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Blessed to Welcome, Worship & Serve | Racine, WI

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Wedding Planning Guide

We praise you, O God, that your children have been drawn together in love for one another. Strengthen their hearts, so that they will keep faith with each other, please you in all things, and come to the joy of celebrating their marriage; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Evangelical Lutheran Worship, pg. 82

From the Pastors

Dear Mt. Pleasant Lutheran Church members,

On behalf of the congregation and staff of MPLC, congratulations on your engagement! Marriage is a commitment of faith and trust that is rooted in God’s faithfulness to us in Christ. We are honored to be asked to be a part of your wedding and hope to be a continuing part of your married life together as the body of Christ known as Mt. Pleasant Lutheran Church.

The information in this resource can help you through the process of planning your wedding worship service. To help ground your marriage as a faithful commitment before God, the pastor officiating your service will also meet with you at least three times as part of your preparation.

To begin the planning for your wedding at MPLC, please contact the church office at 262-6374-6704 as early as possible to arrange for a suitable date. And may God be with you as you build your lives together!

Peace in Christ,

Pastor Beth Ann L. Stone
Senior Pastor

Pastor Krista Zimmerman
Associate Pastor

Before the Wedding

Membership at MPLC

Membership is required to be married at MPLC. With membership comes expectations to be involved in the life of the church beyond your wedding ceremony. New members are received several times during the year. Please contact the church office or speak with a pastor for more information.

Scheduling a wedding at MPLC

Please contact the church office to schedule a wedding date/rehearsal date with as much notice as possible. Saturday weddings are not scheduled between 3 and 7 PM due to our Saturday 5 PM worship service. Our sanctuary comfortably seats 500, including seating in the choir area and the outer “gallery” seating.

Fees

A $50 reservation fee should be paid to MPLC at the time you reserve your wedding date. The fee schedule for church staff who will work to support your ceremony is found at the end of this leaflet. Payment of these fees should be made no later than the time of your wedding rehearsal and may be given to the pastor or wedding coordinator.

Meeting with the Pastor

As a community of faith, we are invested in your marriage being a blessing both to you and to the family of God. The pastor who will conduct your wedding will meet with you at least three times before your wedding to help you begin your relationship on a solid foundation.

Wedding Coordinator

Our staff is equipped to help guide you through the many logistical decisions that go into a wedding. If yours will be a small wedding, the pastor may work through these details with you in your premarital meetings. For other weddings, our wedding coordinator, Becca Cairns, will meet with you and work on your big day to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Photographers/Videographer

Photographers/Videographers will be instructed not to take flash photos during the service and are to remain outside the center area of the sanctuary. The goal is for them not to be a distraction to the worship service.

Children in the Wedding Party

Children who are important to you are welcome to participate in the wedding. Remember that children can be unpredictable; if you will be unhappy if they don’t do things correctly then you may want to reconsider their role. We suggest assigning a familiar adult without other wedding responsibilities to the role of “kid wrangler” during the ceremony.

Marriage License

It is a couple’s responsibility to secure a legal marriage license in advance of the wedding date. Apply in person for such a license at the County Clerk’s office in Racine County (if both parties live outside of Wisconsin) or in one of the couple’s counties of residency in Wisconsin. Apply at least two weeks before the wedding date and no more than 35 days in advance. Bring the license to the church office the week of the wedding or no later than the rehearsal. Weddings cannot proceed without a license in hand.

Bulletins/Programs

Couples should supply printed bulletins or programs for use by the congregation in appropriate numbers. Please email your bulletin copy to the pastor before printing so that they may offer suggestions/edits. With notice, the church office can print bulletins on paper you provide.

Things prohibited

  • No smoking or drinking in the building
  • No decorations affixed with tacks—removable tape only
  • No cloth runners (due to ramps)
  • No additional candles other than a unity candle (optional)
  • No glitter, confetti, rice, bird seed, or fireworks

Planning a Wedding Ceremony

The Order of Service Expand

This is the general order for a wedding service at MPLC. This outline is a good place to start, but may be altered and extended.

