Located on a beautiful knoll surrounded by beautiful landscapes, Oakville Presbyterian Church is the ideal location for small to medium-sized weddings. Featuring a beautiful old-fashioned, country-style church with well-landscaped grounds, and friendly folks who would be happy to help you plan your wedding.

Hannah and Andrew

Oakville Presbyterian Church has a long history of ministry to the folks in the mid-Willamette Valley and through its mission outreach to other parts of the world. We are first and foremost a Christian Church that is Biblically based and Christ-Centered.

There’s a wise saying,“A wedding is but a day, a marriage is a lifetime”. Weddings involve a lot of preparation. However, preparing for your married life together is much more important than preparing for the wedding. Our role is to help you with both of these. Click below for the Marriage Preparation Policy that Reverend Carpenter has signed and has committed himself to abide by. Please read it carefully. The amount of time and effort you put into preparing for your marriage relationship will make a difference in the quality of your married life. Plan on scheduling four to five pre-marital counseling appointments between now and your wedding date. (These can be arranged to take place Tuesday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

Process For Wedding Arrangements

  1. After you have read through this information, you can download the Wedding Application form, complete it, attach it to an email, and send it to [email protected]. Or, you can print it, fill it out completely, and mail it to the church.
  2. Once the completed form is received, the Pastor will contact you to schedule an appointment to discuss your view of marriage and your ideas for the wedding ceremony. The completed form will then be presented to the Session for their approval. (The Session is the ruling body of the church. They must approve all uses of the facilities.)
  3. Once the wedding is approved, the Pastor will contact you to set a minimum of three, weekday pre-marital counseling appointments to be scheduled within four months prior to the ceremony.
  4. You will need to contact the Wedding Hostess (and Reception Hostess, if you are planning to have your reception here), and set up an appointment to meet with her at least two months before the wedding to go over your plans and how she can assist you. You will be expected to pay the fees at this time, and the Wedding Hostess will see that the checks get to the appropriate individuals. Contact the church office at 541-758-0647 to arrange a meeting with the wedding and reception hostesses.

Guidelines & Procedures

The following information will will provide you with some guidelines and expectations around planning for your wedding at Oakville. Please read and understand these guidelines and be sure to speak with our wedding coordinator or Pastor to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.

Scheduling

Please plan well in advance for use of the church. The church has a sanctuary seating capacity of 200. We suggest that dates be reserved at least six months in advance. No weddings are scheduled during Holy Week, on Christmas Eve, or Christmas Day. Facilities must be vacated by 6:00 pm on Saturday evenings in order to clean and prepare for Sunday Worship Service.

Officiating

Normally, the Pastor of the church will officiate at all weddings. However, with the permission of the Pastor and Session, another active or retired Christian minister may conduct the ceremony. The minister chosen would need to abide by the Community Marriage Preparation Policy. If this pastor is unable to provide pre-marital counseling, another counselor or pastor can provide these services.

Music & Ceremony Variations

A wedding is a service of worship. All music and activities taking place during the ceremony will be in keeping with an attitude of worship. If you have music, you will need to make arrangements well in advance and work out the music plans with the Pastor and the Wedding Hostess. They can give you the names and phone numbers of organists/pianists.

Decorations

Decorations should be in keeping with an atmosphere of worship. Simplicity is encouraged. No thumbtacks, nails, or tape are to be used on church furnishings. No rice, birdseed, or confetti may be thrown inside the church or on outdoor steps and walkways. Furniture and floor should be protected from candle drippings. The Sanctuary and its furniture is a place of worship and must be treated with respect and care.

Photographs

No flash pictures may be taken during the ceremony. Non-flash pictures taken quietly by the photographer from the rear of the church are permitted. (The ceremony begins as soon as the greeting is given and concludes when the recessional begins.) The couple may choose to have extensive photographs taken before or immediately after the ceremony. Video cameras must be stationary and in unobtrusive areas.

Wedding Reception

If the Fellowship Hall is desired for the reception or rehearsal dinners, please contact the Reception Hostess as soon as the wedding has been approved. She will go over the fees with you, what is available to use, will arrange for the setup, and help you with what you need. There is no smoking in or near the church buildings and no alcoholic beverages are permitted on the grounds or in the buildings. It is the responsibility of the wedding couple to see that these policies are carried out.

Wedding Fees and Contributions

Sanctuary

$700

This includes the use of the sanctuary for rehearsal and wedding and other rooms for changing clothes, etc. It also covers compensation for the Wedding Hostess, Sound Technician, and Custodian.

Fellowship Hall

$750

This includes the use of the Fellowship Hall and kitchen as well as tables, chairs, and other supplies. It includes time for set-up, the reception itself, and clean-up. It also covers compensation for the Reception Hostess and Custodian.

Pastor

$300

Includes four premarital counseling sessions, the rehearsal, and the ceremony.

Down payment and cleaning deposit

Once a wedding is approved, the date of the wedding is officially reserved upon receipt of a non-refundable down payment.

The cleaning deposit will be returned in full, provided that the facilities are free from damage and are not unusually littered, (i.e. buildings and grounds are free of cigarette butts, gum, and other trash; and carpet and other surfaces do not need extensive cleaning.

The Wedding Hostess will go over the fees with you and let you know who to make the checks out to.