Weddings at Trinity Lutheran Updated: July 2022

Congratulations on your engagement and upcoming wedding! If you made it to this page we’re pretty sure you are ready to take the next steps in your life together.

At Trinity, we believe that healthy and vibrant marriages begin with God central in your lives. With that in mind, we would be honored to be part of your special day and your new life together. We understand that each wedding service is a sacred ceremony filled with God’s love and grace for the world and all that we do on your wedding day is to glorify God as you get married.

Who can be married at Trinity Lutheran? Trinity Lutheran’s Pastor, staff, and building are available for any couple who can legally be married in the state of Iowa and both member and nonmember weddings.

Scheduling a Wedding: If you are interested in having your wedding at Trinity, please contact our pastor, Pastor Michelle Schultz at pastor@tlcwalford.com, fill out contact information form, or leave a message at 319-845-2636. The pastor will be able to confirm availability for the dates you have in mind. We are fully aware of the challenges of planning a wedding and understand the importance of booking the reception location. Please speak to the pastor before you secure any dates to assure availability.

Marriages are not celebrated during Holy Week, the day before Easter, the day before the church Christmas program or Christmas Eve. We are only able to allow reservations for other holidays or holiday weekends after confirming the pastor, custodian and organist are available for the service.

Marriage License: Iowa law requires couples to secure a license to marry. By law, application for this license must be made a minimum of 3 days before the wedding and up to six months prior. You can get your license at any county courthouse in the state of Iowa. Trinity Lutheran is in Benton County, and licenses are available at the County Recorder’s Office at 111 E 4th St, Vinton IA 52349. For more information about the license process, contact the Benton County Recorder at https://www.bentoncountyiowa.org/departments/government-services/recorder-/ or 319-472-3309. Cost for the license is $35 and following the ceremony, the pastor will file the form with the County Registrar within fifteen days.

What is expected of the bride and groom?

During the six months prior to your wedding day, you are expected to meet with our pastor 4-5 times for pre-marital conversations. You can expect to talk about how you met, your unique families, how you handle disagreements, and about anything else that comes up in conversation. All couples getting married at Trinity Lutheran will be asked to take an online survey called "Prepare and Enrich" to do this, please email the pastor and provide the first name and individual email address for each of the bride and groom. You will receive an email asking you to pay an assessment fee with a credit/debit card. The bride and groom will take a survey separately from each other. Also during your time with the pastor, you will talk about the details of the service; scripture, music, etc. All music and additions to the service must receive prior blessing/approval from the pastor to be included in the service. Wedding Bulletins are the responsibility of the couple.

A note on bridal party size - Recently, bridal parties have become larger and larger. Each person added to the party adds additional time to the service as well as potentially blocking the view of guests sitting on the outer seats of the sanctuary. We recommend a total bridal party of no more than 12 people. This number can consist of several different arrangements but the most common for is Bride, Groom, 4 bridesmaids, 4 groomsmen, ringbearer, and flower girl. If you are considering a larger bridal party, please talk to the pastor before making any final decision.

Payment: Once you have made contact with the pastor and have a date on the church calendar, you may send in the deposit to the church office. The non-refundable deposit for members and non-members is $400. Contact the church office for complete cost. Your wedding date is not confirmed until you have confirmed availability with our pastor and your deposit check is received.

Summary of Fees:

Please note: The below wedding fees are subject to change. Please check with the pastor for fees in effect at the time of your wedding. Except for the Facility Use fee which is payable to Trinity Lutheran, the checks for payment are to be made directly to the individuals serving, not as one lump sum to the church.

Deposit

$400 members and non-members

Pastor’s Honorarium

$300 for members and $500 non-members

Trinity’s Accompanist

$100 base plus additional costs for other musical additions (accompaniment, solos, etc)

Facility usage

$300 for non-members.

Church Policies

Trinity Lutheran is not responsible for personal items that are lost or stolen while you are in the church or on church property. While we do our best to help by locking doors, we need your help to ensure the safety of your purses, cameras, etc. Likewise, gifts that are brought to the wedding are not the responsibility of the church. Someone should be in charge of the gifts and other personal items at all times.

Couples are expected to adhere to Trinity’s Facility Use Policy that outlines the use of the church facility. A signed copy will be necessary at the time of securing the date.

The use of alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs on the church grounds or premises is strictly prohibited. Smoking is only allowed outside; please extinguish your cigarette in the appropriate receptacle located outside the church.

Decorating for your Wedding:

The Alter Cloths and Banners coincide with the church calendar and will not be changed for wedding ceremonies. Keep in mind that for most of the summer the altar is dressed in green. Call the church office to inquire about the color of the paraments and vestments for specific dates. To avoid falls and messes, we do not allow rice, birdseed or confetti to be thrown anywhere on our church grounds. Please ask permission to use flower petals. Bubbles are completely acceptable.

Church Seating:

The sanctuary seats 200 comfortably.

**Expect changes during Covid-19 pandemic. Masks suggested for unvaccinated people for all weddings. Pastor will discuss this with you while planning for your wedding service.

If you have any further questions, please contact us at office@tlcwalford.com or call the church at 319-845-2636.

Blessings on your new life together!

Pastor and the members of Trinity Lutheran Church

Wedding Service Planning Sheet

Use this to organize the elements of your service. Fill in the blanks for those elements that you will be using. A suggested order of service will be provided by the Pastor.

Prelude:(music choice)

Processional

Solo ro hymn(if desired)

Scripture reading(s):

Exchange of Vows:

Exchange of Rings:

Unity Candle, Sand Ceremony or Cord of three strands (if desired)

Will there be holy communion?

Recessional (music choice)

Groom’s Full Name:

Present address:

Phone Number: E-mail Address:

Birth Date: Place of Birth

Are you baptized? If yes, church name/place

Are you confirmed? If yes, church name/place

Are you a member of Trinity Lutheran?

Bride’s Full Name:

Present address:

Phone Number: E-mail Address:

Birth Date: Place of Birth

Are you baptized? If yes, church name/place

Are you confirmed? If yes, church name/place

Are you a member of Trinity Lutheran?

Wedding Date and Time

Rehearsal Date and Time:

Place of Wedding:

Place of Reception:

How many guests do you expect at the wedding?