Your Wedding at Saint Clement Church GENERAL INFORMATION

Your Wedding at Bates Memorial Baptist Church Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not

proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps

no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the

truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Bates Memorial Baptist Church Dr. F. Bruce Williams, Senior Pastor 620 East Lampton Street Louisville, Kentucky 40203 502-636-0523/ fax 502-636-9254 www.batesmemorial.com

Congratulations on your wedding! This is a very exciting time in your life and we at Bates Memorial are excited to be a part of such a joyous occasion. In order to make your wedding one of success, we have compiled a booklet to answer general questions that you may have. We have tried to be extensive in covering many aspects of wedding preparation, however, if you have any

Revised August, 2014 questions that are not covered in this booklet please feel free to contact the church for further clarity. Again congratulations and we pray that your wedding day is one filled with joy, peace and an abounding amount of love.

GENERAL INFORMATION

WEDDING PREPARATION FORM Please complete the form located in the back of this packet and return to the church office by mail or fax.

TIME SCHEDULE Weddings at Bates Memorial are celebrated on Saturdays. The times set for weddings are NO LATER than 1:00 p.m. and are typically scheduled for two hours to allow ample time for the service. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE WEDDING BEGIN PROMPTLY to allow sufficient time to celebrate the service, which you have carefully planned. In addition, time will be allowed following the wedding service for photographs. Access to any facility will be at 9:00 a.m. in order to decorate.

WEDDING DATES In choosing a wedding date please be aware that all Bates Memorial Special Days and events take precedent. In choosing a wedding date it is imperative to pick at least two dates to allow for any changes that may occur. Although we take the strictest measure in accommodating any day that you choose please be aware that certain unexpected events can take place. Your date selection does not guarantee availability. Weddings are booked on a first come first serve basis so please plan well in advance. The church calendar is prepared in November for the upcoming year. NO DATES WILL BE PLACED ON THE CALENDAR UNTIL THIS TIME. NO DATES WILL BE PLACED ON THE CALENDAR UNTIL IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED IN WRITING THROUGH THE CHURCH OFFICE. ANY CHANGES TO YOUR DATE MUST BE REQUESTED IN WRITING. NO WEDDING DATES WILL BE CONFIRMED OVER THE TELEPHONE. FORM MUST BE COMPLETE AND RETURNED BEFORE ANY DATES ARE CONSIDERED. NO WEDDINGS WILL BE SCHEDULED AT THE CHURCH DURING MAJOR HOLIDAY WEEKENDS: Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Easter, 4 th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years or during CHURCH RELATED CELEBRATIONS such as Church Anniversary (2 nd Weekend of April) Children and Youth Day (4 th Weekend of June) Men’s Day (3 rd Weekend of July) and Women’s Day (4 th Weekend of August), Bates X-travaganza (Last Saturday in July or 1 st Saturday of August) Pastor’s Anniversary (2 nd Weekend of October), ans Seniors Weekend )(3 rd weekend in November) THERE WILL NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE. PLEASE BE AWARE, AS WE CONDUCT DAILY CHURCH BUSINESS, events can and will take precedence that are not included in this list of dates.

FACILITIES Bates Memorial is a vital church providing for the spiritual and ministerial needs of its people

2 and the surrounding community.

Our church located at 620 East Lampton, provides us with a jewel-like setting for your wedding with delicate lighting and a state of the art media center. The color for this exquisite building is plush royal purple and provides an elegant atmosphere for any wedding. Its seating capacity is 825. Fellowship Hall Seating Capacity is 150.

PARKING Your guests are welcome to use our church parking lot while attending a wedding at 619 or 620 East Lampton Street. All vehicles must be taken out of the parking lot immediately following the wedding (or rehearsal) since the parking spaces will be used by others. Delinquent cars will be towed at owners’ expense. The parking lot at 620 East Lampton can accommodate approximately 200 cars. If you are anticipating a large number of guests, it may be helpful to have someone assist them in making maximum use of the available parking.

GUEST PREACHERS Pastors from other churches or ministers from other denominations are welcome to participate in the wedding ceremony. Visiting ministers are expected to be present at the wedding rehearsal. Please inform us at the time of completing the form if other ministers or priests will take part in your wedding.

