Weddings
"We affirm that marriage is a gift of God through which Christians make a covenant with one another and with God. In marriage we offer one another the promise of lifelong companionship, rich expressions of human affections and sexuality, and nurture of children. We affirm that this unity is a creation of God and is greater than the two individuals. It creates holy ground on which the two, and all others must walk carefully and gently, yet forthrightly and with courage. It has boundaries, between them, and with others, that may not be trespassed. It takes precedence over other relationships. It calls for that caring which heals hurt and tends growth."
Our church performs wedding ceremonies for opposite and same sex couples. We also perform covenanting services for those who choose a ceremony of blessing rather than a legal marriage.
We are very proud of our Church Home and are pleased to offer our blessing as you are married here. Your Wedding Service will be an exciting and memorable occasion for you. We would be pleased to respond to any other questions or concerns. Please call the church office (Carol Trembath - 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Monday through Friday at 475-6011), or email her (
), so that general information can be provided and availability of the requested wedding date can be checked.
Wedding Policy
Whether you’ve never left home, you’ve lived with your partner for several years or you’ve been married before, the decision to get married is a decision to enter a new relationship. Crescent Fort Rouge United Church performs marriages for same-sex and opposite-sex couples.
In asking Crescent Fort Rouge United Church to celebrate your marriage, you are making several statements. These are:
- that you take the Christian faith seriously, and plan to be (or continue to be) active members in the church
- that your wedding ceremony will take the form and reflect the theology of a United Church of Canada worship service
- that your relationship upholds the Christian value of equality between the sexes/in relationship
- that you are asking the church (your faith community) to uphold and support you in this new relationship
If these things are not true for you, there are alternatives open to you. Justices of the Peace and Marriage Commissioners will perform wedding ceremonies in homes, parks, hotel banquet rooms and other settings (Check the Yellow Pages). If you have no desire for a connection with the church beyond your wedding day, please give serious thought to other options.
Marriage preparation
Marriage preparation is strongly recommended (most people do more research before they buy a new car than before they get married!). We recommend the Marrying Well Seminars (
).
Service details
When you meet with the minister who will be presiding at your wedding, she will outline the options for the worship service. All wedding services at Crescent Fort Rouge have the following things in common: reading(s) from the Bible, blessing of the parents/family (the bride is not “given away”), and blessing of the friends/community. Throughout the wedding ceremony, you will be referred to by your Christian names. You will not be announced as “Mr. And Mrs. Chang” but as “Susan and Paul, who are now joined together in Christian marriage.” Because you and your witnesses will be signing a legal document, no intoxicating substances may be consumed prior to the ceremony; intoxication could render the contract null and void! All those signing the documents must be of legal age.
Children
If one or both of you are bringing children into this new relationship, consider their involvement in the wedding ceremony. In some cases, children and their new step-parent exchange vows and rings. Your children could also participate as ring-bearer, flower-girl, scripture reader, usher. Some children/youth have read a message to their new step-parent that they have written themselves. In other cases, the children may be ambivalent about (or even hostile to) this new relationship and their attendance may be asking a lot of them. Give it thought, and discuss with your children what would feel comfortable for everyone.
In choosing a ring bearer and/or flower girl, keep in mind what is fair. While we welcome and delight in children, you should really consider whether it is fair to ask a two year old to walk down the aisle in strange clothes in what may be a strange environment! Remember you’re also asking that same child to stay in good clothes and not run around or do anything else kids like to do most of your wedding day – to say nothing of the endless photography sessions! Some children will enjoy just such a thing, for others, it is a trial.
Handling a recent death
A recent death may be honoured by lighting a memorial candle in memory and to invoke the spirit of a loved one. This may be done by the couple or the minister, with the minister making a simple announcement (e.g.: “This candle is being lit in memory of and to welcome the spirit of Edward’s grandfather, George.”). This has been a moving and important part of the ceremony for those who have experienced a recent loss.
Time
Churches are busy buildings with many demands, both on staff and on space. Be on time for both the rehearsal and the wedding itself – this is simply respectful. Your ushers should be at the church 30 minutes before the ceremony, groom and attendants 15 minutes prior, and bride and attendants 5 minutes prior. We anticipate that a wedding service booking entails an hour and a half (church open half hour prior to service, service of about half an hour, and the last 30 minutes for photos). If you need a longer time period, there will be a surcharge of $25 to cover the cost of the caretaker’s time (please arrange in advance).
The rehearsal
The rehearsal time will be set in consultation with the minister and the church office, and all the participants should attend (including ushers, readers, parents). The rehearsal will not take long (especially if everyone is on time!), but will give everyone a sense of the flow of the service and the choreography. The organist does not attend wedding rehearsals.
Music
Music for a wedding is typically played on the church’s 3-manual Casavant pipe organ, although piano can be used at one or more points in the ceremony. Here is an outline of how music usually fits into the wedding ceremony.
