First Christian Church of Plano

WEDDING POLICY

FCC sanctuary decorated for a wedding First Christian Church of Plano, as well as the Staff of FCC, wants to help make your wedding a wonderful occasion. The ceremony is a service of worship, and therefore, intended to be joyous and sacred. This Wedding Policy provides guidelines for weddings at First Christian Church. They describe an event, which is appropriate for our facilities.

Reserving a Date

The date for your wedding must be confirmed by the Wedding Coordinator. You will need to fill out an application and return it with a check for one half of the fee to the Wedding Coordinator in order to reserve a date for your wedding. Reservations can be made up to one year in advance. We must ask that you do not change the above date or time without written confirmation from the Wedding Coordinator in order to avoid a conflict in scheduling.

Holidays: Weddings are not scheduled on the following weekends: Easter, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Father's Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Weddings are scheduled for no later than 5:00 p.m. during December.

Rehearsals are the night before the wedding ceremony.  Friday weddings can begin no earlier than 6 P.M. and a Thursday rehearsal time is to be no earlier than 6 P.M.. 

Fees

The fee for the wedding is $1,550. This includes the Building fee, as well as the fees for the Minister, Organist, Wedding Coordinator, Sound Technician, and Custodian.

Should a wedding be canceled, for any reason, refunds will be made in the following manner:

      Within 3 months: $50 will be retained
      Within 2 months: one half will be refunded
      Within 30 days: no refund will be made

Ministers

One of the ministers of First Christian Church will be in charge of all ceremonies. A guest minister may participate in the ceremony IF THEY ARE RELATED TO THE BRIDE OR GROOM. The officiating minister from First Christian Church will invite the guest minister to participate in certain portions of the service.

Pre-Marital Counseling

It is the church’s expectation that each couple will participate in a program of pre-marital counseling with a minister of this congregation. This usually consists of two one-hour meetings. A certificate showing completing of a longer program of pre-marital counseling may be substituted for one meeting.

Facilities

The Sanctuary is available for weddings. The Sanctuary can seat up to 600 guests.

chapel wedding

 

 

The Chapel is available for weddings. The Chapel can seat up to 100 guests.  The Chapel has chairs, no pews.  The stage can accomodate the pastor, bride, groom, three bridesmaids and three groomsmen.  The Chapel has six rows of chairs on each side of the center aisle.  Nothing may be attached or wrapped around the chairs in the chapel.   

 

 

The West Fellowship Hall can accommodate a reception of about 200 persons for a seated dinner. The room accommodates up to 20 round tables plus serving tables. Dancing is permitted. There is a fee of $350 for the use of this room for up to three hours and an additional $100 per hour over the three hours. Tables and chairs will be set up as requested. You, or your caterer, are responsible for table coverings, utensils, decorations, etc.

Dressing Rooms for the Wedding Party are included. These are spacious rooms, well lighted and equipped with mirrors. Snack food and drinks are permitted in these rooms. You are responsible for removing all personal items as well as left over food items. Rooms are available up to 3 hours prior to wedding.

The Communion Table is central to our worship setting. The wedding service will take place in front of the Communion Table with the Bride and Groom facing the Communion Table. We will remove the Communion Service if it is not to be used. The Table will be moved back toward the choir loft but will not be removed.

Candles are not permitted outside of the chancel area. Candles or holders may not be attached to the pews. A drip cloth or cellophane is required under all candles to prevent damage to the carpet and/or Communion Table. Only drip-less candles are permitted. (Please note that the candles on the Communion Table are liquid wax. This will spill if turned to too great an angle. They should remain in place and up right.) Candelabras, candles, and the protective cellophane to place under all arrangements and candles are to be furnished by the florist or the Bride. We suggest that you NOT light candles before the ceremony for photographs. The type of candle used in candelabras often will not re-light for the ceremony, and they are not always large enough to burn for the full 2.5 hours. They will remain lighted for the photos taken after the ceremony.