MUSIC If you desire for Bates Music Ministry to perform or provide music for your wedding, please communicate directly with the Director of Worship, Mr. Anthony Christian by calling (502) 636- 0523 ext-208 or email antsmusic2@gmailcom. All fees will be negotiated between the wedding couple and the Director of Worship. Please understand, this cost is separate from Church Rental Fees. It is not necessary for the musicians to be present for the wedding rehearsal if they have practiced with the soloist prior to the rehearsal.

MEDIA Our media staff will be on hand the day of the rehearsal and the day of the wedding to aid in technical and lighting issue. If the music is not live or if tapes, cd’s, or videos are to be play for your wedding, please contact our Media Director, Mr. Rush Trowel by calling the church at (502)636-0523 ext-201 or you may email him at rte- [email protected].

GUEST MUSICIANS If you desire to invite guest musicians, please inform the Director of Worship. Guest musicians are permitted to use Bates Memorial’s musical equipment.

REHEARSAL The rehearsal is usually held the evening before the wedding, and is an important part of the preparation for the ceremony. It allows members of the immediate wedding party to become familiar with the environment of our church facility and with the roles they will assume as part of the wedding. We ask that you make sure that all members of the wedding party be present for rehearsal and arrive on time. Rehearsal will begin promptly at 6p.m. However, if for any reason you are running late, please contact either the Church Administrative Office or the Wedding Coordinator. It’s imperative to understand that if you are late, the time schedule does not exceed 8:30pm.

3 REHEARSAL DINNER Often times the wedding party likes to have a dinner after the rehearsal. If you have decided not to have a rehearsal dinner at the church, you should have more than enough time for your rehearsal; on the other hand, if you have elected to have a rehearsal dinner, the rehearsal itself should take approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, leaving you more than enough time to enjoy your meal. The party is allowed to bring in their food and can use the church fellowship hall to eat. Because Bates has an industrial kitchen, no one is permitted to use the kitchen for any cooking. We do allow for food to be warmed. The dinner must begin promptly after the rehearsal and must be cleared within an hour and a half after the rehearsal dinner. The entire rehearsal and rehearsal dinner is from 6pm-8:30pm. Please be aware it is NOT permissible to bring any alcoholic beverages to the church premises and smoking is not permitted in ANY church facility or on church grounds. . Grills are NOT allowed on church property. In your music selection for the rehearsal dinner, please be considerate of the church. The wedding party is responsible for all items needed for the dinner including paper products and all materials must removed and the area be cleaned and leave the church in the way that it was found. If for any reason when completing your form, you opted not to have a rehearsal dinner, but later wanted to reverse your decision, you must contact the “Administrate Office Only” to make those changes and any change request must be made two weeks prior to your scheduled wedding rehearsal. If you have decided not to have a rehearsal dinner at the church, you should have more than enough time for your rehearsal; however, if you have elected to serve a rehearsal dinner, a suggestion would be to have someone over the preparation (the warming of the food, the setting of the tables, etc.) of the dinner during the wedding rehearsal. Prior preparation would allow the wedding party more time to enjoy the dinner.

CHURCH WEDDING FACILITATOR Our wedding facilitator is on hand the day of the wedding rehearsal, to assure that the discretions of the church remain first priority. The Church Wedding Facilitator does not coordinate your wedding. It is your coordinator’s responsibility to oversee photographers and florists and your wedding party. Our church facilitator is simply in attendance to assure that proper procedures are followed and conform with the respective guidelines as outlined in the handbook. The church wedding facilitator is present 45 minutes before each ceremony, and is available only on the day of the wedding rehearsal and the day of the wedding. We recommend that you speak with the church wedding facilitators, Wanda Carson or Rositta Napier-Brown, before purchasing decorations and items for your wedding. You may contact them via the following email address: [email protected]

PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOTAPING Since the wedding is a sacred service, all photographers, amateur and professional, are asked to show reverence for the ceremony and the building in which it takes place. Following the ceremony, the wedding party may return for pictures. A maximum of 45 minutes to an hour will be allowed for taking pictures following the service. Please be aware that if the wedding starts late, the subsequent picture taking time will likely need to be shortened accordingly. Occasionally couples prefer to have the majority of their pictures taken prior to the ceremony rather than after. We are happy to accommodate such requests. The areas in which such pictures may be taken are limited to the bride’s gathering area, sanctuary, and outside the building. Depending on other services and prior scheduling, the church sanctuary may or may not be available for pictures before the wedding. At all times photographers are cautioned against marring furniture by standing or placing camera equipment on the pews or other church furnishings. They will be held responsible for any damage so caused. Outside photographers and videographers are not permitted to use Bates Memorial’s media equipment.

