Weddings

Welcome to St. Andrew’s By-the-Sea United Methodist Church!  We’re so pleased you are considering our church as the site for your upcoming wedding.

We celebrate many weddings here every year and take great joy in these occasions.  We pride ourselves in not being a “rent-a-church” nor a “wedding factory.”  Rather, we strive to establish a relationship with each couple because you are special in God’s eyes and in our eyes, as well.

We want to provide you with a ceremony that is joyful, reverent, and memorable.  Your wedding service will be consistent with the ritual of the United Methodist Church, conducted by one of our St. Andrew’s ministers in consultation with you.  In addition, every couple will enjoy a time of pre-marital counseling with our clergy.  We’ll do all we can to assure your wedding day and your life together are everything you hope they will be.

Wedding services at St. Andrew’s By-the-Sea are not restricted to its members and are available to all who desire a sacred ceremony that emphasizes Christian marriage.  Each Wedding service is conducted as a sacred experience with reverence and professional care.

For more information contact the Wedding Coordinator at 949-492-2537

So that your marriage service is conducted in a joyful and reverent manner, we ask you to read the following guidelines carefully.

1. SETTING YOUR DATE – The Wedding Coordinator will help you find a day and time for your wedding on the Church Master Calendar. You’ll need to complete a Wedding Reservation form that, with the required deposit, will hold the date for your wedding. A Wedding Contract, with the terms and conditions covered, will be provided for your signature. A copy of this Contract is sent to the Senior Pastor for assignment of clergy and other independent contractors who will provide related services. A copy is also forwarded to the Organist-Pianist who will help you select appropriate music. Additional assistance and information will be provided via the Wedding Coordinator.

2. WEDDING SERVICE – The ceremony we provide is both joyful and reverent as befits this important step in your lives. Several options within the Wedding service can be discussed with the officiating Pastor. Examples are: A family member or friend may read a scripture passage; communion may be taken by the bride and groom, etc. All options must be discussed with and approved by the officiating Pastor.

3. FACILITIES – Our Sanctuary is one of the loveliest in southern California and seats up to 450 including the Balcony. It is complemented by grassy lawns, waiting areas, walkways and parking -all overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the seaside city of San Clemente.

4. FEES – Our basic wedding package includes the minister, counseling, organist-pianist, custodian, sound, use of sanctuary and church campus, professional wedding coordination and accessories including two seven-branch brass candelabras and a unity candle set – all with oil; candle lighters, prie dieux (kneeler), Bride’s dressing room and Groom’s waiting room.

5. PAYMENT SCHEDULE – A $100 deposit is required to reserve your wedding date and time on the Master Calendar. Two months following this, a second installment of $250 is due. The remaining balance may be paid any time, but NO LATER than thirty (30) days before the wedding date.  If your wedding is canceled, the $100 deposit and $250 second payment are considered non-refundable. Checks are made payable to St. Andrew’s By-the-Sea, UMC, with wedding date and couple’s last names.

6. COUNSELING – All couples being married at St. Andrew’s must participate in pre-marital counseling. Additional counseling, for an additional fee, is available and may be chosen in discussion with the officiating Pastor. Counseling appointments are made directly with the Pastor. We highly recommend additional counseling since we consider it to be an investment in your marriage.

7. GUEST PASTOR – If a guest Pastor, is requested to share in the Wedding service, St. Andrew’s Senior Pastor must approve. We are glad to accommodate other guest Pastors with the understanding that he/she will assist the St. Andrew’s Pastor who’ll work out the Wedding service details. A United Methodist pastor or a member of the Pastors Association may conduct the complete Wedding service when confirmed by our Senior Pastor. All other criteria and services by St. Andrew’s personnel must be used.

8. FLOWERS & DECORATIONS – Most families like to arrange with a local Florist for floral enhancements for the wedding. Flowers must not cover up the Altar Table Cross. The Wedding Coordinator can assist you with ideas and placement of floral and other permitted decorations. AISLE RUNNERS ARE NOT PERMITTED FOR SAFETY REASONS.

9. RICE, SEEDS, ETC. – For reasons of personal safety and potential property damage, rice, bird seed, confetti, rose petals, balloons and similar materials are NOT permitted. We recommend that souvenir “wedding bubbles” be used at your reception; however, if they are used here, they must remain outside the buildings and all refuse from them must be collected by someone in the wedding party/family.

10. SMOKING – NO SMOKING IS ALLOWED IN ANY OF THE CHURCH BUILDINGS.

11. ALCOHOL/ILLEGAL DRUGS – NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND/OR ILLEGAL DRUGS are permitted anywhere on church grounds. In addition, there is to be NO ALCOHOL/ILLEGAL DRUG CONSUMPTION PRIOR TO YOUR REHEARSAL OR WEDDING SERVICE. A member of the wedding party will be excused from participation if alcohol or drugs are detected on the person prior to the Wedding service.  The Wedding WILL BE CANCELLED IMMEDIATELY WHEN ALCOHOL OR ILLEGAL DRUGS ARE DETECTED ON THE BRIDE OR GROOM PRIOR TO THE WEDDING SERVICE.

