The Heart of the Grove, and Reaching Beyond
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The Heart of the Grove, and Reaching Beyond
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Wedding Policies and Procedures The Service of Holy Matrimony is one of the seven sacraments. All weddings are therefore conducted in accordance with the Book of Common Prayer and the Canons of the Episcopal Church. The Rector of the Parish has control over all aspects of the service. Wedding consultants, photographers, florists, etc., are subject to the Rector. Wedding Information: An Application for Marriage and the Declaration of Intent must be filled out and returned to the parish office. When the Application, Declaration of Intent, and a deposit of $500 are returned, a rehearsal and wedding date will be reserved on the church’s calendar. To be married in the Episcopal Church, a couple must participate in pre-marital counseling with a member of the clergy. If you live in Southeast Florida your pre-marital counseling will be conducted by a member of the St. Stephen’s clergy; it is your responsibility to schedule this counseling well in advance of your wedding as the counseling spans several sessions. If you live outside of Southeast Florida, you may receive pre-marital counseling from an Episcopal priest where you live. He/she will need to furnish the officiating clergy at St. Stephen’s a letter stating that pre-marital counseling has been completed. All arrangements for the service of Holy Matrimony must be cleared with the Rector, including the use of videographers, photographers, etc. Flash photography is allowed only during the entrance and departure of the wedding party and videographers must remain stationary in the church’s balcony. A Florida state marriage license must be obtained and submitted to the Parish Office at least five days before your scheduled wedding date. It is your responsibility to contact the Organist, Dr. Dan Hardin (305) 348-6582 regarding musical arrangements and selection for your service. Dr. Hardin will guide you in a selection of music appropriate to the sacramental nature of the service. All fees listed must be paid no later than five days before your scheduled wedding date. Rice is not permitted to be thrown anywhere on the premises. It is difficult to clean up and dangerous to birds. You are coming to a particular church community asking for our participation and blessing on your marriage. If you live in Southeast Florida, we expect you to become part of this community by attending services at St. Stephen’s at least until the time of your wedding. This is a very important day for the bride and groom, but the clergy have other parishioners and responsibilities. Your wedding is scheduled for a specific time. If the wedding is delayed by more than 15 minutes, there will be an additional charge of $ 350.00. The parish office will not send the marriage license to the Department of Vital Statistics for recording until that fee is paid. (Licenses are invalid if not recorded within a set number of days.) The officiating clergyperson also reserves the right to cancel a wedding in the event of an extreme delay Your wedding at St. Stephen’s includes:
* Must be a pledging member of the parish for a minimum of 18 months Payments Please call the Rector of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, the Rev'd Wilifred Allen-Faiella, to set up an appointment to discuss your wedding plans.
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