Wedding Contract

Deposit

• $500 deposit: due upon reservation (see deposit refund section for more information) *NOTE: reservation is not secured until deposit is received. Linwood reserves the right to rent area to another party if deposit isn't received upon reservation.

Rental Fees

• Rental Fees (prices subject to change): due one month prior to wedding date

Ceremony

• Members: $325 + sales tax
• Related Parties: $500 + sales tax
• Un-related Parties: $1000 + sales tax

Ceremony and Reception

• Members: $500 + sales tax
• Related Parties: $750 + sales tax
• Un-related Parties: $1250 + sales tax

Fees Include:

• Use of the building
• Wedding Coordinator: up to 8 hours for premarital meeting, rehearsal, and ceremony
• Sound and Projection Engineer: up to 5 hours for preparation, rehearsal, and ceremony
• Host/Hostess (reception only): up to 5 hours for reception
• Janitorial Services

Fees do NOT Include:

• Set Up: $25/hour + sales tax (only required if staff sets up more chairs in the sanctuary and/or tables and chairs for a rehearsal dinner and/or reception)
• Pastor Honorarium

Officiant/Pre-marital Counseling

You may choose any of the qualified staff pastors to perform your wedding, or you may use another credentialed minister of your choice to perform the ceremony subject to the approval of our pastoral staff. If you are using an outside pastor, we will need a copy of their ordination certificate.

Customarily, the officiating minister will conduct the pre-marital counseling, or he/she will arrange for another trained counselor to do the counseling. In the event of a counselor other than the officiating minister, that minister may require a session to plan ceremony details. If a Linwood pastor is officiating, as a part of pre-marital counseling, the couple will be expected to complete a multiple-question premarital inventory from the ministry SYMBIS at their own expense ($35).

It is our policy that any ceremony held in our facility complies with the standards of The Wesleyan Church. It is the pastor’s prerogative to decline to officiate at a wedding. He or she acts as a representative of The Wesleyan Church and the State of South Dakota.

Marriage License

The marriage license can be purchased at any South Dakota County Courthouse. The County Register of Deeds handles marriage licenses (https://www.lincolncountysd.gov/191/Marriage-Licenses). Requirements: (1) both the bride and groom must be present (2) photo ID (3) your Social Security numbers and (4) $40. The license will expire ninety days from issue. The marriage license must be given to the pastor before the wedding ceremony. The pastor will arrange a time for your best man and your maid/matron of honor to meet for the license to be signed the day of the wedding.

Photographs

You may choose to take pictures before and/or after the ceremony. We suggest that you take them before the ceremony while the wedding party is still fresh and then following the service they may go directly to the reception. Videotaping is allowed. Please use discretion as to where the photographer will set up. Please check with the pastor if you have questions about this. Flash photography, other than the wedding photographer, is discouraged during the ceremony.

Music

The music selected for your wedding should aid in this significant time of worship and celebration. The music should lead to a deeper understanding of God’s love and purposes for marriage. Therefore, all music must be approved by the officiating pastor. Linwood has a piano, keyboard, and sound system available.

Decorations

The sanctuary and foyer are decorated for the church’s use; therefore, there will be no changing or removal of any items without approval of the coordinator. You may decorate before the rehearsal, but it must be scheduled with the coordinator to make sure that there are no conflicts with the church’s schedule. The following items are available to use free of charge and must stay at Linwood: kneeling bench, guestbook table, bistro tables, tablecloths, and projection screen.

If you use candles, we require that they be drip less. If you have your own aisle runner, it needs to be at least 54 feet long. Decorations must NOT be fastened to woodwork or furniture with screws, nails, or wire. Flowers should be delivered at least two hours prior to the ceremony. We recommend having an assigned person to distribute flowers to the correct people. It is advisable to contact the wedding coordinator to coordinate time of delivery.

If you need decorations, our decorator is Kris Whitney, and she can be contacted at kristiwhitney@outlook.com or 605-359-4767. She has a large inventory of wedding decorations and will give 25% off the rental rate.

Dressing Areas

We typically offer two dressing rooms-one for the women and one for the men-unless different arrangements are made with the coordinator. Mirrors and chairs are available for the dressing rooms. Please do not use any rooms that are not assigned to you. Food for the wedding party is allowed only in the assigned dressing areas or the kitchen.

Wedding Rehearsal

The rehearsal usually takes place the evening before the ceremony and takes about an hour. All members of the wedding party, ushers, pastor, immediate family, musicians, audio technicians, and the church coordinator should be present. The pastor and coordinator will direct the rehearsal.

By rehearsal time, the bride and groom should know:

• Number of rows to reserve in front for relatives
• Person/people who will light candles, if any (ushers, mothers, friends, etc.)
• The order of the wedding party – where each person will stand and who is matched with whom for the processional and recessional
• The order of the service
• The person or people who will help the coordinator with clean-up procedures

• Weddings, rehearsals, and/or receptions will be scheduled at times that do not interfere with church ministries.
• The fellowship hall, youth center, and gym may be available to use for a rehearsal dinner and/or reception. Please talk to the church coordinator if you are interested. A Saturday evening reception must be finished by 10:00pm.
• If a reception is held at the church, no lewd dancing or explicit song lyrics are allowed.
• Smoking, vaping, tobacco, or alcohol use is not permitted in the facility or on church grounds.
• No rice, birdseed, or glitter.
• No bubbles in the building - outside is okay.
• No vehicles are to be left overnight in the parking lots.
• Only service animals are allowed in the building.
• If snow removal or ice melt is required prior to the wedding on a day other than the scheduled snow removal days, the wedding party will be responsible to cover the cost of snow and/or ice removal.

• Make sure all rooms are left in the same condition as they were found
• Remove decorations from the worship center and foyer following the ceremony
• Make sure the parking lot is clear of litter and debris

The undersigned acknowledge by typing in their full name that they have the authority to sign on behalf of and obligate their respective parties.

I declare that to the best of my knowledge the projected use of Linwood Church facilities is legal. I will be responsible for the preservation of order and for any damage to Linwood Church facilities. I agree to replace or pay for all damages or lost equipment or materials.