WEDDING GUIDELINES
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:24
SO YOU JUST SAID...
CONGRATULATIONS! We rejoice in the Lord on your engagement to be married.
I WILL
At East Cooper Baptist we affirm that the marriage of a man and a woman is sacred in the sight of God and blessed by God. Marriage was God’s idea. It was the Lord who said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him as a helper as his partner. Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife and together, they become one flesh.”
Therefore, the institution of marriage should not be entered into lightly. The wedding ceremony is an important event as couples begin their married lives together. East Cooper Baptist believes that the ceremony is a worship service and dedicates worship space for this purpose. These guidelines are intended to reflect this intent and purpose. They are not intended to be restrictive or exclusive in any way. Rather, they are intended to preserve the sacredness of the event.
"It is the desire of the staff and the entire church family to make every wedding ceremony a beautiful and worshipful event."
As you plan, we are here to help from premarital counseling to weekly Sunday morning newlywed classes throughout the year. These sessions are designed to help you to grow in your new union together and in your spiritual journey with the Lord. May God may be glorified and richly bless you!
CRAIG HARRIS
SHEPERDING PASTOR
[email protected]
GETTING STARTED It is the desire of the staff and the entire church family to make every wedding ceremony a beautiful and worshipful event, and to that end these guidelines are designed. After you have completed the wedding request form, our wedding coordinator will contact you to begin the process of scheduling your wedding. Next, they will begin to walk you through the next steps. Please be prepared to provide the following information: • Both of your full names with contact info. • The date and time of your wedding. • The pastor you desire to perform the ceremony. Any pastor not on ECBC staff must be approved by the Senior Pastor. • A tentative time for your rehearsal the day before. Upon your initial consultation with the coordinator, we can schedule your wedding on our master calendar. Please note: your wedding will not be confirmed until this consultation has occurred. Please note: Your wedding will not be confirmed until written notification is received. At the time your wedding is booked onto our master calendar, we ask for a refundable $200 deposit be made to the church via online payment. The deposit is not applied to the cost of the venue. The liability release form, along with the $1000 fee should be turned in no later than two weeks prior to your wedding. This form tells us that you have read and agree to all of our policies regarding church usage (provided online). This form also requires detailed information on your wedding party and any outside vendors (florists, organists, pianists, etc.), which is necessary for me in order to coordinate your rehearsal and ceremony. You will need to print the form, fill it out, and either fax it or drop it off at the church. Please put to the attention: WEDDING COORDINATOR.
STEPHANIE CZERWINSKI
WEDDING COORDINATOR
843.532.7736 phone 843.856.1136 fax
[email protected]
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BASIC STANDARDS
The following are the basic standards which have been enacted by the elders to govern the use of the church for weddings: 1. Because God has ordained marriage and defined it is as the covenant relationship between a man, a woman, and Himself, East Cooper Baptist Church will only recognize marriages between a biological man and a biological woman. Further, our pastors and ministers and the staff of East Cooper Baptist Church shall only participate in weddings and solemnize marriages between one man and one woman. Finally, the facilities and property of East Cooper Baptist Church shall only host weddings between one man and one woman. 2. The bride and groom must sign a statement of faith in accordance with scripture.
3. We will not as a church marry a couple that is unequally yoked; (i.e., believer and unbeliever)
4. We may not, as a church, marry a couple when one party or both have been divorced and reconciliation to the first spouse is still open. (Each case is unique and is reviewed for special circumstances and considerations). 5. We will not, as a church, marry a couple when a previous divorce situation gives the Elders reasonable doubt that this marriage is of God.
6. We may not as a church marry a couple if they have maintained an impure or morally lax relationship; or have, in the immediate past, a lifestyle which does not represent Biblical purity. 7. We may not, as a church, marry a couple if this marriage is radically opposed by their family members and/or friends--unique circumstances are considered. (Each case is unique and is reviewed for special circumstances). 8. We will not, as a church, marry a couple if they do not satisfactorily complete the premarital course requirements.
