University Heights Baptist Church Wedding Policies

We are so happy that you are getting married and that you have chosen to have your wedding ceremony here at University Heights Baptist Church. We are a people of God who worship and minister as a family of faith and grace. We seek to serve you at this time in your life, so that the beginnings of your life together are filled with joy and celebration.

A wedding is not a marriage. Yet, the wedding says much about the marriage that will follow. Since you have chosen to have your wedding in a church, you want your wedding to be a worship experience, not merely a social event. In order to make your celebration a day of highest happiness for you and to give honor to God, we have made the following Wedding Handbook for your use in creating a beautiful, worshipful wedding service.

Procedures for Reserving Facilities

After you have reviewed the policies and desire to book your wedding at University Heights (UHBC), please contact the church office at 417-862-0789 and request your date. Your payment of $1800 submitted to the church office along with your signed reservation form will reserve the date. NO DATE IS FIRM until payment is made in full AND the reservation form is completed with no blanks.

ALL WEDDINGS MUST BE SCHEDULED NO LATER THAN THREE MONTHS OUT AND NO SOONER THAN 12 MONTHS PRIOR.

Cancellation refunds will be made on the following schedule:

Ten to Twelve months before your wedding date a refund of 75% of your deposit will be made.
Six to Nine months before your wedding date a refund of 50% of your deposit will be made.
Three months up until your wedding date no refund will be made.

No refunds will be given without a calendar months notice.

Your fee includes the following:

1. Use of the Sanctuary, Bride's room and Groom's room during rehearsal and wedding.

  On your wedding day, the church will be available no sooner than six (6) hours prior to the time of your wedding and no longer than two (2) hours after your wedding.

 On your rehearsal day, the church will be available for your rehearsal one hour prior and one hour after your wedding rehearsal.

Decorations in the Sanctuary may be placed during the above listed times or during regular church hours on Thursday (for Friday weddings 8-4:30) or Friday (for Saturday weddings 8-3:30). (Sanctuary temperatures can be reasonably lowered to protect flowers placed the day before your wedding.) It is the Bridal Party's responsibility to inform the wedding party, florist, photographers, musicians and videographer as to the availability of the church.

2. Reception facilities and rehearsal dinner facilities are not available at University Heights Baptist Church.

3. Use of University Heights Baptist Church (UHBC) Wedding Coordinator (The UHBC Wedding Coordinator will assist with the parts of your wedding that happen in our church or are required by our church. The UHBC Wedding Coordinator does not serve as a wedding planner but will gladly offer you a reference for the wedding planners in our area).

4. Custodial Service during your rehearsal and wedding.

5. A sound technician during your rehearsal and wedding.

6. Pre-marital counseling sessions.

7. A Minister from UHBC who officiates is paid by this fee. Many brides wish to bring in their own officiate. This may be done at the request of the bridal party and with the approval of UHBC's Senior Pastor. The UHBC Wedding Coordinator will assist in obtaining this approval. Use of a minister other than a UHBC minister does not result in a reduction of the fee.

8. An organist or pianist.

After you have scheduled your wedding and paid your fee you will be given the number and the email address of the UHBC Wedding Coordinator. She will then discuss your plans and also go over several policies listed in this handbook. At least ONE MONTH in advance of your wedding date the UHBC Wedding Coordinator must have all information including music selections, time of rehearsal, time of wedding and all information imperative to make your wedding day beautiful. This is to help make your special day perfect!

Premarital Conferences

A marriage preparation seminar and all materials for this class are included in the fee paid for weddings at University Heights Baptist Church. This service is provided by a certified Christian Counselor. UHBC's Wedding Coordinator will assist you in scheduling your participation in the seminar.

Outside counseling service may be used instead of the marriage preparation seminar described above. The Senior Pastor of University Heights Baptist Church must approve the service used. Proof of participation must be presented in writing one month prior to the wedding date. This does not result in a reduction of fees.

Music

Wedding music is not for the purpose of entertainment. Rather, it is for the purpose of Christian worship and should be reverent in nature. The University Heights Baptist Church Organist must approve all musical selections. The UHBC Wedding Coordinator and the organist will meet with you in person, by phone or by correspondence and approve all musical selections no later than ONE MONTH prior to your wedding date.

We encourage the use of live music during the ceremony if at all possible. This enhances the flow of the service. Live musicians can make changes when something unexpected happens in a service, pre-recorded music cannot.

