Thank you…
…for considering Tea Gardens Baptist Church as the venue for your wedding ceremony. We look forward to helping you make your special day one that you will cherish.
First, to put your minds at ease…
The Wedding
You do not have to be a member of this church to be married here. Nor do we expect you to attend to be eligible.
Of course, if you wish to, you’re always welcome to join us for worship (Sunday
mornings at 10.00). We’d be delighted to see you.
If you choose to have your wedding here, however, it will be conducted as a service
of Christian worship. That doesn’t mean it has to be stuffy, boring, irrelevant or unconnected to your life. There is some flexibility available in planning the service. Feel free to talk to the pastor about what you would like (or not like) and what might be right for you.
Basic Requirements
The one requirement that we do ask is that you have completed a Marriage Preparation course. Let’s face it… marriage is a big step. It involves commitment and work. There are also many pressures on couples these days. So, it is important to take the time to reflect on your relationship and on how you can continue to grow –– individually and as a couple –– over the course of a lifetime together. A Marriage Preparation course can be done with the pastor of this church, which is a good way of getting to know the person who will be marrying you.
The Federal Government also requires you to complete a form — a “Notice of Intended Marriage (Form 13)” — at least one month and a day before your wedding. This form needs to be witnessed, normally by the pastor marrying you.
You will also need to provide your birth certificate and, if you have previously been married, a copy of the Death Certificate or divorce papers.
Fees
The regular fee for a marriage ceremony conducted in the Church is $500.00. This includes the use of the church, pastor, the organist, sound, commemorative Bible, legal form preparation, rehearsal, marriage preparation course and marriage certificates (2).
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide floral arrangements for the church. Your
family may organise them themselves or you may choose to use a professional florist.
Photography and videotaping may take place inside the church, but those appointed will need to liaise with the pastor.
We also ask that confetti and rice not be thrown anywhere in the church or on the church property.
Rehearsal
You will need to arrange with the pastor to have a rehearsal, usually in the week before the wedding. At that rehearsal the pastor will go through the ceremony with you, dealing with any particular requirements you may have and with the requirements of the Church. The pastor will also have the legal document known as The Declaration ready for you to sign. It is required by law that this be signed before the ceremony can take place.
The Marriage Ceremony
The ceremony is conducted under the rites of the Baptist Union of Australia.
There ARE choices available for the particular wording of vows and prayers and
there are other options you can choose, such as hymns and specific Bible readings you may want.
Please feel free to discuss these matters with the pastor.
Official Marriage certificate
At the end of the wedding ceremony, you will be given a commemorative marriage certificate. This is for you to keep.
However, if you need to produce a marriage certificate for legal purposes (such as applying for a passport, applying for a bank loan, changing driving licence details) this commemorative certificate is not acceptable. You will need an official Marriage Certificate issued by the New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Application can be time consuming and costly so as a free service by the church, the certificate is applied for by the pastor at the same time the marriage is registered.
The web page https://www.nsw.gov.au/family-and-relationships/marriages provides further information
Please contact our pastor for more information.
(Download the printable brochure as a PDF)