Please understand the following restrictions:
• No weddings allowed on Sundays, Easter and Thanksgiving weekends. There are limited dates available for a December wedding • Only ECBC members in good standing, their immediate family member (child or grandchild) and those in the joining process may be married at ECBC
Couples are required to complete and sign the LIABILITY RELEASE WAIVER that outlines all property use regulations. Please see all regulations under PROPERTY USE REGULATIONS.
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USING THE FACILITIES
All decorations and decorative equipment must be furnished by the wedding party or the florist. Care must be taken to protect the church property against damage. The following must be observed: • Please no nails, tacks, staples, or tape may be used to attach decorations or equipment to the walls, woodwork, furniture or floors. • No childcare is allowed on our premises due to insurance regulations. The use of the nursery rooms is not allowed during weddings. Children are not allowed during setups, decorating or cleaning.If printed bulletins are desired, it is the couple’s responsibility to provide them. The office staff does not print • wedding bulletins. • ONLY DRIPLESS CANDLES MAY BE USED. Some non-flammable materials should be placed under the candles to protect the floor and woodwork. The florist or decorator shall be held responsible for cleaning of wax from the floor, furniture and woodwork or equipment, and shall be required to insure that the church premises are clean following the wedding. He/ She will also be required to pay for any damages to the church floors, furniture, woodwork, and equipment. • NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OF ANY KIND may be served or consumed on the church premises. Drinking of alcoholic beverages will not be tolerated at either the wedding or the rehearsal. • No smoking is permitted on the church property. • No rice is permitted on the church premises. Bird seed may be used only outside the buildings. Rice creates not only a cleaning problem, but also a safety hazard.
IT IS THE OBLIGATION OF THE BRIDE AND GROOM TO MAKE SURE ALL RULES ARE MADE KNOWN TO THE MEMBERS OF THE WEDDING PARTY, RELATIVES, FRIENDS, FLORISTS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, ETC.
PHOTOGRAPHY
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Our system for Discipline is simple. Students will need to adhere to the following class rules:
Photography may be taken with 1. Be kind to one another. (Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, as in Christ God certain limitations. Wejustrequire forgave you. Ephesians 4:32) these policies to maintain the 2. Respect God’s house and all that is in it. (Keep watch over yourselves andof all the flock the Holy Spirit has sacredness theof which ceremony: made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. Acts 20:28)
• There may be no flash photography during the
When a friend/teacher is speaking, be respectful. (A time to be silent, and a time to speak. Ecclesiastes 3:7)
actual ceremony.
• The wedding party may assemble again in the sanctuary after the wedding for further pictures. Pictures may be taken prior to the wedding. • The pastor must be consulted regarding any exceptions to these wedding picture policies. • A video may be taken from the rear of the sanctuary. A video may be taken also from the front of the sanctuary provided adequate foliage is provided, keeping the camera out of sight from the congregation.
He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD. Proverbs 18:22
FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS
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Our system for Discipline is simple. Students will need to adhere to the following class rules: 1. Be kind to one another. (Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32) 2. Respect God’s house and all that is in it. (Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. Acts 20:28)
Wedding floral arrangements can When a friend/teacher is speaking, be respectful. (A time be silent, and a time to speak. Ecclesiastes 3:7) be left intoplace for Sunday morning services if appropriate. An announcement in honor of your wedding will be placed in the worship bulletin,
coordinated by the Worship Ministry Associate. The removal of any and all decorations will be
coordinated with the facilities manager and your florist.
If you wish to leave your wedding floral
arrangement for Sunday morning, please notify the Worship Ministry Associate, so a floral
arrangement will not be made for that Sunday. The ECBC floral guild cannot provide floral arrangements for your wedding.
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AUDIO/VIDEO
We offer video recording onsite. The video media fees are in addition to the wedding fees. Please let the Wedding Coordinator know if you are interested in a video shoot. You will be responsible for providing payment directly to the person who shoots the video, as arranged for you by the Coordinator.
