Let’s us help you celebrate one of life’s most exciting milestones!
Weddings Services at St. Andrew’s Guelph
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Guelph is honoured that you are considering having your wedding in our sanctuary.
The sanctuary seats around 300 people. St. Andrew’s grounds are quite picturesque for wedding photos.
Our wedding services are available to all couples who wish to proclaim their love through marriage, regardless of sexual orientation or gender.
Frequently Asked Questions
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We do not require that you be members of the congregation to be married here, but we invite you to join us for worship on Sundays at 10:30am and you are welcome to experience our worship, fellowship, and community events. As a couple, finding a church home is one way to build your relationship and create support systems that will be life-giving to both of you.
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YES! Our wedding services are available to all couples who wish to proclaim their love through marriage, regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression.
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While pre-marital counselling is strongly recommended, it is not a requirement. St. Andrew’s Guelph does not offer any marriage courses.
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The Christian wedding ceremony takes place I the context of worship. Inherent within it is the celebration of the commitment of love before God, family, and friends. It is a time of thanksgiving and joy. Your service will be carefully planned with you to reflect your thoughts. Our minister will work with you in choosing and arranging the vows, the Bible and other readings, and all details of the ceremony.
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Typically, the minister of St. Andrew’s conducts all weddings, but we understand that there are circumstances where you would prefer to have your own minister/officiant. If you chose to provide your own minister/officiant, please provide our office with the following details at the time of booking your wedding: (1) The name of the minister/officiant, (2) The church they currently serve, (3) Their Denomination/Affiliation, (4) Their contact information, and (5) their marriage number as issued by the Province of Ontario.
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Our Director of Music is available to play (piano and/or organ) for weddings. An interview must be arranged well in advance to enable you to listen to and choose the music for your wedding. Recorded music is not preferred.
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You may use your own musicians. Please have your musicians contact our Director of Music via the church office to familiarize themselves with our instruments and sanctuary. If you would like a soloist or additional musician as well as our Director of Music to play in your ceremony, please advise our Director of Music as soon as possible. Special arrangements may need to be made for rehearsals. Renumeration for guest musicians will remain your responsibility.
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A marriage license must be obtained from the City clerk’s Office at City Hall, Carden street in Guelph. Birth certificates for both parties, as well as any citizenship or divorce papers, must be presented to the Clerk at the time of application. Be sure to take along current photo identification. Both parties are not required to be present to apply for the license at City Hal, but both parties must sign the application form, and each must be at least eighteen years of age. Licenses are valid for 90 days from the date of issue. If is advised that you familiarize yourself with the requirements of the province and their city’s website: https://guelph.ca/living/life-events/marriage-licences/
The license, along with the fees, should be brought into the Church Office at least four weeks before the date of your wedding ceremony. Your wedding and rehearsal cannot take place if the license and/or fees have not been received.
The license, along with the fees, should be brought into the Church Office at least four weeks before the date of your wedding ceremony. Your wedding (or rehearsal) cannot take place if the license and/or fees have not been received.
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A wedding rehearsal is recommended, and the cost of renting the Sanctuary for your rehearsal is included in the rental fee. Rehearsals usually take no longer than 45 minutes. The Director of Music doesn’t typically attend the rehearsal, but will if necessary. At the rehearsal, the minister will walk you and your wedding party through the wedding ceremony. We have found that the rehearsal is a time to reduce one’s wedding stress by becoming comfortable with the little details of where to stand and what will be said.
The date and time of the rehearsal may be set at the time of booking but must be confirmed with the minister when you meet with them.
As with your wedding ceremony, it is very important that everyone is on time for the rehearsal. A late fee of $200 will be added to the rental fee if the rehearsal cannot commence at its scheduled start time.
The date and time for the rehearsal may be set at the time of booking but should be confirmed with the minister when you meet with them.
As with your wedding ceremony, it is very important that everyone is on time for the rehearsal so that it may start on time.
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You will be assured that everything will be done to make your wedding ceremony as attractive and enjoyable as possible for you and your guests. Our Usher is available at your request to be of assistance in helping you to set up flowers, decorations, and will be present on the day of your rehearsal and wedding to provide whatever assistance you and your guests may require.
Our Ushers’s fee is intended to cover four hours of work (inclusive of the rehearsal.) If the Caretaker is required to work longer than four hours, you will receive an invoice after the wedding for any overages at a rate of $25/hour.
Our Caretaker’s fee is intended to cover four hours of work (inclusive of the Rehearsal). If the Caretaker is required to work longer than four hours, you will receive an invoice after the wedding for any overages at a rate of $25 per hour.
