Wedding Guidelines
A wedding at Living Hope Church is designed as a worship celebration uniting a man and a woman who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and are committed to living in accordance with Scriptural principles.
In an effort to give clear direction to prospective bridal couples who seek to be married under the guidance and authority of Living Hope Church, the policies and guidelines below are set forth.
Biblical Foundation for Marriage:
- Marriage is a Holy Covenant [Malachi 2:14 -15]
- Marriage is the covenant act of a man and a woman uniting together as husband and wife [Genesis 1:27; 2:22-25], which pictures the oneness of Christ with His church [Ephesians 5:31-32]
- Marriage is for life [ Matthew 19:6]
Marriage Policy Requirements:
Note: The following are the church policies and minimum guidelines for getting married at Living Hope Church. If you’re interested in getting married at Living Hope, please give us a call.
- All weddings must be approved by an elder as well as the Wedding Coordinator.
- All couples who plan to be married at Living Hope or by a Living Hope Pastor must complete Christian Pre-marital Counseling approved by the Living Hope Church.
- We highly recommend that you read and agree to the principles for a Christian wedding set forth in the pamphlet “The Christian Wedding in a Changing World.”
- If either party has been divorced, at least one year since the divorce was final must have passed before Living Hope gives consideration for remarriage of the couple. Biblical grounds must be shown for any divorce that has taken place in the past if it was after your salvation in Christ.
- Unless there is a prior agreement, a Living Hope Pastor will officiate/participate at all weddings at Living Hope.
- Any outside pastor who is to be involved in a wedding ceremony must be in agreement with the Living Hope Church wedding policy and must have the permission of the Living Hope elder council.
General Guidelines:
Note: No wedding will be confirmed until availability of the Living Hope facilities are determined by the deacons and wedding coordinator. This process could take up to 10 business days.
- We advise you to enter our marriage preparation process as soon as you are thinking seriously of being married or well before your preferred wedding date. Six months to one year advanced notice is highly recommended due to heavy bookings of our facility.
- All couples requesting a wedding at Living Hope will complete a Wedding Application Form.
- Living Hope Church members and regular attendees will have first priority to use the facilities.
- A Wedding Coordinator will be involved in all weddings, except those that are simple “stand up” ceremonies, involving only the minister, bride, groom, and witness. These requests will be determined by the pastors and elders.
- Music will be reviewed and approved by the Wedding Coordinator.
Modesty Guidelines:
In our determination to make these things unmistakably clear in the context of a society that has lost its conscience concerning modesty, we believe we must be very explicit in identifying the kind of dress we consider entirely inappropriate. Such explicit (and primarily negative) directives may not have been necessary to previous generations of professing Christians. However, grievous experience has convinced us that they are absolutely necessary today. They are as follows:
- No strapless gowns or dresses.
- No spaghetti strap gowns or dresses.
- No bared backs below the normal bra line.
- No visible cleavage; the breasts must be covered at least two or three inches above the beginning of any cleavage.
- Sleeveless dresses must have snug armholes.
- No dresses cut above the bottom of the knee (that is, while sitting).
- No slits that bare the thighs; slits must not come above the bottom of th
Building Use Guidelines:
- Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the building or within 25 feet of any church entrance. If guests want to smoke outside, we ask that they dispose of their cigarettes in their car ashtrays.
- Alcoholic beverages are not permitted on the premises. Use of alcoholic beverages could result in a fine and cancellation of your reception.
- No confetti or glitter on tables at receptions.
- For safety reasons, rice, birdseed, flower petals, etc. are not to be used anywhere on the premises. No bubbles or silly string are allowed inside the building.
- Asparagus ferns, messy greenery, or dried materials are not permitted to be used on the church chairs or stage area.
- Photographers and florists are asked to do their work within the time constraints set by the church and the Wedding Coordinator.
- The bridal party will dress in an available dressing room (normally the Beginners Room in the educational wing). The location depends on function(s) taking place in our facility. These rooms will be restored to their functional use after the wedding.
- The groom’s party will dress in the basement classrooms or in another designated area. These rooms will be restored to their functional use after the wedding.
- Living Hope Church will not be responsible for valuables left during your wedding and/or reception. Clothes, purses, billfolds, etc. are your personal responsibility and should be removed from the building and locked up in your cars.
- Any damages to church property should be reported to the officiating pastor.
Note: Living Hope Pastoral staff reserve the right to decline officiating a wedding if the bridal couples do not agree with the Living Hope Church wedding policy requirements and guidelines.
Please see our Fee Schedule below for use of the church facilities / Wedding Coordinator, etc.