Wedding Fees and Guidelines
Fees
Wedding Use Fee
The Trustees of the Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine have established a basic Wedding Use Fee of $500 for the use of the church for a wedding ceremony.
This fee includes:
Discount for Members
The Wedding Use Fee may be reduced to $250 for members of the Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine or their immediate family (including children or grandchildren).
Deposit/Reservation Fee
A Deposit in the amount of $150 is required to reserve a date on the church calendar for a wedding. This deposit is part of the Wedding Use Fee. The deposit is non-refundable.
Pastor’s Fee
A fee for the services of the pastor of the Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine in officiating a wedding at the church is $300. This fee is payable directly to the pastor. This fee includes:
Reception Fee (optional)
If wedding planners choose to use the church vestry for a reception following the wedding ceremony, a fee of $250 will be charged. See the section on Wedding Receptions below for more information on using the church for a reception.
Payment of Fees
All fees are to be paid at least 30 days prior to the wedding date. The wedding service will not take place until all fees are paid in full.
Cancellation and Refunds
Should a cancellation of the wedding be necessary for any reason:
Wedding Guidelines and Policies
Changes in Time or Date
Any changes in the time or date of a scheduled and reserved wedding at the church must be communicated to the church’s representative by one or both parties planning the wedding. All changes in time or date are subject to approval by the church’s representative.
Music and Musicians
Organists/pianists
The pastor maintains a list of qualified organists and pianists available for weddings at the church. Other individuals will be allowed to use the church organ with proper credentials or experience. When engaging an organist, the wedding planners will:
Other Musicians
The wedding planners are welcome to use other musicians at the wedding ceremony. These guidelines will be in effect:
Preparing For and Celebrating the Wedding Ceremony
PHOTOGRAPHERS AND VIDEOGRAPHERS
The Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine requests that all photographers and videographers adhere to the following instructions during the rehearsal and the wedding:
Receptions at the Main Street Church
The vestry of the church is available for small receptions following wedding ceremonies. This space can seat approximately 60 persons, with tables and chairs available at the church.
There is a kitchen adjacent to the vestry equipped with sinks, food preparation tables, a refrigerator, a microwave oven, a commercial gas range and oven, and some kitchen equipment such as coffee makers. The church has been able to work with local professional caterers in using the kitchen to support receptions in the vestry. Our policy, however, is to restrict the use of our stove, oven, dishwasher, and special equipment to those persons who have received specific training in the safe use of that equipment. In most situations, the kitchen is used primarily to arrange prepared food for serving and to clean up following the reception.
The following policies are in place regarding the use of the vestry and kitchen for receptions:
Wedding Use Fee
The Trustees of the Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine have established a basic Wedding Use Fee of $500 for the use of the church for a wedding ceremony.
This fee includes:
- Use of the building (sanctuary and vestry) for the wedding ceremony, beginning one hour prior to the service and ending one hour after the scheduled service time.
- Use of the building for a wedding rehearsal (approximately one hour) at a time agreed to by all parties
- Reasonable cleaning of the church in preparation for the wedding ceremony.
Discount for Members
The Wedding Use Fee may be reduced to $250 for members of the Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine or their immediate family (including children or grandchildren).
Deposit/Reservation Fee
A Deposit in the amount of $150 is required to reserve a date on the church calendar for a wedding. This deposit is part of the Wedding Use Fee. The deposit is non-refundable.
Pastor’s Fee
A fee for the services of the pastor of the Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine in officiating a wedding at the church is $300. This fee is payable directly to the pastor. This fee includes:
- Counselling session(s);
- Planning the wedding ceremony (script and vows);
- Wedding Rehearsal; and
- Wedding Ceremony
Reception Fee (optional)
If wedding planners choose to use the church vestry for a reception following the wedding ceremony, a fee of $250 will be charged. See the section on Wedding Receptions below for more information on using the church for a reception.
Payment of Fees
All fees are to be paid at least 30 days prior to the wedding date. The wedding service will not take place until all fees are paid in full.
Cancellation and Refunds
Should a cancellation of the wedding be necessary for any reason:
- The deposit will be forfeited;
- Notice of the cancellation must be made in writing to the church (mail or email) by one or both parties planning the wedding;
- Cancellation within 30 days of the scheduled wedding will result in forfeiture of all wedding fees.
Wedding Guidelines and Policies
Changes in Time or Date
Any changes in the time or date of a scheduled and reserved wedding at the church must be communicated to the church’s representative by one or both parties planning the wedding. All changes in time or date are subject to approval by the church’s representative.
Music and Musicians
Organists/pianists
The pastor maintains a list of qualified organists and pianists available for weddings at the church. Other individuals will be allowed to use the church organ with proper credentials or experience. When engaging an organist, the wedding planners will:
- negotiate performance fees directly with the musician;
- choose the music for the service in consultation with the musician;
- arrange for the musician’s presence at any meetings or rehearsals prior to the wedding; and
- pay the musician directly in a mutually agreeable manner.
Other Musicians
The wedding planners are welcome to use other musicians at the wedding ceremony. These guidelines will be in effect:
- The pastor often maintains a list of local musicians available to perform at wedding ceremonies.
- The piano is available for use by musicians with proper credentials or experience.
- A limited number of electrical outlets are available for use at the front of the church and in the choir loft.
- The church sound system is available for voice amplification, but many musicians will choose to supply their own sound reinforcement systems for instruments or voices.
- The church sound system includes a CD player that is available for use in accompanying singers and musicians. This player is not, however, a piece of professional accompaniment equipment. If the CD player is used, musicians will need to provide someone to attend to and control the player during the service.
