Resources for Dating & Engagement

King’s Table Church Wedding Policy

At King’s Table Church, we believe marriage is a gift from God and a sacred covenant intended to display the love of Christ for His Church. Because of the significance of marriage, our pastors take seriously the responsibility of participating in a wedding ceremony.

For that reason, KTC pastors ordinarily officiate weddings only for members of King’s Table Church.

Why Membership?

When a pastor officiates a wedding, he is doing more than conducting a ceremony. By standing with a couple before God, their family, and their friends, he is giving a public affirmation that, to the best of his knowledge, this man and woman are prepared to enter into marriage and that their marriage is consistent with the teaching of Scripture.

We do not believe a pastor can responsibly give that affirmation to a couple he hardly knows.

Church membership gives our pastors the opportunity to actually know, love, and shepherd the people whose weddings they are being asked to officiate. It places a couple within the life of the church, where their faith, relationship, and preparation for marriage can be cared for over time rather than evaluated through only a few conversations before a wedding.

Therefore, at least one member of the couple must be a member of King’s Table Church before a KTC pastor will agree to officiate the wedding. Depending on the circumstances, the pastor may also ask to meet with both individuals before agreeing to participate.

Membership Should Never Be a Means to an End

We also want to offer an important pastoral caution: please do not pursue membership at King’s Table simply because you need someone to officiate your wedding.

Membership in a local church is much more meaningful than that. Christians are called to belong to a local body, to be known and cared for by other believers, and to live under the loving shepherding of pastors who will teach, encourage, correct, pray for, and walk alongside them.

We would love for someone to become a member of KTC because they believe this is the church where God is calling them to belong—not simply because membership provides access to a pastor for a wedding ceremony.

Premarital Counseling

Because marriage is a lifelong covenant, KTC pastors ordinarily require couples whose weddings they officiate to participate in premarital counseling. The purpose is not simply to prepare for a wedding day, but to help prepare a couple for a faithful, Christ-centered marriage.

You do not have to be a member of King’s Table Church to receive premarital counseling from one of our pastors. We are glad to serve non-members through premarital counseling when our pastoral capacity allows.

Premarital counseling and officiating a wedding are therefore distinct. We may gladly walk with and counsel a couple even when a KTC pastor is not able to officiate their wedding.

Our Heart Behind This Policy

We recognize that this policy may sometimes be disappointing, particularly for someone who has attended KTC for a short time or has a personal connection with one of our pastors.

Please know that this policy is not intended to be unwelcoming. In fact, it comes from the opposite desire. We believe couples deserve more than a pastor who simply appears on their wedding day. They deserve pastors and a church family who know them, love them, pray for them, and are committed to walking with them long after the wedding is over.

Our hope is not simply to help people have beautiful weddings. Our hope is to help build healthy, Christ-centered marriages within the life of the local church.