The Pastors of our church look forward to working with you to help make your wedding a meaningful expression of your commitment to each other and to Christ, and to help you prepare for a lifelong covenant of growth and love together.
One of the pastors from Rockbrook must perform your wedding. The Senior Pastor will be in consultation with you about the availability of the pastoral staff. We do not rent the building for use by persons who do not wish to use a member of Rockbrook’s pastoral staff.
The pastor will direct everything that happens for the wedding. If a professional wedding consultant is hired, he or she will work under the direction of the pastors and the supervision of the church’s wedding assistant. The United Methodist Church requires pre-marital counseling for all couples.
Wedding Planning
The service of marriage is a sacred service in The United Methodist Church. The marriage service is one of joy, blessing and commitment. We conduct marriage services for the glory of God and to offer the grace and power of Christ to those who are being married. This policy has been prepared to guide and assist you in planning a meaningful ceremony.Members will include the following: A "member" means the bride or groom, parents or grandparents of the bride or groom, or children of the bride or groom. In addition it shall be a person or parent or grandparent who is regular in the living out their membership vows and “expectations of church membership. A member is a person who has been active one year prior to the wedding.
Scheduling & Setting the Date
The Rockbrook Church office manager will assist you in setting the date and time for your wedding. No date will be put on the Church calendar until you have talked with the Office Manager and set your first counseling session, with the pastor. Once the date is agreed upon, a $100 deposit (non-refundable) is to be made to ROCKbrook. After the deposit is received by the Church, the date will be put on the Church calendar. This date will remain firm unless changed by the couple in consultation with the pastor.No weddings will be scheduled after 6:00 p.m. You can gain access to the church up to 3 hours prior to the scheduled wedding time. For example, if the wedding is schedule to begin at 6 pm the earliest you can access the church for any deliveries is 3PM. The bridal party must not be in the building after 8:00 p.m.
Weddings require careful planning, and the more time you can allow the better. We recommend that you start planning six to twelve months in advance. You may check date availability at the church twelve months in advance by calling the Office Manager at 402-393-1015 or email her at churchoffice@rockbrookumc.comWeddings are not scheduled on Sundays or holidays; Fourth of July, Christmas, New Years or New Years’ Eve, etc. This is to ensure that our staff can celebrate these holidays with their families. Wedding rehearsals are normally the day before the wedding. The rehearsal will take no longer than one hour and may be scheduled through 7:00 P.M. Both your wedding and rehearsal dates will be scheduled in consultation with the Office Manager at 402-393-1015 or email her at churchoffice@rockbrookumc.com
Cancellation Policy
If the wedding is cancelled 60 days or more prior to the wedding date, all but $200 of the wedding fees will be refunded; otherwise there is no refund. Please note: if the wedding is canceled within 60 days of the wedding for any reason, there will be no refund.
The Pastors
Decorations
Since the church is already furnished as a place of dignity and beauty, a minimum of decoration is required and should be carefully planned. In placing flowers, palms and other decorations, care must be taken to insure that the floors, carpets, walls and furnishings are not damaged. Decorations must NOT be hung or suspended from fixtures or furnishings.
Ribbon or simple arrangements of flowers may mark reserved pews. Except for these markers, no decorations shall be attached to the furniture. It is imperative that no nails, screws, wires or scotch tape be used in decorating. The florist or family decorator must remove all decorations immediately following the wedding and is responsible for any damage due to decorations used. The altar table must be central to the service. Plants and flowers may not block the visibility of the altar. One arrangement of flowers or the unity candle arrangement may be placed on the table.
Weddings will need to work around church decorations and setups that are used in our worship space.
Ribbon or simple arrangements of flowers may mark reserved pews. Except for these markers, no decorations shall be attached to the furniture. It is imperative that no nails, screws, wires or scotch tape be used in decorating. The florist or family decorator must remove all decorations immediately following the wedding and is responsible for any damage due to decorations used. The altar table must be central to the service. Plants and flowers may not block the visibility of the altar. One arrangement of flowers or the unity candle arrangement may be placed on the table.
Weddings will need to work around church decorations and setups that are used in our worship space.
