Weddings At MPC

PASTOR

William L. Borror, Senior Pastor

CHURCH ADMINISTRATOR

ORGANIST

Alma Zensen
610-872-6745

WEDDING COORDINATOR

Cathie Hicks
610-892-8822

FEES

Fees are to be delivered to the church office one month prior to ceremony. Fees are established based on whether the Bride and/or Groom are members of MPC. Please make your check payable to “Media Presbyterian Church” and circle the related fees below.

Service	Members	Non-Members
Use of Sanctuary		$250
Damage Deposit (refundable)	$125	$125
Sexton Services	$90	Included Above
Coordinator	$60	Included Above
Use of Dale Hall
Rehearsal Dinner	$60	$75
Reception	$75	$150
Organist	$150	$150
Sound System		$25
Candles	$30	$30
Pastoral Services		At Couples Discretion  - Normally $250-$350
Soloist	Negotiable	Negotiable

A CHRISTIAN WEDDING

We are delighted that you wish to use the facilities of this church for your wedding, and we pray for God’s richest blessings upon your marriage. While a church wedding embraces certain privileges, it also involves several practical considerations.

PLANNING

Call the church office to check your preferred date on the church calendar. The date will not be confirmed until you have consulted with the presiding Pastor. Once your date is set, details can be arranged through the office and wedding coordinator.

PASTOR

It is expected that a minister of this church will preside at your wedding. Requests for other arrangements must be made of the Pastor, who may extend an invitation to another clergy participant. As the wedding ceremony is primarily a service of Christian worship, a Pastor of this church shall make the final decision as to how the service is conducted. If you wish to include the Pastor in the rehearsal dinner and/or the wedding reception, please communicate the invitation/s clearly, well in advance. Please understand that other commitments or family responsibilities may preclude the Pastor’s attendance.

PRE--MARITAL COUNSELING

Much of the typical planning and preparation for a wedding is far too limited in scope - preparing only for the ceremony, rather than for the marriage. Through pre-marital counseling, our Pastors help you prepare for a new life together. Each Pastor of this church has developed and established his or her own approach to pre-marital counseling. That approach and the related materials will be outlined in the initial interview. These sessions are designed to deal with important issues of Christian marriage, as well as planning the service itself.

THE WEDDING PARTY

Your wedding is a time for sacred commitment to God and to one another. Your wedding deserves a dignified and thoughtful atmosphere for the exchange of your solemn vows. Please keep in mind that children under a certain age are extremely unpredictable. Alternate plans, should a young child not wish to participate at the last minute, must be in place.

MUSIC

The music you choose for your wedding plays an important part in setting the tone of the worship service. Care should be taken to select music appropriate both to the circumstances and the church setting.

ORGANIST

Our Church Organist, Alma Zensen, can offer valuable suggestions on music selections. If you wish to have organ accompaniment, please consult with the Wedding Coordinator regarding her availability. Organists, other than MPC’s, must be approved by Alma Zensen. Soloists are expected to provide an original copy (not a photocopy) of their music to the organist.

SETTING

Hassler Chapel provides a warm, intimate setting for a service involving up to 85 guests. An electronic keyboard and piano are available. The Sanctuary, with its 60-foot aisle, can accommodate over 300 guests. The pipe organ is played in the rear loft, and a grand piano is located at the front.

BRIDE’S ROOM

A dressing area for the Bride and her attendants will be provided in the Parlor, located in the rear of the Sanctuary. A full-length mirror and a powder room are available.

FLOWERS

The Bride and Groom are responsible for making all arrangements with the florist for bouquets, decorations and aisle runner, if desired. We do have a set of topiaries that can be used in the Sanctuary’s windowsills. Floral arrangements should be completed and in place one hour before the service begins. If you wish to leave flowers for distribution to hospitalized or housebound church members, please advise the office in advance.

CANDLES

Available for your use are two, brass 7–candle floor candelabras requiring 14 10-inch, dripless candles. Also available are five brass candleholders with glass hurricanes for the aisle windowsills, using five 10-inch dripless candles. These candles are supplied by the church at a cost of $30. All other candles used in the service are to be supplied by the couple. They should be brought to the rehearsal to allow the Sexton time for installation.

REHEARSAL

All members of the wedding party are to be present at the rehearsal: maid or matron of honor, bridesmaids, best man, ushers, ring bearer, flower girl/s, parents of the couple, and, of course, the Bride and Groom. It is not only a mark of courtesy, but essential that every member of the wedding party be punctual. The marriage license should be presented at this time. Please bring a copy of your wedding program and your unity candle (if you plan to have one).

RULES OF CONDUCT

Smoking is not allowed inside the church building. The use of rice, confetti or birdseed is prohibited. Bubbles or rose petals are acceptable outside the church building, only after the bridal couple has begun to descend the church steps. Children must be supervised by their parents at all times for their own safety. It is the responsibility of the Bride and Groom to ensure that all members of the wedding party and guests abide by these rules.

PHOTOGRAPHS AND TAPIING

Flash pictures may not be taken during the service, from the entry of the Bride until the couple recess down the aisle. If there is a printed bulletin for the service, we suggest noting that your guests are respectfully requested to refrain from flash photography during the service. Time exposures from the balcony are permitted. Some couples wish to have the service videotaped.
This is permissible provided that:

1. Auxiliary lighting is not required
2. The camera is located in the balcony or at the back of the center or side aisles behind seated guests.

Cameras (video or still) will not be allowed in the chancel during the service. Audio CDs of the service will be provided by MPC.

WEDDIING COORDIINATOR

The Wedding Coordinator will be your PRIMARY contact once your wedding application has been received. She is a great source of information regarding your rehearsal and ceremony. She will also be present at the rehearsal and ceremony, assisting the bridal party and pastor in order to make sure that everything runs smoothly. We understand that many couples choose to use a wedding coordinator of their own; however, only MPC’s coordinator will be permitted to organize the ceremony itself.

FINALLY......

Should you desire to extend a general invitation to the church membership, an invitation should be sent to the church in care of the Session. MPC will not be responsible for belongings left behind after the ceremony. Please appoint a responsible party to gather any items that you wish to keep. We are here to help you as much as possible during the time you are preparing for this special event in your lives. Please feel free to contact the church staff with questions or if you wish to see our facility. Together we wish you God’s best as you begin your Christian marriage.