Wedding Rules

POLICIES - Excerpt:  Policies Regarding Weddings

Reservations for Weddings and Rehearsals

• Weddings must be scheduled in advance.  Scheduling of weddings must not conflict with an already scheduled event or activity of an in-house Campus Ministry.  When a wedding reservation is made, the appropriate contract reservation form is to be completed and signed.  An additional Person in Charge, who is someone other than the bride and groom such as a parent, must be designated on the form; this is to be an individual the Attendant or Minister may communicate with if he or she has questions or a problem arises.

• All policies regarding security, scheduling and use of the building apply.
  
• When an Attendant is present, he or she is not to be expected to move or arrange furniture, decorations or equipment or to serve as assistant, host or hostess, MC, receptionist, cook, waitress or waiter or custodian or to assist in any other manner.  The Attendant is paid to open and close the Center for an event held after normal business hours (10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on weekdays when center is normally open), and to be present during an activity or event for which it is reserved.

• Weddings must be performed by those authorized by the State of Illinois.  It should not be assumed that Religious Center Minister will perform a wedding, or will arrange for a minister or priest to do so.  It is expected that such agreements will be worked out by the prospective bride and groom, themselves, who should understand that they are discouraged by the Religious Center from reserving the Center for their wedding before they have finalized definite arrangements with the person who will perform the ceremony.  Secular ceremonies are not permitted or scheduled in the Religious Center.

• None of the existing decorations or the furniture and equipment used for worship is to be removed or relocated within the Center for a wedding or rehearsal.

Fees for Weddings

Students	$ 200.00
Alumni, Faculty and Staff	$ 300.00
Not related to SUIE Community	$ 400.00

• These fees allow for or include up to two hours rehearsal time and use of the building for up to three hours on the day of the wedding.
  Events before and after a rehearsal and wedding are to be contained within the allotted times; additional hours will be billed at current per hour rates.  $30.00 per hour in Dome Room, $20.00 per hour other rooms.
  Any attendant’s fee of $10.00 per hour, with no maximum, is charged from the time they open the building and members of the group actually begin to use the building, until the time it is closed.  When a wedding and rehearsal will be performed by a Campus Minister, and he/she will be present during the entire time the building is in use by the wedding party, then no Attendant’s Fee is charged.
  A custodial fee of $10.00 per hour, with no maximum, will be charged if necessary.
  If the kitchen is used, a fee of $20.00 per hour, with no maximum, will be charged if no cooking is done, except for just boiling water, and a fee of $40.00 per hour, with no maximum, will be charged if any cooking is done.  Attendant and custodial fees and fees for kitchen use are prorated so that partial hours are billed as such.

• 50% of anticipated fees are due as a non-refundable deposit at the time the Center is reserved.  The remainder is due no later than two weeks before the date scheduled.  Following a wedding (or wedding and rehearsal), any remaining and unpaid fees will be billed, and any necessary refund will be issued.

• No fee is charged for any time that musicians and singers spend practicing during normal business hours for performing at weddings and rehearsals.

• For weddings and rehearsals, rental is of the whole building (whether used or not) except for the Ministers’ offices and the front office area.

SOME OF THE GENERAL POLICIES THAT APPLY FOR WEDDINGS

Food Service
Neither food service nor catering is provided by the Center or the University Religious Council (URC).
The Business Administrator may give prior approval for already-prepared refreshments to be brought into the building for a scheduled event.  (No food allowed in the Dome)
Specific arrangements regarding use of the kitchen must be made with the Business Administrator in advance, with clear provisions regarding extent of use and arrangement for proper cleanup.
The URC will not supply disposable or non-disposable cups, plates, flatware, tablecloths, etc.  Food and all other supplies kept at the Center are not available for use without specific prior consent.
The Business Administrator and Campus Ministers are not to be expected in any way to serve, usher, prepare or assist in the serving of food and beverages, or in cleanup.
The group scheduling an event is responsible for all cleanups.  Either a Campus Minister or the Business Administrator may determine whether cleanup has been accomplished satisfactorily.  In the event that the group does not appropriately clean up after any kind of food service, that group will be billed $10.00 per hour for the custodial hours needed to make any areas presentable.