Florists
It is the responsibility of the Bride and Groom to insure that the florist is aware of the following policies:
* Flower arrangements may be delivered 2 hours prior to the wedding.
* All decorations must be picked up one hour following the ceremony.
* Bows or flowers may be used on pews, but attached with ribbon only. No tape, tacks, staples, plastic, wire, or nails may be used to secure any decorations in the church.
* Any candelabra furnished by the florist or other company must be equipped with drip-less or tube candles.
* No flower petals are to be dropped by the flower girl.
* Due to safety concerns we do not permit aisle runners.
* Construction of unique or artificial settings is not permitted.
* There is NO SMOKING or DRINKING in any of the church buildings.
* Adequate precautions must be taken to protect the carpet, woodwork and furnishings of the church.
* The commercial supplier and Bride and Groom are responsible for damage.
* Flower arrangements may be delivered 2 hours prior to the wedding.
* All decorations must be picked up one hour following the ceremony.
* Bows or flowers may be used on pews, but attached with ribbon only. No tape, tacks, staples, plastic, wire, or nails may be used to secure any decorations in the church.
* Any candelabra furnished by the florist or other company must be equipped with drip-less or tube candles.
* No flower petals are to be dropped by the flower girl.
* Due to safety concerns we do not permit aisle runners.
* Construction of unique or artificial settings is not permitted.
* There is NO SMOKING or DRINKING in any of the church buildings.
* Adequate precautions must be taken to protect the carpet, woodwork and furnishings of the church.
* The commercial supplier and Bride and Groom are responsible for damage.
The Wedding Party
It is expected that members of the wedding party will recognize the fact that this is a worship service and will conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the atmosphere of a place of worship. Dress for the rehearsal must be business casual. No shorts, tank tops, or flip-flops, please.
Immediately prior to both rehearsal and wedding, it is expected that members of the wedding party will refrain from the use of alcoholic beverages. Any member of the wedding party that has the appearance of being under the influence of alcohol will not be permitted to participate in the wedding. This would include a noticeable smell of alcohol. This would also include the rehearsal.
No alcoholic beverages may be served on the church premises at any time.
Smoking is NOT permitted anywhere in the buildings at any time. Confetti or rice may NOT be thrown in the buildings or on the grounds. Birdseed may be thrown in the parking lot only. It may not be thrown on the patio or sidewalk areas. It is the obligation of the Bride and Groom to make certain that these policies are made known to and followed by all members of the wedding party.
Immediately prior to both rehearsal and wedding, it is expected that members of the wedding party will refrain from the use of alcoholic beverages. Any member of the wedding party that has the appearance of being under the influence of alcohol will not be permitted to participate in the wedding. This would include a noticeable smell of alcohol. This would also include the rehearsal.
No alcoholic beverages may be served on the church premises at any time.
Smoking is NOT permitted anywhere in the buildings at any time. Confetti or rice may NOT be thrown in the buildings or on the grounds. Birdseed may be thrown in the parking lot only. It may not be thrown on the patio or sidewalk areas. It is the obligation of the Bride and Groom to make certain that these policies are made known to and followed by all members of the wedding party.
The Wedding Service
The wedding is a service of worship in which we celebrate God’s gift of human love and affirm the covenant between a man and woman in holy matrimony. Our pastors will meet with you to determine the format of your service. There are decisions you will need to make regarding the service which include:
* Selection of congregational hymns, if desired
* Selection of appropriate scripture and a person to read it during the ceremony
* Selection of solos or special music
* Use of a unity candle (Candles for this purpose are not provided by the church) Marriage is an adult decision. Children are welcome to be in the wedding party but we strongly encourage them to be at least 5 years old. Experience has shown that children must be mature to participate effectively in the service.
* Selection of congregational hymns, if desired
* Selection of appropriate scripture and a person to read it during the ceremony
* Selection of solos or special music
* Use of a unity candle (Candles for this purpose are not provided by the church) Marriage is an adult decision. Children are welcome to be in the wedding party but we strongly encourage them to be at least 5 years old. Experience has shown that children must be mature to participate effectively in the service.
