WEDDINGS


Congratulations on this exciting time of preparation for your upcoming wedding ceremony and marriage! We rejoice with you on your decision to marry and count it an honor to share in this important season of your life. We are delighted to assist you in creating wonderful wedding day memories as well as a healthy and successful marriage.

If you wish to have a Christ Church pastor officiate your wedding or you are considering using our facility for the wedding, please review the frequently asked questions below, and complete and submit the pre-marriage application and questionnaire to the appropriate email address included below as soon as possible to secure the date and officiating pastor.

Please note that considering the size of our church and the total number of pastors on staff, the pastor you request may already be at capacity and unable to officiate your wedding. For this reason, we advise contacting the church as soon as possible.



FAQ


Planning your wedding at Christ Church begins when you contact us to apprise us of your plans. To do so, kindly fill out the pre-wedding application and complete our preliminary application by phone with one of our Wedding Facilitators at 973-783-1010 during regular business hours.

Because of our deep commitment to building healthy marriages, we only marry couples who successfully complete our six-week pre-marital classes. Once you have agreed to this requirement, we will forward a Wedding Application to you.

Upon receipt of your completed application, you and your fiancé will be scheduled to meet with one of our pastors to discuss your marriage plans.


Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate wedding receptions at this time.


We welcome you to contact one of our Wedding Facilitators to arrange a tour of Christ Church and to view the spaces offered for your ceremony.


Yes, you do have to be a member of Christ Church to host your wedding ceremony here. And please note, as an evangelical Christian congregation, Christ Church reserves the right to refrain from accepting applicants who request marriages that conflict with the ethics of our faith as based on the Bible.


Christ Church is an evangelical Christian church comprised of people from over 70 nationalities. We are an independent, Bible-believing church embracing a charismatic style of worship. You may learn more by visiting us at www.ChristChurchUSA.org.


Our church holds to the policy that pre-marital classes help engaged couples build strong marriages. The information presented in the classes and the subsequent bonding that typically results between participating couples is invaluable.

Consequently, all couples that desire to be married at Christ Church must complete a six-week pre-marital course. Each session is 90 minutes.


Our fee structure is divided into two categories: one for tithing members of Christ Church and one for non-members. All fees include the use of a Bride’s Room and a Groom’s Room. For more details, refer to the Fee Schedule listed. Additional fee information is included in the Wedding Manual provided by the Wedding Facilitator serving you on behalf of Christ Church.


At Christ Church, a Wedding Facilitator is provided to coordinate all weddings held at our facilities. Sometimes a couple will choose to hire a professional wedding planner to attend to the various and unique details involved in planning a wedding and reception. Whether you choose to hire a wedding planner or choose to personally plan your wedding, it is required that all weddings held at our facilities are coordinated by a Christ Church Wedding Facilitator.

Our Wedding Facilitators are familiar with our facilities and procedures, and work alongside you and/or your planner to ensure that your wedding runs smoothly and seamlessly.

Because Christ Church is an active congregation, with thousands of members engaged in a variety of church-related events, our facilities must be returned to their original condition immediately following each event. The Wedding Facilitator will work to ensure that your pre-arranged needs and those of Christ Church are well served.


Christ Church will happily arrange for an organist or pianist to serve during your wedding ceremony based on availability.

The fee for this service includes the musician’s time at one (1) wedding rehearsal and during the wedding ceremony, which is a maximum of two (2) hours.


WEDDING FEES SCHEDULE


Below is a list of fees associated with having your wedding ceremony at Christ Church. The fee structure is based upon whether you are a member or non-member of Christ Church.



Members of Christ Church


The following fees apply to members of Christ Church. A member is considered a person who has completed the Joining Our Church Family course, tithes consistently, regularly attends Christ Church, and is actively involved in at least one area of ministry. These fees reflect a discount from the fee schedule for non-members. In fact, the privilege we extend to members is that there is a "no charge" policy for all items we consider to be our pastoral responsibility.


Room/Activity Fee
Chapel No Charge
Sanctuary No Charge
Bride & Groom's Rooms No Charge
Pre-marital Counseling Per Couple (six sessions) No Charge
Wedding Ceremony Facilitator $275.00
Media Support $175.00
Pianist $225.00
Pastor Performing Ceremony $325.00
Maintenance $100.00
Security $100.00
Late Fee Deposit $200.00
Post-marital Counseling (two sessions) No Charge


Non-members of Christ Church


A non-member is anyone who does not attend Christ Church. Non-member status also applies to frequent and occasional visitors who have not yet made a commitment to becoming a member of the church or who do not meet ALL of the requirements for membership.


Room/Activity Fee
Chapel $250.00
Sanctuary $500.00
Bride & Groom's Rooms No Charge
Pre-marital Counseling Per Couple (six sessions) $190.00
Wedding Ceremony Facilitator $325.00
Media Support $225.00
Pianist $275.00
Pastor Performing Ceremony $375.00
Maintenance $150.00
Security $150.00
Late Fee Deposit $300.00
Post-marital Counseling (two sessions) No Charge


WEDDING CEREMONY FEES (Cont’d)


A wedding that does not start on time creates a hardship for those individuals from the church who have taken time to ensure that your wedding goes as planned. Consequently, Christ Church requires that each couple who wishes to be married must leave a refundable $200 ($300 non-member) late fee deposit.

The late fee will be charged for any reason that is not under Christ Church's control. For every subsequent 15 minutes thereafter, an additional $25 will be charged. Any late fees incurred will be applied against the $200 ($300 non-member) deposit. Total late fees incurred that are greater than the $200 ($300 non-member) deposit must be paid at the conclusion of the ceremony. Our facilitator, as with any other fee, will collect this deposit. All of or any unused portion of the fee will be refunded at the conclusion of the ceremony. Please see your Christ Church Facilitator for further details.


The late fee is given to all the working parties involved to compensate for their time as follows:

  1. $75 Pastor (member) $100 Pastor (non-member)
  2. Remainder to be divided among working parties: wedding facilitator, media, security, etc.

We consider a wedding start time as the time when the officiating pastor takes his/her place at the altar.



Music Support


The music support fee includes the following:

  • Prelude music
  • Processional music
  • 1 musical selection
  • Recessional music

Each additional selection will incur a charge of $25.



Sound Support


An additional $25 will be imposed for additional tape tracks, CD’s, etc.



ROCKAWAY


The town of Rockaway requires police detail at the entrance of the church for weddings that have 250 guests or more. The fee that they charge is $83 per hour with a minimum of 4 hours.



PAYMENT OF FEES


Please submit payment of all applicable fees to the Wedding Facilitator. Payments can be made in cash, or money order. Money orders should be made payable to those individuals designated by the Wedding Facilitator. The timeline for the payment of fees is as follows:


Item/Event Date Due
Pre-Marital Counseling At initial meeting with the pastor
Wedding Facilitator $500.00
Sound Support No Charge
Music Support $190.00
Room Usage Fee $325.00
Maintenance & Security $225.00
Late Fee Deposit* $275.00
Pastor’s Fee $375.00

*The Late Fee Deposit must be paid in cash.