Wedding Request Form

God is the author of marriage; therefore we do take marriage seriously. We want to do everything we can to help you achieve a mutually enriching relationship expressed in a lifelong, constantly deepening commitment to one another.

This form describes the way we try to fulfill this responsibility.

WHO CAN BE MARRIED AT CROSSROADS?

Weddings at CrossRoads are for those who are active in worship attending for at least the last six months.

And, if desiring a Minister or Pastor not on staff at CrossRoads, they need to be approved by CrossRoads' Lead Pastor.

It is our mission to conduct a ceremony that reflects biblical principles and sets a foundation for a Christian marriage. Therefore, marriage requires an individual and collective walk with God.

We are devoted to God’s principles for marriage and believe marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in the presence of God. CrossRoads will only perform ceremonies that reflect the Bible’s specific guidelines and perception of marriage.

Here are some Passages of Scripture we often reference in making these determinations for a Biblical marriage.

- Genesis 2:18, 21-24
- Matthew 19:3-12
- 1 Corinthians 7:1-40
- Colossians 3:18-19
- Ephesians 5:21-33
- 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

STEP BY STEP SCHEDULING PROCESS

1. Read this information carefully and consider if CrossRoads’ expectations regarding marriage match your own.

2. Complete the Wedding Request Form and submit it to check for availability.

3. Your date will be confirmed on the church calendar by the Administrative Pastor. An appointment will be made for you to meet with the Administrative Pastor and your Primary Coordinator to discuss the generalities of the wedding. At this point, we ask that you pay your Building Use Fee dependant upon which room you're using for your ceremony.

4. Primary Coordinator contact information will be given to you as soon as we fill the position for your wedding and have received your Building Use Fee. From this time forward, your questions and concerns about your ceremony will be entirely handled through your Primary Coordinator.

The earlier you begin this process, the better. Please contact the church a minimum of six months before your anticipated wedding date. Dates will be entered in the church calendar on a first come, first serve basis, and only by following the procedures above.

*Our calendar fills up very quickly. Please turn in your paperwork as early as possible. The only stipulations we have upon holding your date is that we do not book more than one year in advance. This is to give our church first priority to the building.

WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN WEDDING?

Why do I want to be married at CrossRoads? Why not simply have a civil ceremony?

All of the attire, pageantry and festivity which we normally associate with weddings can be present without the wedding being a worship service officiated by a Minister or Pastor.

Here is where we see the difference. A Christian wedding involves:

- Vows taken before God.
- Biblical teaching and references that pertain to Christians and following Jesus as husband and wife.
- A time of testimony to the bride and groom’s faith in Jesus.
- And a challenge to build your marriage on biblical teachings.

In a Christian wedding, the vows and covenant made to God are as important as the vows and covenant made to one another. Just as Believers try to live out their faith in every aspect of life, in a Christian wedding, a couple must have the intentional desire to build their marriage on their personal faith in God and the teaching of His Word.

If you are confused or uncertain as to what a personal commitment to Jesus Christ really means, please talk to one of our Pastors.

All of us are growing in our faith. All of us sin daily even though we want to honor God. We are all in need of God's grace because of our brokenness.

The question is, “Have you begun a journey with God?", or "Are you willing to begin your journey with Him?” If you haven't reached that point, that's ok. But a civil ceremony might be every bit as meaningful for you as a religious ceremony.

WHAT IS THE PASTOR’S RESPONSIBILITY TO YOU?

The Pastor bears responsibility for providing education and counsel in preparation for marriage.

Counseling topics of discussion:

· Commitment & Growth
· Submission
· Communication
· Needs
· Conflict

To adequately discuss the above topics and discuss the wedding, it ordinarily requires six sessions, each approximately one hour long.

LEGAL DETAILS

The State is interested in your marriage. Since the Wedding Service is binding in the eyes of civil law, there are certain legal requirements with which you need to comply.

You must apply for a marriage license at the office of the County Clerk, and the license is valid for 60 days.

With a valid marriage license issued by any of the Illinois counties, you may be married anywhere in Illinois. Bring your marriage license to the Pastor or your Primary Coordinator before the day of the wedding, preferably at the time of rehearsal.

WEDDING COORDINATORS

All weddings will be assigned a Primary and Secondary Coordinator. Your Wedding Coordinators play a very important part in your wedding plans at the church. You will be contacted by your Primary Coordinator about six weeks prior to your wedding to assist you with your plans and answer questions. Please feel free to contact them before that if you have questions.

FACILITIES

You may be married in either the Worship Center or Chapel depending on the type of wedding desired and the number of people likely to attend. Your service may be formal or informal. Our Chapel is adequate for a wedding of up to 75 guests. For larger weddings, the Worship Center is set to seat 360 and has a seating capacity of 500. However, seating capacity for over 360 will be the responsibility of the wedding party for setup and tear down, including returning the building to its normal setup after the wedding.

Saturday weddings should begin no later than 4:00pm. and the building should be completely restored no later than 7:00pm. CrossRoads is not available for weddings on Sundays, the three weeks leading up to Easter, or from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day.

There is to be no smoking in the building or near entryways, and there is to be no drinking of alcohol on church property. Please instruct ushers and attendants to help carry out these requests so that your guests do not violate guidelines set by CrossRoads Leaders. Out of respect for the ceremony that is taking place, please do not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Rice, confetti, or birdseed are not permitted inside or outside the church. Please care for and leave the church building in the best possible condition. Please ask parents, ushers, and the wedding party to see to these details for you.