Reception Services
If you wish our United Methodist Women to serve your reception please contact the Office Manager at 402-393-1015.
Counseling
The Pastor scheduled to officiate the wedding service will meet with the couple at least five times prior to the wedding rehearsal. Four of those times are for counseling and one is to plan the wedding service.
Music
Music is a vital part of this sacred service; its purpose is to maintain and help create a spirit of Christian worship. All instrumental and vocal music needs to be chosen with the consultation of our organist and pastor. The pastor has final authority regarding the music selections. It will be your responsibility to contact the organist as soon as possible to discuss the date, time and music. The church organist or a substitute chosen by him/her will provide organ music for your wedding. The Bride and Groom will need to schedule a time to consult with the organist to choose all music for the wedding. In addition to the processional and recessional music, we suggest the following places during the ceremony where music could enhance the service:
During or after the seating of the Mothers
* Hymns may be sung by all in attendance prior to the processional
* During the lighting of the Unity Candle
* While the couple is kneeling during the prayer (Choose the spots carefully as it is possible to have too much music in the service.) Approval for a guest organist must be obtained from the organist.
Faculty Use Fees
Our pricing package is $1,225.00 for non-members. The fees include the following:
* Sanctuary $600.00
* Pastor $200.00
* Organst or Pianist $200.00
* Sound & Video Technician $75.00
* Wedding Assistant $75.00
* Custodial Support $75.00
To qualify for our member pricing, a member of the wedding family must have joined the church at least one year prior to the wedding date. The discount for members equates to a reduced fee for the Sanctuary and no required fee for the pastor. An honorarium to the pastor is encouraged and may be given directly to the pastor.
Full payment is due sixty days prior to the wedding date. Payment may be in the form of a check or cash. Checks should be made payable to Rockbrook UMC and mailed to the attention of: Office Manager at 9855 W. Center Rd Omaha NE 68124.
The use of the following items and services are included in the Sanctuary fee:
* Sanctuary $600.00
* Pastor $200.00
* Organst or Pianist $200.00
* Sound & Video Technician $75.00
* Wedding Assistant $75.00
* Custodial Support $75.00
To qualify for our member pricing, a member of the wedding family must have joined the church at least one year prior to the wedding date. The discount for members equates to a reduced fee for the Sanctuary and no required fee for the pastor. An honorarium to the pastor is encouraged and may be given directly to the pastor.
Full payment is due sixty days prior to the wedding date. Payment may be in the form of a check or cash. Checks should be made payable to Rockbrook UMC and mailed to the attention of: Office Manager at 9855 W. Center Rd Omaha NE 68124.
The use of the following items and services are included in the Sanctuary fee:
- Rehearsal day use
- Use of the building for 4 hours total (set-up, the service, and clean up)
- One pair of candelabra and candles for the altar table;
- One pair of standing candelabra and white candles;
- Kneeling bench;
- Two brass flower stands;
- Dressing rooms for the bride and groom and attendants
- The use of the Sanctuary includes additional space for dressing prior to the wedding. Custodial services will be scheduled by the church office.
In Closing
We are delighted that you are considering Rockbrook United Methodist Church for your wedding. We believe that sharing with couples as they bind their lives together in the Spirit of Christ is one of the most important ministries of the Church. We look forward to working with you to make your wedding a memorable day and to help you prepare for a healthy, growing marriage.
The purpose of this information is to help you plan for a wedding that will be an expression of your faith, a witness of your love for each other, and a time of deep commitment. This booklet is the result of years of experience and hours of thoughtful preparation in developing guidelines that will create a worshipful, joyful atmosphere for your wedding. We will look forward to sharing and growing with you.
In His Love,
William M. Williams, Jr.
Senior Pastor
The purpose of this information is to help you plan for a wedding that will be an expression of your faith, a witness of your love for each other, and a time of deep commitment. This booklet is the result of years of experience and hours of thoughtful preparation in developing guidelines that will create a worshipful, joyful atmosphere for your wedding. We will look forward to sharing and growing with you.
In His Love,
William M. Williams, Jr.
Senior Pastor