Member Care

Meet Our Ministerial Staff

Wedding arrangements

The wedding ceremony is a sacred service of the Christian Church. The first priority of this service is to be God-honoring. Because Mount Airy recognizes God’s role as creator, redeemer and sustainer and realizes the permanent significance of commitment in the vows to God, the wedding ceremony is planned as a service of worship.

The church expects that a couple married within the walls of Mount Airy believes in God. Furthermore, the church desires that God be the authority guiding their lives, now to be united in holy matrimony.

Every effort will be made to protect the theology of the wedding and its significant relationship to God. Secular celebrations such as musical selections or military exercises will be appropriate at the wedding reception, but will not be a part of the wedding service in the Sanctuary or Thomas Bain Chapel.

Mount Airy Baptist Church and its staff wish to extend every possible courtesy. In order to assist wedding parties in the use of the facilities, the following procedures have been established.

It will be a privilege to have a part in your wedding day. We pray that this special day will be the beginning of many happy and special days together. As your friends, we pledge loving care and support through the years to come. May you seek God’s direction in your life and may God bless you well.

For more information: contact Wedding Administrator Taffene Hollingsworth at 202.789.0640.
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
GENERAL POLICIES, PROCEDURES & FEES
 
 A sacred service of the Christian church, the wedding ceremony's first priority is to honor God. Because Mount Airy recognizes God’s role as creator, redeemer and sustainer and realizes the permanent significance of commitment in the vows to God, the wedding ceremony is planned as a service of worship to Him.

The church expects that a couple married within the walls of Mount Airy believes in God. Furthermore, the church desires that God be the authority guiding their lives, now to be united in holy matrimony. Every effort will be made to protect the theology of the wedding and its significant relationship to God. Secular celebrations such as musical selections or military exercises will be appropriate at the wedding reception, but will not be a part of the wedding service in the Sanctuary or Thomas Bain Chapel.
 
Facilities Use
  • A wedding coordinator will be assigned to each wedding. Personal wedding coordinators may also be used, but they must work in consultation with Mount Airy’s wedding coordinator. Mount Airy wedding coordinators must be on-site for all weddings.
  • Alcoholic beverages are not allowed anywhere on the church property, including parking lots and dressing rooms. Any member(s) of the wedding party found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be removed from the church property. Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the church building, including restrooms and dressing rooms.
  • The use of the senior pastor is preferred for all weddings. The wedding coordinator can assist you in securing the services of a Mount Airy minister for your wedding. Outside ministers, particularly those who are family members of the bride or groom, are welcome to officiate in wedding ceremonies at Mount Airy if prior arrangements are made with the senior pastor.
  • All music selections must be approved in advance by the senior pastor, according to the procedures outlined in this booklet. Failure to comply with this policy may be grounds for Mount Airy to cancel the wedding reservation.
  • All music in the ceremony must be performed live. No recorded music or accompaniment tracks are allowed.
  • The bride and groom must confirm with the wedding coordinator an order of service for the wedding no less than 30 days prior to the wedding.
  • Childcare is not provided for wedding rehearsals, wedding ceremonies or wedding receptions.
  • While weddings are joyous celebrations, they are also worshipful and sacred. Mount Airy requests that the bride, groom and wedding party select attire that is appropriate and tasteful for the wedding rehearsal and wedding ceremony. All parties involved in the wedding should abide by the guidelines outlined in these policies.  

Photography
Any photographs taken in the Thomas Bain Chapel or the Sanctuary before the wedding should be finished 30 minutes before the wedding begins. No flash photography is allowed during the ceremony, either by the wedding photographer, family members or guests.

 
Videos and recordings
A sound engineer will attend Sanctuary weddings and make an audio recording of the pre-service music and the ceremony. The engineer will set up microphones for soloists and/or instrumentalists as needed. Pre-recorded accompaniment tapes are not allowed.
 
Videotaping is permissible, provided it does not distract from the sacred character and dignity of the service. If a camera is used at the front of the room, it must be hidden, operated by remote control and remain stationary during the ceremony. No extra lighting shall be used during the service. All cameras must be stationary.
 
Rehearsal
The wedding coordinator directs the rehearsal. Neither the organist nor any Mount Airy minister attends the rehearsal. Guest ministers are welcome and may give input in the rehearsal of the ceremony.
 
The rehearsal should begin on time and conclude in one hour. Any attendants who are unable to attend will be given instructions before the wedding.
 
Please schedule the rehearsal hour with care and consideration. An additional charge of $75 will be assessed if the rehearsal begins more than 30 minutes late.
 
Flowers and decorating
The church is open on Saturday mornings between 8:30 a.m. and noon and two hours before the wedding. The florist should be notified of these times. At times, certain church events may need to be scheduled preceding a wedding (such as funerals or choir rehearsals). Florists should be flexible in their decorating times.
 
If additional decorating time is needed by the bride, an additional per-hour charge will be assessed.
 
