We appreciate your consideration of St. Johannes Lutheran Church for your wedding This beautiful and historic place of worship has long been a favorite among Charlestonians as well as visitors from afar.

If you are a non-member, we warmly invite you to join us in worship services. This will allow you to experience the beauty of the sanctuary, the stained glass windows, and the organ of St. Johannes.

We offer this Wedding Policy to assist you in making decisions and to familiarize you with the wedding procedures for this church.. The Christian wedding is an act or worship and will be conducted as such at St. Johannes.

Please read this information carefully. It should answer most of your questions. If you need further information, or to receive an application,

please contact the church office at 843-722-8906 or via email at stjohanneschurch@aol.com.

Blessings to you as you prepare for your upcoming marriage.

Officiating Minister: When the use of this church has been requested for a wedding ceremony, it is expected that the Pastor of St. Johannes will perform the ceremony. In the event that the couple would like for another minister to participate in the service, approval must be given by the Pastor and/or Council of St. Johannes. If the Pastor of St. Johannes is unavailable, the Wedding Guild will contact a Pastor to officiate at the ceremony.

Organist: It is expected that the Organist of St. Johannes Lutheran Church will play for all weddings conducted in this church. In the event that he is unable to play, he will recommend another local organist who is familiar with the organ at St. Johannes. Use of a substitute Organist must be approved by the Organist and/or Pastor of St. Johannes. When the services of the Organist from St. Johannes are used, the Organist’s fee includes one consultation with the bride and groom, one rehearsal, and one wedding ceremony. There will be an additional fee for any other rehearsal sessions with a soloist and/or bride and groom.

Music: Wedding music should be discussed with, and approved by, the Organist and/or Pastor at least two weeks prior to the rehearsal. All music in weddings at St. Johannes will be sacred music. Popular love songs and ballads are not appropriate for the ceremony. The “traditional” Wagner processional and the Mendelssohn recessional are both secular music and will not be used. The Organist can suggest a number of excellent compositions which are appropriate for the ceremony. The Pastor can also suggest appropriate places where hymns may be sung or where vocal music may be heard. The Church observes the liturgical custom that The Lord’s Prayer should be said by the whole assembled congregation, and for that reason, the singing of The Lord’s Prayer by a soloist as well is strongly discouraged. In the event that instrumental soloists (brass, woodwind, or string instruments) are desired, local musicians can be recommended, and must be approved by the Organist and/or Pastor. Fees for vocal or instrumental soloists are negotiated with, and payable to the individual(s) engaged. Prerecorded music is not permitted.

Marriage License: The marriage license (3 copies) must be presented to and approved by the officiating clergy or Pastor of St. Johannes prior to or at the rehearsal.

Rehearsal: The rehearsal must begin promptly at the time stated in the application and cannot exceed one hour. It is the responsibility of the bride and groom to make sure that all members of the wedding party are present and prompt. If bulletins are to be used, they must be brought to the rehearsal. Please plan accordingly.

Aisle Runner/Flower Petals: Because of the risk of tripping in high heels and long gowns, the church does not allow use of an aisle runner. For safety reasons, flower girls will not be allowed to distribute flower petals down the aisle.

Flowers: Flowers are purchased for the altar each Sunday of the year by members of the congregation and are provided through arrangements with a local florist. For this reason, preferences regarding altar flowers must be coordinated with the church office at least several weeks prior to the wedding. The bride and groom may choose either to use the flowers that are already available or may make their own arrangements for altar flowers. The Wedding Guild will be happy to recommend a florist experienced in floral design for this particular sanctuary. In the event that the bride and groom decide to provide their own altar flowers, a set of liners designed to fit the brass altar vases must be purchased from the church office at a cost of $10.00. Altar flowers may not be used without these liners. If desired, the wedding flowers may be donated to the church for use in the front windows during the next service.

Candles: Liquid wax candles with hurricane globes for use in the windows are available upon request. The use of additional candles other than those routinely used in worship services must be approved by the Pastor.

Photography: No flash photography is allowed from the time the organ music starts through the very end of the ceremony. The photographer may take pictures unobtrusively from the back of the church or from the organ gallery without using a flash. Videotaping is allowed if the video camera is placed in the gallery and is operated so that is does not disturb the ceremony. The equipment may not be moved from place to place, and video camera may not be used on the main floor of the church during the ceremony.

Wedding Director: A representative of the church’s Wedding Guild will be in contact with the bride and groom once the application and fees are submitted to the Church Office. Wedding Guild members will be present during the rehearsal and the wedding; therefore, a wedding director is not appropriate at the church. The Guild member will direct and coordinate the wedding party in accordance with plans previously agreed upon by the Pastor and the bride and groom.

Showering: The showering of the bride and groom with anything – including bird seed, rice, flower petals, etc. is prohibited for the safety of the wedding party and guests on church property. If showering is to be done, it must be done at a location away from the church.

Church Office Hours: The church office hours may vary depending on activities at the church; therefore, it will be necessary for anyone needing to get into the church facilities – e.g., florist, caterer, decorator, etc. – to make prior arrangements with the Wedding Guild or Church Office.

Custodial Services: Custodial services include opening and closing of the church, as well as ensuring that the church is cleaned up in preparation for and following the ceremony. It is expected that members of the wedding party leave the church facilities in the condition in which they were found.

Reception: The parish hall and kitchen and available to be used for a wedding reception for an additional fee (see fee schedule).

Miscellaneous: Members of the wedding party may find it more convenient to dress prior to arriving at the church. Guild members will tour the facilities of the church with the wedding party prior to the rehearsal. It is expected that all personnel connected with the wedding respect the church property and do everything possible to prevent damage. The church office should be notified immediately of any damage which may accidentally occur. Cell phones and/or pagers must be turned OFF prior to entering the sanctuary.

Application: The application form must be retuned to the church office, accompanied by the appropriate fees, in order for the wedding date to be reserved on the church calendar. Any necessary changes to the information provided on the application should be submitted to the Church Office or Wedding Guild immediately.

Fee Schedule

Members of St. Johannes (Members are defined as those confirmed members of St. Johannes who have communed and made a contribution for a minimum of one full year prior to application.):

Wedding Fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 750.00

Fee for use of Parish Hall and kitchen . . . . . 100.00

(The above fees include the Organist’s fee, the Pastor’s honorarium, and the Custodian’s fee.)

Non-Members of St. Johannes:

Wedding Fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 1800.00

Fee for use of Parish Hall and kitchen . . . . . 500.00

(The above fees include the Organist’s fee, the Pastor’s honorarium, the Custodian’s fee, and the sanctuary fee.)

With the exception of a natural disaster, wedding fees are non-refundable, as the church has been reserved exclusively for you. Any other requests for refunds would require approval by Church Council on a case by case basis.