Obetz United Methodist Church of Obetz, Ohio, is ready to serve those who wish to be united in Christian
marriage. The suggestions and information contained on this page are designed to help those who are
contemplating or planning this sacred event in their lives. We hope this information will familiarize you with
our marriage policy guidelines, our facility and the services available.
REGISTRATION must be completed a minimum of ten weeks prior to the wedding. Registration consists of
submitting completed registration and Premarital Counseling information forms, and establishing a time to
meet with the pastor. At this first meeting we will review your completed paperwork, goals and date for the
wedding service, complete a marriage compatibility survey and receive a reading assignment. Any or all
persons with a reading disability will be loaned an audio cassette (of the required reading) for listening.
Your second counseling date will be determined by your completion of the reading assignment (s). You will
be responsible for phoning the church office to establish your second premarital counseling session.
During this second session we will be ESTABLISHING THE WEDDING DATE. We will also share the results
of your marriage compatibility survey, review your reading assignments and any unfinished issues on the
wedding planner form (s). Should there be any stipulations the pastoral staff may wish to make regarding
your wedding, it will be done at this time. After this agenda is completed, we will secure your wedding date
on the church calendar, and after this meeting you may submit your wedding fee (s) to Obetz United
Methodist Church. Your wedding date will only be guaranteed after the fee is submitted. The church office
will not receive any fee (s) until after the second premarital counseling session is completed. This
procedure will enable both you and the church the option of declining marriage at Obetz United Methodist,
without any financial penalty, questions or hardship.
In the final session (s) we will have a walk-through of your ceremony in the sanctuary so that you will feel
comfortable with how the service will progress. It will also give you a chance to suggest any specific items
your family may wish to celebrate in your ceremony. After the walk through, we will cover any unresolved
issues from either the wedding planner or items discussed in the premarital counseling sessions. If at any
time after the second session, either of you wish to postpone the ceremony, the church will fully refund any
fees paid. Sometimes there are issues couples discover in the premarital counseling settings that they
would like to resolve before the wedding. We strongly encourage and support a mature decision making
process as it relates to the covenant of marriage. Please note that a cancellation at any time during the
period of premarital sessions would not preclude a re-scheduling of the ceremony at a later date.
THE COUPLE is asked to attend a minimum of three Sunday worship services prior to the wedding. This
request is made for two reasons: one that the church might know you, and you know the church more
personally- and two, that your marriage be held in a place where you feel comfortable to come again in a
desire to increase your spiritual journey or in case of crisis, future counseling, illness or death.
COUNSELING prior to marriage is required by guidelines and policies of the United Methodist Church and
will not be waived. Counseling may consist of psychological testing, reading and discussion. Three or four
sessions over a six to eight week period should be expected. Clergy reserve the right, after counsel, to
decline officiating, should any unresolved issues arise. In this event the couples wedding fee will be
returned in full within 30 business days, to the person and address on the check. Couples who wish to be
married at Obetz United Methodist but cannot attend the sessions due to geographic location (i.e.: military,
etc.) must receive counsel from a licensed ordained minister in their location, who will cover all issues and
topics provided in your packet. He or she must then notify the Senior Pastor of First United Methodist
Church in writing, on church letterhead, their belief that you have met all necessary requirements.
CLERGY of Obetz United Methodist will officiate or assist all wedding ceremonies held at the church. Any
additional persons serving in this capacity must be ordained ministers who are licensed to solemnize
marriages in the state of Ohio, and approved in advance by the pastoral staff.
FEES for wedding services are to be paid by check to Obetz United Methodist Church. When submitting
your check after your second counseling session, the office will confirm your wedding date on the church
calendar. The church will not receive fees until after your second premarital counseling session. Fees
submitted by the couple will be held in escrow by the church treasurer until the day of your wedding. ALL
FEES ARE CONSIDERED NON-REFUNDABLE unless through pastoral counseling the presiding pastor
declines performing the ceremony (see counseling). Fees generally include our costs to provide your
wedding, i.e: custodian, organist, utilities, counseling. An honorarium for the pastor is not provided
through the fees.
Your Wedding Ceremony fee includes reserved use of church sanctuary, organist, pastoral counseling
and custodial provisions. Your fee does not include any reception arrangements, music soloists and
additional rehearsals, moving or removal of furnishings in sanctuary, photography, candles, or floral
arrangements. Please feel free to direct any and all questions to the Pastor.
Regular office hours are Wednesday 9:30 AM-A PM
ORGANIST- The organist of Obetz United Methodist will play at your wedding. She will also assist you in
planning the music selections for your wedding ceremony. The organist and or pastor reserve the approval
rights in determining musical selections appropriate for use in the sanctuary. The organist will be paid an
additional $25.00 when there is a soloist.
