Your wedding at Grace Church​

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We are delighted to help you plan your wedding service in our church. 

Please read the following information and contact Father Bates

if you have any further questions.

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The fees marked by an asterisk (*) are usually waived for communicant members (and their children) whose donations to the parish over the past 12 months exceed the fees listed below. A communicant is one who worships at Grace Church regularly, has received communion at least three times in the past year, and contributes to the church (for the purposes of weddings that means donations to the parish over the past 12 months exceeds the fees listed below). Free-will donations from communicants are appreciated. We would much rather non-communicants join the church by their attendance, reception of the sacrament, and pledge of donations than to merely use the building as a wedding venue.

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• Church Building Fee* –  $1,000 (waived for communicants who donate $1,000+ yearly)

• Clergy Fee for premarital counseling, rehearsal, and wedding* – $300 (waived for communicants who donate $1,300+ yearly)

• Organist Fee for Wedding Service (never waived) –  at least $250 for communicants and at least $300 for non-communicants). A late start will result in a charge of an additional $100 for each 30 minutes past the scheduled beginning of the wedding.

• Soloist (not required, but if desired, this fee is never waved) –  $125 per soloist. A late start will result in a charge of an additional $50 per soloist for every 30 minutes past the scheduled beginning of the wedding.

• Attendant Fee – $50 (required for all) plus $25 per hour for each hour the building must be accessible earlier than 1-hour prior to the scheduled beginning or later than 1-hour past the scheduled conclusion of the service. Partial hours are rounded up to the next hour.

• Custodial Fee for Church (never waived) –  $50

• Flowers –  To Be Discussed  

• Parish Hall for Receptions –  $300 per event lasting 3 hours or less (and an additional charge of $75 for every additional hour).

• Additional Custodial Fee for Reception (never waived) –  $100

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Wedding Policies

 

​All couples who seek to be married at Grace Church in Newark must conform to the canons of The Episcopal Church, including: at least one party must be baptized, both must participate in approved premarital counseling with the priest, and if either have been previously married, approval of the bishop must be secured. The Rector always has the right of refusal to officiate a wedding for any reason.

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Weddings and receptions may not happen on Sunday mornings or on Saturday nights (all weddings and receptions must be completed by 6:00 p.m. on Saturday evenings). All other evening and daytime weddings are subject to availability and approval.  Weddings will not be performed during the seasons of Advent and Lent.
 

Only the Wedding liturgy from The Book of Common Prayer (1979), pp. 422-432, may be used with only minor approved variations. Holy Communion is included, though it is not absolutely required. No personalized vows may be used; only the vows in The Book of Common Prayer, p. 427, may be used. No unity candles, other rituals outside The Book of Common Prayer, or excessive decor may be used.

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Musical selections must be approved by the Director of Music and the Rector. Only sacred music on acoustic instruments will be approved according to these parameters: sacred organ music or other acoustic sacred music may be used (no electronic instruments will be allowed). Hymns and songs must come from The Hymnal 1982 (or in some instances from other approved hymnals of The Episcopal Church). No other music, including praise music or choruses, may be used without approval of the Director of Music and the Rector, and then only with acoustic instruments.
 

The Director of Music has the right of refusal for weddings. If the Director of Music is not available, he will help to secure another organist. If the Director of Music is available and the party wishes to engage the services of another organist instead, a bench fee of $250 will apply. Musical selections must still be approved by the Rector.