Congregational Marriage Policies

It is the responsibility of the governing body responsible for the worshipping life of the congregation/pastoral charge to set marriage policies. It is important that congregations have marriage policies.

Here is a checklist of details you may wish to include in a marriage policy:

In a brief statement:

Identify whose policy it is (name of church/pastoral charge).
Keep the statement brief.
Name who it is for, not who it is against.
In addition to a brief statement, you may wish to include the following:
brief theological/pastoral statement about marriage
requirements for participation in a marriage preparation course
statement that marriage is a service of worship, reference to God, what needs to be included in vows (UCC preference: statement about lifelong intent)
where services can take place (church, other location, outside, etc.)
fees (how much, to whom, when they are due)
membership requirements (only members? adherents? others?)
floral arrangements
music options
option of publishing banns (must never have been married, must be members of the congregation - shared at least once before the ceremony)