Congratulations on your engagement! The following information outlines the process and key details for weddings at Good Shepherd. We hope to have the opportunity to be part of your special day.

Process

1. Please complete the online Wedding Request Form to officially request Good Shepherd for your wedding.
2. You will receive notification of whether or not your wedding is approved within 2-3 weeks of your submission of the form.
3. Once the wedding is approved, a $200 deposit is required to secure your wedding date. The deposit is refundable up to 30 days prior to your wedding date.

Wedding Fees

Good Shepherd Church Members: $1000

Fees include:

• Facility Use and Sanitation— Rehearsal and Wedding (Sanctuary, Bride’s Room and Groom’s Room)
• Pastor
• Wedding Coordinator
• Musician (Piano or Organ)
• Sound Tech

Timing of Payments: Deposit is due upon wedding approval to secure the date on the church calendar. The balance of the fees is due 2 weeks prior to the wedding date. Please make checks payable to Good Shepherd Church; mail or bring to the church office Monday through Friday, between 8:30am and 5:00pm.

Post Approval

• Confirm Pastor. Your Pastor may be approved at the time your wedding date is approved, or your Pastor may be assigned at a later time. Either way, you will need to reach-out to your Pastor to schedule pre-marital counseling in advance of your wedding. Typically, the Good Shepherd Pastor will meet with the bride and groom 2-3 times prior to the wedding date.

• Confirm Musician. You will need to confirm one of the Good Shepherd musicians for your wedding date. This can be done at any time once your wedding is approved. We recommend that you reach-out to one of the Good Shepherd musicians at least 6 months in advance of your wedding to secure the date on the musician’s calendar. The musician will likely want to meet with you closer to the actual wedding date to discuss specific musical selections.
• Wedding Coordinator. A Good Shepherd Wedding Coordinator will be assigned to your wedding approximately 3 months prior to your wedding. Once assigned, they will contact you to confirm next steps. You should expect to have a “wedding consultation” at Good Shepherd with your Coordinator to review the details for your wedding approximately 3-6 weeks in advance of your wedding date. Additionally, the Coordinator will be onsite to facilitate your rehearsal and wedding.

Church Availability

Time slots for weddings are booked on a first come/first served basis. Additionally, approval is based on church availability.

The sanctuary will be available for a total of 3 hours on your wedding day, starting 1 ½ hours prior to your ceremony. For example, if you have a 2:00pm ceremony, the church will be open and available from 12:30 – 3:30pm.

Friday Night Weddings

• Friday weddings are scheduled within a three-hour time slot—generally 5:00 – 8:00pm.
• Rehearsals for Friday weddings will be scheduled on Thursday evening—generally at 5:00pm.

Saturday Weddings

• Saturday weddings will generally be scheduled at either 2:00 or 3:00pm.
• Rehearsals for Saturday weddings will generally be scheduled on Friday evening at either 5:00 or 6:00pm.

Sunday Weddings

• Sunday weddings will generally be scheduled at either 2:00 or 3:00pm.
• Rehearsals for Sunday weddings will generally be scheduled on Saturday evening at either 5:00 or 6:00pm.

Facility Guidelines

As a general rule, please remember that Good Shepherd is a house of worship, so treat the Sanctuary and facilities with respect and reverence.

General Guidelines

• Good Shepherd is a smoke-free facility.
• No alcoholic beverages are allowed in the church facility or in the parking lot. Consumption of alcoholic beverages prior to the rehearsal or wedding ceremony is strongly discouraged.
• No food or beverages are allowed in the sanctuary.
• Arrange for the care of small children and please instruct older children on proper behavior.

Wedding Guidelines

• Encourage every member of the wedding party (ushers, readers, parents and grandparents) to attend the rehearsal.
• Notify the Wedding Coordinator if you need rehearsal arrangements for outside soloists or musical ensembles.
• If you choose to have a Unity Candle or other “unity option”, you will need to provide the items.
• If you choose to have flowers, programs, aisle runner, signs or other decorations, you will need to provide those items.
• If you choose to have bubbles, bells, or rose petals you will need to provide those items. Note that rice, confetti, birdseed and balloons are not permitted.