HOW TO SECURE A WEDDING DATE AND/OR OFFICIANT
Can anyone host a wedding at LifePointe, or retain the services of an officiant?
Yes, with process and approval. The required process includes the completion of both below modules, application and agreement/payment prior to applying for a wedding calendar date or request for a LifePointe officiant/minister. Confirmation of a calendar wedding date and/or officiant/minister will only happen after completion of the below items.
1. Premarital Counseling: 6 pre-marital counseling sessions with a professional and certified therapist/counselor (certified with PREPARE ENRICH or SYMBIS) utilizing a specific required curriculum (cost incurred with the therapist/counselor may be up to $100-$150 per one hour session, plus possible materials). You will also need to ask your LifePointe recommended therapist/counselor for permission for disclosure with our LifePointe officiant/minister, making up a marriage team for your future. For a list of therapists/counselors click here.
2. LifePointe Start Track: While it is NOT required that you be members of LifePointe, it is required that you complete the Start Track Four Step online sessions. And it’s free. You can access the Start Track at www.pointe.info/start and pace at your desire.
3. Submission of Wedding Interests Application: After you have completed the above two modules you can apply for a Wedding Date at LifePointe, or for a LifePointe officiant/minister. Apply here. Once the application is received a face-to-face appointment will be set with a staff member. The wedding date will be solidified on the LifePointe calendar after payment is made (see next bullet).
4. Agreement & Payment of LifePointe Wedding Fees: All fees are listed below (click here). After completing the above modules and Wedding Interests Application you will meet with a LifePointe wedding officiant or pastoral coordinator. At that time, a wedding date will be chosen. Once payment (fees and damage deposit) is tendered the date will be agreed to by LifePointe and the officiant. The check’s will remain uncashed until the wedding. If changes in fee-based requests are needed a new check will need to be tendered with the updated amount to keep the wedding date live on the LifePointe calendar. To see a sample wedding budget at LifePointe click here.
Why do we have the above requirements for a couple to be married?
Our desire is to set each couple up for success. We also know that marriages impact generations, spawning down the couple’s future family tree. How you think about success will become a part of the DNA of your kids and grandkids. Often couples and individuals aspire for life and relationship growth/change. However, they don’t change their tools, systems or relationships. This makes their sustainable growth an impossibility, even with extraordinary effort. We believe success is predicated on those three basic foundations:
1. Tools: If a couple has the right tools, thinking healthy thoughts, believing healthy beliefs and emoting healthy emotions, they will be on the top of the personal growth curve. The required premarital counseling not only gives you tools that promote health, but also gives you the gift of a relationship with a professional therapist/counselor who knows your back story, and can be easily accessible in future times of personal or relationship challenge.
2. Systems: An ecosystem of support means you aren’t over estimating your personal performance excellence. An ecosystem is a series of processes that you engage placing the energy and wisdom for success on the process rather than your individual efforts. When you are committed to a church family each Sunday you already have excluded other decisions that may produce little for you in exchange for greatly planned and strategically thought out church sermons that compel you to your capacity. Just committing to the system creates a desired outcome. The same for processes like Groups, Teams and Missions. This is why we ask couples to engage the Start Track as a requirement for marriage. Marriages that are committed to church attendance have a much higher rate of success than those who aren’t. The system made the difference.
3. Relationships: It has been stated, “Let me see your three closest friends and I will show you your future.” It is true that we will become the average of who we hang out with in our most intimate relationships. When you have relationships with young couples who are fighting for the best marriage possible - utilizing the best tools and systems - you will find yourself living in the energy of that relationship spurring your marriage to be the best. We are better in a community of people who are goal driven to the same ends, using the same tools and systems. We believe our above modules and process best sets your marriage up for success.