Weddings at The Water’s Edge Church

Requirements for Marriage at The Water’s Edge

• Worship attendance is required to enable an understanding of our denomination and our church. This requirement can be waived for immediate family of current Water’s Edge members.
• Completion of Premarital Counseling and Mentoring Program.
• Meeting(s) with Pastor prior to the ceremony.
• Presentation of properly executed marriage license at the rehearsal.
• The church grounds are alcohol-free and the building is alcohol and smoke-free. If alcohol is present on the premises, the officiating Pastor reserves the authority to cancel the service.
• No animals are allowed as part of weddings within The Water’s Edge building.

Scheduling the Wedding

Please contact the complete the “Reserve Your Wedding” form at the bottom of this page as soon as possible regarding the date you wish to schedule. The Administrator will mark your date with a tentative notation and will confirm wedding dates only after the non-refundable scheduling fee has been received.

The Venue

Weddings at The Water’s Edge are held in the sanctuary. This warm and inviting facility seats approximately 500 guests and is available year-round. Our Pastors also perform weddings offsite.

Use of the building is available up to 3 hours before the start of the wedding and 1 hour after the wedding is complete. Most weddings are around 30 minutes. If additional use of the building is desired before the wedding, if available, the building can be rented for a nominal fee of $30/hour.

The Pastor

The Senior Pastor or Associate Pastor of The Water’s Edge officiate the weddings. Guest clergy may assist with the approval of the Senior Pastor.

All engaged couples will meet with the officiating Pastor to discuss the upcoming marriage. The Pastor expects to spend one or more sessions in conference with a couple. It is the responsibility as a Pastor to function in this capacity as a counselor. This will include discussions of both the service and the marriage itself. The couple must contact the Administrator to schedule this session(s). At the discretion of the Pastor, additional outside counseling may be required.

Premarital Mentoring Program

Premarital mentoring is required for all first-time marriages for couples (members and non-members) intending to be married by the Pastor of The Water’s Edge. Couples will be assigned a Marriage Mentor Couple to complete the Preparing for Marriage curriculum. The mentor couples have received special premarital training. These couples have been married for at least ten years and exemplify Christ-centered marriages.

Topics to be covered include:

• Spiritual Foundation of Marriage
• Building Oneness
• Communication: Listening, Expressing Yourselves & Resolving Conflicts
• Roles and Responsibilities in Marriage
• Financial Aspects of Marriage
• Intimacy: Sexual Communication in Marriage

To adequately discuss the above topics and other concerns, it ordinarily takes eight, one-hour mentoring sessions. The assigned Mentor Couple will contact you to schedule a time to meet. The couple will be provided a Preparing for Marriage workbook to be used for the mentoring sessions.

You should expect to be challenged, strengthened, educated, and better prepared for your upcoming marriage. You will experience some laughs and even some tears. Through the mentoring sessions, you should develop a realistic expectation of what marriage will be like.

Wedding Coordinator

The Wedding Coordinator represents the church in coordinating the details of the wedding and rehearsal within the church. Their responsibilities include: ensuring the wedding venue is ready for the rehearsal and wedding, unlocking rooms for the wedding party, coordinating audio set-up, arranging guest book podium and gift table, assisting Pastor with rehearsal, orchestrating processional and recessional, monitoring time schedules related to the ceremony, and overseeing any other facilitation needs within the church.

When the wedding date has been confirmed and placed on the wedding schedule by the Administrator, the Wedding Coordinator will call to discuss plans and answer questions. They will assist with rehearsal and will be at the church during the designated hours on your wedding day.

Dressing Rooms

The bride and her party may dress at the church in one of the Sunday school classrooms. Customarily, the groom’s party dresses away from the church, however the conference room is available. It is the responsibility of the bride and groom to arrange for the care of the property of the wedding party before, during and after the wedding, as well as the removal of such items immediately following the service. The church will not be responsible for any articles belonging to any person in the bridal party, any guest at the wedding, or any vendor serving the wedding.

Marriage License

The Pastor can only perform weddings in full accordance with the law. The wedding cannot take place without a marriage license. Please be aware that some counties require multiple days to process a request for a marriage license. The license is to be given to the Wedding Coordinator at the rehearsal.

Wedding Music

The wedding is a service of worship. All music played or sung during the wedding must be approved by the Pastor. Contact the Administrator for a list of suggested vocalists and instrumentalists. Please contact musicians as soon as possible to make arrangements for his or her presence at your wedding.

Photographers and Videographers

The Water’s Edge encourages the couple to employ a professional photographer for the wedding. Our church allows videography. The wedding party is responsible for providing personnel for this service.

Flowers and Decorations

If wanted, altar flowers are to be provided by the wedding party. Only silk flower petals may be scattered in the sanctuary. Decorations of any kind may not be attached to the chairs or any other furniture by gluing, nailing, pinning or taping. All decorations and flowers must be removed from the building following the service. No decorations belonging to the church may be moved.

Candles

If the bride and groom desire to use a unity candle or candles for decoration, it will be their responsibility to provide them.

Restrictions

Confetti, rice and birdseed are not to be distributed and/or thrown inside or outside the church. Only bubbles used outside the church may be used for this tradition. Animals are prohibited to be a part of the ceremony unless said animal is a certified service animal.

Financial Responsibilities & Fees

The $25 non-refundable scheduling fee is required at the time the wedding is scheduled with the Administrator.

The balance must be paid by the Monday before the wedding day. Please make all payments in the form of a check payable to “The Water’s Edge.”

Wedding Fees: Total $1,000

• Scheduling Fee: $25.00
• Use of Sanctuary: $300.00
• Pastor: $300.00
• Wedding Coordinator: $225.00
• Custodial Services: $50.00
• Audio/Visual Technician: $100.00

Pastor Performing Wedding Off-Site: Total $325

• Scheduling Fee: $25.00
• Pastor: $300.00

Reserve Your Wedding

Please use the button below to complete our Wedding Reservation Request form. Once you have completed the form, our administrator will contact you to confirm your date. Upon confirmation, please drop off your scheduling fee to The Water’s Edge within one week. If you have questions, please contact Jennie at jennie@weomaha.com.