To all of you getting married in a church:

I'm getting married in the church I attend. There isn't a fee. I am going to give a donation to the church. Have you thought about looking at other churches? It may be cheaper...

I am a member and a donation is requested but not required...one must think, the church is using utilities (i.e central air, lights, etc) all this would have not been in use if there was no wedding. The pastor generally donates his services. The rehearsal also takes time.

We do attend the church where we are getting married. The fee is $450 (I believe) and would have been $1,500 if we didn't. Plus we also paid $195 to the archdiocese for pre-cana classes. The $450 includes an organist, use of the church, a priest, two wedding coordinators and the rehearsal. Seemed high to me but this is the church where we both wanted to get married.

We are getting married in our church- im not sure yet but believe it will be free- but we live on ssd... that maybe why.

1) Yes

2) $275 for the church, $100 stipend for the priest, $200 for the organist for a total of $575.

I am getting married in the church that I have been a member of since I was baptised at 3 months old. There is no fee to use the church because I am a member but I have to pay the organist $100, the janitor $100, and rent the candles $25. But each church is different. I think that maybe you should find out what that fee includes. Like does it include the organist and janitor and pastor fees... :-)

The chapel we're getting married in is only used for weddings these days because the congregation combined with a nearby church to have one larger group rather than two smaller groups. With that said, we're paying $600 plus taxes and fees. Kind of steep in my opinion, but the chapel is in the location we want it to be, my parents got married there, and FHs family attends the sister church of the one we're getting married in. We also have to pay for an officiant still but the $600 basically includes everything else.

I'm getting married in the Roman Catholic church I grew up attending. We have a $250 fee, plus $200 for the organist and $150 for the cantor, plus a "donation" to the priest, so we'll probably end up around $700...but like some others have said, this is the most important part of the day. Without it, we're just having a party. I'm ok with spending that amount of money to get married in a way the Church will recognize, in the place I grew up.

We are getting married in my grandmas church. ours was way too small and everyone would be squished! but the pastor told us since my grandma goes there its fine, and when we asked about a fee he told us to donate whatever we feel led to. we were gonna have to pay about $400 to use the reception venue, so were giving the church about $300. for us, we felt like anything less would be a slap in the face. we give half of that for tithes every week! that wouldnt be enough to donate! lol

I do attend the house of worship that I am getting married in. I'm a Jehovah's Witness and they don't charge you to get married in the Kingdom Hall. My ceremony will be free! I thought it was the norm for it to be free, but I guess I'm the odd one out.

Actually, I don't think that's high at all. We are getting married at a church that we don't attend because we are having our reception by the beach and had to find a chuech closer. Most of the churches I've looked at so far charge $1500 or more. I just found one that charges $550 and I think I'm going to go with it. I just think it's ridiculous that they charge so much to begin with, but so far that's what I have seen. Now, if I were going to get married at my church, they don't charge anything, but ask for a small donation. Too bad we are not having the wedding around our area though

Huh, you know I'm not really sure. I do NOT attend the church where we are getting married but I used to and my parents & grandparents currently attend.

We are doing our pre-cana here in DC and if we were to have used our parish of record we would have had to make a donation of 7%-10% of the total wedding budget (including dress). I am NOT sure about the rest of it because my current parish is a cathedral while the church we're getting married at is rather small.

We are members of our church, and they are charging $500 security deposit, $500 venue fee, and $250 for pastor to be our officiant! its ridiculous in my opinion BUT we cant see ourselves getting married anywhere else so we are forking over the money

I really think it depends on your city. I'm in the DC area and my church orginially quoted me 10% of my budget. The priest went on to explain exactly what 10% meant (like I didn't know!) "ie, if you spend $30,000 then our fee is $3,000. If you spend $1000, our fee is $100." I'm from LA orginally and I know the church I grew up in is over $2500 for a wedding. We decided to have our wedding in a smaller and less expensive town. Our fee at the catholic church is $600 - I thought that was a deal considering... Oh and the organ and musicians are extra.

I can afford the $600 in my budget, however I would expect any church I'm a member of to be flexible if budget were a real issue. I would go back to your Pastor to ask about a lower fee.

We aren't members of the church although we have both been going there for close to 3 years. But they are charging 575. That includes rental of the chapel, the wedding coordinator at the church, I think video because they tape the ceremony and some other stuff. I think the officiant too. For our church we had to be attending their for six months and their were a few other requirements but 525 does sound reasonable for our church if you didn't go there it was 1500 dollars.

Sorry haven't read all the posts but here's our story:

1) Yes

2) Suggested donation to church $250, plus donation to priest as this is their only spending money they receive. (Although we were thinking canucks tickets and gift card to change it up a bit). This does not include marriage prep (Which was $100) or choir/organist.

We aren't members where we married. We paid $400 for use of the church and $200 to our pastor who officiated the ceremony. Although he told us not to give him an honorarium he came from Nashville to Ohio on his own expense so we wanted to give him something. We'd intended to pay his travel fees but he didn't want us to do that either. He said it would be his gift to us.

Okay apparently I'm the oddball here! I posted a month asking how much to give my minister for marrying DH and me 2 weeks ago at our family ceremony. I consulted my uncle and gave her $100, which I'm glad that's all because I think I would have insulted her with more than that! My church does NOT charge AT ALL to get married there if you're a member! LOL.

Sarah h, that's crazy! Waaay too much!

Our church is one that we both have attended. The fee for church $300., plus $ 300.00 for organist. Plus $100.00 for the pastor. We also had to go to pre-cana class for another $ 100.00. We have to provide the flowers, programs, runner. Oh, yes we have to make sure that the church is clean so no one falls by anything left behind inside and outside. So the flower girl will not be dropping flowers and no one will be throwing rice.