Weddings at St. Paul UMC

Planning Your Wedding

Welcome to St. Paul United Methodist Church. We are delighted that you have chosen to seek God’s blessing on your union by being married in our sanctuary.  Let it be known that St. Paul UMC is an inclusive church that is a part of the Reconciling Ministries Network and therefore welcomes and celebrates all weddings within our space.  The staff at St. Paul UMC welcomes the opportunity to work with you in planning your wedding to make it as beautiful and memorable as possible. To ensure that arrangements are made smoothly and easily, please review carefully the information contained on this site.

 

Our Facilities

Our beautiful sanctuary seats approximately 400 persons, not including the balcony that has not been renovated. Rooms with nearby bathrooms are available for both bride/bridesmaids and groom/groomsmen to dress before the wedding.

In the initial planning of your wedding, we recommend that you visit the church prior to making your decision. The following guidelines apply to all church facilities:

• You are responsible for any damage or theft of church property.
• Please ask the Wedding Coordinator about moving equipment and furnishings
•  NO Alcoholic beverages of any kind are allowed in any church buildings. Food and drink are permitted in Fellowship Hall, the Gym and Chester Commons.
•  Smoking is not permitted in any of the church facilities.
• Due to safety hazards, rice and birdseed are not allowed following the wedding.

 

Reservations

Reservation of church facilities may be made by returning the Reservation Form with a deposit of $500. No reservation is official until the Reservation Form and the non-refundable deposit are received. The balance is due 30 days before the wedding date. A list of fees comprising the total amount for use of the facilities is included below.

 

Music

If you would like for our organist, Larry Stokes, to play for your ceremony, please contact him directly regarding his availability when planning your wedding date (lostokesgt@gmail.com). The standard organist’s fee for the wedding service is $200; payment in full directly to Mr. Stokes is required 30 days before the date of the wedding. If he is unavailable, he will provide a list of other suggested organists. Should you wish to use an organist of your own choosing, please ask your organist to communicate with Mr. Stokes regarding the use of the instrument and rehearsal time.

Mr. Stokes will schedule a consultation with you to choose appropriate selections for your processional, recessional, and other music from his repertoire. If you wish for him to play for the wedding rehearsal, there is an additional fee of $50. If you have arranged for a vocal or instrumental soloist(s) who will require accompaniment,
please let Mr. Stokes know as soon as possible; the fee for any additional rehearsals with other musicians is $50/hour.

If you wish to have vocalists and/or other instrumentalists, it is your responsibility to make those arrangements, and any music chosen must be appropriate for a religious service.

 

Rehearsals

Rehearsals are limited to one hour. Please advise members of the wedding party, family members, and friends to be prompt. We will unlock the church only 15 minutes before the rehearsal and it will remain unlocked no more than 15 minutes beyond the rehearsal.

 

Wedding Director

Due to the number of weddings we hold at St. Paul, we have found it helpful to assign a Church Wedding Coordinator who will act as your primary contact person as you plan your wedding. All plans regarding decorations, floral arrangements, candles and candelabra, dressing rooms and reception (if at the church) must be reviewed by the director. The church office will give you this person’s name and phone number. If you wish to utilize the services of a professional wedding consultant, please have this individual contact the wedding coordinator. The Church Wedding Coordinator must be on the premises during all rehearsals and weddings.

 

Officiating Minister

The St. Paul UMC pastor will be glad to discuss officiating at your wedding. Please contact her as soon as possible to discuss your wedding plans. If you wish to utilize another member of the ordained clergy in either an officiating or assisting capacity, be sure to discuss with the St. Paul UMC minister when you call.

 

Photography and Videography

We recommend that you hire a professional photographer rather than an amateur. Only stationary videography is permitted during the ceremony and no flash photography is permitted during the ceremony. If you plan to record the ceremony, please inform the Wedding Director so that appropriate plans can be made.

 

Receptions

The Fellowship Hall and Chester Commons are available for a rental charge listed on schedule of wedding fees. The charges for these facilities, as well as for the Sanctuary, include custodial fees for clean-up after the wedding and reception are over. Additionally, there may be incidental expenses depending upon the reception size, duration and equipment use. Under no circumstances are alcoholic beverages, including wine and champagne, permitted.

 

Parking and Security

Since St. Paul UMC has no parking lot, you may want to make special parking arrangements. it is possible to arrange for a street closing, Contact the Church Office for the application to be submitted to the City of Atlanta Police Department at least 1 month before the wedding date. You will need to inquire with the local precinct about options for parking management and security while your wedding is happening at the church. An alternative is to contact the Atlanta Public Schools about parking at MLK, Jr. Middle School on Hill Street, and hire a valet parking service to ferry your guests’ cars.

 

Guidelines for the Florist

St. Paul UMC has developed the following guidelines to avoid inadvertent damage to church property or to sanctuary furnishings. Please review them carefully. If you wish to see the sanctuary, you may contact us during church office hours (404-688-7501 or office@stpaulgrantpark.org).
The church office hours are 10am to 4 pm Tuesday through Thursday.

• The altar table may be moved from its central position. The altar table may be used to display flowers.
•  No nails, tacks or staples may be used to attach any decorations to church property.
• All candelabras must be placed on clear plastic covers, even if the candles are dripless. If candles or candelabras are to be placed on the pulpit platform, ask the Wedding Coordinator to check the ventilation system and turn it off to avoid having the candles or candelabras in drafts.
• All decorations and equipment must be removed immediately after the ceremony. The church is not responsible for storing any equipment.
• It is the responsibility of the florist to contact the Church Office to arrange delivery and set up time.
• If floral arrangements are to be discarded after the ceremony, St. Paul would be pleased to accept them for use either in our worship services or for distribution to others.

 

Wedding Fees

The established fee schedule for all services related to weddings at St. Paul United Methodist Church appears below.

• Sanctuary $1200
• Chester Commons $300
• Fellowship Hall and Kitchen $400
• Gym $400
• Custodian$150
• Minister $300
• Wedding Coordinator $300
• Organist: Please contact St. Paul’s organist to discuss his availability and fee or for approval of a substitute organist should he be unavailable.

To hold your wedding date, a non-refundable deposit of $500 is required for all reservations. All fees must be paid at least 30 days prior to the date of the wedding.

Please Contact the St. Paul UMC office for more information

The Rev. Cassie Rapko, Pastor
Jennifer Greene Minister of Music
Larry Stokes, Organist
Ginny Pavey, Office Manager

A full Brochure and application form can be found here.