Eastgate is pleased to offer its facilities for your upcoming wedding. Pastor Tuttle and the entire staff of Eastgate wish to extend any assistance to you as you prepare for this special day.
SCRIPTURAL CONVICTIONS
Our ministry team will officiate the marriage ceremony of those people who are Christians and can give adequate testimony of their experience with Christ. We do not officiate the marriage ceremony of a believer with an unbeliever.
“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. 2 Corinthians 6:14, 15
PLANNING THE WEDDING SCHEDULE
Wedding arrangements involving the use of Eastgate’s facilities are made by contacting the church office. This process begins with filling out the Wedding Date Request Form.
Once your date is confirmed, please sign this form and pay your $200 deposit to the church office or online. Once your application is approved and your deposit has cleared, your date will be reserved. The balance of your wedding fees will be due six weeks prior to your wedding date. If there are no damages and all of the wedding procedures are followed, your $200 deposit will be returned to you within two weeks after your wedding.
Once your wedding date has been approved, you will be contacted by our Eastgate Wedding Liason.
Weddings on Saturdays can not begin later than 2:00 pm in the sanctuary. Please have all ceremonies completed with items cleared by 6:00 pm in the sanctuary and by 9:00 pm in the gym. Please plan on enlisting people to assist you with tear down, packing up personal belongings, and removing all personal items. All floral items should be removed from the stage immediately following the completion of pictures.
Due to the many demands on the facilities, only members of Eastgate and their immediate families can be married at Eastgate UPC. Immediate families include children of members. Consideration for a wedding will be given to former members who have moved away.
OFFICIATING MINISTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
Planning with them in mind
Eastgate Church asks that all weddings be planned taking into consideration the officiating ministers and their families. In order to make them aware and available for your needs, we ask that you:
• Inform ministers families ASAP of your rehearsal dinner times and date. Typically their family will be present for the dinner and ministers will remain for rehearsal unless the family is needed for rehearsal.
• Inform ministers and wives ahead of time if they will need to be pinned with flowers.
• Inform ministers and wives of any photos they will be included in during the pre-wedding photo shoot.
• We ask that you give our pastor, family, and other officiating ministers the honor of reserved seating during your reception. Please notify them ahead of time that you have made this accommodation for them.
PREMARITAL CLASSES
Completion of Premarital Counseling sessions is mandatory for all couples having a wedding ceremony. Our ministry staff can assist you with making these appointments with the pastor or with a counselor approved by Pastor Tuttle. This should be done as soon as your wedding date is confirmed.
“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever: Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18
WEDDING LIASON – Jada Wolf
The Eastgate Wedding Liason is your contact person for all things church related while planning your wedding. She is the one best equipped to help answer wedding questions while helping your plans stay within our church’s wedding policy guidelines.
Their desire is to accommodate your requests. She has been given guidelines to which she is held accountable. Should you have a request that our wedding guidelines do not accommodate, please write/email your request, and ask the liason to discuss your request.
Please allow your wedding liason to handle all details of planning your wedding as far as the church facilities are concerned. This will help make your day go as smoothly as possible.
The Eastgate liason may not be available to oversee your rehearsal and your wedding day. You will need to enlist the help of a personal wedding coordinator to ensure your wedding day flows according to your desired timeline.
Eastgate requires a wedding liason to assist the pastor by (a) attending to all prewedding details which involve Eastgate (b) confirming all needed wedding personnel are secured. i.e. musicians, sound, custodians.
WEDDING GUIDELINES
Pastor Tuttle and Bishop Edwards are the only ministers to perform wedding ceremonies at Eastgate Church unless approved by the pastor. Only ministers of like faith and practice are considered. In order for a non-Eastgate minister to be approved, we will request to see a copy of the minister’s service, including the vows the bride and groom are to take, prior to the wedding ceremony.
The bride and her family are responsible for all personal items of the wedding party that are brought to the church. If rented or borrowed property is used, it is the responsibility of the bride's family to see that it is returned.
The church is not responsible for personal items (i.e. wedding dresses, wraps, purses, silver, and glassware) brought to the church for use in the wedding or wedding reception. The church is not liable for such items lost, stolen or damaged during these events. Every reasonable effort will be made to assist the wedding party in protecting said property.
