Weddings

First and foremost, marriage is a sacred and spiritual partnership between two persons whose lives are woven together in commitment and love.  As the Bible notes, “We love because God first loved us.”   

Second, a wedding ceremony at NDBC is a worship service.  There are many wonderful venues suitable for weddings, and these settings lend themselves to various options.  However, you have chosen to be married in the sacred space of the Sanctuary or Chapel of Northside Drive Baptist Church (NDBC).  Your choice accents the spiritual and religious significance of this ritual of love.  We value this sacred perspective and have created policies, procedures, and guidelines that may help maintain this focus.  These topics are addressed in the pages that follow, such as photography, flowers, music, and guest clergy. 

One of the happiest and most memorable occasions of your life should be your wedding. An important function of NDBC is to provide a setting for a Christian marriage service. 

NDBC is pleased that you have chosen to have your wedding here. It will be a privilege for our Wedding Ministry Team to assist you in making every phase of your wedding celebration one that will be remembered with deep satisfaction. When carefully planned, a wedding will be a genuine worship service, inspiring both the participants and the congregation.  

The facilities of NDBC and the services of its Staff and the Wedding Ministry Team are available to NDBC members and children of members as well as non-members who have strong ties to a member who is willing to sponsor them.  Such sponsorship includes being a joint signer of the Couple's Information Worksheet and agreeing with the couple that the guidelines in this booklet will be followed.  

The Wedding Ministry Team asks that you read the material in this booklet as well as the NDBC Facilities Use Policy so that you have a full understanding of the general regulations for use of the facilities.  If you have any questions regarding the regulations, please work with your Wedding Ministry Team representative. 

We hope you will look back on your wedding service at NDBC as an enriching experience, symbolic of your commitment to one another.  

It is necessary for the couple-elect to confirm the wedding date with the minister before the date can be confirmed on the church calendar.  Once the couple-elect have confirmed the date with the minister, the date and time for rehearsal, wedding, and reception (if it is to be held at the church) must be established with the church office as far in advance as possible to avoid any conflict.   

A security deposit (in the amount of $500.00 for NDBC members or $1,000.00 for non-members) will be required to guarantee the date requested. The deposit will be refunded within 30 days following the wedding, provided that no damage to NDBC's facilities has occurred in connection with the wedding.  The deposit is nonrefundable if the wedding is canceled less than 90 days prior to the wedding date.  

Sunday weddings cannot be scheduled without special permission. No weddings are to be scheduled during December, Palm Sunday weekend, or Easter weekend. 

Under special circumstances, guest ministers may participate or officiate with the approval of an NDBC minister. If a guest minister is to assist the NDBC minister or is to perform the service without the participation of an NDBC minister, protocol requires that such guest minister be invited by an NDBC minister.  The NDBC minister will confer with the guest minister regarding the form of the service and, when comfortable with the guest minister's conformity to the basic nature of worship at NDBC, will so notify the Wedding Ministry Team.  

After the wedding date is confirmed on the church calendar, the couple-elect should have a conference with the NDBC minister as soon as possible to begin preparations. 

The celebration of Christian marriage is an occasion of great joy and excitement and, at the same time, of great significance and reverence.  For the couple-elect, it is a moment of deepest commitment, each to the other and both to God. 

The promises of marriage are connected to the promises of baptism, and it is therefore fitting that these promises be made in the context of worship and be witnessed by the community of faith. 

The officiant and the Wedding Ministry Team will be available to review the Order of Service at the couple’s request. 

The NDBC Wedding Ministry Team provides directors for the rehearsal and the wedding. This is a volunteer service provided by the church. If the couple choose to engage a wedding planner, this person may assist the couple and their attendants prior to and after the wedding service; however, the wedding planner may not participate in conducting the rehearsal or the wedding service.  

The NDBC minister will conduct the rehearsal and the wedding service,  and the Wedding Coordinator from the Wedding Ministry Team will be responsible for all other matters during the rehearsal and the wedding service.  If a wedding planner is hired by the couple, she/he may direct activities associated with the rehearsal dinner and the reception, if held at NDBC. 

