About

Weddings @ First Coral Gables

Thank you for considering First United Methodist Church of Coral Gables for your wedding! This truly will be one of the most memorable days of your life, and we will do our part to make it very special!

Our Sanctuary transcends the modern era and walks us into the Old World charm of a classically designed basilica in the Spanish Mediterranean style. The main entrance features monumental wooden arches replicated from Spanish Moors and features detailed stained-glass windows in the upper level. The center aisle is 90 feet long and leads up to the front of the Sanctuary looked over by our grand pipe organ, one of the largest in Miami.

Take a peek into the splendor of the wedding venues:

Important things to know before booking your wedding here

The Church Ceremony

One of the loveliest and most meaningful occasions in the lives of a couple is their wedding. We consider the wedding ceremony to be a sacred experience, blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ. Our officiating minister and our Wedding Coordinator will be delighted to work with you to assure that your wedding is as beautiful as you dreamed it would be!

Weddings are a ministry of First United Methodist Church of Coral Gables. The pastors of our church officiate every wedding ceremony. If you are interested in having your family pastor or minister from another church involved in your ceremony, they are welcome to participate in some capacity as a guest; however, please be aware that this person may not officiate your wedding at this church. 

Who is Eligible

Membership is not required to be married at First Coral Gables. You and your fiancé will be required to meet with the officiating pastor here before your wedding date to go over the wedding ceremony — and for the pastor to get to know you both!

Premarital Counseling Sessions

As an investment in the success of your marriage, we require 4 premarital counseling sessions conducted through our Care Counseling Ministry. The cost of the sessions is included in the wedding fee. The results for you include enhanced communication skills and heightened awareness of differences and similarities in your expectations of marriage and each other.

Music

Music is a classic element in the wedding ceremony. The music you choose for your wedding should be carefully selected to reinforce the solemnity of the sacred covenant being made. Music should enhance this idea and never detract from it. All music will be played live; pre-recorded music is NOT permitted.

If you have specific pieces you would like played, you must inform Seth Carlson, Organist & Director of Music Outreach. All musical selections must be approved by the Director of Music Outreach. Your wedding fee includes the service of an Organist. Some popular wedding pieces are:

• Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring by Bach

• Canon in D by Pachelbel

• Trumpet Voluntary by Clarke

• Trumpet Tune by Purcell

• Trumpet Tune by David Johnson

• Prelude to a Te Deum by Charpentier

The Director of Music Outreach will be in charge of all the music for the ceremony, and will secure a soloist and/or instrumentalists, if you so desire. Other instruments to consider are harp, strings, brass, or other concert instruments. If you wish to hire these instruments, or a soloist, please inform the Director of Music Outreach with as much advance notice as possible to improve your chances of securing them for the date of your wedding.

Because of the solemnity of the ceremony, we do not allow secular music to be played, and no pre-recorded music is permitted. All musical selections are to be approved by the Director of Music Outreach.

The Music Ministry at First United Methodist Church of Coral Gables is dedicated to serving you on your very special day. Please do not hesitate to contact Lauren Hartman, Wedding Coordinator, as questions come to mind.

Decorations and Flowers

The church can be made as festive and beautiful as possible. The church will be opened one hour before the scheduled wedding time to allow the florist to set up decorations.

You and your florist will be responsible for the set-up, removal, and cleanup of all decorations from the Sanctuary after the wedding ceremony. Please note the following items are NOT PERMITTED in the Sanctuary or outside the church, for safety and insurance purposes:

• Candles in the aisles

• Candelabra

• Aisle runner

• Flower petals (fresh or silk) dropped on the center aisle of the Sanctuary

• Rice, birdseed, glitter, or bubbles

• Tacks, nails, screws or other sharp objects used for fastening on the pews, columns or walls. (If you are having pew decorations, they may be secured with rubber bands, ribbons or plastic clips with felt backing only. You will be charged for any damage that is incurred through your florist and decorators.)

Photography and Videography

Photography and videography is permitted before, during, and after the wedding ceremony; however, we do have rules that need to be adhered to. It is the responsibility of the bridal couple to share the rules with the photographer and videographer, who must also agree to abide by the rules. The Wedding Coordinator can share with you more details on photographing and recording your wedding.

ALCOHOL AND ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES

Alcohol and illegal substances are not permitted. If any alcohol or illegal substance is consumed, or evidence of alcohol or illegal substances is found on our church campus, the officiating Pastor from First UMC of Coral Gables reserves the right to stop the wedding ceremony, and the wedding fee will be forfeit.

Wedding rehearsal

The wedding rehearsal is scheduled for one (1) hour, and typically takes place a day or two before the actual wedding. Everyone in the wedding party is asked to attend. The organist and sound tech do not attend the rehearsal.

Allotted time for the wedding

The Sanctuary will be open one (1) hour before the wedding time, and one and a half (1-1/2) hours for the ceremony and for photos. The total time allotted for your wedding is two and a half (2-1/2) hours. Everyone is to arrive ready for the wedding ceremony, and leave promptly at or before the end of the time allotted. This will help to avoid conflicts with other weddings.

Fees & Costs

Weddings in the Sanctuary - $2,900.00

This is taken in two payments: a non-refundable deposit of $1,500 to hold the daate, and a balance due of $1,900 to be paid 4 weeks prior to the wedding date. (The balance due amount includes a refundable late fee of $500, which will be returned if the rehearsal and wedding start no later than 15 minutes after the appointed time).

Weddings in the Chapel - $2,200.00

This is taken in two payments: a non-refundable deposit of $1,000 to hold the daate, and a balance due of $1,700 to be paid 4 weeks prior to the wedding date. (The balance due amount includes a refundable late fee of $500, which will be returned if the rehearsal and wedding start no later than 15 minutes after the appointed time).

WHAT’S INCLUDED
As part of the wedding fee, we are proud to provide the following:

• One (1) hour for the rehearsal prior to the wedding ceremony

• Two and a half hours (2 ½) from scheduled start to finish for the wedding ceremony

• Church space and utilities

• Officiating Pastor

• Wedding Coordinator

• Organist

• Sound Tech (for weddings in the Sanctuary)

• Custodian

• Premarital Counseling (four required premarital counseling sessions) prior to ceremony

• Unity Candle Stand, if desired; the couple will be responsible for supplying the 2 taper candles (14"-16" inches) and the center pillar candle

• Wedding kneeling bench

• Two (2) white columns for the wedding bouquets

• A beautiful Bride’s Room and a Groom’s Room on the day of the ceremony

• Cleaning before and after the ceremony

Optional Fees

Soloists or instrumentals (with coordination completed through the Organist & Director of Music Outreach).

Discounts

In deep appreciation for their vast contributions to our church family, community and beyond, we offer the following discounts:

• Active church family member discount

• Members of the military, police, firefighters, EMT, and teachers residing in and/or serving Coral Gables (bride or groom only) with corresponding identification. This fee reduction includes the donation of services by our Pastor and Director of Music/Organist, in gratitude for dedicated service and devotion to our country and community

Questions?

If you have questions about holding a wedding here at First Coral Gables, please reach out to Lauren Hartman, Wedding Coordinator, at (305) 747-7003. We look forward to helping to create a wonderful experience on your special day!