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Please use the facility respectfully, and return the sanctuary, Hall, and Parlour (if you are renting those spaces) to the way they were before the wedding and the rehearsal. You may request extra cleaning help from St. Andrew’s, and we will issue a Cleaner at the rate of $25/hr.
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Ideally, there will be four parking places reserved along Suffolk Street. There is a parking area at the rear of the church, which is accessible from Yarmouth Street. There is street parking available on the various side streets near the church.
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You are welcome to place flowers in the sanctuary. Flowers may be delivered to the church in advance of the wedding. Please arrange a mutually agreeable time for delivery with the Manager of Church Operations.
If you desire to use a Unity Candle as part of your ceremony, you are most welcome to do so in consultation with the minister. It is your responsibility to provide what is needed for this to take place.
If you desire to use a Unity Candle as a part of your ceremony, you are most welcome to do so in consultation with the minister. It is your responsibility to provide what is needed for this and it may be placed on the Table at the front of the sanctuary.
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Confetti, rice, bird seed, and/or flower petals are not to be thrown in the church building or on the church grounds. Bubbles may be used outside but are not permitted in the sanctuary.
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The wedding ceremony is framed in a worship service and, as with other worship services, there are some restrictions on photography. They will not prevent your photographer from obtaining excellent pictures of your wedding, but these restrictions will ensure that the mood of the ceremony, and your own pleasure and concentration on each other, is not compromised. Flash photography is not permitted during worship, although it is acceptable during the processional and recessional of the wedding party, and during the signing of the marriage register and license. Please advise your photographer to check in with the minister before the service commences.
If you wish to have the service professionally video recorded, your videographer should attend the rehearsal to discuss details with the minister.
St. Andrew’s can take an archival recording from the balcony / live stream your wedding ceremony for an additional fee of $200.
You are respectfully requested to make this information known to your photographer, videographer, and to your guests in advance of your wedding.
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The Westminster-St. Paul’s Memorial Church Hall is available for receptions for an additional fee of $400.
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St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Guelph is a smoke-free facility. In addition, no alcohol is allowed on church premises.
If guests use outdoor areas for smoking or vaping, please be mindful – all doors are to remain shut and locked during the use of the building for everyone’s safety. A guest of yours, a volunteer, or the Caretaker can monitor door access.
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Returnable Damage Deposit: $500
Please note, the date and time of your wedding ceremony is not reserved until the damage deposit has been received.Use of Sanctuary: $800
The items below are optional and can be added to your rental fee:
Use of the Westminster-St. Paul’s Memorial Hall (capacity 200): $400
Use of St. Andrew’s Minister: $400
Use of St. Andrew’s Organist: $220
Use of a St. Andrew’s hired soloist, if available on your day: $100
Audio/Visual Livestreaming fee: $200
Use of Parlour room (capacity up to 65 people): $80
Use of a Wedding Usher (see “ushering”): $75 for 3 hours on wedding day, $25 for one hour at rehearsal
Use of a Cleaner (see “cleaning”): If extra cleaning is required, $25/hour
The above fees are inclusive of the rehearsal time, of 1.5 hours, and ideally on the preceding Thursday.*Note:
Additional hours of sanctuary use: $75/hr in relation to the rehearsal exceeding 1.5 hours and the wedding exceeding three hours.
At least four weeks prior to your ceremony, the remainder of the fees along with your marriage license are required to be delivered to the Church Office.
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The returnable damage deposit can be submitted to the St. Andrew’s Church Office via cheque or e-transfer. Please be sure to notify the Manager of Church Operations once this has been deposited, so we can keep your date on the calendar. Proof of deposit can be the cheque itself or an emailed screenshot of your e-transfer.
Your damage deposit will be returned to you, or the cheque will be destroyed, after the wedding, assuming no damages or extra cleaning fees.The rental fee, as agreed upon in your Wedding Agreement, can be paid to the Church Office at least four weeks prior to the wedding date. Rental fees can be submitted to the St. Andrew’s Church Office via cheque or e-transfer. Please be sure to notify the Manager of Church Operations once your rental fee has been deposited. Proof of deposit can be the cheque itself or an emailed screenshot of your e-transfer.
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Contact Information:
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Guelph
161 Norfolk St.
Guelph, ON N1H 4J8
www.standrewsguelph.comPhone: 519.822.4772
Lead Minister and Head of Staff:
The Rev. Chuck Moon
chuckmoon@standrewsguelph.comManager of Church Operations:
Grace DeWolff
gldewolff@standrewsguelph.comDirector of Music:
Fred Gingrich
(please contact through the Church Office)Church Office:
mailbox@standrewsguelph.com
Finance (for e-transfers):
finance@standrewsguelph.com
Thank you to Sarah Andrews Photography for the beautiful wedding photos featured here.