MUSIC

We have instrumental wedding music that can be played before and after the service. If you have music that you would like played either before, during, or after the service, please discuss that with your Wedding Coordinator. Since the wedding ceremony is a Christian Worship Service, it is important that the words not contradict Christianity. If you would like a pianist from the church or if you're bringing in your own instrumentalist, please discuss this with your Primary Coordinator.

SOUND SYSTEM

It is required that you use an Audio Technician from CrossRoads for your ceremony. The Primary Coordinator will make arrangements with your Technician concerning rehearsal, sound check and the ceremony.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Photographers (and guests) should not detract from the ceremony in effort to get the perfect shot. The photographer should perform their service with professionalism and discretion. The Primary Coordinator should meet with your photographer at rehearsal to answer any questions they may have with regard to church policies.

DECORATIONS

It is best to keep your floral arrangements simple. Decorations used by your florist should not be attached to any part of the building in a way that will mar the finish or leave a lasting mark of any kind. Therefore, we ask that you not use tacks, pins, nails, scotch tape, or glue.
Pew bows may be attached to the chairs along the aisles with corsage pins. Floral arrangements should be in place no later than an hour and a half before the service. Items on the platform in the Worship Center are not to be moved without the assistance of the Primary Coordinator. Only dripless candles may be used to prevent the spilling of wax on the carpet.

The wedding party is responsible for making arrangements for the removal of all floral decorations after the ceremony. All rented equipment must be removed no later than 7:00pm.

REHEARSAL

A rehearsal is usually held the evening before the wedding, allowing wedding party and those working for your ceremony to get off work. All members of the wedding party should be present. At this time we ask that CrossRoads Personnel for your event receive their fees individually. Your Primary Coordinator will have the names of all people working your event and the amount they should receive.
*We apologize for the inconvience of writing numerous checks, and we hope change this process in the near future. However, we currently ask that you pay each individual their fee at rehearsal. A single envelope containing all checks may be given to the Primary Coordinator and they will handle it from there.

RESPONSIBILITIES AFTER BUILDING USE

It is the responsibility of those using the facility to set up, clean up, and return the facility to the prior setup after the wedding.

These responsibilities are as follows:
· Return all tables, chairs, and other equipment to their proper places.

Return all rooms used to their normal setup.
· Report any damage to equipment or property to the Primary Coordinator. All decorations should be removed.

CUSTODIAL SERVICE

· Custodial will clean and restock the restrooms.
· Custodial will vacuum the Worship Center or Chapel, their respective lobby areas, any dressing areas used, and will empty the trash in said areas.
· If stains occur, please notify the Primary Coordinator in order to ensure correct cleaning solutions are used to prevent permanent damage.

RECEPTIONS IN THE CHURCH

The church facilities are available for receptions. The Commons will comfortably seat approximately 150 guests for dinner. Any setup will be the responsibility of the wedding party, both setup and returning the room to it's prior setup. We ask that refreshments be handled by a professional caterer or a person responsible for the overall coordination of the reception. There is no drinking of alcohol on church premises, and this includes champagne toasts.

To insure everything that is done is God honoring, CrossRoads retains the right to approve playlists & music used during the reception. This includes DJ's and live bands.

Use of our kitchen and equipment must be requested in advance with the church office. Kitchen use does not include any disposable items.

Those using church facilities accept full responsibility for any damage incurred to the building or equipment during that use.

AFTER A RECEPTION

· Place all garbage in the dumpster located outside the back of the building.
· Wipe off tables. If food or drink is involved, wipe all tables clean using mild soap and water solution.
· If using the kitchen, please wash and dry all dishes used and return them to the correct cabinet. Take all extra food and beverage items with you.
· Wipe counters and leave the kitchen clean and ready for the next user.
· Place used dish cloths and towels in the sink. They will be picked up and laundered.
· Custodial Service will mop The Commons.

FEES

Fees cover operational costs of the building as well as staffing. The Wedding Request Form needs to be submitted and the Building Use fee should be turned into the church office as soon as possible, preferably a minimum of six months before your wedding.

QUESTIONS

Should you have any questions prior to your first appointment please contact the Administrative Pastor, Rob Ketcherside. After you are assigned your Primary Coordinator, all questions concerning the ceremony are directed to your Coordinator.

POLICY EXEMPTION CLAUSE

The leadership of CrossRoads Christian Church has written this policy to promote Christian marriage as described in Galatians 5 and to offset a portion of the costs incurred for use of the building. However, we understand that in some cases there may be a need to waive some of these requirements and costs.

If you desire to be married but know that you cannot meet certain requirements or costs of this policy, you may apply for an exemption. Please provide your contact information with a written request for the portion of the policy you are unable to comply with so that it can be considered for approval.

Any exemptions dealing with costs will require the approval of the Administrative Team and will require the venue to be the chapel. Any counseling exemptions will require the approval of the officiating Pastor.

After reading our Wedding Policies and Procedures, if you are interested in having your wedding at our CrossRoads, please fill out the remainder of the Wedding Request Form and submit it.

*Completion of this form is not a guarantee that your date is available. Once we receive your form, the master calendar will be checked for availability and your request will be reviewed by our Administrative Team. We will check with your desired Pastor for their availability and then set up a meeting between you and the Administrative Pastor to begin the planning process. At this meeting, you will be given a copy of everything you have read here for your records.

The group requesting use of CrossRoads Facilities hereby absolves the church, it's pastors, leadership, members or staff of any liability for personal injury to any individual resulting from the use of the church facilities and agrees to be responsible for any property damage that results during the use of the facilities. If damage to property or injury occur, an incident report should be made to the church office immediately.

The Wedding Party is responsible for following all building use guidelines as outlined in this document. By submitting this form, you agree to abide by these guidelines and confirm that all information provided in this form is correct to your understanding.