Weddings
The Christian Service of Marriage

​At St. John’s Lutheran Church, weddings are occasions of both joy and reverence. The staff of St. John’s is eager to help make your wedding a lovely and meaningful event and asks your careful attention to all noted guidelines.
​
In the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, a wedding is a service of worship, asking Christ’s blessing on the marriage of a biological man and biological woman.  In keeping with this, respect for the service is required in all aspects including music, vows and wedding attire. Dignity will be expected on the part of all present, including at the rehearsal. All weddings require a LCMS Pastor.  We invite members to have their marriage ceremony here and non-members that are interested in becoming members may call the church office for more information 630-629-2515 x118.
​

Wedding Date

​Weddings are generally held on Saturdays (non-holiday weekends) starting by 3:00pm.  Please contact the church office for more information. We do not agree to do weddings over the phone. Members who wish to be married at St. John’s may reserve their wedding date by calling the church office and getting an unofficial reservation. The date will only be reserved after a meeting with the Pastor or Parish Administrator. NOTE: Non-member couples may reserve a date up to but not more than ten months in advance, subject to the availability of dates.

Wedding Coordinator

St. John’s Lutheran Church provides a wedding coordinator to oversee the arrangements and details of the wedding service. Once the wedding date is confirmed, an appointment with the coordinator is required to discuss St. John’s wedding guidelines. Questions about arrangements, minister, music, fees, and use of the facilities will be discussed at this conference. The wedding coordinator will work with the officiant of the wedding. If an outside wedding consultant has been employed, it is requested that his/her involvement be limited to the reception and other non-church activities. The rehearsal and wedding service are the responsibility of the staff of St. John’s.

Fees

All fees are to be paid at the rehearsal. The payments should all be given to Wedding Coordinator to distribute.

PASTOR – Members: Pastor’s fee is honorarium; Non-Members: Pastor’s fee is $250.00

ORGANIST FEE – $150.00.  Please make check payable to Karl Bruhn. To book organist contact Church Office.  Additional fee of $50.00 if rehearsing and playing with other organists.  
​
WEDDING COORDINATOR FEE – $150.00. Please make check payable to your coordinator.

​SPACE USAGE - $200.00.  Check made payable to St. John's Lutheran Church.

SOUND TECHNICIAN – If any sound equipment is used (including microphones other than lectern), a sound technician is required at a cost of $150.00. Contact coordinator if arrangements need to be made.

SCREENS - $100.00 (Check made payable to person running screens. Church would need to check if someone is available)

PRAISE TEAM – For booking, fee and payment information, please contact the church office at 630-629-2515 x118.
​
ADDITIONAL FEES – $20.00 per 100 bulletins provided by church. $25.00 cleaning fee if throwing something messy after service (i.e. rose petals, lavender seed).
 
TRAVEL EXPENSES -  If travel is required, expenses for two people will be covered by the wedding party (including airfare, hotel, car, gas, parking fees, taxi and food).

Premarital Counseling

Preparation for marriage at St. John’s requires attendance at a consultation with Pastor Dan, Pastor Pete or the Parish Administrator. Two to four meetings will be required. Six months prior to the wedding date, the bride and groom are expected to make their first appointment (flexibility in available times is appreciated). This is not a responsibility to be postponed until the last few months or weeks before your wedding. To find out about available dates and make a reservation, call the church office at 630-629-2515 ext. 118.

The Service

A wedding at St. John’s Lutheran church is an act of worship. Thus, the wedding service will be conducted according to the liturgy found in the Lutheran Hymnal. It is appropriate for the service to include special music, hymns, Scripture readings, and a brief sermon by the officiant. The officiating pastor will review the order of service and appropriate options with the couple.

Music

Because the wedding service is an act of worship, music must be approved prior to the wedding. In terms of musicians used, our Organist/Praise Team leaders have right of first refusal.

Photography and Videography

Wedding photographs may be taken in the Sanctuary before and after the service (note: must be completed 40 minutes before the start time of the ceremony and finished by 4:30p). No flash photos may be taken during the worship service. The processional and recessional are outside of the service and a flash may be used. Family and guests must be informed in writing in the program about no flash pictures except during processional and recessional. The service may be videotaped with the following restrictions: no auxiliary lighting equipment may be used; and the equipment may not be moved during the service. Our Wedding Coordinator will assist the videographer and photographer before the service with specific guidelines/boundaries.

