Wedding Photographers & Videographers at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Erie

A wedding at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Erie keeps the whole day on one city block. The church stands on the historic "Luther Square" block at 23rd and Peach Streets in the Hill District, and it offers space for both the wedding ceremony and a gathering afterward. That's handy for your photographer and videographer, who can move from the church to the reception without packing up and driving across town.

The congregation welcomes couples to plan weddings here and describes itself as a community where all are welcome. For the celebration after, the Parish Center holds up to 250 guests and comes with a full kitchen, plenty of tables and chairs, and room for a DJ or band (they bring their own sound system). A smaller wedding or a bridal shower can use the parlor, which seats up to 60 and has its own kitchen. Alcohol may be served, not sold, with an insurance rider, and there's free parking in the church lot off 22nd and 23rd Streets plus street parking.

Your Parish Center reception works best as a relaxed party you set up yourselves: you bring decorations, tablecloths and ice, and music goes off by 9:45 p.m. Leave time in the schedule for wedding photos at the church before guests head over, and ask where your videographer can set up to record the toasts.

• Call the church office (Monday to Thursday) about dates and the wedding information packet.
• Plan the timeline with your photographer, from the ceremony to the Parish Center.
• Ask the church about photo and video guidelines for the ceremony on your wedding day.

A little about St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church

St. John's is the oldest church in the city of Erie. German immigrants founded it in 1808, and it is known as the mother church for Lutherans in Northwest Pennsylvania.