Planning your Wedding at Olmsted Community Church   by RonDauphin

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Resources to assist your planning

Your wedding should be personalized to reflect your love as a couple.  Olmsted Community Church is pleased to share in this ministry of your special day.  There are many resources posted here to help you plan your wedding.  Our pastor will provide specific help in planning this celebration of God's love and your commitment to one another.  We hope you find this guide helpful.  Let us know if you need additional resources.

Your Wedding at Olmsted Community Church 

A little about our church and our wedding ministry

Olmsted Community Church has a special ministry in helping couples celebrate their love and commitment in a beautiful and worshipful setting. We encourage you to celebrate your wedding in a church where you worship regularly and where you plan to locate yourselves as your spiritual community of faith. Many wedding couples consider our church an excellent place to learn about God and grow in faith. No matter where you are in life's journey, you are welcome here.

Our regular services are held on Sundays at 10AM in the Sanctuary. We also have a Saturday service at 5PM in the Chapel. You're welcome to join us for worship anytime. And our minister is available for pastoral care before and after your wedding.

Olmsted Community Church is affiliated with the United Church of Christ in covenanted mission activities of Jesus Christ in the world.

FIRST STEPS IN PLANNING 

Here's what to do...

  1. Contact Kimberlee in the church office when you have a date in mind. You may want to have several dates to check out. The church's phone number is 440-235-3326, or you can email us at occ (at) olmstedcommunitychurch (dot) org.
  2. Make a deposit to reserve the date. A $100 non-refundable deposit is due at the date of booking. See the entire list of costs below.
  3. Arrange for visits with our pastor. The pastor presides over all weddings at Olmsted Community Church. Once your selected date is approved, the pastor will then schedule meetings with you for the required pre-marital counseling. Call for an appointment no later than 2 months before your wedding date.

OUR FACILITIES 

to help you visualize the worship and fellowship space

Olmsted Community Church has a 350-seat sanctuary and a 50-seat chapel to accommodate your wedding, plus a Fellowship Hall for receptions or other gatherings which seats up to 200.

All facilities are handicapped accessible by ramps and/or elevator.

The church facilities are not air-conditioned.

OCC campus by Crawfishpie

Olmsted Community Church, Olmsted Falls, Ohio

The Welcoming Doors by Crawfishpie

Olmsted Community Church, parking lot entry

sanctuary from entrance by Crawfishpie

Sanctuary

sanctuary tall by Crawfishpie

Sanctuary view from balcony

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YOUR CEREMONY 

and how to personalize it

  1. The vows you take are the focus of the wedding service at Olmsted Community Church. They contain the promises that you make for a lifetime, and need to reflect the sacredness of the moment. Our pastor will review the vows with you at a pre-wedding counseling session. The traditional vows have been updated to reflect equality between the sexes and the commitment that both bride and groom will be making.
  2. There are options for including special persons in your service. These may include children or families. There are also opportunities to remember deceased family members. Talk to the pastor about your wishes.
  3. Consider using a Unity Candle in the ceremony. It is modern practice to have one large candle (usually flanked by two smaller ones) that the couple lights together. The pastor can review this with you.
  4. Some couples print wedding bulletins, but this is a matter of choice. If you wish to have a wedding bulletin, determine who will be handing them out. The pastor can guide you on what should be included in the bulletin.

MUSIC FOR YOUR SERVICE 

Our church organist, Diane Cieslak, plays for all weddings at Olmsted Community Church. Diane will assist in the selection of music that is appropriate for a worshipful wedding and that matches well with our church's instruments. You may request a CD of appropriate music to select from. The organist may be contacted through the church office at (440) 235-3326.

In addition, the organist will work with any soloist or other musicians you wish to participate.

The Sanctuary organ is a 47-rank Casavant Freres pipe organ. A grand piano is also available in the Sanctuary. The Chapel contains an upright piano.

READINGS 

Biblical passages, poetry and readings for your wedding

Some couples like to involve friends or family members in readings during the ceremony. Here are some suggestions for texts to consider. Talk it over with our pastor who will help you know if a particular reading is appropriate for a worshipful wedding service, or best used at a reception or other gathering.
Readings 1
Recommendations from the Church of England
Readings 2
A wide variety of suggestions from About.com
Readings 3
Biblical and secular suggestions
Readings 4
Biblical and poetic suggestions from todays-weddings.com

MAKING THE SERVICE JOYFUL 

These guidelines help make your service a worshipful celebration

  • Weddings at Olmsted Community Church are sacred events, and the rehearsal and wedding should be approached as such. Alcohol and substance use is not acceptable. Encourage and plan for all members of the wedding party to be in top form.
  • Use restraint with flowers and decorations. Our beautiful facilities require little adornment. Often one bouquet on the altar is sufficient, but additional flower stands are available. Florists should be informed that care must be taken with pews, altar, and other items in the church. If the florist is providing pew bows, they may be placed in the church on the day of the wedding.
  • A photographer and/or videographer can help capture your ceremony. Since this is a service of worship, no flash is permitted during the ceremony. Photos may be arranged for after the service. Church photos must be completed before park (or other outdoor) photos. During the service, professional photographers may use the balcony and rear side aisles for positioning. Video cameras may be used with a tripod at pre-arranged locations.
  • Popular music and soloists accompanied by CDs are best used at the reception or other occasions to preserve the sacred nature of the church ceremony. Talk to the church organist about suggestions.
  • After the service, rice or birdseed create safety hazards and are not permitted. Alternatives may include bubbles, bells or clapping.
  • Our experience is that receiving lines are best held at the reception. They may be held at the church, but are sometimes hindered by weather. In addition, a church receiving line delays after-ceremony pictures and keeps your guests waiting longer. We just thought you should know.

SCHEDULE OF FEES 

for your wedding at Olmsted Community Church

Sanctuary Fee
--for non-members, $500
--for inactive members, $175
--for active members, by donation

Chapel Fee
--for non-members and inactive members, $100
--for active members, by donation

Fellowship Hall Fee
--for non-members, $200
--for inactive members, $100
--for active members, by donation

All facility fees include reasonable custodial services.

Wedding Coordinator (required with 30 or more participants), $150

Organist
--for members,$150
--for inactive or non-members, $175

Minister's honorarium, $275

Options
--Aisle candlestands, $50
--Pew Bows, $2 each

A non-refundable deposit of $100 is due on the date of booking. All additional fees must be paid in full one week prior to the rehearsal date.

FINANCES FOR THE NEW COUPLE 

resources for your review

Financial matters rank high among things that stress marriages. These resources will give you some things to think about and plan, questions to ask one another, and methods for achieving financial security.
Questions to ask
Questions to ask each other before the wedding
Your Financial Vows
some financial vows to consider
Marriage and Money
How to merge love and money
How to Get Out of Debt
a web seminar that teaches you how to get out of debt
Frugal wedding tips
save money and simplify your wedding

LINKS 

other web resources you may find helpful

About.com
Wedding information from About.com
United Church of Christ
more information about the United Church of Christ
The Knot
planning help from TheKnot.com
Wedding License
details about getting your marriage license in Northeastern Ohio
Olmsted Community Church
our church's main website
Pastor's Blog
our pastor's personal blog

CONTACT US: 

Olmsted Community Church

7853 Main Street
Olmsted Falls, Ohio 44038

Phone: 440-235-3326

Email: occ@olmstedcommunitychurch.org

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RonDauphin

RonDauphin I'm Pastor of the Olmsted Community Church in historic Olmsted Falls, Ohio.
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