4 FLOWERS AND DECORATIONS Our desire is for you to have a beautiful wedding. However, with the extensive activities that take place within the church it is impossible for us to allow any decorations to be brought in prior to the morning of your wedding. Nothing can be left in church over night! We will do our best to accommodate you on your wedding day with ample time to decorate the building. In addition to flowers worn or carried by those in the wedding party, you may wish to place other floral arrangements in the church. When making preparations with your florist, please observe the following guidelines; for floral arrangement placement please check with church wedding facilitators. The florist must supply any stands or pedestals used. Depending upon the time of year in which your wedding takes place, there may be church decorations already in place in the sanctuary to highlight the particular season. Please do not move or remove any of these church decorations, as they will be used at other services that same weekend. DECORATIONS MUST NOT BE ATTACHED TO THE PEWS OR OTHER FURNITURE BY PINNING, GLUING, NAILING, TACKING, TAPING OR STAPLING. Decorations may be attached using elastic bands, plastic pew clips, or ribbons. Please remove all floral arrangements and/or decorations from the church after the ceremony. All candles that may be used in the wedding must be drip-less. WE DO NOT REMOVE THE PODIUM UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. Bates Memorial is not responsible for ANY items that may be left at the church after the ceremony. If there is an item in the church that you may need for your wedding please check with the Church Wedding Coordinator before using.

UNITY CANDLE/ CANDLES Some couples wish to light a candle during the ceremony symbolizing their unity. Should you choose this, purchase high-quality large drip-less white candles. Any damage to Bates Memorial’s carpet due to dripping candle wax that results in Bates Memorial clean up will be charged to the wedding couple.

SAFETY CONCERNS It is not permissible to throw rice or flower petals in or around the church due to safety hazards they may cause. Flower petals can be thrown/placed on the runner where the bridal party walks. Also, rice can be harmful if eaten by some animals. If you wish to include this tradition as part of the festivities, we suggest the use of birdseed or bubbles outside the church following the ceremony. Balloon arches are permitted in the sanctuary however, no free-floating balloons are allowed in the sanctuary. Balloon clusters are allowed in the fellowship hall.

WEDDING PROGRAMS Please provide the Pastor or officiating minister and Director of Worship with an outline of the order of service at the rehearsal.

5 CHURCH REQUIREMENTS

TIME FRAME

Bates Memorial policy requires that there be at least three months between setting the date of the wedding and the marriage ceremony itself to provide for ample planning in accordance with church events and counseling.

MARRIAGE PREPARATION COUNSELING

In addition to assisting you with the wedding day, the Church wishes to assist you in building a successful marriage. In order to do this, the Pastor requires that all couples complete a premarital program. These counseling sessions will be held by qualified counselors and ministers of Bates Memorial and a total 4 classes and are designed to deepen your awareness of the challenges of living together in a Christian marriage. Through discussions, you will have the opportunity to concentrate more intensely on the many facets of married life. Some of the topics presented include: the changing nature of marriage, personal growth and couple adjustment, mutual decision-making, the elements of effective communication, conflict management, intimacy, financial planning, and the extended family. The marriage preparation counseling sessions should be completed well in advance of the date of the wedding. COUNSELING SESSIONS ARE OFFERED ONCE A QUARTER. NO couple will be married at Bates Memorial unless the counseling is completed. The FIRST Premarital Class is MANDATORY and cannot be made up. ALSO BOTH MEMBERS OF THE COUPLE MUST BE IN ATTENDANCE. DATES FOR COUNSELING SESSION ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE at www.batesmemorial.com. Click contact us and the information is locate underneath the tap mark administrative forms. Please note that Bates Memorial prides itself on honoring the strictest confidences concerning your appointments and anything discussed in the counseling sessions will remain between the couple and the counselors. It is your responsibility as a couple to attend and complete the marriage preparation counseling.

1st Pre-Marital Counseling Group Session (PMCG) Overview, Mandatory Information: Pastor will conduct the 1st/initial session of all Pre- Marital counseling, each quarter. At this group session, members will introduce themselves, an assurance made that each couple has completed/obtained and completed a Pre-Marital Packet. Pastor will ask couples to share how they met and if they have prayed and received a confirmation from God, individually about their decision to become husband and wife. Pastor will also introduce the Ministers that will be responsible for conducting the remaining 3(4) Pre-Marital group sessions. Finally, our Wedding Coordinator, Kelly Guess will also be introduced and available to share with group and critical wedding planning information.