Equipment
Except with prior approval by the Business Administrator, equipment in the office area of the Center is not to be used by anyone other than a Campus Minister.
Except in emergencies, no one not on the staff may make on-campus or off-campus phone calls from the Business Administrator’s telephone unless he/she has given express permission.  Except in emergencies, no calls may be made from a Minister’s telephone, unless he/she has given such permission.
audio and visual equipment is to be signed for in advance.  Repair and/or replacement of such equipment due to damage are the responsibility of the person or group using the equipment.  Although the Business Administrator or others involved with the Center will assure that such equipment is readily available for use, they are not expected to set up, run, explain the operation of, or assist in running such equipment.  The Business Administrator and Campus Ministers are not expected to provide blank audio and videotapes.
All equipment and furniture in the Center is to be treated carefully and used in an appropriate manner.  Loss or damage caused by abuse, misuse, carelessness or neglect is the responsibility of the person who had oversight when the loss or damage occurred.

Liability
It is understood that liability for wedding, rehearsal, musical and other practice      beforehand is the responsibility of the individuals reserving the Center.  Such liability    includes but is not limited to property damage and personal injury.

Safety and Emergency Procedures
Any injury, accident or contact with blood or other body fluids is to be immediately reported to the Attendant, Business Administrator or Campus Minister.

Tobacco, Alcohol and Other Drug Use and Sales
No smoking or use of any tobacco product is allowed in the Center.  Smoking is permitted outside the Center’s exterior doors.  No alcoholic beverages are permitted on the premises, except for sacramental purposes.  Use and sales of any nonprescription controlled substance is forbidden.  Sales of tobacco, alcohol and any controlled substance are forbidden.

Parking Fees
Neither the URC nor any ministry is expected to pay for visitor parking or is otherwise to provide for free or reduced visitor parking.  Parking at SIUE on weekends is free.

Attachments to Walls and Other Surfaces
No attachments may be made to walls or other surfaces, vertical or otherwise, without prior approval by a Campus Minister or the Business Administrator.

Relocation of Movable Property
Relocating equipment, furniture, decorations, etc. is not permitted without prior approval by a Campus Minister or the Business Administrator.

Access to Offices and Storage Areas
Access to the offices of Campus Ministers, the Center’s main office area, the custodial closet, and all storage areas is restricted to those who have been given specific permission to enter them.

Animals
No pets or other animals are allowed in the Center, with the exception of “helper animals,” such as seeing-eye dogs.

Candle Usage
Unity candles may be used; they must be on trays.  Other candles may be used if permission has been given.  Extreme caution and discretion by all persons is advised whenever candles are used.  Caution must be used when moving recently extinguished candles.

Unsupervised Children
There are to be no unsupervised children in the Center, which means that all children are to be in the actual presence of a responsible adult who is in charge of them, responsible for them and actively supervising them.  Children are not permitted to roam about the Center, indoor or outdoors, without being supervised.  In every case, the person supervising any child on the premises must be designated and identified as such to the Business Administrator, and/or the Campus Ministers, and/or the person in charge.  The Business Administrator and/or any Campus Minster present in the Center are not to be expected to “watch, listen for, or in any way supervise children of any age.  Under no circumstances are children permitted to cause a disturbance to anyone or damage to anything in the Center, or to distract anyone who is working, studying, praying, meditating or reading.

Leaving the Center in Good Order
All groups using the facility are responsible to see that it is in good order when their event or activity has ended.  The kitchen and all other parts of the building are to be left in a condition that is at least as good as the condition in which it/they were found.  Trash should be removed from the premises, furniture, toys and other property of the Center, put back in good order and the kitchen, if used, is to be cleaned.  If the facility is not adequately cleaned, the group will be billed at $10.00 per hour for custodial service.