Weddings at FBC

WE HAVE ENTERED INTO A BUILDING PROGRAM AND THE CHAPEL AND WORSHIP CENTER WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 650 DAYS AS OF AUGUST 1, 2011.  IF A MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO USE FELLOWSHIP HALL, PLEASE CALL 432.683.0604 FOR MORE INFORMATION. 

Congratulations on your engagement and approaching marriage! The marriage ceremony is one of the most sacred of all rituals of the church. It is both a celebration and a solemn rite in which two persons pledge themselves to each other under the blessings of God and are united by Him in holy wedlock.

It is the desire of this church, the pastor, and its staff to make every wedding a memorable, beautiful and meaningful event and to extend every possible courtesy to wedding parties. It is also our intent, however, to maintain the high standards associated with weddings at First Baptist Church. The policies listed here are designed to accomplish both of these purposes. They have proven to be appropriate and practical and are to be followed by all concerned.

All weddings must be scheduled through the Pastor’s office, 432.683-0604. Upon scheduling your wedding with the Pastor’s Ministry Assistant, you will receive afoldercontaining a wedding application, and other forms used by the church.The wedding form must be completed and the maintenance fee paid before the wedding is scheduled on the church calendar.

Not a FBC member?

First Baptist Church does allow non-members to use our facilities. Non-members may not schedule a wedding using our facilities more than 90 days prior to the wedding.

Wedding Rehearsal & Wedding Party

First Baptist Church is not responsible for personal items or money belonging to the wedding party, florist, photographer, caterer or wedding guests.Our ministers are frequently unable to attend wedding rehearsals or rehearsal dinners. The Wedding Coordinator is able to provide complete guidance for preparing your ceremony. The Wedding Coordinator will meet with the bride prior to the wedding, conduct the rehearsal and direct the wedding. Should you choose to employ a bridal consultant to help plan your wedding, that person will be expected to cooperate with the Wedding Coordinator and to abide by the policies of the church. It is extremely important that the exact time indicated for the rehearsal and wedding be observed. Care should be taken to have all members of the wedding party in their places at the time indicated. Each member of your wedding party is expected to conduct themselves with reverence and dignity while on church property. These facilities are dedicated to the Lord. ALCOHOL, DRUG USE OR SMOKING IN ANY FBC BUILDING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Since the FBC facilities are dedicated to the worship of God, we require that any dancing be limited to off-campus locations.

Wedding Music Guidelines

The wedding service is a religious service and the choice of music should be in keeping with the worship and dignity of the occasion. All music selected for the wedding requires approval by the Minister of Music office at 432.683.0618 prior to the wedding. This includes soloist and other musicians performing at the wedding or the reception.

Wedding Program

Please submit your program for approval at least one week before printing. The officiating minister must approve the wedding ceremony program. If the officiating minister is not on staff at First Baptist Church, the pastor of FBC will make the approval.

Worship Center/Chapel

You will be able to access theWorship Center/Chapel and any room you have reserved for your reception on the day of the event as early as 8:00 am YOU MAY NOT DECORATE THE DAY BEFORE. You may bring in any stationary objects, such as arches, podiums, etc., (not fresh flowers) on the day of the rehearsal to decorate for your wedding. The air conditioning will be turned on two hours before the rehearsal is scheduled to begin.

Bride's Room

The bride’s room is available for the bride and her attendants 2 ½ hours before the wedding. NO food or beverages are permitted in the bride’s room, with the exception of water. The security of personal belongings left behind in rooms during the ceremony is the responsibility of the wedding party.

Premarital Counseling

Premarital counseling is a requirementfor all couples who get married atFirst Baptist Church and is handled through the counseling office at 432.683.0645. The fee for premarital counseling is approximately $60.

Food & Decorations at your FBC Wedding

Reception:

1.No smoking or alcohol on the church premises.
2.No confetti, birdseed, or rice may be thrown on the church premises.
3.First Baptist Church is not responsible for any gifts brought to the wedding or reception.

