Weddings

learn more about Christ Pres's view of marriage & how to request to have your wedding in our new facility

getting married at Christ Pres

What You Need to Know

Congratulations!  You are engaged to be married!  Christ Presbyterian Church (CPC) rejoices with you!

Whether you desire a service for family and closest friends or are planning for hundreds of wedding guests, we are eager to help make your wedding both beautiful and memorable. The Pastors and Session of CPC believe that you should have every opportunity to be prepared for a Christ-centered and biblically grounded marriage, one which has all the potential of being everything our Lord intends marriage to be.  We want to assist you in keeping your wedding on a holy and spiritual foundation.

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At CPC we believe that marriage is a creation ordinance of God between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-5), and the chief end of a Christian wedding is to bring glory and honor to God (1 Corinthians 10:31). The central figure in a Christian wedding is the triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Romans 11:36). The central imagery of a Christian wedding is the union and relationship between the Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ, and His Bride, the Church (Ephesians 5: 22-33). Because of these strongly held beliefs, CPC must take seriously any marriage that is to be performed on its property or by its ministers. Marriage is sacred, and because Christian marriage implies a distinct lifestyle, the church must protect and promote the spiritual values surrounding a Christian wedding and marriage. A Christian wedding is first and foremost a worship service, and the church will guard the sanctity of this service against worldly intrusions. A non-Christian wedding cannot be held on the campus of Christ Presbyterian Church.

The pastors of Christ Presbyterian Church, ordained pastors of Reformed University Fellowship campus ministries who are in good standing, and ordained pastors of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) who are in good standing may officiate.

Ordained pastors of another evangelical Christian denomination may officiate with the approval of the CPC Session.

The church sanctuary seats 650 and may be used for your wedding service. Fees for the use of the church are outlined in the Wedding Fees section of this document.

Upstairs classrooms will be assigned for the bride and bridesmaids to dress and gather out of sight of the wedding guests. Groomsmen and ushers should arrive dressed for the wedding and will gather in the church nursery area. Please provide water and snacks for the wedding party in these rooms, and make certain they are left clean afterward.

While opinions vary with regard to style and taste in clothing, please remember that a CPC wedding is a worship service in God’s house. Members of the wedding party must dress modestly, in a manner that honors Christ at both the rehearsal and wedding.

Weddings may not be scheduled after 8 o’clock in the evening. Only one wedding per day may be scheduled, and no other church activities will be scheduled during the wedding ceremony and four hours prior to the wedding. Weddings may not be scheduled for Easter weekend, July 4th, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Day, the first weekend of March or the first weekend of June.

The wedding rehearsal will be held at either 5:00 or 5:30 on the evening before the wedding day.

Wedding receptions will not be held at the church.

Neither private nor corporate communion will be offered during a wedding service.

The use of alcohol, drugs or tobacco products of any kind (including vaping devices) is not permitted anywhere on the CPC campus.

Members of the wedding party deemed to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be allowed to participate in the rehearsal or the wedding. The decision to dismiss a member of the wedding party will be made by the officiating pastor and the CPC Wedding Liaison.

Decorations may not be affixed to any surface in the church using nails, pins, wire, tacks, tape or glue. Decorations on exterior doors may be attached using suction cups, removable Command hooks or over-the-door hangers only. Aisle runners may not be used in sanctuary.

Pets will not be allowed to participate in the wedding ceremony. Only Certified Service Animals will be allowed in the church sanctuary. No Emotional Support Animals will be allowed on the church campus.

No video or still photo presentations are allowed in the sanctuary.

Please do not take food or drinks into the sanctuary.

Building security is required for all hours that the church building is open. Please refer to the Wedding Fees section of this document.

Music is an important part of your wedding service. It sets the mood for worship as guests arrive, accompanies the arrival and departure of the wedding party, and enables the congregation to participate in the wedding service. The music for weddings should be chosen with care so that it praises God and asks God’s blessing on the bride and groom.

A Christian wedding is a worship service, and music that accompanies the ceremony should direct attention to God, who sanctifies the marriage. Special care should be taken to assure that it is suitable and reverent.

All music selections including prerecorded music and solos by vocalists must be included on the order of worship worksheet and must be approved 30 days in advance of the wedding.

You may hire the CPC pianist to play for your wedding, if he is available. Please refer to the Wedding Fees section of this document for the cost of hiring the CPC pianist. If he is not available, you will be responsible for hiring your own pianist and paying him or her directly.

You may hire additional musicians – string quartet, trumpeter, etc. It will be your responsibility to pay these additional musicians directly.

A CPC Sound System Technician must be employed to operate the sound system for all weddings. Please refer to the Wedding Fees section of this document for the cost of hiring a CPC Sound System Technician.

If you choose to use prerecorded music, please provide it to the CPC Sound System Technician in advance of the wedding rehearsal in a format that is compatible with the CPC sound system.

We want your wedding at CPC to be a beautiful and memorable experience, and flowers are an important part of your wedding décor. Adornment and arrangements in the sanctuary are welcome, but all decorations and floral arrangements must be in keeping with the character of a Christian wedding and worship service. Please share the following policy with your florist. It is your responsibility to make certain that the policy is followed and the church building is not damaged in any way.

The florist is responsible for all set up and removal of flowers and decorations. Flower arrangements may be left for the next worship service, so please instruct your florist accordingly and tell the CPC Wedding Liaison. If the flowers will be left in memory or in honor of someone, please complete the form below and give it to the Wedding Liaison at least two weeks before the wedding. All decorations, flowers, plants, and other equipment not being left for the next worship service must be removed from the church building immediately following the wedding, no later than one hour after the ceremony ends

Furniture in the sanctuary may only be moved by the custodial staff of CPC.