2nd Pre-Marital Counseling Group Session (PMCG) Questions for couples: Will be briefly reviewed (actual handout) with an assignment for questions to be completed by each partner individually and returned for discussion in next, 3rd PMCG, which is an one hour and a half to two hour format.

3rd (PMCG)* Homework Questions: Will be reviewed, discussed and if needed a private session can be scheduled. Also during the session, the BIG-3 will be addressed along with the question review. The BIG 3 are: Communication - Sex - Finances (C-S-F)

6 *Please note, due to the nature of discussion, this class may run over.

4th (PMCG) Final Questions/Any Changes: During this finally session, couples will have an opportunity to continue discussion of C-S-F or any other elements addressed during their month of Pre- Marital counseling. Couples with each responsible for their own changes and contacting the Wedding Facilitator.

5th PMCG

4th Week of Any Quarter (make-up for one session missed or a need for a private individual session)

Couples must understand that all group sessions are mandatory. Available Level Ground Staff, Pastor or Janise

WEDDING CEREMONY Two witnesses (best man and maid/matron of honor) are required.

CIVIL REQUIREMENTS

MARRIAGE LICENSE; Licenses in Kentucky Where Are Marriage Licenses Issued? 1. The bride and groom may go to any county in Kentucky to get a marriage license as long as both are 18 years of age or older. 2. Marriage licenses may be used in any Kentucky county and cannot be used anywhere but in Kentucky. Who Issues Marriage Licenses? 1. The county clerk issues marriage licenses. 2. Marriage licenses are valid for 30 days, including the date it is issued, and after that time it is invalid. Therefore, if the marriage is not solemnized within the 30-day period, the parties must apply for a new license. Is There a Waiting Period or Blood Test Requirement? 1. No. The Application Process 1. An application for a marriage license may be made and signed by written request of the female. In most cases, both the man and woman apply for the marriage license in person in the clerk’s office. 2. In Jefferson County, you may make application in person at any of our seven branch locations. Or, you may make an application in person at our Professional License Department, located in Metro Hall, 527 W. Jefferson St., Room 100A. 3. Identification is required. Acceptable forms of ID include: Drivers License, current picture ID, or passport. 4. Both parties must be 18 years old or older 5. There is a $34.50 fee for a marriage license. 7 A marriage license is required from the Jefferson County Clerk’s office. The person solemnizing the marriage or the clerk of the religious society before whom it was solemnized shall, within one month, return the license to the county clerk of the county in which it was issued, with a certificate of the marriage over his signature, giving the date and place of the celebration and the names of at least two of the persons present. The names of the witnesses and the person performing the ceremony should be typed or printed below the signatures. The certificate (of the person performing the ceremony) shall be filed in the county clerk’s office. The county clerk shall keep in a record book a register of the parents' names, and the person by whom and the date when the marriage was solemnized, and shall keep an index to the book in which the register is made. The county clerk will then issue a certificate of marriage and mail to the bride and groom at the address furnished to the clerk by the parties. CONTACT INFORMATION Wedding Scheduler - Darlene Morrow [email protected]. No wedding dates for the upcoming year will be confirmed until December of the current year.

CONCLUSION

The Church bears the responsibility of regulating what takes place in its house of worship. Accordingly, we encourage your openness to the guidance and advice in the planning wedding. Though your personal tastes and legitimate preferences will be considered, please keep in mind that the Pastor has the difficult responsibility of subjecting your expressed wishes to the scrutiny of Christian principles long established not only by our church but by God. To some, our wedding policies may seem more disciplined than those found in some other churches. Please be aware that this is because we take great care here in the celebration of the Church’s weddings, their proper and joyous celebration is of such importance to us that we quite willingly shoulder the responsibility of maintaining the dignity and depth of that long tradition. Our guidelines are presented not as impositions or regulations, but more as expectations and norms, intended to help all who gather—your families and friends—to celebrate well the spiritual dimension of your marriage. The Pastor and community of Bates Memorial wish for your wedding ceremony to be a truly beautiful experience, one that you will treasure for the rest of your lives. It is hoped that these guidelines will help toward achieving that goal. Once again congratulations!