All sound checks will be done during the rehearsal the night before your wedding. ALL MUSICIANS AND OTHERS USING MICROPHONES MUST BE AVAILABLE AT THE REHEARSAL.

If you choose to use pre-recorded music please remember that a good, clean, workable CD that has no downloading flaws or other problems must be ready and available at the rehearsal. The CD's furnished should be in cases. Only original CD's will be accepted in order to comply with copyright laws of the United States. If you have downloaded music and created a CD, you must provide written proof of payment for the purchase of this music that we can keep on file here at church.

Please review the selections suggested in this booklet for appropriate music selections. PLEASE REMEMBER THE SANCTITY OF THE CEREMONY IN YOUR SELECTION.

Sound Technicians

The required sound technician will be arranged for you by the UHBC Wedding Coordinator. We are unable to provide video equipment. University Heights Baptist Church has a cathedral feel and we work hard to maintain the dignity of the character of the facility, therefore there are no video screens available. We encourage videos to be played at the reception.

Placement of microphones cannot be changed after the rehearsal. Sound checks will be conducted at the rehearsal so that the Sanctuary is available for pictures on the day of the wedding.

The Sound Technician can also adjust the lighting in the sanctuary and on the altar before or during a service. If you would like a lighting adjustment during your wedding, this can be arranged through the Wedding Coordinator at your rehearsal.

Wedding Attire

Please keep in mind when choosing the attire for all members of the wedding party that this is a Christian wedding and that the wedding will be held in a place of worship. In fact, the wedding service is in and of itself a worship service. Any questions concerning appropriate attire may be discussed with the UHBC Wedding Coordinator. The same principals apply to attire worn to the rehearsal.

Rehearsal

Information about the time and length of your rehearsal must be submitted on the forms given to you in this handbook. This form must be in the hands of the UHBC Wedding Coordinator no later than ONE MONTH prior to your wedding. Earlier is preferred.

If you have hired a personal wedding planner the Wedding Coordinator of University Heights Baptist Church will open the rehearsal and remind everyone of our policies. At that point, the rehearsal will be turned over to the personal wedding planner. However, the UHBC wedding coordinator will be the final authority on procedures and policies. Observance of all policies is the obligation of the bride and the groom and the UHBC Wedding Coordinator can interfere to enforce these policies. Please make all policies known to participants in your wedding prior to the rehearsal.

If you have not hired a personal wedding planner the University Heights Baptist Church Wedding Coordinator will be in charge of your rehearsal. For this reason, all details pertaining to your rehearsal and wedding need to be given to the University Heights Baptist Church Wedding Coordinator NO LATER THAN ONE MONTH BEFORE YOUR WEDDING DATE.

ALL MUSICIANS OR OTHER INDIVIDUALS USING MICROPHONES DURING YOUR WEDDING MUST BE PRESENT FOR THE REHEARSAL.

Dressing Rooms

Food and beverages may only be consumed in the Fellowship Hall. The kitchen is not available for use. All food and beverage must be catered into the Fellowship Hall and consumed on disposable tableware. This is at the expense of the bridal party.

The wedding party is responsible for leaving the Bride's room and the Groom's room as clean as you found them. Please remove everything that you bring with you. Only water may be consumed in these rooms. The bridal party will be held responsible for damage to any room, fixture or furnishings in areas of the church property used by the bridal party.

Other Policies, F.A.Q. And Restrictions

USE OF ALCOHOL OR ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES, ON THE CHURCH PROPERTY OR THE APPEARANCE OF INTOXICATION BY THE BRIDAL PARTY, WEDDING GUESTS, VENDORS OR OTHERS ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR WEDDING MAY, AT THE DISCRETION OF THE UHBC WEDDING COORDINATOR, RESULT IN AN IMMEDIATE CANCELLATION OF YOUR WEDDING WITH NO REFUND AVAILABLE.

USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS INSIDE OUR BUILDING IS PROHIBITED AS WELL.

Food & beverages are not allowed in the Sanctuary at anytime. This includes water. The Bridal Party may be charged an additional fee if clean-up is deemed excessive by our custodial staff.

Our custodial staff must do all movement of furniture. If there is altar furniture that you would like moved for your wedding or furniture in our foyer that you would like placed differently please inform the University Heights Wedding Coordinator who will have the custodial staff move the items as requested.

Wedding attire may be stored in the bride's room or the groom's room between your rehearsal and your wedding. Personal belongings may not be left in our building past the hours provided in the Church Availability section of these policies after your wedding.

