The Wedding Book - October 2004 Revision - Wedding Worship Planning Guide - St. John's Lutheran Church

Sep 24, 2026

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A church wedding planning guide for couples preparing to marry at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It outlines eligibility requirements for marriage, emphasizing Christian commitment and active congregational membership, and explains how civil-ceremony vows may be blessed. The guide details initial arrangements, marriage preparation expectations, counseling and workshop timelines, roles of the pastor and staff, and worship service planning elements such as music, scripture readings, promises, communion, and practical reception and policy notes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Marriage is a Liturgy of the Church

Who may be married at St. John's?

Getting Started

Initial Arrangements

Marriage Preparation

The Pastor

The Wedding Coordinator

The Organist

The Custodian

Musicians

The License

Planning the Wedding Worship Service

Outline of the Marriage Worship Service

St. John's Lutheran Church 1804 Highland Avenue 􀀡 Eau Claire, WI 54701 􀀡 834-9571 E-mail: [sandy@stjohns-ec.org](sandy@stjohns-ec.org) The Wedding Book October 2004 Revision 1 Introduction Marriage is a Liturgy of the Church Who may be married at St. John's? 2 Getting Started 1. Initial Arrangements 2. Marriage Preparation 3. The Pastor 4. The Wedding Coordinator 5. The Organist 6. The Custodian 7. Musicians 8. The License 3 Planning the Wedding Worship Service 1. Outline of the Marriage Worship Service 2. Decorations 3. Unity Candle 4. Recorded and Instrumental Music 5. Vocal Music 6. Suggested Scripture Readings 7. The Exchange of Promises 8. Holy Communion 4 Additional Notes 1. Ushers 2. Bulletins 3. Photography 4. Alcoholic Beverages 5. Smoking Policy 6. Pet Policy 7. Throwing Rice or Bird Seed 8. The Reception 9. Fees 10. Invitations to pastors for receptions and rehearsal dinners 11. Things to bring with you to the rehearsal (checklist) “That you have chosen tobe married in the Christian Church means your wedding at St. John’s will be a worship service.” -page one 5 Marriage Service from the Lutheran Book of Worship Introduction 􀀢 Marriage is a Liturgy of the Church We rejoice that you have chosen to be married at St. John's. After years of guiding couples through the process of preparing for marriage, we realized the need for a set of uniform guidelines. Our staff has created this booklet to help you plan your wedding at St. John's. People from all cultures and all religions get married. As a result, marriage is not the sole possession of the church. That you have chosen to be married in the Christian Church means your wedding at St. John's will be a worship service. Therefore, as is the case in all Christian worship, our primary focus is on God. We come together to praise and thank God for the good gifts that the Creator has showered upon the human family and upon the church. God gives us marriage as the foundation for human community. Marriage brings us a joy that begins now and is brought to perfection in the life to come. As you come before the altar to pledge your love and life-long faithfulness to each other, the Church offers what it has been authorized by Christ to give: God's blessing. As you kneel you will hearthe words which make a Christian wedding unique: "The Lord God, who created our first parents and established them in marriage, establish and sustain you, that you may find delight in each other and grow in holy love until your life's end. Amen. " 􀀢 Who may be married at St. John's? In keeping with the nature of Christian marriage, only people who have a commitment to Christ and are active members of a worshiping congregation are married at St. John's. Members who worship regularly and are active in the life of St. John's, and family members (children or grandchildren) of active St. John's members may be married here provided we receive verification from their home church that they are active members. In these cases the couple must also fulfill the requirements for marriage at St. John's (see section on Marriage Preparation, next page) . Persons who have been married in a civil ceremony are welcome to have their marriage vows blessed by the church. (Inform the pastor if this is your situation.) Getting Started As you read through this wedding booklet you will notice that some traditions associated with weddings are no longer practiced at St. John 's. Some practices have been discontinued for practical reasons and others for theological reasons. In each case we have tried to explain why these traditions have been discontinued. The following arrangements should be made before making further plans for your wedding: 1. Initial Arrangements Your preparation for a wedding at St. John's began with your initial consultation with the Pastor. At that time you were given this Wedding Book and Wedd

FAQs

Who may be married at St. John’s Lutheran Church?

Marriage at St. John’s is for people committed to Christ and active members of a worshiping congregation. Regular worship and active participation at St. John’s, and verification for family members from their home church, are required.

What marriage preparation activities are required?

Couples must participate in marriage preparation, including the Prepare/Enrich inventory with follow-up sessions. Additional counseling may be requested, and couples are required to attend an evening workshop offered 6–9 months before the wedding date.

Are weddings allowed during Holy Week?

No. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday and concludes on Easter Sunday, and no weddings take place at St. John’s during this period when attention is directed toward the mystery of redemption.

Sep 24, 2026

Upload by Patrick