  The couple may expect the following assistance from the Wedding Ministry Team:   

1. The Wedding Ministry Team Chairperson will contact the prospective couple and email the Guidelines for Weddings @ Northside Drive Baptist Church, the Northside Drive Baptist Church Facilities Use Policy, and the Couple’s Information Worksheet. The couple is to contact the chairperson and advise her/him if the couple are agreeable to the terms of the NDBC wedding guidelines. If so, the Couple's Information Sheet should be completed by the couple, and one copy should be returned to the chairperson immediately.  In addition, and a security deposit should be delivered to the NDBC Business Manager to guarantee the date requested. The Chairperson will then arrange a time to meet with the couple personally for planning.  

1. The Chairperson will set up a meeting of the Chairperson, the couple, and the Wedding Coordinator (if different than the Chairperson) approximately four weeks before the wedding to finalize all arrangements. These arrangements will include names and roles of all participants, special seating needs, music, rehearsal procedure, floral plans, photography plans, and the schedule for the wedding day.  

1. Wedding Ministry Team members will arrive 15 minutes prior to the rehearsal. Ministry Team members will direct the overall rehearsal, with the Minister handling the rehearsal of the actual service.  

1. On the day of the wedding, two members of the Wedding Ministry Team will arrive 2 hours before the wedding. They will check last minute details such as lights, heating, air-conditioning, flowers, and candles.  

1. Consumption of food and beverages on NDBC's premises before the rehearsal or the wedding service needs to be pre-arranged with the Wedding Coordinator.  

The Wedding Ministry Team members will assist the wedding party in making final preparations for the service as well as coordinating the wedding procession. After the wedding, they will conduct the wedding party to the altar for photographs and assist the wedding party in getting to the reception, if it is held at the church, and to the dressing rooms following the reception.  

Wedding rehearsals are held the day before the wedding at a time that considers the location and time of the rehearsal dinner, the location of the church, traffic conditions, out-of-town arrivals, and seasonal considerations. The rehearsal should take no more than one hour. 

Floral decorations are not required in any location. If used, floral decorations are to be marked by simplicity and are to be limited to the following locations:  

• One urn placed in front of the pulpit  
• One urn placed in front of the lectern  
• Greenery on the candelabra and aisle standards  
• One bowl on the narthex table 
• Bows and/or greenery marking the family pews  

The urns, stands, and bowl are to be those furnished by the church. The flowers used in these locations may be obtained by the couple through the florist who normally provides flowers for NDBC services. This florist knows the acceptable forms and locations of flowers for weddings at NDBC.  If another florist is to be used, a description of the planned decorations must be submitted four weeks before the wedding.  

No other decorations other than candelabra, aisle standards and candles may be used. Aisle runners are not allowed. No furniture may be moved. Flowers used for Saturday weddings are normally, but not necessarily, left for the Sunday morning worship service. When the flowers are to be left, this contribution will be acknowledged in the NDBC weekly bulletin (The Pinnacle) and that Sunday's Order of Worship.  

For further information, see the page in the Couple’s Information Worksheet, "For the Florist."  

If the reception is held at NDBC, the Fellowship Hall or the Pavilion should be reserved at the time the wedding date is set. Please refer to the Northside Drive Facilities Use Policy for the specific guidelines and policies governing the use of the Fellowship Hall and the Pavilion.  

The photographer is to end all pre-service photography 45 minutes before the start of the processional so that the wedding party can perform their pre-service duties and take their proper places.  

After the service, the photographer will have 45 minutes to take all remaining pictures inside the Sanctuary or elsewhere at the church.  

Video recording may be done from a fixed location in the rear of the balcony with no addition of floodlights or other special lighting effects. The video firm will need to work with the NDBC Audio Engineer to control use of equipment so that there will be no interference with the audio system from the video electrical and electronic equipment.  

A representative of the NDBC Audio Committee will be present to regulate the sound system.  Only members of the NDBC Audio Committee are permitted to use the audio equipment. 

1. The Marriage License must be delivered to the Minister the day before the wedding. It may be brought to the rehearsal and given to the Minister at that time. The marriage license may be obtained from the county courthouse of the couple's residence.  
2. NO RICE CONFETTI OR BIRDSEED IS PERMITTED INSIDE OR OUTSIDE of NDBC's facilities.  Wedding party members are requested to see that this rule is followed. 
3. Smoking is prohibited in NDBC's facilities. 
4. NDBC will not be responsible for theft or loss of valuables. Every effort is made to secure the building, but participants should be warned. 
5. No NDBC property should be removed or relocated.