Consultation

Before you make this commitment, it is helpful to discuss this significant transition in your lives and in your relationship. Meeting on at least two occasions with our minister is a requirement for all couples planning to have a ceremony in our churches officiated by our minister. The first meeting will give you an opportunity to reflect upon your relationship to date, and upon your hopes and dreams for the future. The second meeting will involve a step-by-step review of the ceremony. At any time during these meetings you or the minister can decide that it is not appropriate to go forward. If you do not live in our area, we expect that you will meet with a counselor or minister where you live. We request that a letter confirming your readiness for this important step will be sent by that person to our minister.

License

The marriage license must be given to the minister as soon as it is available and definitely before the rehearsal takes place, in addition to the names and addresses of two witnesses.

Music and Musicians

Selections of music for your wedding – hymns, solos, instrumentals – should be appropriate for a spiritual, Christian service of worship. Our minister should be informed of your selections. It is your responsibility to contact the church organist or other musicians and to confirm selections with them.

Participants in the Ceremony

As you discuss the ceremony with our minister, you will discover that there are opportunities for friends or family members to be involved, for example, through lighting candles or reading scripture. The participation of another licensed clergy-person, who may be a member of your family or close friend, is also a possibility. This is arranged in consultation with our minister, who we require to be the presiding minister at the ceremony.

Rehearsal

Unless you are planning a ceremony that involves very few people, a rehearsal is very important. Typically, this should be arranged with our minister to take place on the Thursday before a Saturday wedding. If at all possible, ALL those involved in the ceremony – attendants, musicians, videographer/photographer, readers – should attend. Rehearsals usually last about 45 minutes. It may be convenient to place your decorations/pew markers in the church at that time.

Consideration for the Sanctuary

The church building is the spiritual home for a worshiping congregation. Treat the sanctuary the way you would treat a friend's home. Please don't use tape or glue to place pew markers or decorations – ties or elastic loops work best. Please don't remove furnishings, hymnbooks or wall hangings. Please ask your musicians to leave the organ settings the way they found them. Please ensure that you have designated someone to remove from the church any items, such as floral arrangements or your personal belongings, immediately following the ceremony.

Information for Invitations and Service Programs

The civic addresses for the churches are:
Covenanter Church                      1989 Grand Pre Road, Grand Pre
Greenwich United Church             10032 Highway #1, Greenwich
St. Andrew's United Church          329 Main Street, Wolfville

Please remind your guests in your invitation that all of the churches are scent-free places of worship and they should refrain from wearing perfumed products.

Please remind your guests in your service programs that they should not use confetti or rice or have bubble mixture inside or near the entrances to the buildings. Also, flash photography should not be used as your ceremony is a service of worship. Pictures may be taken during the recessional, and during the signing of the church register. A video camera, mounted on a stationary tripod, may be used.

No washroom facilities are available at the Covenanter Church.
No phone services are available at the Covenanter or Greenwich churches.

The Big Day

Your ushers should be present at the church at least 45 minutes before the wedding, in order to welcome your guests. The wedding party should arrive at least 15 minutes beforehand. During the ceremony, the couple and two witnesses of legal age are required to sign legal documents. In accordance with provincial law, these people must not consume alcohol before the service.

Fees and Honoraria

Our church buildings and staff are available to any couple who desire to be married within a Christian context and are willing to meet the requirements stated in this policy. Use of the buildings involves regular maintenance and cleaning, heating, and lighting. The staff offer time and talent to ensure that your ceremony will be a meaningful, enjoyable event.

1. There is no fee for the use of the Greenwich and St. Andrew's church buildings requested from couples where one or both partners are active, contributing members of the pastoral charge, OR who have family members, such as parents, who are actively supporting the pastoral charge.

2. For use of the Covenanter building, a $100 donation is requested of couples/families who are associated with or actively supportive of the pastoral charge.

3. A $250 non-refundable fee is requested of couples not associated with the pastoral charge for services offered within any of the three church buildings or at an off-site venue.
For weddings scheduled at the Covenanter during the winter months between November 1 and April 30, a non-refundable fee of $300.00 is needed.

4. Honoraria for all couples:
Custodian $100
Organist $150
Minister $250