VIDEO PRICING: $350 for 1-camera shoot and $500 for a 2-camera shoot. (All weddings) Includes 1 or 2 high definition cameras with two operators in different angles. The raw footage tapes will be delivered to the wedding party after the wedding. DVD dubs will not be provided. It is the wedding party’s responsibility to have the tapes edited by a video company. We do not provide full wedding video services, however, you are welcome to hire your own wedding videographer.
MUSIC: Any instrumental or vocal music is the responsibility of the bride and groom. The wedding coordinator is available to assist with contact information for church musicians. Within the ECBC Worship Arts ministry, we have, (but are not limited to) the following musicians, available for weddings: Traditional Vocalists, Contemporary Vocalists, Guitar, Keyboard/Piano, Organ, Trumpet/Brass, Strings/Violin/Cello, and Flute.
Your audio specialist will be available for all sound support for musicians. You will arrange payment for musical services directly with the musicians. Please let the Wedding Coordinator know if you need assistance with musical selections and/or musicians and she will provide appropriate contact information.
FEES
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The fee for your wedding onsite at the East Cooper Baptist Church Sanctuary is $1000. The initial flat fee covers use of the facility for 5 hours. (divided to include rehearsal and wedding ceremony) Any additional time needed beyond the 5 hours is $100 per hour. The overtime hourly fee begins when the building is first accessed and ends when the building is vacated. The property must be vacated no later than 10:00p EST. The wedding fees directly support the staff members required to assist in your wedding. For a church the size of ECBC, it is imperative that knowledgeable staff be available for your wedding in order for the day of your union to be as stress-free as possible. The following is included in your fee:
WEDDING COORDINATOR
Is the liaison for all of your questions about getting married at ECBC; available for consultation for all aspects of your wedding onsite; coordinates your rehearsal the day before your wedding; directs all wedding activities for you on your wedding day. (we require that you use ECBC's designated wedding coordinator.)
Facilities/Janitorial
Onsite at rehearsal and wedding day. Assists in arranging equipment in sanctuary; provides cleanup before and after your wedding.
Audio Specialist
Onsite at rehearsal and wedding day. Provides all sounds support for sanctuary. Includes 1 hour for rehearsal and 1 hour for wedding. Additional charges will be billed if rehearsal goes long. ($125 per hour over - 1 hour minimum).
welcome center
The Welcome Center may be reserved for the reception only if the wedding ceremony is held at ECBC. The flat fee for use of the Welcome Center is $1000 for 2 hours maximum (does not include setup/breakdown time). The Kitchen, Gym, Gym restrooms, or any ECBC equipment (tables, chairs, or other items) are not included in the fee and are not available for use or rent. The same guidelines for the wedding venue apply to the Welcome Center. No alcohol, no live bannd, no full meals - finger food only.
Payment Schedule is as follows: (please pay online at eastcooperbaptist.com) • $200 deposit is due at the time you book your wedding/reserve your date. • $1000 balance, along with your liability/release form, is due no later than 2 weeks prior to your wedding date.
ECBC Members in good standing may apply for a reduction in fees through the Elder Administration Team if there is a financial hardship.
You must fill out the Wedding and Premarital Counseling Form under Weddings on the website in order to let us know the pastor of your choice. In addition to filling out the form, please contact the pastor directly for his availability.
Buster Brown
Craig Harris
Carl Schooling
Danny Beech
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Dave Bruner
Dean Henderson
Leland Brown
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Senior Pastor
Missions
Shepherding & Community
Worship Arts
Pastoral Care
Middle School
Young Adults
Matt Reagan
Campus Outreach
[email protected]
*Please note that if you would like Pastor Brown to perform your ceremony, you will contact his Executive Assistant, LeAnne Rowland ext. 2006 or
[email protected]. Steve Tuck
Van Barnhill
[email protected]
[email protected]
Children & Family
High School
PASTORS
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"Equipping people to pursue Jesus Christ passionately as they impact the culture."
East Cooper Baptist Church 361 Egypt Road Mount Pleasant, South Carolina 29464 843.856.3222
eastcooperbaptist.com/weddings
