Weddings
Welcome
We welcome those who want to celebrate their marriage in the context of
Christian worship at Fonthill United Church.
You do not have to be a member of our congregation to be married
here. We welcome those of
other religious backgrounds or of none, and those who may have been
married before, to celebrate their marriage in our sanctuary.
The purpose of this page is to help you with your planning by
providing information about our wedding customs.
Sanctuary
When you come into the church sanctuary, you get the feeling that you
are in a sacred place. The
church was built in 1937 and was renovated in 1991, so it combines the
old and the new. The
sanctuary can seat up to 300 people, mostly in classic wooden pews or
padded fabric chairs. On
each side there is a series of stained glass windows. The church
features a long centre aisle, but the chancel (front) is bathed in
natural light.
The church is located on the south side of Highway 20 at the top of
Fonthill, at the intersection of Canboro Road.
There is parking in the church parking lot and additional parking
is available on adjacent side streets.
Initial Interview
Once you are ready to set the date of the wedding, the first step is to
arrange for an interview with the minister, Garry van Bruchem.
The interview has three parts.
First the minister will ask you about your situation in life,
your relationship to each other, your hopes and plans for the future,
family support and religious commitment.
In the second part, he interprets the wedding service, and in the
third part practical arrangements are made.
This is all part of the preparation and may take more than one
appointment. To arrange for
an interview, please contact the church office on a weekday morning at
(905) 892-6433. To avoid
disappointment, this should be done early in the planning stage.
Marriage Preparation
Although we do not require it, we recommend that couples attend a
marriage preparation event.
Music
Music is normally provided by the church’s organist on the pipe organ,
however a piano is also available. Since the marriage service takes
place in the context of Christian Worship, the music selected should be
appropriate for the occasion. Arrangements
for music should be made through Bill Outred.
You may contact him through the church office.
Rehearsal
In all but very small weddings, a rehearsal is recommended and normally
takes place on the evening prior to the wedding.
People in attendance should include the entire wedding party,
ushers, parents of the bride and groom (where applicable), flower girl,
ring bearer, etc. Children
participating in the service should be at least 8 years old.
Minister conducting the service
Garry van Bruchem is the minister who normally performs marriage
services at Fonthill United Church, however if your marriage date occurs
when Garry is on vacation, arrangements will be made to have another
minister conduct the service.
Requests to have your own minister conduct the service will not
normally be granted.
Marriage Licence
A marriage licence is required and is available from most City Halls in
the Region. In St.
Catharines, City Hall is located at 50 Church Street and marriage
licences are issued from the Clerk’s Department on the Third Floor from
8:30-4:00. In Welland, City
Hall is located at 60 East Main Street.
The Clerk’s Department is on the main floor and marriage licences
are issued from 8:30-11:00 and from 2:00-4:00.
In either place, the cost is $100 and is expected in cash.
Be sure to bring a birth certificate or passport, as well as
photo identification. The
marriage licence is valid for three months from the date of purchase.
It should be brought to the church no later than two weeks prior
to the wedding.
Flowers
Flowers may be brought to the church at the rehearsal, or immediately
prior to the wedding.
Photography
Guests may take pictures before and after the
service. A professional
photographer may take some pictures during the ceremony if it is done
discreetly, without flash. A
video camera may be set up, but not moved during the service.
Your wedding is a sacred occasion, and we do not want to see the
solemnity of the service spoiled by the commotion of taking pictures.
After the service, the wedding party may come back to the
sanctuary to pose for additional pictures.
Wedding Program
Some couples like to have a wedding program in which they include the
order of the service and a list of participants.
These may be purchased from the Niagara Presbytery Resource
Centre, located within Silver Spire United Church, 366 St. Paul Street,
St. Catharines (905) 682-8178, or from Mitchell Books, 353 Lake Street,
St Catharines. These wedding
programs can usually be reproduced on an ordinary photocopier.
If you need help with wedding programs, the church secretary
Patrice, would be glad to help.
Please - No Confetti
Ask your friends not to throw confetti in or around the church.
This takes a lot of time to clean up, and results in an extra
charge. Birdseed, however,
may be used outdoors.
Alcohol
The Government of Ontario Marriage Act requires that no wedding will be
performed where alcohol has been consumed or is being served prior to
the wedding.
Weddings outside of the church
The minister may be available to conduct marriages outside of the
church. In such
cases, couples should make their own arrangements for music and the only
fee is for the minister.
When travel distances are significant, the fee should be increased
accordingly.
Only the Beginning
We hope that the experience of being married at Fonthill United Church
will be positive, and that it will mark the beginning of an ongoing
relationship with the church.
Having a church home can be the source of spiritual strength for
married life and we would like to welcome you at Fonthill United Church.
If you are looking for a church home to help unite you in God's
love, we invite you to join this community of God's people.
Our worship services are normally on Sundays at 10:00 am.
Fees:
The total cost of a wedding at Fonthill United Church is $575 and is
broken down as follows:
Church Building $150 Fonthill United Church
(waived for supporting members)
Minister’s honorarium $200 Garry van Bruchem
Organist $150 Bill Outred
Custodian $75 Leslie Hoffman
A non-refundable deposit of $150 is required to reserve your wedding
date and it should be brought to the initial interview. The
balance of payment is to be made in cash, in separate envelopes for the
minister, organist and custodian, and brought to the rehearsal.
Small Wedding Fee:
For a small wedding with fewer than 20 people and no music or rehearsal,
the fee is $200.
