Weddings at Mighty Fortress

“Marriage should be held in honor by all…” Hebrews 13, 4

Marriage goes far beyond the simple “de facto” live together relationships so popular today. Those entering into marriage must do so with a life-long commitment in mind. This not only involves the commitment to each other before God, but also requires making it permanent according to the laws of the land. Even though people can get married by a judge, a civil celebrant, or even an Elvis impersonator at a Las Vegas wedding chapel and have a legal and binding marriage, a Christian couple will want to seek the services of the pastor and the church for such an important event in their lives.

A Christian wedding is, first and foremost, a worship service which gives God all the glory. The wedding couple will want to establish their marriage according to God’s will, and ask his blessing on their life together in the years to come. It’s with this in mind that Mighty Fortress is ready and willing to be of service to you.

WHAT TO DO FIRST

If you are considering marriage, please contact the pastor as soon as possible. He will help you through the preliminary steps, and provide you with various options. Some type of pre-marital counseling will also be required, where the couple considering marriage will visit with the pastor for spiritual and practical guidance. There is no set protocol for this as to the type or length of counseling; therefore it will be at the discretion of the pastor and the couple.

The following list contains the answers to some commonly asked questions:

THE DATE

There aren’t really any dates which are prohibited for a wedding; however there are some practical things which need to be considered. First of all, make sure the church calendar is clear—you don’t want your wedding conflicting with another one. Please try to avoid the several weeks surrounding Christmas and Easter, as these are the some of the busiest times of the Church year. Also try to avoid times when there are large community or social events.

And since we are in Nebraska, try to avoid weekends where the Huskers have a home football game. Not only are hotel rooms very expensive and limited in the Lincoln Metro and Seward areas during this time, but ticket holders will often forego a wedding in favor of going to the game.

Have several dates in mind when planning your day; however once you decide upon the date and you have made it public, stick to it!

CAN WE WRITE OUR OWN VOWS?

This seems to be a romantic idea perpetuated by Hollywood, where a couple will forego any traditional marriage vows in favor of something they’ve dreamed up themselves. This might work in a civil or secular ceremony, but again we must remember that the Christian wedding service is a worship service, and an official rite of the church. There are several orders of worship from which a couple may choose; plus these services are flexible enough to allow for various custom features (special music, unity candle, etc.). Alteration of the vows or the inclusion of custom vows is therefore not appropriate. If the bride and groom have some personal words they wish to share with each other, the wedding reception is a far more suitable time and place to do this.

WEDDING MUSIC

Wedding music should be appropriate music for a church worship service, including preludes, postludes, hymns, solos, and other special music. Any secular music should be reserved for the reception. The pastor will give you guidance in this area.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Photographs are a treasured memory for any wedding couple. It is always best to contract with a professional photographer to take the wedding photos rather than to rely on a friend or relative. In addition, you might want someone to make a video recording of your wedding, whether it be a friend, family member, or a professional videographer.

The only thing we request is that there be no flash photography during the service itself, simply because of the distraction. All professional photographers are able to do natural light photography, which has been made even easier since digital cameras have appeared on the scene. Flash photography is permissible during the processional, nuptial kiss, and recessional parts of the ceremony. Natural light photography is permissible all the time.

VENUE

The Mighty Fortress church building is ideal for small, intimate, or informal weddings. If you wish to have a wedding which is larger than our facility can accommodate, your pastor can help you with suggestions. There are many public and privately owned facilities in the Seward and Lincoln Metro areas which are suitable for weddings and receptions. If you are planning an outdoor wedding, be sure to have an alternate venue organized in case of inclement weather.

THE LEGAL STUFF

Your pastor is an authorized marriage celebrant in the State of Nebraska, and can therefore perform a legal and valid marriage. If you are planning to get married outside of Nebraska and desire the services of your pastor, he will make the necessary inquiries and arrangements in order to comply with that particular state’s requirements.

In order to get married, you will have to obtain a valid marriage license, available from any of the 93 county courthouses in the state. A marriage license purchased in any county is valid throughout the entire State of Nebraska, and is valid for one year following the purchase. Blood tests are no longer a requirement.

You MUST provide the pastor with the license PRIOR to the beginning of the wedding service in order for the marriage to be valid. Please bring the ENTIRE packet of material with you that you received when you purchased your license. Your pastor will complete the necessary information, collect the required signatures, and file the license with the county according to the law. He will then return to you whatever items are yours to keep.

REMUNERATION

One of the benefits of church membership is the right to be married in the church; therefore we are pleased to be able to offer you this service. However, the services of the individuals involved go above and beyond the normal call of duty. It is therefore appropriate to provide honorariums or gratuities to those involved for the time and expense they have devoted to your wedding. Even though there is no prescribed fee schedule for church members, you should adequately provide for the pastor, organist, soloist, kitchen help, custodian, and others when planning the cost of your wedding.

If you are planning your wedding at a different venue, such places usually have their own fee schedule and personnel, and charge accordingly. This will be determined when you discuss your wedding plans with them. If you contract an outside organist, you should plan to pay them according to the current fee scale of the AGO (American Guild of Organists).

For non-members, the suggested honorarium for the pastor is $125 for the wedding and $25 for the rehearsal, which includes distances of the first 25 miles from the pastor’s residence. Additional mileage should be calculated at the current IRS rate.

IN CLOSNG