All wedding items, decorations, and related wedding props must be removed the day of the wedding.
If you are having a rehearsal dinner at Eastgate Family Life Center a cleaning fee is included in the reservation fee. All food and decorations must be removed the night of the dinner.
Policy on use of alcoholic beverages at wedding dinners and receptions:
It is our belief that alcoholic beverages have no place in the life of a Christian. No alcoholic beverages are allowed anywhere on the church premises at any time. Any member of the wedding party who is under the influence of alcohol will not be permitted to participate in the rehearsal or wedding. The wedding liason and pastor will determine the person's condition. If evidence of alcoholic beverages is found during the time you are renting the facility or afterward during cleanup, the return of your deposit will be forfeited.
Refrain from use of irreverent language and discourteous actions.
The Eastgate facilities are reserved for approximately one hour for your wedding rehearsal. Please be on time.
(Remember to invite all parties involved in the wedding to your rehearsal.)
All fees and required paperwork must be turned in six weeks prior to the wedding.
The church nursery is not available for wedding rehearsals or wedding ceremonies.
The wedding is a religious ceremony and music should be selected accordingly. All guest musicians and music must be approved. Your Eastgate wedding liasion will assist you as to any secular music selections and their approvals.
No rice or confetti can be used at an Eastgate wedding. We suggest that bubbles be used. Please do not blow bubbles inside the church.
A listing of ALL music to be used during your pre-ceremony music, ceremony, and reception must be given to the wedding coordinator six weeks prior to your wedding date. Please attach a copy of any songs that will be played with lyrics.
The wedding personnel are not permitted to remove any chairs, equipment, or items from the platform area. This equipment is valuable and used in ministry during our services.
For this equipment to be moved, please discuss with Eastgate's wedding liason.
WEDDING ATTIRE
The Bride, Groom, and all attendees (bridesmaids, groomsmen, children, musicians, singers) must adhere to the platform guidelines of Eastgate United Pentecostal Church. The dresses selected by the bride must be approved by Eastgate’s wedding liason for any wedding at Eastgate. Thank you for respectfully following these guidelines.
Ladies and girls should wear dresses/skirts that cover the knee, no low-cut tops/dresses, and no sleeveless, extremely short, or sheer sleeves. No jewelry permitted on the platform area.
Gentlemen and boys should wear appropriate attire. Dress shirts should be worn with no more than one button unbuttoned. No jewelry is permitted on the platform area.
RING EXCHANGE POLICY
No wedding ring exchange will be a part of the wedding ceremony.
WEDDING SUPPLIES
Eastgate does not have any wedding décor available for rent. We do provide tables and chairs at no cost if you are having your reception in Eastgate Family Life Center, but we do not provide tablecloths.
ALL candles and candelabras should have plastic underneath them incase wax is spilled. Candles must be the dripless type and must be in candelabras. Wax savers should be used to prevent dripping. Candelabras should not be placed on, in or be surrounded by flammable material. No candles are to be placed under microphones, on the piano or on the organ. No preservatives harmful to carpets may be used in the flower containers.
RECEPTION
Use of Eastgate’s Family Life Center kitchen is available but must be returned to the condition in which it was found. If the kitchen is not found in an acceptable condition, your deposit will be forfeited. All items placed anywhere in the kitchen (counters, refrigerator, freezer, etc.) must be clearly labeled with the wedding party’s names.
Check with your wedding liason to determine when you can start decorating for your wedding ceremony and reception.
The maximum time allowed for a wedding reception is three (3) hours including the reception and removal of all belongings.
Serving lines should begin serving food immediately following the ceremony.
Wedding party, family, officiating ministers, and their families should have reserved seating and be served whenever possible.
All entertainment and music should be respectful of a Christian environment. We encourage instrumental music, no lyrics.
Plan on having a large group of people to help clean up and clear items. We must enforce this policy strictly in order for the facility to be made ready for services. There is a Wedding Cleanup checklist that will be sent and needs to be returned to the office.
INSTRUMENTALISTS AND VOCALISTS
Eastgate requests all instrumentalists and vocalists observe the following instructions during the rehearsals and the wedding.
Rehearsal: Once the bride, groom, and their families have rehearsed the ceremony, we request no changes be made on the wedding day. The wedding liason shall be responsible for communicating this information to the technical ministry personnel.
