Wedding Photographers & Videographers at St. Mary of Grace Church, Meadville

A wedding at St. Mary of Grace Church puts you in one of the three churches of The Epiphany of the Lord Parish in Meadville, the Catholic parish that also cares for St. Agatha and St. Brigid. On an ordinary week St. Mary's keeps a quiet schedule, with a single Tuesday midday Mass, which makes it a calm, personal setting for your wedding ceremony. For your photographer and videographer, the moments to plan around are the ones every couple remembers: the processional down the aisle, the vows at the altar and the walk back out together as a married couple.

Your day here is a Catholic celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage. The parish asks couples to contact the parish office as soon as possible after the engagement, and you'll meet with the priest to complete marriage preparation. The parish also points couples to marriage preparation and Natural Family Planning classes through an outside program. Since most parish Masses are held at St. Agatha, ask the office early whether St. Mary's can be reserved on your date.

Before the big day, plan a visit to the church with your photographer and videographer. In any church it helps to know where they may stand during the vows, whether a camera can be set near the front, and how the daylight looks at the hour of your ceremony. Ask the parish about its guidelines for wedding photos and video inside the church, and about the music it allows, since the music is a big part of what your wedding film will hear.

• Call the parish office soon after your engagement (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
• Plan time for marriage preparation with the priest.
• Ask about photo and video guidelines, and walk through the church with your photographer before your wedding day.

A little about St. Mary of Grace Church

St. Mary's began in 1909 as a congregation for Meadville's Italian Catholics, with its first Mass held in the Knights of Columbus hall on Water Street. Its first church was dedicated in 1912 and served the Italian Catholic community for decades. Today it is part of The Epiphany of the Lord Parish.