12. FOOD/DRINKS – Food is NOT permitted in the Sanctuary at any time. You may bring bottled water into the Bride and Groom’s Rooms only.

13. MUSIC – A church wedding is a religious ceremony in a sacred place, and the Music, whether classical or contemporary, should spiritually uplift those present. Our Organist’s services are part of the Wedding Package . The Organist will be prepared to play appropriate pre-wedding, processional, recessional, and bride and groom entrance music, as well as for soloist(s) You may also hire additional musicians (trumpet, string ensembles, and the like.) Be sure these requests are cleared through the Coordinator BEFORE contracting with them. (Payment to them is your responsibility.) If there are any questions regarding the music, the final decision is made by the Organist and/or officiating Pastor.

14. PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER – The Wedding Coordinator must have the opportunity to discuss with your Photographer our picture-taking policies. One hours after the ceremony is provided for pictures inside the Church NO FLASH photography is permitted during the Ceremony. The Photographer may move about the Sanctuary during the service in the BALCONY ONLY. If you engage a Videographer, recording MUST be done with existing light. The operator is NOT permitted to move about during the ceremony EXCEPT in the Balcony. The Coordinator will be glad to meet with both the Photographer and Videographer to discuss areas where these activities can be done to ensure reverence for the Service and respect for the wedding party and guests. Failure to comply with these policies can result in the ceremony being interrupted and/or a request for the disruptive party to leave.

15. LICENSE – We recommend you begin arranging for your license at least one month before the wedding. The Wedding License is Valid for 90 Days. Please bring the License, in the envelope provided, to the Wedding Rehearsal. Without the License in Hand, the Wedding Cannot be Held. Once the Wedding service is over and signatures are affixed, the Wedding Coordinator mails the document to the County Recorder’s Office.

16. REHEARSAL – You need to notify all members of the Wedding Party of the date and time of the Rehearsal. One Hour is set aside for your Rehearsal and will be conducted by the Wedding Coordinator. The Rehearsal is vital to ensure that the ceremony goes smoothly. It also allows the Bride and Groom to make final changes and decisions. It is crucial that the entire Wedding party be present and on time. Traffic in our community is a significant issue, so we urge you to plan to arrive 15 minutes ahead. If an outside Wedding Planner is involved, that person should attend the Rehearsal, as well. Please remember: Each person with a role in the Wedding is needed at the Rehearsal.

17. BUILDING ACCESS – The Church will be open two (2) hours before the scheduled Wedding time.  Please arrange with your Florist, Photographer and/or Videographer to arrive accordingly.  The building will be closed one (1) hour following the conclusion of the Wedding service.

18. DRESSING ROOMS – The Church provides a furnished Bride’s Room for the Bride and her attendants to use and to wait in until the Wedding service begins.  Also, there is a separate Waiting Room for the Groom and his attendants, who we request arrive dressed, when practical to do so. The Bride needs to arrange for a responsible person to clear her belongings from the Bride’s Room following the service. The Groom should also arrange for some-one to clear the Groom’s Room of personal articles. Each Attendant is responsible for his/her own belongings.

19. PARTICIPANTS – Thirty (30) minutes prior to the scheduled Wedding time, the Bride and all Attendants, the Groom, Best Man and Groomsmen must be in their reserved area(s) for the start of the ceremony. Twenty (20) minutes prior to the start of the Service, the parents and grandparents of the Bride and Groom will be asked to wait in the Narthex (Foyer area) for seating or further instruction. We request that children, participating in the wedding service be at least five (5) years old.  Generally, only the Bride, Groom, Maid of Honor, Best Man and Pastor(s) go inside the Chancel (Altar) area for the remainder of the Service. The remaining Attendants stand where rehearsed in/near the Altar area and steps.

20. RESPONSIBILITIES – The Bride and Groom are responsible for seeing that all members of the Wedding party and any outside contracted persons, are aware of these policies. Any church property damaged or destroyed becomes the full replacement responsibility of the Bride and Groom. St. Andrew’s reserves the right to modify these policies at any time.

21. SOUND – St. Andrew’s provides a complete sound system as well as related services for each Wedding ceremony in the Sanctuary. When possible, St. Andrew’s provides a C.D. recording of the Service, as a courtesy only. It is not part of any contractual obligation and, therefore, we do not guarantee the quality of any such recording that is provided. We recommend you discuss any desired recording of the wedding service with your Videographer.

22. RECEPTIONS - St. Andrew’s By-the-Sea also offers services and facilities for Wedding Receptions. Our facilities include a Fellowship Hall, with receiving area and a banquet space that can accommodate up to 200 persons, a fully equipped Kitchen, and Rest Rooms. In addition, an outside patio (porch) extends around the Building for additional dining or buffet service. Finally, two terraced areas a dancing area and lawn overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the city of San Clemente provide flexible banquet and celebration opportunities. St. Andrew’s can provide “Cake & Beverage” Receptions (with no-dining or alcoholic beverages involved.) Contact the Wedding Coordinator for availability, services , options and Fee Schedules.

PLEASE PREPARE A LIST OF ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE BEFORE CALLING THE WEDDING COORDINATOR.