Decorations may not be affixed to any surface in the church using nails, pins, wire, tacks, tape or glue. Decorations on exterior doors may be attached using suction cups, removable Command hooks or over-the-door hangers only. Aisle runners may not be used in sanctuary.

Candles may be placed on the raised stage area of the sanctuary only. The floor beneath the candles must be thoroughly protected. Candles will not be permitted in any other area of the church building.

All facilities must be left “broom clean” after removal of flowers and decorations.

The use of alcohol, drugs or tobacco products of any kind (including vaping devices) is not permitted anywhere on the CPC campus.

First, members of Christ Presbyterian Church, the children of members, and the grandchildren of members may get married in our church. The fees charged will be designated as fees due from members. Fees may be reduced or waived by the Session for members of CPC who are in financial need. Please refer to the Wedding Fees section of this document. Second, individuals with a prior relationship with CPC may get married in our church with the approval of the wedding committee. Those prior relationships include former members, the children of former members, former church staff, the children of former church staff and former associate members. The fees charged will be designated as fees due from affiliates of CPC. Please refer to the Wedding Fees section of this document. Third, Ole Miss students who have been or are active at Christ Presbyterian Church and regularly attended or attend one of the campus ministries that CPC supports may get married in our church with the approval of the campus minister and the wedding committee. The fees charged will be designated as fees due from affiliates of CPC. Please refer to the Wedding Fees section of this document. Please note that we welcome up to two affiliate weddings at CPC per month.
All couples asking to be married at CPC must meet with a staff pastor to share their Christian testimonies and have the staff pastor sign their Wedding Application. Because God forbids believers to marry unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14), we cannot allow a wedding between a believer and an unbeliever at CPC. Because of the serious nature of the wedding ceremony and the marriage covenants, we ask that all couples married at CPC meet with the officiating pastor or an approved counseling service for pre-marital counseling. If someone other than a CPC pastor is providing the marriage counseling, the counselor must first be approved by the CPC Session and the pre-marital counseling must be documented. A valid marriage license issued by the Circuit Clerk of Lafayette County, Mississippi, must be delivered to the officiating pastor prior to the wedding rehearsal.
A CPC Wedding Liaison (WL) must be employed for all weddings. Please refer to the Wedding Fees section of this document to see the cost of hiring a WL. You will be able to request a liaison on the Wedding Application from a list of very capable CPC members. The WL is your first point of contact for any wedding questions. The WL will meet with you to go over the Wedding Policy and will be available in the months before your wedding to answer questions and provide names of support people. If you have not hired an event planner, the WL will direct the rehearsal and the day of the wedding at the church. If you have hired an event planner, the WL will be present to assist at the rehearsal and on the day of the wedding The WL is not responsible for helping the bridal party dress, handling wardrobe mishaps, or assisting with hair and makeup. Please make certain you have others in place to assist in these ways. Please download and complete the Wedding Information Form before you meet with the WL.
Christ Presbyterian Church’s Pastoral Staff has final authority over the content of your wedding service and the worship experience. The content of the service must conform to the principles of Scripture. Wedding ceremonies that are conducted as a social event or in the same manner as a civil ceremony will not be allowed. Reverence is expected on the part of all present. Please download the order of worship worksheet to use as a guide when planning your wedding. Please return the completed worksheet to the CPC Wedding Liaison 30 days prior to the wedding.
Because a Christian wedding is a worship service, photographs and videos must be taken in a way that does not interfere with the religious nature of the service. Please share the following policy with your photographer and videographer. It is your responsibility to make certain that the policy is followed. No flash photography may be used during the service and no additional lighting may be placed in the sanctuary. Cameras must be in silent mode to avoid loud shutter noises. Once the pastor has begun speaking, photographs and video must be taken from the side aisles or the back of the church. Photographers and videographers must be dressed appropriately so as not to detract from the service, either in all black or the same level of formality as the wedding guests. The use of alcohol, drugs or tobacco products of any kind (including vaping devices) is not permitted anywhere on the CPC campus.

Wedding Fees

Wedding fees are divided into two categories – those for members of Christ Pres and those for affiliates of Christ Pres. Please see the "Who May Get Married at Christ Presbyterian Church?" section of this document to determine which applies to you. The Security Deposit is due within 10 days of completing your Wedding Application. If your wedding date is approved, the Security Deposit will be applied towards your total balance. The balance of all remaining fees is due 30 days prior to the wedding. In the event of cancellation, fees are refundable up to two weeks before the wedding.

  • Security Deposit: $250.00
  • Use of Sanctuary: $0.00
  • CPC Pastor: $350.00
  • CPC Wedding Liaison: $350.00
  • CPC Pianist: $250.00
  • Audio Technician: $200.00
  • Custodian/ Janitor: $150.00
  • Building Security: $250.00

  • Security Deposit: $250.00
  • Use of Sanctuary: $500.00
  • CPC Pastor: $350.00
  • CPC Wedding Liaison: $350.00
  • CPC Pianist: $250.00
  • Audio Technician: $200.00
  • Custodian/ Janitor: $150.00
  • Building Security: $250.00

Wedding Application

Once you've completed this application please send in the $250.00 Refundable Deposit (outlined above in Fees) to our Church Office (901 Sisk Avenue, Oxford, MS 38655) within 10 days.