Weddings

Weddings

Weddings at St. John's


Marriage is a holy estate, ordained of God, and to be held in honor by all. Thus, when the Church is asked to perform the Rite of Marriage, it does so in the awareness that the couple is seeking the blessing of God upon their life together. The joy of the marriage ceremony is reflected in the prayers, praise, and thanksgiving of those who come together for this occasion. The following information is provided to assist in making your ceremony a beautiful and joyful celebration, which will reflect upon the sanctity of the marriage covenant

Our Approach




  • Both St. John’s member and non-member weddings are welcome.
  • A minister of St. John's will officiate at the wedding service. Male and female ordained ministers officiate at weddings.
  • We observe the Lutheran marriage ceremony.
  • The organist is provided by St. John’s and will approve all music selections (if this option is available).
  • All couples must have one follow-up pastoral conference with
    one of our pastors.

COVID 19: Please note that St. John's abides by all local, state and CDC regulations &
orders. Wedding expectations & plans are subject to change the day of the event.

Availability


Weddings are held on Saturdays with starting times between 11:00am to 7:00pm. Availability depends on Sanctuary use and the Wedding Coordinator’s schedule.

Wedding Fees

The fixed price for non-members $2,000, which includes:


  • The use of the Church
  • The use of the parking garage
  • Wedding Coordinator
  • Assistant Coordinator
  • Unity Candle
  • Aisle Candles
  • Rehearsal


The pastor, musician, videographer/editor fees are negotiated separately, and are not included in the $2,000.


We require a deposit of $500 at the time the church is reserved ($400 of the deposit is refundable if the wedding is canceled more than six months prior to the wedding date). The balance is due three weeks prior to the wedding.

The Church Facilities


  • The seating area will accommodate 350-400 guests.
  • Our church is German Gothic cathedral style (one of Sacramento’s oldest).
  • Our sanctuary features a center aisle and lovely stained glass windows.
  • The church is available to you for 1½ hours prior to the wedding time for set-up, preparation and photography.
  • Women should arrive with hair and make-up done and be ready to change into their dresses in our Bride’s Room. Men should arrive dressed and ready to go.
  • After the ceremony, 45 minutes are allowed for photography.
  • Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

Flowers & Decorations


  • Flowers and decor must be coordinated with the Wedding Coordinator at least three weeks prior to the wedding ceremony.
  • Because of safety and liability concerns, the following are prohibited: the use of runners, the throwing of rice or birdseed, and silk petals on the floor.
  • The florist can arrive to decorate the church 1½ hour before the ceremony and should be finished 45 minutes before the ceremony begins.
  • If your florist is not responsible, please assign someone to transport the flowers following the ceremony.
  • Pew bows must attach to the pews with ribbon, rubber bands or plastic pew clips (no tape or wire is allowed). There are 15 pews on each side of the aisle.
  • Aisle candles are available for candlelight weddings. If you are using the aisle candles and you want to decorate them, you will need 14 bows (7 on each side). Use chenille stems (pipe cleaners) or ribbon to attach decorations; no tape or wire is allowed. Fabric swags between the aisle candles are not allowed.

Parking


  • The white zone directly in front of the church is available for the wedding couple’s departure car.
  • The parking lot next to the church is available for the wedding party during the rehearsal and wedding ceremony. The parking garage is opened for Saturday weddings. The entrance to the garage is on “K” Street, between 17th & 18th. There will be signs directing people to the parking garage and a sign informing them of what time the garage will be closed (1 ½ hours after the wedding time).

Marriage License


The wedding couple is responsible for obtaining the marriage license. The wedding license must be in the church offi ce at least three weeks prior to the wedding. St. John’s will record the license and forward it to the county.

Preparation


The marriage process at St. John’s includes the following three steps and they must be completed once the initial contact with the church has been made and a date and time agreed upon for the ceremony.

1 – Wedding Coordinator Conference

A meeting with the Wedding Coordinator will be scheduled to discuss the details of the ceremony (i.e. people involved, ceremony choices). The wedding couple must have attended the workshop before this conference. The conference will last approximately one hour and will be scheduled 4-6 weeks before the wedding.

2 – Pastoral Conference

A conference will be scheduled with the couple in order to discuss the “Prepare” relationship inventory results and to get to know the St. John’s pastor that will be offi ciating at your wedding service. The conference will last approximately one hour and will be scheduled 2-4 weeks before the wedding.

3 – Music Conference (if option is available)

An organist of St. John’s will play for the wedding service. The wedding couple should schedule a conference for the purpose of selecting the music. The conference should be scheduled 2-4 weeks before the wedding.

Photography & Video


  • In order to maintain a worshipful atmosphere, flash photography is not allowed during the wedding service.
  • Formal photos may be taken in the chancel area either prior to or following the wedding ceremony. Please ask your photographer to contact the Wedding Coordinator prior to the service to make arrangements.
  • Videotaping the service is possible. Videographers may record from the rear of the church or from the balconies. An unmanned video camera on a tripod may be set up on the altar area and turned on prior to the ceremony.
  • Prior arrangements should be made with the Wedding Coordinator to discuss placement of cameras and other equipment.
  • Photographers and Videographers are not allowed in or near the altar area during the ceremon
  • Video recording may be provided by St. John's Please speak with the Wedding Coordinator for details.

Wedding Rehearsal

The wedding rehearsal will be organized and led by the Wedding Coordinator. Everyone in the Formal Seating and Wedding Ceremony should be present at the rehearsal, including parents,grandparents, readers and formal ushers.

Clean Up



Pease assign someone who is not a member of the wedding party to remove all personal possessions from the Bride’s Room and the area the men will be using 30 minutes prior to the start of the wedding ceremony. St. John’s is not responsible for items left unattended.

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