Thank you for considering Fifteenth Avenue as the venue for your special day! If you are interested in using Fifteenth Avenue Baptist Church for your wedding or special event, please read through the guidelines below and then contact the church secretary at 615.256.4326. She will make an appointment for you to meet with the Special Events Coordinator. A meeting with the Special Events Coordinator is required prior to reserving the facility.
General Guidelines
Notification of the event, date, times, and outlines of all plans pertaining to your event should be given to the Special Events Coordinator for approval and reservation purposes. After the event has been approved, a contract agreement must be submitted to the church office outlining all pertinent times and plans of usage at least one month prior to the event.
The sanctity of the sanctuary and the church premises is to be maintained at all times. (i.e., no hats (men), gum or candy, clowning or horseplay, abusive language, or smoking.)
The church security staff will open the church for your event at the time agreed upon by the leasee and Special Events Coordinator. The church will be locked one hour after the end of your event. Should additional time be needed, additional fees will be calculated by the Special Events Coordinator for the specified need at the time of executing the contract.
Receptions held in the church's Activity Center are to be kept to a three-hour maximum.
The church is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Please, do not leave valuables unsupervised.
Security
Security is required for all events held at the church. The base rate includes 3 hours of security. Additional hours can be added to the contract addendum should you require additional hours for your event.
A security guard will be on-site 30 minutes prior to the start times of your events and will stay until the last person or vehicle has left the inside of the building.
The church will be locked 2 hours following the conclusion of your event; therefore, if you will need to stay longer to help clean up decorations, you will need to account for additional hours of security in the contract addendum.
Do not hold the door open for an extended period of time. It can cause the alarm to sound.
If you have special parking needs, such as buses, additional requests for handicapped spaces, limos, etc., please let the Special Events Coordinator know at the time of reserving the facilities.
Flowers & Decorations
The florist is to contact the Special Events Coordinator concerning the proper times to deliver and pick-up equipment.
Because of the potential hazards and the church's liability, no rice, birdseed, bubbles, confetti, or other materials that may be difficult to remove or may create a hazard must not be used on the church premises.
Care should be taken in selecting plants that do not shed pebbles or foliage.
Only drip-less candles may be used, and they must be pre-approved by the Special Events Coordinator.
No staples or thumbtacks will be permitted to affix ribbons, flowers, etc. to any church property.
Request for the removal or moving of any pulpit furnishings and decorations must be pre-arranged with the Special Events Coordinator and/or the Pastor, and should be limited to placement at the back of the pulpit area. The furnishings/decorations are to be moved by the church custodian only. There is a $25 fee for removal of flowers.
The length of the aisles of the sanctuary is 90 feet long.
Music
All music must enhance a worshipful atmosphere. Therefore, we require that all music selections and arrangements be submitted to the Minister of Music or her designee at least four weeks prior to your event and before programs are printed for approval and/or recommendations.
If you need the services of the church’s music ministry staff, the appropriate fee(s) will be added to the contract agreement.
There will be no rearrangement of any musical equipment. The Media Ministry will work with your musician(s) on all instrument positioning and hook-ups. If you plan to supply your own musician(s), you must arrange to have them meet with the Minister of Music or her designee prior to the event.
Media Ministry
The media ministry is responsible for all microphones, piano microphones, and play of any pre-recorded music to be used during the event. Only members of the Media Ministry will be allowed to operate the sound system.
Custodial Services
The custodian will clean the facility(ies) immediately following your event; therefore, all rentals and flowers need to be picked up by the florists the same day of event. Arrangements for overnight storage must be made in advance of the event. All items must be picked up by the end of the next business day. The church will not be responsible for any damaged or lost items after the day of your event.
The custodian will be available for all vendor drop-offs and pickups two hours before and two hours following the event.
The Activity Center
The Activity Center may be utilized for rehearsal dinners and/or receptions. The fee to use the activity center includes set-up of chairs and tables. The church has a limited supply tables and chairs, but can comfortable seat up to 150 guests for your event. All food, additional tables and chairs, and other items such as tablecloths, dishes, and silverware must be supplied by the party reserving the Activity Center.
When reserving the Activity Center, a floor plan sketch will need to be given to the Special Events Coordinator two weeks prior to the event.
A custodial fee is mandatory for all events. The Special Events Coordinator will provide you with a pricing index that lists hourly charges.
Kitchen Services
If you are reserving the Activity Center and utilizing the kitchen area, a member of the kitchen staff will need to be present to supervise the use of appliances and to ensure church policies are adhered to.
Church Fees
The base fee for weddings in the sanctuary includes: Rental of the sanctuary, three (3) hours of Media Ministry time, three (3) hours of Security, three (3) hours of Custodial services, and the Special Events Coordinator fee.
Additional hours for security, custodial, and the media ministry will need to be calculated at an hourly rate and added to the contract total.
A breakage fee will be due to the church one week following your event and will be based on the value of what is damaged.
Members and the children of members of Fifteenth Avenue will receive a discounted rate. The Special Events Coordinator will provide you with a pricing index in your initial consultation.