Decorations

The Sanctuary is quite beautiful and does not need excessive decoration for wedding ceremonies. At certain times of the year the sanctuary is adorned with temporary art installations (usually banners or hangings) which complement the architecture. These remain in place during weddings. The liturgical color for the day will be the color on the altar and worn by the pastor.
The church will provide a kneeler. Disposable aisle runners can be a tripping hazard. They are not prohibited but are discouraged. Inquire with your florist if a cloth option is available. Aisle runners can be obtained from florists. The aisle in the sanctuary is 75ft. Florists must arrange a time to deliver flowers with the Wedding Coordinator.

Bulletins

If you wish to have a bulletin, you may arrange to have one designed in accordance with the church’s guidelines to be printed by an outside firm. You may also have the church office prepare a bulletin. All information must be given to Church Office no later than 60 days before the service. All bulletins must be reviewed and approved by the Pastor or the Wedding Coordinator prior to printing. Please plan to bring the printed bulletins to the church at the time of your rehearsal. You do not need a bulletin for each guest. Only 60%-75% of the guests will take a bulletin.

Rehearsals

Rehearsals are generally scheduled for Friday evenings at 6:00 p.m. and are conducted by the Wedding Coordinator. Please be prompt. Rehearsals start on time and are intended to ensure a smooth ceremony. All who have a role in the wedding are expected to be present. The rehearsal does not need to include music.

Access to Church

Due to our weekend worship schedule, each wedding ceremony has a specific amount of time. Please be aware that the Sanctuary must be vacated by 4:30pm on Saturday to ensure preparation for services at 5:30pm. Specific spaces, including dressing rooms and worship facilities, will be reserved for the wedding party and guests.

Dressing Facilities for the Bride

A room (the church library) is available for the bride’s use on the day of the wedding. The groom and all other members of the wedding party are expected to arrive dressed. Facilities are provided for final grooming. If the bride decides to dress beforehand, the bridal party and parents must arrive at the church no later than 45 minutes prior to the beginning of the service. This is necessary to ensure that everyone is in place before the guests arrive.

Other Facility Information

The facilities of St. John’s are in regular use by multiple groups. Our commitment is to provide the best possible experience for all users. Please be considerate of those who are here for purposes other than for your wedding.
We ask your courtesy in helping to keep the church facilities clean and litter-free. Please refrain from throwing rice, birdseed, confetti, flower petals, potpourri, or any other substance inside the building. A nursery is available during the service, but we do not provide staff. St. John’s Lutheran Church is a smoke-free environment, and alcoholic beverages are not permitted on the church premises at any time.

Receiving Line

Sometimes the bride and groom choose to greet people at the church after the service. This is not recommended due to the small Narthex. Think about the guest experience before choosing to do receiving line.

License

A DuPage County marriage license from the Bureau of Statistics is required for marriage. Information regarding area locations, hours, fees, and proper means of identification needed may be obtained by going to website: https://www.dupageco.org/CountyClerk/1822/. A wedding at St. John’s cannot take place without a license. Please bring the license with you at the time of the rehearsal. The church is responsible for returning the signed license to the Bureau of Statistics. Be sure to record the license number in your personal records and take note of how you may acquire a duplicate copy.

In Conclusion

​If you have additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call the church office (630) 629-2515 x118 or email  [email protected]. Please remember St. John’s as your continuing “church home” after your marriage—a place to seek God’s Spirit and truth through worship, education, friendship, and service to others. We wish you every joy and blessing!
​
We believe in the creation and God as the Creator. We believe that God created man and that He created them male and female. As such He created them different so as to complement and complete each other. God instituted monogamous marriage between biological male and biological female as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. For this reason homosexuality, and all other “sexual preferences” or “orientations” are unnatural, sinful, and unacceptable to God. Accordingly, this ministry will not perform any marriage ceremonies between two individuals of the same sex. We will not condone or recognize such same-sex marriages, civil unions, or domestic partnerships even if the state of Illinois or the federal government passes laws that provide for recognition of such unions.  We believe that marriage is exclusively the legal union of one genetic male and one genetic female sanctioned by the state and evidenced by a marriage ceremony.