Church Rental Wedding Fees

MEMBERS 620 East Lampton Street $300 Sanctuary $50 Fellowship Hall (for rehearsal dinner) $150 Media $75.00

8 Total=$575

NON MEMBERS 620 East Lampton Street $500 Sanctuary $100 Fellowship Hall (for rehearsal dinner) $150 Media $75.00 Custodial Services Total =$825

*100 for Fireside Room

Half the total fee is due upon confirmation of your wedding and is NON REFUNDABLE AFTER 90 DAYS.

The remaining balance must to be paid 2 weeks prior to your wedding date or it will be removed from the church calendar.

*Handicapped Accessible.

9 WEDDING PREPARATION FORM Please complete and return to church office . Please thoroughly read through the “Your Wedding at Bates Memorial” packet.

FACILITY INFORMATION *Date(s) Requested for Wedding______Second Choice ______3rdChoice______Please Check One ____620 E. Lampton Other______Estimated Number of Guest______All dates MUST be approved through the church office in order to be finalized. BRIDE INFORMATION Brides Name______Bates Member yes/no _____If no, Church Affiliation?______Address ______Work Phone______Home Phone______Cell Phone______Email Address______Date of Birth ___/____/____ Status Check One ____Never Married ____Divorced___Widowed Number of Children ______GROOM INFORMATION Groom’s Name______Bates Member yes/no _____If no, Church Affiliation?______Address ______Work Phone______Home Phone______Cell Phone______Email Address______Date of Birth ___/____/____ Status Check One ____Never Married ____Divorced___Widowed Number of Children ______WEDDING REHEARSAL/DINNER Will you use the church fellowship hall for a wedding rehearsal dinner? Yes/No______Rehearsal Date______Number of Participants_____

WEDDING INFORMATION Officiating Minister if other than a Bates Memorial Minister______Address______Work Phone______Home Phone______Cell Phone______

We, ______and ______have read and (Bride) (Groom) fully understand the obligations and requirements for Wedding Arrangements held at Bates Memorial Baptist Church. Date ______

***FOR OFFICE USE ONLY*** Approved ______Denied ______Initial______

10 Please Make A Special Note Of The Following Concerns.

REHEARSAL The rehearsal is usually held the evening before the wedding, and is an important part of the preparation for the ceremony. It allows members of the immediate wedding party to become familiar with the environment of our church facility and with the roles they will assume as part of the wedding. We ask that you make sure that all members of the wedding party be present for rehearsal and arrive on time. Rehearsal will begin promptly at 6p.m. However, if for any reason you are running late, please contact either the Church Administrative Office or the Wedding Coordinator. It’s imperative to understand that if you are late, the time schedule does not exceed 8:30pm.

REHEARSAL DINNER Often times the wedding party likes to have a dinner after the rehearsal. The party is allowed to bring in their food and can use the church fellowship hall to eat. Because Bates has an industrial kitchen, no one is permitted to use the kitchen for any cooking. We do allow for food to be warmed. The dinner must begin promptly after the rehearsal and must be cleared within an hour and a half after the rehearsal dinner. The entire rehearsal and rehearsal dinner is from 6pm-8:30pm. Please be aware it is NOT permissible to bring any alcoholic beverages to the church premises and smoking is not permitted in ANY church facility or on church grounds. . Grills are NOT allowed on church property. If you choose to have music, we ask that in selecting your music, that you be considerate of the church. The wedding party is responsible for all items needed for the dinner including paper products. We ask that materials removed and the area be cleaned thoroughly. If for any reason when completing your form, you opted not to have a rehearsal dinner, but later chose to reverse your decision, you must contact the “Administrate Office Only” to make changes and any change request must be made two weeks prior to your scheduled wedding rehearsal. If you have decided not to have a rehearsal dinner at the church, you should have more than enough time for your rehearsal; however, if you have elected to serve a rehearsal dinner, a suggestion would be to have someone over the preparation (the warming of the food, the setting of the tables, etc.) of the dinner during the wedding rehearsal. Prior preparation would allow the wedding party more time to enjoy the dinner.

DEPOSIT

Half the total fee for your wedding at Bates Memorial is due upon confirmation of your wedding and is NON REFUNDABLE AFTER 90 DAYS.

The remaining balance must to be paid 2 weeks prior to your wedding date or it will be removed from the church calendar.