  • Musical Prelude
  • Seating of Family
  • Procession of Wedding Party
  • Greeting
  • Declaration of Intention
  • Prayer
  • Scripture Reading(s)
  • Sermon
  • Exchange of Vows
  • Giving of Rings
  • Acclamation
  • Marriage Blessing
  • Prayers
  • Holy Communion (optional)
  • Blessing
  • Introduction of the Couple
  • Recessional
Scripture Readings Expand

We are rooted and grounded in holy scripture, from which we hear God’s intentions for our life together and God’s promises of resurrection life. Your presiding pastor will invite you to select Bible verses for your wedding. Among many possible choices are the following:

  • Genesis 1:26-28 Woman and man created in God’s image
  • Genesis 2:18-24 Companionship rather than loneliness
  • Proverbs 3:3-6 Loyalty and faithfulness written on the heart
  • Song of Solomon 2:10-13 The voice of the beloved
  • Song of Solomon 8:6-7 Many waters cannot quench love
  • Isaiah 55:6-11 [12-13] God’s word accomplishes God’s purpose
  • Isaiah 63:7-9 God’s steadfast love lifts up the people
  • Jeremiah 31:31-34 The new covenant of the people of God
  • Psalm 1:1-3 Happy are they whose delight is in God
  • Psalm 65 Your paths overflow with plenty
  • Psalm 67 May God be merciful to us and bless us
  • Psalm 100 We are God’s people
  • Psalm 117 The steadfast love of the Lord
  • Psalm 121 The Lord keeps watch over you
  • Psalm 127 Unless the Lord builds the house
  • Psalm 128 Happy are they who follow in God’s ways
  • Psalm 145:1-4, 8-9, 14-18, 21 I will praise your name and tell your marvelous works
  • Psalm 146 I will sing praise to my God, who keeps promises forever
  • Psalm 150 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord
  • Matthew 5:1-10 The Beatitudes
  • Matthew 5:14-16 You are the light, let your light shine
  • Matthew 7:24-27 Build on the rock
  • Matthew 19:3-6 What God has united must not be divided
  • Matthew 22:35-40 Love, the greatest commandment
  • Mark 10:6-9 They are no longer two but one
  • John 2:1-11 The wedding at Cana
  • John 15:9-17 Love one another as I have loved you
  • Romans 8:31-35, 37-39 If God is for us, who is against us?
  • Romans 12:1-2, 9-18 A living sacrifice and genuine love
  • 1 Corinthians 12:31—13:13 The greatest gift is love
  • Ephesians 3:14-19 The greatness of Christ’s love
  • Ephesians 5:1-2 Live in love, as Christ loved us
  • Philippians 4:4-9 Rejoice in the Lord always
  • Colossians 3:12-17 Clothed in gifts of God
  • 1 John 3:18-24 Let us love in truth and action
  • 1 John 4:7-16 Let us love one another, for love is of God
Music for the Ceremony Expand

Music is an important part of worship at MPLC. Music can convey things that we may not be able to express in words. Our Organist, Michael Becker, will assist with the selection of music for the wedding ceremony. If Michael is unavailable to play for your wedding, a substitute will be found.

All musical selections must be approved in advance by the officiating pastor. Generally speaking, all music should have a religious theme or reference as a church wedding is a service of worship to the glory of God.

The singing of hymns in a ceremony gives the congregation an active role in the service. The officiating pastor can suggest appropriate hymns for congregational singing if you choose to include them.

Sheet music for soloists (including accompanist’s copy) must be furnished, legible, and written for the organ or piano. No photocopies, please. Soloists may use the church amplification system, if needed.

Fellowship Hall for Rehearsal Dinners or Wedding Receptions Expand

Our Fellowship Hall on the lower level is available for your use without charge except for janitorial service as needed before, during and/or after your event. Our staff can set up tables and chairs for up to 150 people. Wedding parties should provide all needed food ready-to-serve (including coffee, cream, and sugar), paper/plastic plates/utensils/cups, tablecloths or placemats. Please see MPLC’s Building Use Agreement for more details.

Fee Schedule

Reservation Fee (paid to MPLC when scheduling)$50

The following honoraria are to be paid to individuals/MPLC on the day of rehearsal:

Pastor
Onsite wedding, with wedding coordinator$200
Onsite wedding, no wedding coordinator$200 - 300
Offsite wedding (+ mileage/exp. > 30 miles RT)$250
Organist
Wedding rehearsal and wedding$200
For additional rehearsal with soloists$25/hr
Wedding Coordinator
Wedding Coordinator$200
Mount Pleasant Lutheran Church (janitorial services)
Onsite wedding only$50
Wedding w/event in Fellowship Hall$100
Additional for damage/excess cleaning$50/hr, as needed

Our church staff will work to make your wedding day a blessing to you and to the church community. We celebrate this day with you but don’t presume to be invited to celebrations that follow the wedding. Please send staff members an invitation if you’d like to invite them to be your guest!

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Worship Times

We offer three in-person worship services each week; one of which is also live streamed. Our summer schedule is as follows:

Saturdays at 5 PM (in-person)

Sundays at 8:30 AM (in-person and online)

Sundays at 10:15* AM (in-person)

We hope to see you soon!

*Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend (11:00 AM during school year)

 

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Mount Pleasant
Lutheran Church

1700 South Green Bay Road
Racine, WI 53406
(262) 634-6704
info@mplc.us

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