Prelude: the organist will play about 20-30 minutes before the ceremony begins, as people are coming into the church. This is background music to create a mood of joyful anticipation. It is not necessary for you to choose any of this (and you will not hear it because you won't be in the sanctuary at that time); the organist simply plays pieces that sound good on the organ there but are not too loud, so that your guests can converse while waiting.
Processional: (bride’s entry into the church) – some suitable choices would be:
- Bridal March (from Lohengrin) - Richard Wagner [traditional]
- Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring - J.S. Bach
- Canon in D - J. Pachelbel
Within the ceremony itself, there is not usually much music unless there is a soloist or other special music, or unless the bride and groom have chosen hymns for the congregation (people assembled) to sing together. This would normally be discussed with the Minister.
Signing of the Register: This is a good spot for any favourite pieces that are meaningful to the couple, as long as they are appropriate for a church and as long as you can provide sheet music. Otherwise, the organist would play something like The Lord's Prayer by Malotte, or a Nocturne or a slow movement of an organ sonata by Mendelssohn. A piece on piano or a vocal solo could also be used at this point.
Recessional (leaving the church after the ceremony) – possible choices:
- Wedding March (from Midsummer Night's Dream) - Mendelssohn [traditional]
- Trumpet Tune - Henry Purcell
- Ode to Joy (from Symphony No. 9) – L. van Beethoven
- Trumpet Voluntary - Jeremiah Clarke
Examples of these pieces are available on youtube 
if you are not already familiar with them.
Please contact Annabelle Paetsch, Minister of Music 
to confirm your choices or suggest other possibilities at least two weeks prior to the wedding date.
Some decisions to make prior to the rehearsal
Options for the processional
- The groom and attendants and minister wait at the front; the bride is preceded down the aisle by her attendants and then enters with her parents/mother/father.
- The attendants enter down the aisle in couples. The bride and groom enter last as a couple.
- The attendants enter as couples. The groom enters escorted by his parents. The bride enters escorted by her parents.
- Some couples choose to be escorted by their children.
Choosing your scriptures
Suggested scripture readings (bold readings are most popular):
- I Corinthians 13:1-3
- John 2:1-11
- Ruth 1:1-8, 14-17
- Psalm 100
- Song of Solomon 8:6-7
- Song of Solomon 1:15-2:4 (or 2:5)
- John 4:7-12
- Matthew 19:4-6
Driving Miss Daisy
Often the rehearsal becomes the time to worry about who is picking up Miss Daisy or Grandpa and who is driving who in whose car. Please make these decisions ahead of time! Parking is tight, but there are spots along the lane behind the church for the bridal party’s vehicles. The lane parking is marked “Handicapped”, but is available for your use during the wedding.
Flowers and décor
Churches are designed to be beautiful. The decorations present in the church (banners, pulpit fall, Christmas tree) will not be changed for your wedding, but will reflect the current Christian season (e.g. – Lent, Creation, Advent). If you wish flowers for your wedding, please arrange delivery with the Church office administrator. Any further decorating you wish must be arranged in advance through the Church office administrator.
Confetti, rice, bird seed
Confetti, rice, and bird seed are not permitted at Crescent Fort Rouge United due to environmental concerns. Some couples choose bubbles as an alternative.
Photo & video policy
The wedding is a service of worship. After the bridal party has entered the sanctuary, the minister will ask the congregation to refrain from taking any further pictures until the bridal party is leaving the sanctuary.
The official Photographer is permitted to move around on the main floor but not on the chancel/platform in order to take pictures during the procession and recession. During the service, the Photographer may take photos without flash from the balcony. No photos are to be taken during the actual signing of the documents; these will be re-enacted after the ceremony, if desired.
The Videographer is permitted to move around on the main floor, but not on the chancel/platform in order to film the procession and recession, as well as the signing of the documents. Otherwise, the Videographer will remain in one location during the course of the worship service. No supplementary lights are allowed.
It is your responsibility to ensure your photographer/videographer is aware of and will respect this policy.
Church fees
Total fee is $700.00 including a $50.00 nonrefundable deposit to confirm the booking. The balance is due to the church at least one month prior to the wedding. This fee includes the use of the sanctuary, the services of a minister, organist and caretaker. If the organist is required for the rehearsal there will be an additional fee. If the caretaker is required to be at the rehearsal or to stay after the service for longer than the time allotted, there will be surcharges for the extra time required. (Please arrange in advance). A church soloist can be arranged through the Music Director for an additional fee.
Checklist
- ☐ Your wedding licence can be obtained at the Department of Vital Statistics (254 Portage Ave, 945-3701) or most florist bridal or jewelry stores. The wedding cannot be performed without this document. Please bring it to the church one week prior to your wedding.
- ☐ Book a meeting with Annabelle Paetsch at least 2 months prior to your wedding.
- ☐ Book a meeting with minister, 2 months prior to your wedding. Make sure you've read this material prior to booking.
- ☐ Set a time for the rehearsal.
- ☐ Pay the balance of fees to the church two weeks prior to your wedding.
- ☐ Arrange a decoration time with Carol Trembath (our office administrator) - e.g. floral delivery.