Music is an important part of the wedding ceremony and should be in keeping with the reverence observed in the House of God. The Sanctuary has both piano and organ.  Only a piano can be played for the ceremony in the chapel.  First Christian Church provides an organist/pianist. The Wedding Coordinator will schedule an appointment with the organist to help you select the music for the wedding. It is possible to have other instruments, (i.e. String quartet, violin,), vocalist or pre-recorded CD music, but this should be discussed with the Wedding Coordinator. Secular music must have the approval of the wedding coordinator and/or the pastor. The Wedding Coordinator will schedule rehearsal time for vocalists with the pianist. This rehearsal will be prior to the wedding rehearsal. Rehearsal does not take place the day of the wedding. Please be sure that the vocalist attends the rehearsal.

Sound Technicians are furnished by the Church. The Sound Tech will be at the rehearsal as well as the wedding and will control sound system and lighting. If there is to be any pre-recorded music, you will need to furnish the CD at the rehearsal and leave it at the church until after the wedding.

Rehearsals are usually held on the day before the wedding between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. All persons taking part in the ceremony should be present. This includes parents, grandparents, stepparents, bridesmaids, flower girls, ring bearers, groomsmen, ushers, vocalist and accompanist. All church personnel will be present. Approximate time of rehearsal is one hour. The wedding license should be given to the Wedding Coordinator the night of the rehearsal.

Aisle runners and/or aisle lights have become a liability, and therefore are not permitted.

Food or drink are not allowed in the Sanctuary, the Chapel or Narthex.

Smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages or use of illegal drugs are not permitted on Church property.

Photography and Videography

Weddings are worship services. They have been dreamed about for many years and in the planning stages for up to a year. The bride wants lots of pictures to look at in years to come. We want the event to be as "special" as the bride expects it to be.

For that reason, we ask that the photographers and videographers follow a few specific rules:

  1. There are to be NO flashes once the officiating minister begins speaking until the recession begins.
  2. The photographer is to remain behind the guests at all times – guest’s view of the ceremony and the participants should not be blocked. During the processional and recessional the photographer may be in the aisle near the back of the sanctuary, but should be considerate of the guests as well as the bride and her attendants and not interfere with the pace of the ceremony.
  3. If the videographer is manually operating a camera from the choir area, he MUST REMAIN IN PLACE throughout the ceremony. Remote or unattended operation is preferred.
  4. Time can be scheduled prior to the ceremony for photographs to be taken. The last photographs taken in the sanctuary should be 30 minutes prior to the ceremony.
  5. Photography session after the ceremony should not exceed 30 minutes.
  6. Please, do not light candles prior to the ceremony for photographs. Some types of candles do not re-light dependably. They will remain lighted for the pictures taken after the ceremony.
  7. Please, do not alter the flow of either the processional or recessional. Remain clear of the isle. The guests want to see the bridal party.

    Florists

    1. The Florist is responsible for making arrangements with the wedding coordinator for a delivery time. Set up should be completed 1.5 hours ahead of the wedding. Allow ample time to set up. Please be prompt as the photographer is scheduled after the flowers have been set up, and he must finish 30 min. prior to wedding time.
    2. Flower arrangements are not permitted in the choir loft area of the Sanctuary.
    3. A flower arrangement or Unity Candle may be placed on the Communion Table in the Sanctuary, provided that protective material is used to prevent water or wax damage to the finish.
    4. Flower petals dropped by a flower girl must be silk.
    5. Pew bows must be attached with ribbons, rubber bands, or clips made for that use. No pins, staples, tape, or adhesive strips of any kind are permitted.  In the Chapel, bows cannot be attached to the chairs.  
    6. All candelabras and candleholders MUST have cellophane or other protective material underneath. All candles MUST be drip-less. The "Mother" tapers to the Unity Candle are the only exception: they may be regular tapers but there MUST be a protective material under the arrangement.
    7. Please ask the coordinator about placement of the candelabras…we have some areas which get too much heat/ac output and blow the candles out.
    8. The florist should pick up all stands, candelabras, and other equipment furnished by the florist on Monday following the wedding.
    9. Set-up should be completed before pictures begin.



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    Last revised Apirl 29, 2008