment. You are requested to leave the facilities in the same condition in which they were found. The Wedding Director’s only responsibility is to ensure the bride and groom’s arrival at the reception in a timely fashion. She is not responsible for any reception details unless prior arrangements have been made.

Decorations

Decorations for weddings should be simple. The church is a place of worship; therefore, the altar and pulpit will remain in their established positions. No decorations may be placed on the altar or altar rail. Our experience has shown that aisle cloths can be hazardous for the wedding party and may not be used. Thumbtacks or scotch tape should not be used anywhere in the church. A pair of brass candelabras with oil candles is available for your use, as well as a unity candle stand. You must provide your own unity candles. Flowers may be placed on the pedestals that flank the altar.

If you would like to leave flowers from your wedding for use in the services on the following Sunday morning, please notify the Wedding Director. They will then be taken on Monday morning to church members in local hospitals.

The florist shall be held responsible for any damage incurred through the decoration of the church. The florist is also responsible for the immediate removal of all decorations upon completion of the wedding.

No free standing candle stands are allowed in the aisles. If using aisle candles, the candle stands must have glass globes and be secured to the arm rest of the pew. Bows or greenery should be attached to pews with plastic pew clips.

Candleholders may be used along the sidewalk in front of the Sanctuary. Stake-type holders can be no more than twelve inches from the sidewalk. These must have glass globes as well.

Wedding Fees

The fee includes costs associated with the use of the Sanctuary, including the organist, custodial service, Wedding Director and sound technician. A non-refundable deposit of $100 is required to reserve your wedding date.

Members $425

Non-members $725

Reception $250

For the purpose of calculation member vs. non-member fees, either the bride or groom, or one of their parents must have been a member of Broadmoor United Methodist Church for a minimum of twelve months prior to the wedding date.

Photography

We welcome the taking of pictures, within some limits which have been found to protect the sacred service you want your marriage to be. It is the bride’s responsibility to ensure that the restrictions and rules are clearly understood by the photographer, relatives and friends. The photographer/videographer must sign and return the enclosed Wedding Guidelines for Photographer/Videographer at least 14 days prior to the wedding.

Professional photographers are usually thoughtful in helping to preserve the spiritual atmosphere of weddings. The photographer may take pictures of the wedding party from the modesty rail until the end of the bride’s processional. After the bride is at the chancel, marking the beginning of the worship service, timed exposures (no flash) from the balcony are permissible until the “the kiss”. Recessional photos may be made in the aisle from behind the pew of the last seated guest until the bride and groom pass. No flash photographs may be taken during the ceremony by anyone, including your guests.

Videotaping is permitted; however, the positioning of equipment should be cleared with the Wedding Director and must remain stationary. The videographer must check to make sure that the frequency of the microphones used to tape the wedding do not interfere with the church’s sound system.

Please Note

· Smoking, alcohol and illegal drugs are not permitted in the church building or on church property.

· Rice cannot be thrown inside or outside the church. Bird seed may be used outside of the buildings only.

· Use of any church equipment must be approved by the wedding director.

· No wax candles may be used unless they are in votive holders or have glass globes.

· The church is not responsible for personal items used in the wedding or reception; nor is it liable for articles which may be lost, stolen or damaged. We ask that a friend or family member be asked to be responsible for these items.

· If you are printing a wedding bulletin, please include a line asking your guests to turn their cell phones to the silent setting.

Our Hope for You

It is the hope and prayer of Broadmoor United Methodist Church, members and staff, that your experience of the Service of Christian Marriage will be a deeply personal and meaningful experience, one that will serve as the basis of a strong and fulfilling marriage.

You can also download all of this information in a printable .pdf file. Just right click on Wedding Brochure and select "Save As..."