The commitment of marriage is an important one.  No matter what type of wedding you are planning, large or small, simple or elegant, the main purpose is the uniting of two lives into one within the framework of a local congregation.

The vows you will exchange are made before God and witnessed by the congregation.  They deserve the dignity of a worship service.  For this reason, the following information has been prepared to assist you in planning a wedding that is pleasing to you and to all who share it with you.

Ellipse Chapel - Photo by Lesley Yates, Sweet Pea Photography

There are many details ahead of you as you prepare for your wedding.  Reading over the following guidelines and  completing as much of the information on the forms as possible before meeting with the wedding coordinator will help your plans move smoothly. You are choosing to be married in a church, and are therefore, probably already involved in a local congregation.  We strongly encourage that you request your pastor to officiate at your wedding.  This will help make your wedding as meaningful to you as possible.

The church staff - minister, coordinators, custodians, and technicians will do all they can to make your wedding ceremony a meaningful time.  It has been our experience that when details of a wedding are carefully planned, the result is a happy and memorable occasion.

Scheduling Your Wedding

The facilities here at San Diego First Church of the Nazarene (SDFC) are heavily used. There are several times during the year when the facilities are scheduled for annual events, and therefore, no weddings are conducted during these times: Commencement (Mid-May) and Homecoming (weekend prior to Thanksgiving). Also, we will not schedule weddings on Sundays or from December 23rd through January 1st. Weddings are scheduled no more than eight months in advance for non-members and one year in advance for regular attending members. As soon as possible, do the following to begin the scheduling procedure:

©  Choose your officiating minister.  If you are a member/regular attendee of SDFC, and/or attend Point Loma Nazarene University and wish to have a member of our pastoral staff officiate, you will need to contact the pastor immediately regarding availability.  You will also need to schedule premarital counseling, as required.  Please fill out the top portion of the Request to Officiate Wedding form. Your minister must complete and sign the middle portion of that same form.

©  Upon approval of the request by the SDFC’s Senior Pastor, the church scheduling and wedding coordinators will begin working through the following procedures: deposit, scheduling the wedding and rehearsal dates on the church calendar, etc.  One of our wedding coordinators must be used.  There are no exceptions to this policy.  The wedding coordinator will reserve the facility after all forms are completed and deposit has been received.  The senior pastor’s approval does not reserve the facility.

Minister: You may extend an invitation to the evangelical Christian minister of your choice with the approval of SDFC Senior Pastor.

Wedding Coordinator:  SDFC Wedding Coordinator must be used to direct all weddings.  No exceptions will be made.

Music:  We advise the use of an organist selected with the help of the wedding coordinator.  Music to be used with organ and vocal selections should be in keeping with the spiritual tone of the wedding ceremony.  The lighting of the candles is considered the beginning of a more sacred part of the ceremony.  Secular music should not be used after the lighting of the candles.

Rehearsal:  One hour is allotted for your wedding rehearsal.  The wedding party should be prompt.  Additional charges will be incurred if the rehearsal goes beyond one hour.  (All musicians need to be ready to perform and should bring two copies of the music.)

Photography:  During the ceremony, please ask your photographer to refrain from using a flash.  We request movement to be kept at a minimum in the sanctuary once the ceremony has begun.  We recommend that formal pictures be taken before the ceremony so that guests will not be kept waiting for the reception.  All formal pictures are to be completed no less than thirty minutes before scheduled time of ceremony.  Candid shots must be completed fifteen minutes prior to the service.  If a few pictures are to be taken following the ceremony, please limit time to twenty minutes.

  ** All policies and fees are under approval of the church board.

• The church has various pieces of equipment available for rent.  Your wedding coordinator will review costs with you.  Equipment is not available for use off the church grounds.

• Candles:  Any candles used, other than on the platform, must be covered with a globe.

• Rented Equipment:  All equipment not rented directly from First Church must be picked up the same day as the wedding unless other arrangements are made with the church office.  Please note:  First Church will not be responsible for any equipment belonging to outside rental agencies and will not sign for any equipment to be picked up by those agencies.

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If you are interested in renting our facilities for your wedding, please call the church office for a wedding packet, 619-849-3100, or contact the scheduling coordinator at lschooli@sdfc.ptloma.edu.