Decorations other than Mount Airy’s equipment that may be used include:
  • Flower arrangements in appropriate vases that will be safe for wood tables and wood floors.
  • Pew bows that are tied to the ends of the pews with ribbons, fastened with fabric covered twistees or attached with padded hooks.
  • Candles on ends of pews that are appropriately secured for safety of guests and that will not damage the wood pews.

Any other equipment or decorations must be discussed in advance with the wedding coordinator.

 
No one is allowed in the pulpit except invited by the senior pastor.
 
Rice and birdseed may not be thrown on the premises. Bubbles, balloons, flower petals and streamers are some suggested items to be used. The wedding coordinator may give guidance.
 
All fees are due and payable no later than one month before the date of the wedding. Questions regarding ministers’ fees should be directed to the wedding coordinator. 
 
Chapel Wedding Fees:             Non-Members $150
 

Fee** includes:  facility, wedding coordinator, sound engineer, scheduling fee.

 
Sanctuary Wedding Fees:       Non-Members $300
 
Fee** includes:  facility, wedding coordinator, sound engineer, scheduling fee.
 
Not included/additional sanctuary wedding fees:  custodians ($100), organist ($100 per hr.), any assessed damages to the Church
 
* Mount Airy membership rates apply when either the bride or groom or the parents of the bride or groom have been church members for at least one year.
 
** This rate is contingent upon custodians not having to arrive early or stay later than indicated in our wedding policies book. Opening earlier than stated in the policy will require additional payment for custodians.
 
Please note:  Fees do not include an honorarium for the pastor/minister or musicians other than the organist, nor do they include the reception. 
 
For more info: Taffene Hollingsworth, Wedding Administrator   202-789-0640.
 
SCHEDULING YOUR WEDDING
 
 The church wedding administrator or other staff member will be available to show the facilities and explain the use of equipment before the wedding is put on the church calendar.
 
To secure a date on the calendar, a $100 calendar fee and a signed acknowledgement that our wedding policy book has been read, understood and agreed upon is required. This fee is included the total cost. Once the wedding date has been confirmed on the church calendar, the deposit is non-refundable.
 
Due to seasonal demands on the church facilities, wedding rehearsals, wedding ceremonies, or wedding receptions will not be scheduled on the following holidays:
  • Easter weekend
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving weekend
  • Christmas Eve
  • Christmas Day
  • December 26th
  • New Year’s Eve
  • New Year’s Day

Wedding ceremonies and wedding rehearsals will not be scheduled on Sundays or at times that will conflict with church services or special church events. Generally, Sanctuary weddings are not scheduled for Saturdays in December, due to rehearsals for Advent programs. The scheduling of any December wedding will require advance approval by the minister of music and the associate pastor, without exception.

 
Some requested wedding dates cannot be confirmed until the church’s pastoral staff has set the ministry calendar for the year. This is to protect use of the Sanctuary and other common areas for church-wide events.
 
For more info: Taffene Hollingsworth, Wedding Administrator   202-789-0640.  
 
PRE-MARITAL COUNSELING

Senior Pastor West has his own preference for premarital counseling for couples to be married at Mount Airy. He has many years of experience in premarital counseling and expects couples to complete a minimum of three counseling sessions. Mount Airy highly recommends premarital counseling. When using Pastor West to conduct the wedding, there is a $35 assessment fee for the Prepare Inventory. Any additional compensation to the pastor should be considered part of the honorarium for the wedding.
 
FACILITIES & RESOURCES
Mount Airy offers two primary locations for weddings:
 
Sanctuary--seats up to 1200 and has a piano and a organ and pipe organ.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thomas Bain Chapel--seats up to 100 and has a piano  and organ.
 
PLANNING MUSIC
 
The music staff at Mount Airy Baptist Church is delighted to assist you in any way possible in planning your wedding service. It is our desire that your wedding service contain music that is meaningful to you, as well as music that is conducive to the worship of God. With that in mind, please consider the following in your planning process:
 
Vocal music
 
Choose songs in which the text and music lead in worship. Musical selections should honor God in praise and thanksgiving and evoke blessings upon the couple to be united in this ceremony of worship. Popular tunes, love ballads and other secular songs are to be used at your reception, where they are appropriate.
 
Enlist an experienced soloist. The soloist must be prepared to rehearse with the organist/pianist prior to the wedding service. Should you choose not to engage a soloist, a congregational hymn could be considered and would be appropriate for the service.
 
The organist and/or wedding coordinator must give final approval to all musical selections one month prior to the wedding. The organist will give assistance in selecting music if needed. In the case of a disagreement between the wedding party and the organist or wedding coordinator about what is appropriate music for a Mount Airy wedding, Mount Airy’s minister of music will have final authority to rule.
 
Pre-recorded accompaniment tapes are not allowed.
 
For more info: Taffene Hollingsworth, Wedding Administrator   202-789-0640.