Except for the use of service animals, at no time may animals be in any part of the premises of University Heights Baptist Church.

NO TAPE CAN BE USED ON THE PEWS. Any adhesive used to attach items to any fixture or furnishing in the Sanctuary must be approved by the University Heights Baptist Church Wedding Coordinator and/or our custodial staff. Damages to the furnishings and fixtures of University Heights Baptist Church by the bridal party or their agents, including but not limited to florist, photographers, wedding planners will be the responsibility of the bridal party.

University Heights Baptist Church does not provide flower/bow holders or runners. These must be rented by the bride from an outside source.

Runners may not be pinned to the carpet.

University Heights Baptist Church does have silver and gold candelabras for the altar area. Use of these may be arranged through the UHBC Wedding Coordinator.

Use of silk flower petals is allowed inside the church building. Real petals and bubbles are not permitted inside the church. Real petals or bubbles can be only used outdoors. Rice and bird seed may not be used any place on the church property.

No receptions or rehearsal dinners are allowed at University Heights Baptist Church. The fee is for the wedding rehearsal and day of the wedding only.

Policies for Vendors

Please share these policies with your vendors prior to your wedding so that expectations will be met by those with whom you have contracted. The Bridal Party will be held responsible for all vendor actions.

Communication of University Heights Baptist Church policies and procedures are the sole responsibility of the bridal party. The UHBC Wedding Coordinator will not make arrangements directly with any vendor.

All policies stated above but not expressly stated in this section apply to vendors as well as the bridal party. The bridal party will be held responsible for damages caused to the church facility, furnishings or fixtures by any vendor providing services for their wedding at University Heights Baptist Church.

Florist

 The bridal party must arrange with the UHBC Wedding Coordinator the time of arrival to place flowers and other decorations. The time must comply with the facility availability stated earlier in these policies.

 Only chase (dripless) candles may be used. The Unity Candle may be a wax candle.

 Flowers may be placed only where there will be no water damage or other stains. Proper containers need to be used to insure carpets will not be soiled. Also, to insure no carpet damage, no live flower petals may be used.

 No furniture, musical instruments or plants will be moved or rearranged except by University Heights Baptist Church custodial staff. Custodial staff will be present in the building during the hours outlined earlier in this handbook.

 Flowers and decorations must be removed within the time frame outlined in the Church Availability section of this handbook.

Photographer/Videographer

 Furniture must not be moved or used as a step ladder.

 No furniture, musical instruments or plants will be moved or rearranged except by University Heights Baptist Church custodial staff. Custodial staff will be present in the building during the hours outlined earlier in this handbook.

 It is suggested that you take as many pictures as possible prior to the wedding. All photographs taken in the sanctuary must be completed ONE HOUR prior to the start of your wedding. The bridal party must make arrangements with the UHBC Wedding Coordinator about the time and place where pictures will be taken.

 The worship atmosphere of the wedding should be observed by photographers and videographers as well as the wedding party. Photographers and videographers should remain as unobtrusive as possible during the wedding.

 Outside videographer and technicians wanting to hook equipment into our sound board must do so with pre-arranged and approved consultation with the chair of University Heights Baptist Church's sound and technology committee. The Wedding Coordinator can arrange this meeting. This consultation must take place no later than ONE WEEK PRIOR to your wedding. The Sound Technician may be able to provide either a female RCA plug out, or a female quarter-inch plug-out. The result will be receiving the house sound in a mono mix. The Sound Technician is not responsible to any outside videographer or technician for any problems with the house mix. The Sound Technician may, with or without notice, terminate any pre-arranged connection if it is found to be causing any problems with the house mix, or if it may cause any problem with our equipment. All connectors and cabling needed to make an approved connection must be provided by the outside videographer or technicians.

 It is the photographer's responsibility to see that the wedding party is informed about group pictures to be made after the ceremony.

USE OF ALCOHOL OR ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES, ON THE CHURCH PROPERTY OR THE APPEARANCE OF INTOXICATION BY THE BRIDAL PARTY, WEDDING GUESTS, VENDORS OR OTHERS ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR WEDDING MAY, AT THE DISCRETION OF THE UHBC WEDDING COORDINATOR, RESULT IN AN IMMEDIATE CANCELLATION OF YOUR WEDDING WITH NO REFUND AVAILABLE. USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS INSIDE OUR BUILDING IS PROHIBITED AS WELL.
 
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