Weddings

INTRODUCTION

Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life and we want your wedding at Blacksburg United Methodist Church to be just that. We have developed some policies to help make your wedding be the best that it can be and those policies are outlined in this section. If you desire to have your wedding at Blacksburg United Methodist Church, we encourage you to contact us as soon as possible to learn about the availability of the facilities. Please note there is a policy that nonmembers cannot reserve the facilities until four months prior to their wedding date.

THE NATURE OF A CHURCH WEDDING

We at Blacksburg United Methodist Church are pleased that you have chosen to have your wedding here. As you plan for this happy occasion, we want to do everything possible to make your wedding a beautiful and meaningful experience.

Christian marriage is a sacred worship experience which indicates the desire of a couple to establish a Christian home. Because your relationship has been created with God’s blessing and help, the church believes that it is proper to solemnize this relationship in the reverence of a church service. Your wedding will mean more to you, your families and your friends when there is careful concern for all the reverent aspects of this holy occasion.

OFFICIATING

One of the pastors of the church or associated with the church, including the Wesley Foundation, will officiate at all weddings. If a family desires for another clergy person to officiate the wedding, the request may be discussed with the pastor. If a pastor of the church is not available for a service on your desired date, the pastor will assist you in securing another clergy person for your service.

WEDDING DIRECTOR

One of the BUMC wedding directors will meet with the bride to show her the facilities and items available for use in weddings. Please direct all questions and concerns to the wedding director rather than the church office. The director will arrive at the church at least one hour before the ceremony to check details, supervise ushers, distribute flowers and be of assistance as needed. She will watch the time and guide the seating of special guests, grandparents, parents and finally, assemble the wedding party for the processional. She will remain at the church through the recessional and until everyone leaves the sanctuary. Even if the bridal couple chooses to select their own director, the church wedding director still needs to be consulted concerning all plans and will be present during the rehearsal and the ceremony.

WEDDING MUSIC

The marriage ceremony is a service of worship in the house of the Lord. Appropriate music should be carefully chosen from sources of sacred music. Secular, “pop”, or pre-recorded music should be saved for the rehearsal party and reception.

Please make an appointment for no later than 5 weeks before the wedding, to meet with our organist Carter Edmundson. He will help you make your musical decisions. If he is unavailable to play for your ceremony, he will recommend a substitute organist or pianist. Any outside organist must consult with the church organist or our Director of Music, Leigh Anne Taylor, in advance of the ceremony. Please discuss appropriate attire with the musicians.

Please consult the fee schedule for the services of our church organist.

THE MARRIAGE LICENSE AND CERTIFICATES

The marriage license should be brought to the church office no later than the week before the ceremony. After the wedding, the bride and groom will be presented with the completed certificate which comes with the license.

THE NAME OF THE CHURCH

In the wedding invitations and news releases the full name of the church should be used:
BLACKSBURG UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

REGULATIONS

Use of tobacco products is not permitted in any part of the church building. No alcoholic beverages in any form may be served or consumed on the church premises (including picnic area and grounds).

WEDDING FORMS

If you would like to plan your wedding at Blacksburg United Methodist Church, please e-mail Val Skripak for a particular date and get confirmation for that date. You may download the wedding registration below and mail it to Blacksburg United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 931, Blacksburg, VA 24063:

Wedding Agreement Form (click on the words to access the form)