SOLOISTS may be used in your service. While the church does not provide soloists, our accompanist
would be happy to work with whom you engage. Additional rehearsal fees may apply if they are held at
times other than the wedding rehearsal evening.
MARRIAGE LICENSE- Application for your marriage license must be made through Franklin County.
Processing, post application, usually takes a minimum of ten days. You are responsible to contact the
Courthouse to obtain legal information and requirements for obtaining your license. Your original license,
issued by the county, must be on file at the church no later than your rehearsal date. Obetz United
Methodist will retain a copy of your certificate and fulfill state and county notification requirements. Should
your license ever be lost, we will be happy to provide you a copy.
ALTAR FLOWERS - It is suggested (not required) that at least one floral arrangement be placed on the
altar. If the couple desires to leave the altar flowers for use in the following Sunday morning worship
service, they should inform the church office. Our altar is 5’ in length and 2' in width.
THE SANCTUARY comfortably seats approximately 150 adults. The center isle is 60 feet in length, plus the
two steps and altar area. If you are using a runner, a 75' roll would be sufficient. You are welcome to use
our sanctuary candelabras. A minimum of two individual candles on the altar, provided by the church, will
be lit for all ceremonies. If your ceremony includes use of a Wedding Candle, you will be responsible to
bring these candles to the church. We request that you bring these at the time of your rehearsal.
DRINKING ALCOHOL/SMOKING- is not permitted on any church property. A city fire ordinance prohibits
any smoking on church premises. Failure to observe these regulations by the immediate wedding party or
any guests may result in cancellation of the wedding ceremony.
GUEST BOOK may be provided by the bride as well as an attendant to insure all guests sign in
THE CEREMONY used is an official ritual of the United Methodist Church. A copy of this service will (upon
request) be provided you at the first counseling session. Changes in the ceremony may be considered in
consultation with the minister. Please feel free to discuss any ideas during your counseling sessions. The
officiating minister is in charge of the rehearsal and the wedding service.
RECEPTION ARRANGEMENTS are the responsibility of the bridal couple. The pastoral staff does not
engage in arranging wedding receptions. This is handled by a separate Reception Committee. Those
wishing to celebrate their reception at the church need to contact the church office for information.
marriage. The suggestions and information contained on this page are designed to help those who are
contemplating or planning this sacred event in their lives. We hope this information will familiarize you with
our marriage policy guidelines, our facility and the services available.
REGISTRATION must be completed a minimum of ten weeks prior to the wedding. Registration consists of
submitting completed registration and Premarital Counseling information forms, and establishing a time to
meet with the pastor. At this first meeting we will review your completed paperwork, goals and date for the
wedding service, complete a marriage compatibility survey and receive a reading assignment. Any or all
persons with a reading disability will be loaned an audio cassette (of the required reading) for listening.
Your second counseling date will be determined by your completion of the reading assignment (s). You will
be responsible for phoning the church office to establish your second premarital counseling session.
During this second session we will be ESTABLISHING THE WEDDING DATE. We will also share the results
of your marriage compatibility survey, review your reading assignments and any unfinished issues on the
wedding planner form (s). Should there be any stipulations the pastoral staff may wish to make regarding
your wedding, it will be done at this time. After this agenda is completed, we will secure your wedding date
on the church calendar, and after this meeting you may submit your wedding fee (s) to Obetz United
Methodist Church. Your wedding date will only be guaranteed after the fee is submitted. The church office
will not receive any fee (s) until after the second premarital counseling session is completed. This
procedure will enable both you and the church the option of declining marriage at Obetz United Methodist,
without any financial penalty, questions or hardship.
In the final session (s) we will have a walk-through of your ceremony in the sanctuary so that you will feel
comfortable with how the service will progress. It will also give you a chance to suggest any specific items
your family may wish to celebrate in your ceremony. After the walk through, we will cover any unresolved
issues from either the wedding planner or items discussed in the premarital counseling sessions. If at any
time after the second session, either of you wish to postpone the ceremony, the church will fully refund any
fees paid. Sometimes there are issues couples discover in the premarital counseling settings that they
would like to resolve before the wedding. We strongly encourage and support a mature decision making
process as it relates to the covenant of marriage. Please note that a cancellation at any time during the
period of premarital sessions would not preclude a re-scheduling of the ceremony at a later date.
