Wedding Guidelines

But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’  ⁷ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh’;  so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together let not man separate.”  Mark 10:6-9 NKJV

Marriage is a sacred act in the eyes of God, and the Wedding Ceremony is a sacred act of worship. It is the desire of the church to honor God and to follow the teaching of scripture in all aspects of the ceremony. The wedding is a reflection of God’s work bringing together a bride (woman) and a groom (man) into the special union of marriage in which two individuals become uniquely joined in God’s sight. The ceremony is a time for commitment and love; therefore, it should also be considered a time of worship and reverence, as well as a time of excitement. All wedding ceremonies performed at the Greater Mount Olive Baptist Church will be in keeping with the doctrines and traditions of the Greater Mount Olive Baptist Church. Please read this entire policy carefully.

 Please call the Church Office at 405-424-2186 for the current fee schedule for weddings in the sanctuary

Scheduling Your Wedding 

All weddings must be approved on the church calendar. It is important to receive written verification of your selected date before proceeding with further plans. Submittal of a date does not constitute approval. The church office will confirm your date by letter when the following criteria have been met:

• The wedding application has been completed and submitted.
• The deposit fee has been received.
• Couples must contact the Pastor’s Secretary for date availability.

Church facilities are available for weddings, rehearsals, and receptions Monday through Saturday only.  No wedding rehearsals, weddings, or receptions will be scheduled on Sundays or the following days: New Year’s Day, Easter Saturday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, or the weeks of Thanksgiving, or Christmas.

Pastor Douglas may be available to officiate weddings for members when the following criteria have been met:

• All couples must complete the Marriage Course taught at the church, or another course approved by Pastor Douglas.
• All couples must participate in premarital counseling with Pastor Douglas prior to the ceremony. (Premarital counseling can be scheduled with the Pastor’s Secretary.)

Wedding Rehearsals 

Rehearsal time must be requested when scheduling the wedding and requires approval on the church calendar.

The Church will be open and available just prior to the scheduled rehearsal.

There will be no access to other parts of the facility during rehearsal.

All individuals in attendance should be mindful and respectful of being in a place of worship.

No food or drink is allowed in the sanctuary.

Smoking and intoxicants are not permitted in any form on the premises.

All Rehearsals should be scheduled to end no later than 9:00 pm.

Wedding rehearsals should not exceed two (2) hours.   An additional $25.00 will be charged per additional 1/4-hour increment. 

A Wedding Coordinator is required for all ceremonies.

Decorations

It is the responsibility of the applicant to notify those decorating the facility of these policies.

Decorating times for the wedding must be scheduled through the church office.

The pulpit furniture cannot be moved.  Flowers and communion table can be moved to a specific location. Please see the GMO Wedding Coordinator to coordinate any furniture that you would like to be rearranged.

In the placing of flowers, palms or other decorations, care must be taken to ensure that the floors, carpets, walls and furnishings not be damaged. The wedding party is responsible for any damage.

Decorations may not be hung or suspended from fixtures or furnishings.

No decorations can be attached to the furniture or walls.

No tape, nails, pins, staples, glue, tacks, clamps, or screws shall be used in decorating.

Decorations may not be placed within the pulpit or baptismal.

When the sanctuary and/or FLC have been decorated for a special program like Christmas or Easter, etc., those decorations will not be moved. All wedding decorations must be planned around them.

Candles may not be used on pews.

Only drip-less candles may be used in the sanctuary.  

The unity candle is the only exception to this rule.

If the wax is dripped on the floor or any other church furniture, the wedding party is responsible for additional cleaning fees.

No ice sculptures or any form of liquid decoration can be used in the sanctuary. 

All decorations must be removed within two hours after the end of the wedding ceremony. There is no overnight storage available.

The Wedding Ceremony 

The Church will be open and available up to two hours prior to the scheduled start time.

The Wedding Coordinator will ensure that the ceremony begins on time.

Wedding ceremonies are to be held at the altar (not on the pulpit).

No rice, bubbles, or bird seed are to be used inside the church. Bird seeds and bubbles only can be used outside the church.

All music performed/played at the wedding is approved by the GMO Fine Arts Director at least two weeks prior to the scheduled rehearsal.

No food or drink is allowed in the sanctuary.

Smoking and intoxicants are not permitted in any form on the premises.

The Dinner or Reception in the FLC 

The Wedding Reception must be requested when scheduling the wedding and requires approval on the church calendar.

No food or drink is permitted outside the Family Life Center. No red or dark-colored liquids are allowed.

Decorating guidelines are the same as in the sanctuary.

The reception area must be completely cleaned and cleared of all decorations or equipment within two (2) hours after the end of the reception.

Miscellaneous

It is the responsibility of the wedding party to inform all who are attending of the policies of the church.

All persons involved in the wedding activity must adhere to all policies and procedures regarding the use of the church facilities.

No alcoholic beverages or other intoxicants are permitted on the premises. 

No tobacco use is allowed inside church facilities or on the church campus.

The wedding party is responsible for any trash left on the church grounds.

Any damage to the property is the responsibility of the party signing the agreement and should be reported promptly to the GMO Staff on Duty.

The officers and staff of Greater Mount Olive Baptist Church have and reserve the right and authority to cancel any activity for willful violation of the policies and procedures written, or deemed as a hazard to the safety of any individual, or to the preservation of property or considered as inappropriate based on the doctrine and traditions of the church.

The GMO Building Coordinator will determine if the facilities used have been properly cleared and cleaned.

The Greater Mount Olive Baptist Church will retain full authority, at all times, of its facilities.

All that utilize our facilities agree to hold harmless the Greater Mount Olive Baptist Church for any injury or loss that they may sustain in use of the facilities or event, and to indemnify and hold harmless its officers, members of designates of any kind from any claim whatsoever.

Click here for the Wedding Building Usage Form