Decorations:

The florist is responsible for the placement and removal of all decorations without interfering with other scheduled church programs. When weddings are conducted on a Saturday evening, all decorations must be removed from the building IMMEDIATELY following the ceremony in order to prevent any interference with Sunday services. First Baptist Church is not responsible for decorations that are left in the chapel or worship center.

No tacks, nails, or staples are permitted on pews, furniture or walls. If candles are used, they must be in candelabras or containers that catch all drippings. The floor or carpet beneath the candles must be covered with plastic.

Flowers and bows may be used on the ends of the pews under the above terms. If damage occurs, the florist is accountable. It is therefore important that the florist be aware of our guidelines for decorating. These conditions also apply when the family does the decorating.

Sound & Lighting

The Media Ministry is responsible for all sound and lighting requirements. Sound and ambient lighting are provided in the fee listed in the wedding folder. All weddings require a sound operator from the Media Ministry. We reserve the right to approve music soundtracks. Your wedding sound operator will attend the rehearsal andwill also work with you if you or your musicians have questions about the sound or lighting for your wedding.

Reception Hostess

If you have chosen to have a reception at First Baptist Church,it is your responsibility to contact the Church Hostess as soon as your wedding is booked on the church calendar.This Church Hostess is a representative of the church and will be at your reception to make sure the church policies are followed and to oversee your event. You are responsible for providing the people to help serve food, punch,and cake. The Reception Hostess will be available to answer any questions you may have in planning and executing your reception. Please contact her as soon as possible to discuss the plans for your reception at 432.683.0637.you must be out of the parlor or fellowship hall no later than 8:00 pm on Saturday evening.

Reception Hostess Duties
      • Makes sure the wedding party is in the appropriate place at the appropriate time
      • Oversees the use of any church equipment
      • Watches the clock to make sure the event is over in time.
      •  Due to necessary cleanup, the reception area will need to be cleared by 8:00 pm on Saturday evenings.
Reception Hostess is NOT responsible for:
      • Decorating for the reception
      • Serving cake
      • Pouring punch or coffee

Photography & Videography

We appreciate the importance of preserving the memory of a wedding ceremony and are grateful for the cooperation of excellent photographers and videographers. To ensure clear communication between the bride, church and photographer or videographer, First Baptist Church has implemented the following policies to enable the wedding party to have pictures made without disrupting the ceremony or the reception. All photographers and videographers must sign the permit forms (available in the bridal packet) as acknowledgement of reading and agreeing to abide by the policies listed on the form. We request that no supplementary lighting (flash, etc.) be used during the ceremony. Flash photographs may be taken as the wedding party enters and exits from the ceremony, provided these do not detract from the dignity of the service.

Reminder
Photos and video should be as inconspicuous as possible during the ceremony. That includes:
      • No movement during the ceremony
      • Appropriate attire
      • No audible communication during the ceremony

Funerals at FBC

The death of a loved one is an emotionally stressful and physically draining experience. The family of faith at FBC is committed to helping you through this difficult time in any and every way possible.

If you would like one of our ministers to officiate the service simply let the funeral home know that and they will contact our church office and make the appropriate calls. Our ministers will sit down with you and plan a service that is meaningful to you and that honors your loved one. Your service can be held at the funeral home’s chapel or in our church.

We are able to provide soloists and accompanists for the service as well as planning hymns of faith that will aid in worship and encourage hurting hearts. CD tracks and DVD slide shows are able to be played if given to the media office 24 hours ahead of time.

We have a chapel for smaller services (approximately 125 or less) and the worship center for larger numbers.

We also would be happy to plan a meal for the immediate family on the day of the service, or to coordinate a reception following the service for all those who have attended so that they can express their love and support for the family members.

Follow up

We have a counseling ministry that is available for one-on-one counseling as well as grief support group meetings called Grief Share. You may contact our counseling office at 432.683.0645 for more information. This is offered at no cost to you.