- The choir loft will accommodate an ensemble up to five persons, depending on equipment and instrumentation.
- The church reserves the right to limit the sound levels generated by musicians in the interest of peace in the community.
- Special rehearsal or practice time for musicians in the church is generally not included in the use of the facility for weddings. However, we often accommodate short musical rehearsals and sound checks during the formal wedding rehearsal.
Preparing For and Celebrating the Wedding Ceremony
- Alcoholic beverages or drugs not prescribed by a physician are not permitted on church property at any time. Important Notice. The wedding shall not proceed in the event of inebriation of any principal participant, including the families of the wedding party.
- Smoking is not permitted inside the church building or on church grounds.
- Decorations used must be fireproof and shall not be attached to fixed portions of the facility without specific approval by the church’s representative.
- Evening events shall be concluded and the building closed by 10:00 p.m. unless special arrangements have been made with the church’s representative.
- Arranging the sanctuary, including the moving of furniture, may be done only with the approval of the church’s representative. Following the ceremony, all furniture must be returned to its regular position.
- Rice, bird seed, or confetti shall not be thrown in the church or on church grounds.
- Food and drink are not allowed in the sanctuary during rehearsals or ceremonies. Food and drink may be kept and consumed in the vestry.
- The church is not liable for such items lost, stolen or damaged in the use of the church. Permission to use church facilities or equipment shall in no way indicate or imply liability on the part of the church for personal injuries or property damage resulting from activities in the church or on church grounds.
- The wedding planners will be held responsible for all loss of or damage to church property resulting during the period of use.
- All wedding items, decorations and flowers will be removed by the wedding planners immediately following the ceremony. We welcome the donation of flowers to the church for use in worship or for distribution in the community (sick and shut-ins).
- Following the ceremony, the church shall be left in a reasonably clean and neat condition, normal wear excepted. In the event that the church requires special or extensive cleaning following a wedding ceremony, a cleaning fee may be assessed.
PHOTOGRAPHERS AND VIDEOGRAPHERS
The Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine requests that all photographers and videographers adhere to the following instructions during the rehearsal and the wedding:
- Photographers and their employees must refrain from the use of irreverent language and discourteous actions.
- Alcohol, smoking and any other tobacco products are not permitted in the church or on church grounds.
- No food or drink is allowed in the church sanctuary.
- When you arrive on your wedding day, please introduce yourself to the church’s representative. Any special requests for photography or videography must be cleared with the church’s representative prior to the wedding ceremony.
- Ushers are important in the seating of wedding guests. Please do not gather ushers for photographs later than 30 minutes before the start of the wedding ceremony.
- Pictures with a flash may be taken during the processional and recessional only.
- Once the ceremony has begun, please do not use flash while taking photos. The ceremony officially begins when the bridal party has entered and the Pastor begins speaking.
- Our church treats all weddings as worshipful experiences, and therefore we request professional discretion in the taking of photos. The service is concluded when the pastor introduces the couple and they exit.
- Formal wedding party photos may be arranged following the ceremony. We generally allow 30 minutes for the taking of photos following a wedding ceremony. All photo sessions arranged before or after the ceremony should be pre-planned with the wedding planners and the wedding party.
- Video lighting of any kind is not permitted. All videos must be taken from a stationary, discreet position, usually in the rear of the sanctuary or in the choir loft.
- We do not have the ability to link the church’s sound system with videography equipment. Officiants are usually agreeable to wearing wireless microphones for recording purposes.
Receptions at the Main Street Church
The vestry of the church is available for small receptions following wedding ceremonies. This space can seat approximately 60 persons, with tables and chairs available at the church.
There is a kitchen adjacent to the vestry equipped with sinks, food preparation tables, a refrigerator, a microwave oven, a commercial gas range and oven, and some kitchen equipment such as coffee makers. The church has been able to work with local professional caterers in using the kitchen to support receptions in the vestry. Our policy, however, is to restrict the use of our stove, oven, dishwasher, and special equipment to those persons who have received specific training in the safe use of that equipment. In most situations, the kitchen is used primarily to arrange prepared food for serving and to clean up following the reception.
The following policies are in place regarding the use of the vestry and kitchen for receptions:
- Alcoholic beverages or drugs not prescribed by a physician are not permitted on church property at any time.
- Smoking is not permitted inside the church building.
- Social dancing is permitted only in the Vestry.
- Decorations used must be fireproof and shall not be attached to fixed portions of the facility without specific approval by the Board of Trustees.
- The use of candles/open flame is prohibited. Ceremonial use of candles may be permitted, but only with specific approval of the Board of Trustees.
- Evening events shall be concluded and the building closed by 10:00 p.m. unless special arrangements have been made with an officer of the church.
- User groups will be responsible for leaving the facilities used in such condition that another group may comfortably use them; furniture and equipment will be placed in customary positions, kitchen equipment left clean, dishes washed and put away, floors swept, and wastebaskets emptied into plastic bags and removed.
- The user group will be held responsible for all loss of or damage to church property during the period of use. The user group shall be solely responsible for damage by a participating member or guest of the group.
- No equipment or facilities shall be added, modified, moved or removed, and no church supplies or furnishings used, by the visiting group or individual, without prior written approval by a member of the Board of Trustees.
- Permission to use church facilities or equipment shall in no way indicate or imply liability on the part of the church for personal injuries or property damage resulting from user group activities.
- The church’s representative shall be consulted on any matter relating to the use of church facilities not covered or clarified in the above regulations.