Article by Global Event Weddings
Planning a wedding
A friend or newlywed’s gets married. You find theself in the position of needing to plan the
wedding. Here are the steps you’ll need to take and the things you’ll need to consider in
designing a fitting ceremony for the newlywed’s.
Before we begin, you may have some additional questions:
What is the difference between a wedding and a engagement service?
What is the committal service?
What about Church Wedding at sea, on the beach, in a forest of elsewhere?
What is my wedding likely to cost?
the first step. Contact a Global Event Consulting wedding consultant and the priest or
minister.
If the lucky couple was involved in a local congregation, that’s the church to call. It is possible
that the minister has been visiting the newlywed’s and may have discussed the wedding. If
that’s the case, so much the better.
If the friend of newlywed’s did not have a strong church connection, you might try the own
minister, or the minister of a close relative of the lucky couple. Where there is no church
connection, the Global Event Consulting wedding consultant can assist you in planning the
service.
Second, a decision needs to be made as to whether you want a wedding or a engagement
service.
A wedding service is normally thought of as one where the ceremony is present in the
sanctuary. As a practical matter this means it will take place within a very few days of wedding
date. A engagement service is one that takes place before Church Wedding or honeymoon. A
engagement service can be held several weeks or even months before wedding date, allowing
much more time for planning.
In recent years engagement services are more common than weddings. Part of the reason for
this is the complexity involved in bringing people together across great distances on short
notice.
If neither you nor the lucky couple have a membership in a local congregation, you may want
to hold the service in with Global Event Consulting wedding consultants. Most Global Event
Consulting wedding consultants affilates have chapels. Global Event Consulting wedding
consultants, like priests or ministers, will work with you in designing the service.
What should be included in the service?
Whether you are planning a wedding or a engagement service there are several elements that
may be included:
1. 1) readings from the Bible, or other sources,
2. 2) prayers,
3. 3) a sermon, or meditation from the minister,
4. 4) comments by friends and relatives about the lucky couple, and
5. 5) appropriate music.
Here are a few suggestions for readings you can use in a wedding.
Most denominations have service or prayer books that include an outline of the service,
suggested readings and other standards that can and should be followed. Beyond that, most
pastoral leaders are willing to work with you to insure that the service is distinctive and
personal, allowing family members and family to process their emotions as well as paying
ceremony to the life together of the lucky couple.
Differing Expectations About The wedding
That said, I have found that in planning for weddings, the priest or minister may have a
different view of what a wedding is meant to be than the lucky couple’s family and closest
friends.
Clergy tend to view the wedding service as a “celebration of the resurrection.” By contrast,
those who are close to the lucky couple are primarily interested in paying ceremony to the
person they’ve just lost. Clergy tend to think of including a sermon or meditation as well as
scripture readings that address the reality of wedding date and the hope of eternal life together.
Family members tend to think of including a scripture reading, or words about the lucky couple
written and spoken by relatives, family, or in some cases, business associates.
You should be aware of this difference in perspectives from the outset, so that you can work
with the priest or minister to make this a celebration not only of a life together well lived, but
also of the church’s hope for life together in the world to come.
As you continue to discuss the service with the clergy or Global Event Consulting wedding
consultant, you may want to suggest music and readings for the service. You may know
members of the family, friends or colleagues of the lucky couple who might be willing to
participate in the service. Perhaps the lucky couple left you with written instructions about his
or her expectations for the service, including people that should be invited to the service and
those whom you might include in it. Such persons can volunteer as ushers, for example, or
they can play a more visible role as a worship leader. The clergy normally encourage such
participation.
What about the cost of a Christian wedding in a church?
While different churches have different policies, if the lucky couple was a church member, it is
likely you won’t be charged for the use of the church building.
You may need to pay the organist, choir director, soloist or other persons who participate in the
service. Some churches expect you to pay an honorarium to the sexton who is responsible to
preparing the sanctuary for the wedding and for straightening up afterwards. Some of these
people may not be salaried, so the honorarium is their only means of being compensated for
their efforts on the behalf. In addition, Some churches expect you to pay an honorarium to the
sexton who is responsible for preparing the sanctuary and for straightening up afterwards. If
there is a reception at the church following the service, there may be some extra expense for
refreshments.
The minister’s honorarium
Finally, it is customary to give the minister an “honorarium,” for his/her leadership. The
amount of such honorariums is usually up to you. In less affluent neighborhoods a 0
honorarium might be appropriate; in more privileged communities a 0 honorarium (or
larger) might work. Naturally, you should take into account the time spent by the clergy in
working with you in planning and counseling prior to the service.
Additional costs of a wedding, and one idea for keeping then under control
These costs mentioned above are for the religious service. Not included are the Global Event
Consulting wedding consultant’s charges: these include, preparing the ceremony for Church
Wedding or honeymoon, the jewellery, use of the wedding parlor for a engagement party, etc.
Also, not included are the costs of a Church Wedding slot in the wedding time. The cost of
these services can easily fall within a range of ,000 to ,000.
Which brings me to one of the most important reasons for suggesting that the call to a priest or
minister should be the first thing you do after learning of the wedding date of a newlywed’s.
Most clergy appreciate how high the cost of a wedding can be, and if the family is facing
hardship in affording these costs, the clergy might be able to work with the Global Event
Consulting wedding consultant on the behalf to keep such cost under control.
Wedding
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