Marriage ceremonies through the Catlin Church of Christ are reserved for those actively engaged in the life of our congregation. Our desire is to prepare you for lifelong Christian Marriage, not just for an event (the wedding).

Therefore, everyone seeking to have a marriage ceremony performed by the Catlin Church of Christ must commit to being involved in the life of the Catlin Church of Christ. This commitment should be displayed by participating in our Sunday services at least twice a month.

Those who are not already this involved in the life of the church should begin participating from the very moment we agree to perform the wedding ceremony. If the couple fails to uphold this commitment, the wedding ceremony will no longer take place through our church.

Exceptions can be made for those who were actively involved in the congregation but have recently moved away, provided they are still actively involved in a church at their new location.

Only after meeting with the minister and deposit is made will the date be reserved.

Required fees: $200 deposit to reserve the date. (Please make check payable to the Catlin Church of Christ). Deposit is non-refundable for cancellations made 4 months or less before the wedding date.

After the deposit is made, the minister will set up the pre-marital counseling sessions with you, which will take place at least 2 to 3 months before the wedding.  Normally this will involve three sessions.

$400 due at first pre-marital counseling session. These fees (a total of $600) cover building use, pre-marital counseling sessions, and services of personnel for rehearsals and ceremonies. Honorariums are the responsibility of the bride/groom for instrumentalists, vocalists, and wedding coordinators. Payment to these participants is to be made to them personally.

At the time of rehearsal, all planning will have been completed.  The rehearsal, conducted by the minister, will be according to advanced planning confirmed by the bride and groom.

It is our desire that your marriage relationship last a lifetime.  And it is our hope that your marriage brings honor and glory to Christ.  To achieve this end, the following guidelines have been established:

• One of our own or another recognized minister of the Church of Christ/Christian Church will conduct the ceremony.  If you desire another minister to assist in the ceremony, the minister here must be advised since he will still be recognized as the one in charge.
• Because God has ordained marriage and defined it as the covenant relationship between one man, one woman and Himself, Catlin Church of Christ will only recognize and perform marriages between a biological man and a biological woman as each person was originally created by God and designated by a medical doctor at the person’s birth and evidenced by the person’s original birth certificate.
• The couple is to be committed to establishing a Christian home (Ephesians 5:21-6:4).
• If one of our ministers decides he cannot perform a wedding because of conscience or Biblical reasons then no one on staff will perform the wedding ceremony and the building will not be available.
• Cases of remarriage will be considered on an individual basis.  The minister will discuss with the couple the past marriages and then decide whether he will, with a good conscience, perform the ceremony.
• All couples being married at the Catlin Church of Christ must take part in pre-marital counseling in preparation for their marriage.  The minister performing the ceremony usually provides the counseling.
• We will not marry anyone under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs, and will not permit anyone in the wedding party to participate in the ceremony if under these influences.

Since Saturday is the most common day for weddings, we ask that all weddings start no later than 4:00 p.m. and all related activities be concluded by 7:00 p.m.
Decorations Please contact the minister with any questions you may have concerning the following:

• Usually, the auditorium is available for decorating on Friday.  If necessary, other arrangements can be made.
• No decorations should be used that will deface or damage the church furnishings.
• Please ask permission prior to moving any items or furniture in our church.
• The wedding party is responsible for removing all decorations and replacing any furniture following the ceremony.
• We provide either gold or silver tone candelabras for your use. Our silver tone set holds 9 candles each, and the gold tone set holds 7 candles each. We also have a gold tone Unity Candle stand available.
• We provide mechanical/drip-less candles. They are the only candles that may be used.

Ceremonial Elements

• Music, dress, and all others aspects of the wedding should be planned from a Christian perspective.  The minister reserves the right to use his discretion and advisement if necessary.
• Dressing rooms are available for use by the wedding party. We primarily use room #301 for the bride and bridesmaids and room #104 for the groom and groomsmen. Please check with the minister or custodian if you need to use any other rooms.
• Our Worship Center has clothe chairs. On a typical Sunday we have 144 chairs in the room. We can add three more rows for a total of 180. This is comfortable seating for a large group. The room measures approx 100' long by 36' wide. 

Parties

• Bridal showers, rehearsal dinners and receptions are welcome.  See our Building Usage policy for planning them.