Ministers affiliated with the Scarsdale Congregational Church may, at their sole discretion, perform weddings in the Church sanctuary for any couple. Marriage ceremonies performed in our sanctuary must be legal in the state of New York, but the Church has no policies limiting what other commitment ceremonies that are not legally binding may be performed. However, our Church sanctuary is not available for any services performed by clergy not affiliated with the church, except with the permission of the Senior Minister and the participation of one of our ministers. Our main sanctuary seats approximately 300 for weddings, and is furnished with an excellent pipe organ. The use of the organ for a wedding service is at the sole discretion of the church organist, who must approve of anyone who is to play the instrument. Couples are also free to arrange for any other musical accompaniment that is acceptable to the presiding minister. The church also has a small chapel that seats approximately 35 persons, for more intimate services.

Any fees for professional services are set by the church, and payable to, the clergy and staff involved. There is also a fee for the use of the facilities. All fees are to be paid prior to the ceremony. Please contact the Church Office for current pricing.

If desired, couples may also separately arrange to have a reception in the main hall of our Parish House. The Church does not provide or arrange for catering services, but the Parish House has a large institutional kitchen for caterers to use for preparing and serving meals.

Couples considering having a wedding ceremony at the Scarsdale Congregational Church should be aware of the following Church policies:

• Flash photography is discouraged during the ceremony. Ushers should inform guests of this policy. (Restaging of the ceremony after the service, for purposes of taking photos or video, is perfectly acceptable).
• A floral arrangement for the center table is desirable and recommended. Additional floral arrangements, if desired, should not interfere with the movement of the wedding party, and are best kept to a minimum.
• Ribbons or other decorations may not be affixed to the pews, or any other part of the building, with any kind of tape, tacks, or other defacing materials. Rubber bands, ribbons, or string may be used.
• Showering the bride and groom with birdseed is permitted, but it may not be tossed within the Church building. Paper or rice may not be used due to the difficulty of cleaning. The release of balloons is prohibited for environmental reasons.
• The marriage license should be brought to the rehearsal (or left with the minister at the Church Office the day prior to the wedding).
• If the service starts more than twenty minutes late due to the tardiness of the wedding party, there will be an additional charge of 30% payable to the officiating clergy, organist, and steward.

In the event of a large wedding, it is recommended that arrangements be made with the Scarsdale Police (914-723-0410) to have an officer assigned to assist guests crossing Heathcote Road between the parking lot and the Sanctuary.

If you are interested in having a marriage ceremony or other commitment ceremony performed at the Scarsdale Congregational Church, please contact our Church Office to arrange a meeting with our clergy.