If there are any special needs, requests, or questions, please have the bride communicate these to the wedding liason six weeks prior to your wedding date.
WEDDING DAY
PHOTOS
Eastgate church suggests that all photographs be taken before the ceremony begins. This gives you and your guests more time to celebrate together. Allowing 1 hour for these photos in you pre-wedding plans is advised.
• In the case where photos are taken after the ceremony, we ask that guests be allowed to proceed through the serving line while waiting for the wedding party to finish photographs.
• Don’t forget to inform your officiating ministers and their families of any photo you would like for them to be apart of. Please be aware of the time they are giving to you on this day and schedule their photos when convenient for them.
AUDIO
Eastgate’s audio technician will be prepared to do an on-stage sound check with you exactly one (1) hour prior to the wedding start time. Please notify the audio technician when you have arrived. You will have approximately 25 minutes to practice prior to the prelude music beginning.
The prelude music will begin exactly 30 minutes prior to the wedding start time. Please be prepared to extend your prelude playing time if the wedding does not start on time.
All instrumentalists and vocalists are required to dress in appropriate attire that is in accordance with Eastgate UPC platform guidelines.
Ladies should wear dresses/skirts that cover the knee. Ladies should not wear low cut tops/dresses and no sleeveless, extremely short, or sheer sleeves. No jewelry is permitted on platform areas.
Gentlemen should wear suits or nice slacks and sport coat, a tie is suggested, but not required. Dress shirts should be worn with no more than one button unbuttoned. No jewelry is allowed on the platform areas.
Musical instruments, orchestra chairs, and music stands that are Eastgate property cannot be moved. Eastgate audio and lighting technicians are the only people permitted in the audio and lighting booths.
A listing of ALL music to be used during your pre-ceremony music, ceremony, and reception must be given to the wedding coordinator six weeks prior to your wedding date. Please give her a copy of any songs that will be played with lyrics. These selections must be approved by our music minister before the wedding ceremony.
A copy of these policies is to be given to all non-Eastgate personnel involved in your wedding.
We agree to comply with all music policies in making our ceremony one that is worshipful and respectful.
PHOTOGRAPHERS AND VIDEOGRAPHERS
VIDEO SUPPORT
The screens will be available for the wedding party to include pre-approved photos and potentially a video clip/slideshow. The standard wedding fee does not include production time for us to create these items, only to play them on the screens. All videos, CDs, and/or slideshow materials must be received six weeks prior to your wedding in order to approve the content AND to get it into our system.
Official Eastgate livesteam is not available for weddings.
FLORIST POLICY
The florist and their employees are expected to observe the sanctity of the church. Please, no smoking, drinking, obscene language or discourteous behavior.
The florist and bridal party are responsible to see that the church premises are left as clean as they were found. The placing of flowers, ferns, candles, or anything decorative on any musical instrument is not permitted.
Decorations may not be attached to the pews or other furniture by nails, tacks, staples, adhesives, pins, or anything that will mar woodwork or carpet. Pew bows must be attached without pinning them onto the fabric of the chairs. (What we suggest is using an item that is like a bread tie to attach the flowers or bows to the outside edge of the chairs.)
The protective material must be used under all flower arrangements to protect carpets and furniture. No decorations are allowed on railings in the sanctuary or in the foyer. Seasonal decorations in the sanctuary and foyer are not to be removed. There will be NO moving of the piano, organ, or drum sets.
The flower girl may throw only silk flower petals. Real petals often get ground into the carpet and can cause stains.
Floral arrangements may be placed on the platform area and other areas prearranged with the wedding liason and bridal party. If arrangements or trees are wet, protect the platform and carpet with plastic. The florist must remove all decorations immediately after the wedding.
The Eastgate wedding liason will coordinate with the custodian.
A copy of these policies is to be given to the florist prior to the wedding.
Failure to comply with these policies could result in forfeiture of your deposit.
WEDDING CLEANUP
Following the wedding ceremony/reception, please complete the Wedding Cleanup Checklist. Be sure to select the person in charge of cleanup prior to the wedding day and forward the link to them. Completing the Checklist is part of the procedure for getting your wedding deposit refunded.