Your wedding is more than a significant event in your personal life - it is a holy event with eternal purpose.  It is a spiritual service appropriately performed by a pastor in an atmosphere of reverent dedication.  With a firm resolve to establish a Christian home, you are pledging your constant love and seeking God's blessing for your lives. 

 

Your wedding may be personalized to include worship and celebration in a beautiful setting that will provide lasting memories.  Our pastors consider it their privilege to perform this very important ceremony and we will do all we can to assist you.

 

 

1.  Contact the Church Secretary to reserve dates and times for the Rehearsal and the Ceremony.  You can view the website calendar for dates to consider.  The Church Secretary will confirm the availability of the building and also check with the two pastors on staff to be sure one has that date open.  Our pastors operate on a rotation basis.  If you have a preference for a particular pastor, you may ask for that pastor to be contacted regarding his schedule.  Ordained pastors from other churches and from other denominations may assist in the ceremony as coordinated by our Senior Pastor.  Honoraria for other clergy are not included in Wesley's fee structure and payment is the responsibility of the wedding couple. 

 

2. Once the date and time have been confirmed by the church secretary, you must complete The Wedding Facility, Accessory and Services Form and return it to the office promptly.  Click "Forms" at the left and choose the forms from the list.  A $50 non-refundable deposit and a $150 refundable security deposit must accompany this form to reserve your date.  This deposit will be deducted from the total of the other wedding fees or applied to extraordinary custodial costs that might occur. 

 

3.  At least 3 months prior to your wedding, you must contact the officiating pastor to set up an appointment to meet.  It is the responsibility of the couple, not the pastor, to make this initial contact.  Couples being married are required to participate in individual counseling sessions with the pastor conducting the service.  During this time, planning of the ceremony will be discussed. 

 

4.  You should apply for your marriage license well ahead of your wedding date.  Please leave your marriage license at the church office during the week prior to the rehearsal.  The pastor will sign the license after the ceremony and other staff will copy it, record it in Wesley's log and then mail it promptly to the courthouse on your behalf.  If a visiting pastor officiates, it is expected they will submit the license. 

 

You can apply for your marriage license at the: 

Williams County Court of Common Pleas Probate and Juvenile Divisions

One Courthouse Square, 2nd Floor, Bryan, OH  43506. 

Steven R. Bird, Judge  Phone: 419.636.1548

         

5.  A select group of people are approved as organists and audio technicians for our sound system at Wesley.  The secretary will seek out the people available to serve you in this capacity and provide you with names.  Their charges are included in the overall fee.  You will need to contact them approximately 6 weeks before the wedding for a consultation.  Be prepared to present the organist with your music requests.  Permission to use other musicians or vocalists must be given by the Wesley pastor and those fees are the direct responsibility of the wedding couple.

 

 

 

To have a meaningful wedding ceremony, it is necessary that all members of the wedding party be present, and punctual, for a rehearsal.  Apart from the obvious wedding party, you might include candle lighters, scripture readers,your parents, ushers or the people you have selected to help in the serving of communion.  Musicians and vocalists should also be present.  A rehearsal is typically conducted the day before the actual ceremony.  If you are interested in having a Rehearsal Dinner in the fellowship hall, you can choose to hire an outside caterer or request the services of church members who belong to our hospitality committee.  There is an additional fee for the use of the fellowship hall and the custodian and a request form to complete with your instructions for the custodian. 

 

Photographers are to refrain from using flash DURING the wedding ceremony.  Flash photos may be taken prior or after the service, or they may be taken of the wedding participants at the door as they enter the sanctuary.  Photographers and Videographers should stay behind the guests in the sanctuary or use the side aisles and choir loft to each side of the chancel area.  Outside videographers are not permitted the use of Wesley's video equipment.  If you would like to hire one of our trained technicians to record your ceremony, please inquire with the pastor for a referral.  Not only are the video technicians familiar with the lighting of the sanctuary, our audio technicians are also familiar with the lighting options and can offer recommendations should you opt to not hire one of our trained video technicians.  Please note that the narthex, or lobby area, has good natural light for photos and we have two exterior courtyards. 

 

Please have your florist contact the church office regarding restrictions on setting up of floral displays.  Be aware that deliveries to the church cannot be accepted outside of business hours during the week and only within 1 1/2 hours of the start of your ceremony (1 hour if it's a chapel service).  If your florist is providing candles, they should be informed that only beeswax candles are allowed and no lit candles are permitted on the carpeted areas of the sanctuary.  Oil-filled free standing candelabras, kneelers and paraments are available for you to use; inquire with the pastor.  Pew clips are available through florists' shops or other specialty stores.  AISLE RUNNERS and SAND CEREMONIES are NOT permitted in the Sanctuary of Wesley UMC as they are safety hazards.  Please do not ask to use them.  Any decorations remaining after the ceremony will be disposed of. 

The facilities are available for wedding receptions when reserved in advance.  A Custodial Request Form, which also includes an area to diagram table/chair set up, must be submitted to the office.  You may choose an outside caterer or contact the church for the name of our hospitality committee leader to discuss the option of this church group preparing and serving your reception food.