Wedding at St. Luke's Church

Who can be married here?

Normally, at least one of the persons being married here should be a parishioner. This means that they, or t heir parents, are on record as being active, giving members of the parish. Under some circumstances Episcopalians from another parish may, with their own Rector's permission and support, be married here. Persons who do not currently have any church affiliation should attend the Sunday Eucharist at St. Luke's consistently for one month, after introducing themselves to the Rector, before marriage plans can be discussed. it is important to find our if St. Luke's is a parish where the couple can feel comfortable spiritually in their Christian marriage. Sunday attendance at worship is assumed before as well as after the wedding for all couples. Under certain circumstances, and with the permission of the Bishop of Los Angeles, divorced persons may be remarried in the Episcopal Church.

How do I set my wedding date?

Dates for weddings cannot be reserved, under any circumstances, until both parties have met with the Rector.

Although the Canons (church laws) state that the absolute minimum notice of a wedding date is 30 days, it would be very unusual for less than 90 days to be considered adequate notice. This is due primarily to the length of time needed to conduct adequate premarital counseling. Please do not consider any dates before you consult with the Rector.

Weddings are not performed in Lent, Holy Week, National Holiday weekends, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Ever or Day, New Year's Eve or Day. The time of day for the ceremony is to be arranged with the Rector.

Who may marry us here?

The Rector or any clergy member on staff at St. Luke's may perform the wedding ceremony. Occasionally, another Episcopal priest may assist after permission is granted by the Rector.

Clergy of other denominations are, of course, welcome to assist the parish clergy with the ceremony.

On any event, the clergy of St. Luke's will officiate at any wedding held at the parish. If another priest is present to assist, the liturgical authority for the wedding is the clergy staff person from St. Luke's.

What does it cost to be married here?

Although there is no "fee" for any sacrament in the Church, there are some costs associated with weddings at the parish. Any exceptions will be determined by the Rector.

Organist - The fee for the organist is $150.00 this fee includes a consultation with the couple regarding music to be selected for the wedding. If the organist is to attend the rehearsal, there is an extra fee of $75.00.

It is the responsibility of the couple to contact the parish Music Director/Organist as soon as the wedding date has officially been set. The best time to reach the parish Music Director is on Sunday mornings at St. Luke's. For further information, please see the section below on music selection.

Soloist - If provided by the parish, the soloist's fee is $150.00, which includes rehearsal time with the organist.

Donation to the Church - This donation is divided between the Altar Guild and the parish to cover the costs incurred by having a service here. The Altar Guild will prepare and clean the church. A member of the Altar Guild will be present to assist in making your wedding a wonderful and happy occasion. The other half goes to the parish to offset operation expenses incurred by the wedding (electricity, maintenance of grounds, etc.) The amount of this donation is to be discussed with the Rector.

Honorarium for the officiating priest - This is a voluntary donation for the priest's time and services.

May I choose the music for the wedding?

The Celebration and Blessing of a marriage is an act of worship on the part of all present. The liturgy is designed to express the faith of the Church, your faith, and the desire that God will bless your marriage. Since you have chosen to begin your married life within the context of worship, the music chosen (as at any service of worship) shall be compatible with the Church's understanding of worship - an offering of praise and thanksgiving to God.

Because music in  a service is a statement of what the Church believers, Canon Law states that texts sung shall be congruent with scriptural and liturgical sources, and thereby be in conformity with the Church's teachings. 

The Director of Music at Saint Luke's is responsible for coordinating music at all services, has knowledge of appropriate and beautiful music for wedding ceremonies, and is most willing to discuss all aspects of the music for your wedding with you. It will be your responsibility to contact the Director of Music as soon as possible after a date has been set for your wedding the make an appointment for a consultation regarding your wedding music. 

If a soloist is desired, the parish encourages you to make use of one of the professional singers currently employed by the Parish Music program. Soloists from outside the Parish Music Program may only be used with the approval of Director of Music.

If you wish another organist to play at the service, permission can only be granted by the Director of Music with the concurrence of the Rector. In the event of another organist being permitted to play, the parish organist will still receive the customary honorarium.

What about pictures during the wedding?

The recording of an event in the church should never intrude upon or obscure the event itself. The ceremony is a service of Christian worship and a sacrament, and therefore nothing should be allowed to distract those involved from worshipping God. We insist that photographers be unobtrusive, ,cooperative, respectful of the church and its furnishings, and willing to work under the instructions of the Rector and parish staff. We do not permit any flash photography during the wedding ceremony. your photographer may use available light, working within specified areas of the church, to photograph the ceremony, and may use flash photography as the wedding party leaves the church. Videotaping is also permitted from specified depositions using available light. Any microphones used for videotaping must be unobtrusive, with the cordless clip-on variety being most preferable. Posed flash photographs in the church are permitted before or after the ceremony, although we do ask that you hav your photographer conclude the posing and taking of photographs in the church twenty minutes after the ceremony so that the Altar Guild members may complete their tasks and your guests may welcome you at your reception in a timely manner. For these reasons, we encourage you to schedule posed photographs to be taken in the church prior to the service instead of after the service. The period of time between 1 1/2 hours to 1/2 hour before the service is almost always available to you for photography in the church.

What about flowers?

You are responsible for ordering and purchasing all flowers. If you wish to use our florist, the Wedding Director can give you the name and phone number to contact. Please check with the Wedding Director before ordering any flowers.

Floral arrangements are limited to those which will sit on the two pedestals at either side of the altar, and we discourage the use of an aisle "runner" because the floor of the church is tiled, and the surface of the tiles is naturally uneven. All questions concerning the appropriateness o additional decoration should be directed to the Wedding Director.

May the guests throw rice?

No rice or confetti may be thrown on the church grounds. Your guests may toss birdseed or rose petals outside on the grass or sidewalk area.

How many does the church Seat?

Our comfortable seating capacity is 300 people, not including the bridal party.

May we hire a wedding consultant?

Yes, but it is important to remember that the Rector or officiating clergy is solely responsible for all decisions concerning the conduct of the ceremony and rehearsal. On the day of the wedding, members of the parish Altar Guild will also be there to help.

May we write our own vows?

All weddings will be performed according to the Canons of the Episcopal Church, and will adhere to the rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer (1979). The prayer book makes some provision for writing portions or the ceremony. Please consult with the Rector about this.

Are there rooms available at the church where the wedding party may dress before the service?

We have suitable dressing rooms to serve the wedding party, and we strongly encourage people to dress for the ceremony here at the church. There is a tall mirror in the Bride's room, and rest-rooms are nearby. The wedding gown may be left at the church prior to the wedding if arrangements are made beforehand., but we cannot assume liability for theft, damage, etc.

You may download the Wedding Application Form here.