THE COUPLE is asked to attend a minimum of three Sunday worship services prior to the wedding. This
request is made for two reasons: one that the church might know you, and you know the church more
personally- and two, that your marriage be held in a place where you feel comfortable to come again in a
desire to increase your spiritual journey or in case of crisis, future counseling, illness or death.
COUNSELING prior to marriage is required by guidelines and policies of the United Methodist Church and
will not be waived. Counseling may consist of psychological testing, reading and discussion. Three or four
sessions over a six to eight week period should be expected. Clergy reserve the right, after counsel, to
decline officiating, should any unresolved issues arise. In this event the couples wedding fee will be
returned in full within 30 business days, to the person and address on the check. Couples who wish to be
married at Obetz United Methodist but cannot attend the sessions due to geographic location (i.e.: military,
etc.) must receive counsel from a licensed ordained minister in their location, who will cover all issues and
topics provided in your packet. He or she must then notify the Senior Pastor of First United Methodist
Church in writing, on church letterhead, their belief that you have met all necessary requirements.
CLERGY of Obetz United Methodist will officiate or assist all wedding ceremonies held at the church. Any
additional persons serving in this capacity must be ordained ministers who are licensed to solemnize
marriages in the state of Ohio, and approved in advance by the pastoral staff.
FEES for wedding services are to be paid by check to Obetz United Methodist Church. When submitting
your check after your second counseling session, the office will confirm your wedding date on the church
calendar. The church will not receive fees until after your second premarital counseling session. Fees
submitted by the couple will be held in escrow by the church treasurer until the day of your wedding. ALL
FEES ARE CONSIDERED NON-REFUNDABLE unless through pastoral counseling the presiding pastor
declines performing the ceremony (see counseling). Fees generally include our costs to provide your
wedding, i.e: custodian, organist, utilities, counseling. An honorarium for the pastor is not provided
through the fees.
Your Wedding Ceremony fee includes reserved use of church sanctuary, organist, pastoral counseling
and custodial provisions. Your fee does not include any reception arrangements, music soloists and
additional rehearsals, moving or removal of furnishings in sanctuary, photography, candles, or floral
arrangements. Please feel free to direct any and all questions to the Pastor.
Regular office hours are Wednesday 9:30 AM-A PM
ORGANIST- The organist of Obetz United Methodist will play at your wedding. She will also assist you in
planning the music selections for your wedding ceremony. The organist and or pastor reserve the approval
rights in determining musical selections appropriate for use in the sanctuary. The organist will be paid an
additional $25.00 when there is a soloist.
SOLOISTS may be used in your service. While the church does not provide soloists, our accompanist
would be happy to work with whom you engage. Additional rehearsal fees may apply if they are held at
times other than the wedding rehearsal evening.
MARRIAGE LICENSE- Application for your marriage license must be made through Franklin County.
Processing, post application, usually takes a minimum of ten days. You are responsible to contact the
Courthouse to obtain legal information and requirements for obtaining your license. Your original license,
issued by the county, must be on file at the church no later than your rehearsal date. Obetz United
Methodist will retain a copy of your certificate and fulfill state and county notification requirements. Should
your license ever be lost, we will be happy to provide you a copy.
ALTAR FLOWERS - It is suggested (not required) that at least one floral arrangement be placed on the
altar. If the couple desires to leave the altar flowers for use in the following Sunday morning worship
service, they should inform the church office. Our altar is 5’ in length and 2' in width.
THE SANCTUARY comfortably seats approximately 150 adults. The center isle is 60 feet in length, plus the
two steps and altar area. If you are using a runner, a 75' roll would be sufficient. You are welcome to use
our sanctuary candelabras. A minimum of two individual candles on the altar, provided by the church, will
be lit for all ceremonies. If your ceremony includes use of a Wedding Candle, you will be responsible to
bring these candles to the church. We request that you bring these at the time of your rehearsal.
DRINKING ALCOHOL/SMOKING- is not permitted on any church property. A city fire ordinance prohibits
any smoking on church premises. Failure to observe these regulations by the immediate wedding party or
any guests may result in cancellation of the wedding ceremony.
GUEST BOOK may be provided by the bride as well as an attendant to insure all guests sign in
THE CEREMONY used is an official ritual of the United Methodist Church. A copy of this service will (upon
request) be provided you at the first counseling session. Changes in the ceremony may be considered in
consultation with the minister. Please feel free to discuss any ideas during your counseling sessions. The
officiating minister is in charge of the rehearsal and the wedding service.
RECEPTION ARRANGEMENTS are the responsibility of the bridal couple. The pastoral staff does not
engage in arranging wedding receptions. This is handled by a separate Reception Committee. Those
wishing to celebrate their reception at the church need to contact the church office for information.
