WEDDING PLANNING
It is not unusual today that couples secure a venue for the reception and then expect the church will be available. Please call the church office, as soon as you start making your wedding plans. A good guideline is to do this at least four to six months in advance of your preferred date. If the date and time are open on the church calendar, a deposit will lock down your rehearsal and wedding dates, so that other events will not be scheduled over them. Weddings will not be scheduled during Holy Week (Palm Sunday to Easter), other high festival days of the church year, or in conflict with Living Water’s regular weekly worship schedule. Reservations for wedding dates are on a first-come, first- serve basis.
COUNSELING
Our pastor offers premarital counseling leading up to the wedding. Contact Pastor for more information.
His office number is (623) 266-1835 ext.102 and his cell is (602) 758-4002.
SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
At Living Water Lutheran, a wedding is first and foremost a worship service directed to the glory and praise of our Lord. When you think of music or other component parts, always reflect on how each piece contributes to glorifying God. Not everything that has a memory attached to it would be appropriate at a wedding service in the church. Readings and poetry should also clearly testify to the love of the Lord and confession of Christ, as your Savior. Before you get your heart set on something, please seek our pastor's counsel when considering various unique features, you might think of incorporating into the service. Requests for instrumentalists, vocalists and your preference for officiating clergy should be discussed with our pastor before contact or commitments are made.
WEDDING COORDINATION
Coordination is an important part of the services that Living Water Lutheran provides. Questions about logistics, customs and decorations are best answered through the pastor. Contributing parties such as florists, photographers and videographers appreciate a clear understanding of any details that will make their job easier and look more professional. Not every unforeseen "oops" can be anticipated ahead of time, but there are some common ones that we can strategically avoid with a little effort and communication.
CELEBRATION DINNERS
It is customary for the wedding party to have a rehearsal dinner before the service and a reception following it. It is not necessary or expected that the pastor or those serving at your wedding be included. In many cases, due to other commitments, when asked, don't be surprised if they are not available. If the family would like the pastor to lead the wedding party in prayer before any meal, please be sure to communicate those expectations in advance.
ARIZONA MARRIAGE LICENSE
A valid State of Arizona marriage license must be acquired no later than two (2) weeks prior to the scheduled wedding date. The license must be brought into the church office the week prior to the service. This gives everyone time to fill out all the appropriate sections, make necessary copies, and ready the documents before the busyness of the wedding day.
SMOKING, ILLEGAL DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
Living Water Lutheran Church does not allow smoking or illegal drugs anywhere on or around its facilities. Alcohol is permitted only with expressed permission of the Church Council and in connection with the celebration of Holy Communion. Violations of this policy will result in the immediate cancellation of the event.
FEES AND SERVICES
Events surrounding the wedding can be pricey. Living Water has tried to keep the costs associated with the ceremony as reasonable as possible. A list of current fees and services are provided. If you should have questions, or need additional details, please contact the church office.
NON-MEMBER WEDDINGS
We are happy to make our facilities available for couples who are not members of our parish, but who are active members of a sister parish. Fellow clergy of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod are also welcome to officiate services here as well. Members who are engaged to active members of other Christian faiths, or who are not baptized believers are encouraged to attend a series of new member classes, prior to the scheduled date of their wedding. For more information on the next available class, contact the church office and schedule a visit with our pastor.
THE BIG EVENT
The Rehearsal
Although rehearsals are typically held the evening before a wedding, it is not unusual for couples to schedule their rehearsal a day or two earlier in order to manage other demands upon their time leading up to their wedding date. Anticipate that the rehearsal will last 45 minutes to an hour. The rehearsal will be conducted by the officiating pastor. All who are in the wedding party should attend. It is important for all those participating in the service to arrive at the rehearsal at the scheduled time. Usually, there are other commitments for the evening that depend on our timeliness. If you are having special instrumentalists or vocalists, you may or may not want them to attend. Please seek the pastor's counsel in this matter.
The Pre-Ceremony Schedule
Some couples prefer to dress at the church. Some schedule most, if not all their pictures to be taken before the service begins. In either case, everyone in the wedding party should be dressed and ready to go at least one hour prior to the scheduled start of the service.
The Ceremony
Ecclesiastes 3:1 states that there is a time and a season for everything. Weddings are no exception. When it comes to the service time itself, remember that it is sacred and how the wedding party conducts itself should reflect that truth. The various elements in the service should also be treated as sacred. The music chosen and the readings selected should reflect that what is being done is being done to the glory of God alone. The pastor has been called to this congregation to insure that what is done reflects what our church teaches and believes. Seek his counsel as you consider any unique ideas that you may want to incorporate into your service. It is helpful to note that pranks and partying may have their place at weddings, but in or around the services is not the place.
Service Bulletins or Programs
It is customary to provide a bulletin or program that lists the order of service and those who are in the wedding party. Most couples choose to produce this on their own. For a fee, the church office can assist in the production of a bulletin, if you wish. Please request that the officiating pastor proof the order of worship before the bulletin or program goes into print.
Holy Communion
Normally, communion is not offered at weddings primarily because those attending the wedding are not always in fellowship with our church or in agreement with our Biblical confession. If communion is requested by the couple, it is possible to arrange for it to be offered in the privacy of the pastor's study before or after the service. Please consult with our pastor, if that might be something you are considering.
Other Non-Staff Clergy
It is the stance of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod that we are not to share our altars or pulpits with clergy that are not in fellowship with us. Requests for non-LCMS clergy to participate in the service is therefore not permitted. However, if you might like to invite a non-LCMS clergy to participate in some way, you might consider involving them in the reception as a way of honoring their impact in your life.
Post-Ceremony Schedule
It would be helpful to assign someone in the wedding party to be the last to leave. It is not uncommon that clothes, garment bags, cell phones, candles, flowers and gifts are unintentionally left behind. Assigning someone to sweep through the building and to pick up anything left behind would be a great benefit to everyone.
Photography
Capturing the moments surrounding your wedding is an important and often pricey proposition. Not all photographers or videographers are aware of the "do's and don'ts" of working in a particular parish. Encourage those you have selected to take photos or a video of your service to speak to the officiating pastor well in advance of the time of the service. If you should desire to have the pastor in any of the pictures, please let him know as soon as possible, so that he can be robed and available.
The Reception
If you choose to hold your reception at the church, you must schedule it through the church office at the same time as you schedule your wedding. You will be responsible for contracting with a caterer who will provide all food, drinks, set-up and clean-up. Out of consideration for security, we would ask that the reception at the church be concluded at a reasonable hour. We do not wish to rush you, but keep in mind that most weddings are held on Saturday and our service schedule begins early Sunday morning.
Resources & Information
