At Old Saint Mary's Cathedral + Chinese Mission, weddings are typically scheduled on Saturdays between 10AM and 3PM. Weddings may also be scheduled at 7PM, or on Sunday at 1:30 or 3:00PM.

During Lent and on certain solemn feasts, the Church discourages the celebration of weddings. These matters and their possible impact on your celebration can be discussed when scheduling your ceremony.

A nonrefundable deposit of $500, applied to the church donation, $2000, or $2500 for evening or Sunday weddings, secures the date for your wedding. The fee is for the use of Old Saint Mary's. The services of the priest who will assist you prepare and celebrate your wedding. A pianist and a cantor are additional.

Since 6:30 PM weddings require our sacristan to stay overtime, an additional fee is required.

It is essential that your wedding start on time. Other weddings or church services may be scheduled immediately after your wedding and the musicians or presider may have other commitments. If the wedding is delayed more than 15 minutes, picture taking after the service may be restricted or omitted. Or it may be necessary to use the simple rite of marriage rather than celebrate the full Eucharist.

Ushers or groomsmen who will seat guests or distribute programs should plan to arrive half an hour before the service is to begin. Other members of the wedding party should arrive no later than 15 minutes before the ceremony.

Please Note: The Catholic Church requires at least 6 months for marriage preparation, and our church is often booked 6 months to a year in advance.

Dressing

Old Saint Mary's is a small, historic church. We have private space for the bride and some attendants to wait prior to the ceremony, but not to dress. Restroom facilities are limited; there is one restroom in the sacristy and the other is located below the church.

Parking

During your wedding ceremony, the white loading zone in front of the church (about four car spaces) will be reserved for the bridal party for a period of two hours. Given the unpredictability of drivers obeying rules, we cannot guarantee these spaces will be available. Garages are located nearby for guests.

Decorum

We ask that you and your guests honor the sacredness of the church building where our community gathers for worship: please speak quietly; bring no food or drink into the church; do not run; do not stand on pews or chairs, even while taking pictures. The use of alcohol in the church or on the property at any time by members of the wedding party or guests is not allowed.

Old Saint Mary's is a community of faith open to all! Locking the doors during your wedding or keeping out visitors other than your guests is not in keeping with Christian hospitality or civil ordinances. Our sacristan monitors the activity of all visitors to ensure that the sacredness of the ceremony is respected.

The Rehearsal

The rehearsal allows those involved in the wedding to become familiar with the ceremony, the environment of our church building and the roles they will assume in the liturgy. Please let them know that it is important that they be at the rehearsal and be on time. Lectors and Eucharistic ministers should be present, although with advance notice, we can meet with them ahead of time if necessary. Musicians are not usually at the rehearsal.

Rehearsals are scheduled one or two days before the wedding at 4PM, 5PM, or 6PM . For your convenience, rehearsals will be completed within an hour. Please remind members of the wedding party to allow ample time for congested traffic and difficult parking conditions.

Bring the marriage license, certificate and envelope for the presider and others to the rehearsal. If you want a copy of the license, follow the directions included with the marriage license. Bring the unity candle if one is to be used. These can be set aside so that you will not need to worry about these things on your wedding day.