Wedding
So you want to get married?
This is designed to give you all the information you need if you desire one of our leaders to conduct your wedding ceremony. We understand that planning a wedding from start to finish is a busy affair and we want to make any involvement that we may have in your wedding be a simple and straightforward affair.
Harvest is all about Christ-centered weddings
Right off the bat, we want to be upfront with you about our beliefs and convictions on weddings. Within the stated by-laws of our church and our heart to honor the Lord in all that we do, Harvest Muskoka & Parry Sound Campus staff members only perform Christian weddings with a focus on Jesus Christ. Since God is the One that instituted marriage, we will strive to ensure that His name is proclaimed and His intentions honored when leading a couple through a marriage ceremony. It is our heart to bring everything, including marriage, back to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Word of God.
- Normally at minimum of two meetings with the couple to discuss their readiness for marriage as well as their desires for the wedding ceremony in addition to the pre-marital counselling they receive.
- Ensuring they are informed of and participating in either pre-marital counselling or post- wedding (within the first year) counselling, typically done by their Flock Leader or a Harvest Pastor/Elder.
- An evening to run the wedding rehearsal.
- Oversight of and officiating the actual wedding.
- Have a ceremony at City Hall as they provide civil wedding ceremonies
- Have a ceremony conducted by a wedding company
- Hire a licensed individual to conduct a ceremony
- Hire a licensed individual to attend your Christian ceremony and sign the marriage license.
- Have a family member or friend who is licensed attend your Christian ceremony and sign the marriage license.
- Schedule availability of pastor/elder
- Number of weddings already assigned
- Request for a particular pastor/elder by the couple
- Relational connectedness of pastor/elder to couple
- Audio/Video equipment: Due to the cost, complexity and storage issues of the Harvest gear required for Sundays and mid-week we cannot loan nor rent any of this equipment for weddings.
- Other Harvest supplies: Due to wear and tear, breakage and difficulty at times on getting things returned we also do not lend out nor rent any other Harvest components such as table clothes, plates, cutlery, lighting, etc.
- Office Equipment/Supplies: The office/photocopier cannot be made available to produce handouts or programs for the wedding.
- For a wedding in the Muskoka/Parry Sound area, a suggested gift to the pastor/elder would be $250 to conduct the entire service. If sharing responsibilities with another minister $150 would be appropriate. Please pay by cash or a cheque made out to the individual not the church. Please ensure this is given to the pastor or mailed to the office before or on the day of the wedding.
- If you require a pastor/elder to travel out of town his travel expenses should be covered fully (both ways).
- If your wedding is over two hours from Muskoka/Parry Sound you are asked to offer to pay for a hotel room for one night at a mid-range level hotel closer to the venue. In addition any meals required while he is out of Muskoka/Parry Sound would need to be reimbursed. It would then be his decision based on schedule and time of the wedding whether he will stay over night or not.
- Please do not ask a pastor/elder to stay in someone’s home as they need their freedom to study, prepare, relax, etc.
- If you request a member from the Harvest worship team to participate in your wedding we would ask you to give them $200 for their part.