Planning Your Wedding At Holy Cross
Congratulations! We wish you God's richest blessings as you make plans to begin your married lives with a wedding at Holy Cross! This information will assist you in your planning, by detailing policies, listing expectations and offering suggestions for you to consider. If you have any questions along the way, please do not hesitate calling the church office at 362-1947 for answers.
For a printable version or the wedding brochure, click here.
Roadmap to your wedding day
You will be required to have a wedding coordinator, sound technician and custodian at your wedding and our clergy will preside.
Church Administrator
Check with the Church Administrator for a wedding date/time and rehearsal date/time. Saturday weddings cannot begin after 3:00 P.M. Rehearsals are the night before at 5:00 P.M.
Reservation/Class Fee
A fee of $50.00 is required before the sanctuary will be reserved for your rehearsal and wedding date and to cover the premarriage class. Following your booking, a wedding coordinator will be in touch with you.
Wedding Coordinator
The Wedding Coordinator is a member of Holy Cross who serves as a building hostess and wedding consultant. The coordinator will meet with you to review policies and procedures to clarify building use, decorations, soloists, organists, sound tech, etc.
Sound Technician
The Sound Technician is a specially trained technician who will be present during the rehearsal and ceremony. They are responsible for working with the musician(s) to ensure that the best possible sound is achieved throughout the service.
Pre-Marriage Workshop
Make plans to attend the pre-marriage workshop "Life's Journey Together - You, Me and God." Attending the workshop is required of you and your fiancé in order to be married at Holy Cross. Life's Journey classes are offered Saturday mornings from January through May.
Appointment
A month or two before the wedding set an appointment with the presiding Pastor to finalize the wedding service, scripture and music.
Marriage License
Bring your marriage license to the Church Administrator one week prior to the wedding. All applicable fees will be paid one month prior to your wedding to the Church Administrator. The coordinator will provide you with a "checklist" of the prearranged payments and you may make one check to "cash" with that sheet attached for disbursement.
General Guidelines
Pre-Marriage Workshop
"Life's Journey Together - You, Me and God" is a pre-marriage workshop offered at Holy Cross that is required of all couples. Through a variety of presentations, couples will explore on their own and with other participants the following topics that impact a healthy marriage: Communication, Conflict Resolution, Families of Origin - role relationships, Sexuality and Spirituality. The worship will also provide a wonderful opportunity to meet other couples embarking on the same journey.
Your wedding is a worship service.
Your wedding is a worship service. Therefore your choice of music should reflect the reverence of this occasion. Please consider classical, traditional church music, or contemporary Christian songs as appropriate music for your wedding day. If you have music that doesn't fit into the above categories, please speak with the pastor before making final arrangements.
Scripture
Scripture suggestions for your wedding service are available with your packet of wedding information. The presiding pastor will gladly help in choosing scripture if you're having difficulty deciding.
Oranists and Soloists
A list of organists and soloists from Holy Cross are available upon request. Musicians who are not from Holy Cross are welcome to participate in your wedding. These individuals must speak with the Wedding Coordinator prior to your wedding regarding the use of church instruments. Musicians and soloists are expected to attend the rehearsal to do a sound check and make final arrangements.
Alcohol and Smoking
Consumption of alcohol or use of illicit drugs is prohibited anywhere on Holy Cross property. Smoking is limited to areas outside the church building where smoking urns have been provided for your convenience.
Custodian
The Holy Cross custodian as guided by the Wedding Coordinator is responsible for making changes to the narthex and sanctuary furniture. Do not take it upon yourself to move any Holy Cross furnishings. The custodian will handle any agreed upon rearranging of furnishings both before and after your wedding.
Furniture
Sanctuary furniture and paraments will remain in place during the service. The Sanctuary seats approximately 400.
Decorating
Decorating the sanctuary is certainly expected. Please communicate with the Wedding Coordinator throughout the process so as to receive appropriate guidance and direction. Holy Cross does not own a candelabra, aisle runners, unity candles, etc. Items such as these must be removed from the church immediately following your wedding. It is highly suggested that before the day of your wedding, you designate a person(s) with this responsibility.
Dressing for the wedding
The Bride is assigned the Music Room for dressing and wedding preparation. The Groom's assigned dressing room is the Fireside Room. Because the rooms do not lock, valuables must not be left unattended. Please respect the privacy of any rooms not assigned to you. On the day of your rehearsal and wedding, it is expected that young children will receive proper attention and guidance regarding the sacredness of the building and the reverent nature of the Wedding ceremony.
Refreshments
If you plan to offer refreshments to your family and wedding party at any time prior to the time of your wedding, please serve and consume all food and drink items in the church kitchen.
Photos and Video
It is requested that the photographer abstain from using flash photography during the actual ceremony. Video taping throughout the ceremony is condoned, but appropriate discretion befitting the nature of the service is expected.
Receptions
Receptions may be held at Holy Cross in Fellowship Hall. The Fellowship Hall comfortably seats approximately 175 people. Additional payments and compensation are assessed for building use and services rendered by the custodian and wedding coordinator. Holy Cross doesn't regularly provide kitchen and dining room help for receptions. However, the Holy Cross Women of the ELCA may be available to offer their assistance. Their fee schedule is listed with the other fees.
Sending
Any type of seed or rice or releasing balloons when the couple is leaving the church is prohibited. You may use bubbles or bells during this time.
As you go on your way, may Christ go with you. May he go before you to show you the way, may he go behind you to encourage you beside you to befriend you, above you to watch over you within you to give you peace!