Who may be married at First Presbyterian Church?
Christian marriage is a covenant relationship made between two people and God. All weddings performed at First Presbyterian Church are religious in nature and based on the awareness that our Lord, Jesus Christ is a participant in the relationship and in the blessing of the marriage. To say that you desire your wedding to take place at First Presbyterian Church is to say that you desire to include Christ as a partner in your marriage.
Ordinarily, couples are married in the church where one or both hold membership. This enables the couple’s church family to be present as they make their vows, to surround and encourage them as they begin their married life. If circumstances are such that this is not possible, members may be married in other churches.
Members of other churches may be married at First Presbyterian Church provided the marriage service is performed by one of our ministers. Other ministers may be invited by the church’s governing board, the Session, to officiate along with one of our pastors.
Couples who are not worshiping members of any church may be married at First Presbyterian Church if they have exceptional reason to do so. We invite all who do not have a church home in our community to come and worship with us and to consider membership here. Studies have consistently shown that the marriages of people who worship God regularly are consistently stronger and more fulfilling than those of couples who do not have a habit of worship.
Planning for a Wedding
The first step in preparing for a wedding at First Presbyterian Church is to meet with one of the ministers. All weddings are performed at the discretion of the minister. It is impossible to overemphasize the importance of planning ahead. It is not unusual during peak wedding months for weddings to be scheduled a year in advance. Register the time and date of your wedding as early as possible with the church office, the minister, the organist and the wedding coordinator by completing the application. After the minister has agreed to perform the wedding, a $100 non-refundable deposit is due at the time you reserve the date with the church office.
The pastor will ordinarily schedule three counseling dates with the couple. If a couple lives out of the area, some of these sessions may be handled by a counseling center or another minister. One extended session with a minister of this church will be required for any wedding performed at First Presbyterian Church.
For questions or to schedule a wedding, contact the church office at 941-955-8119 or info@FirstPresSarasota.org.