Wedding Photographers & Videographers at St. Paul Church (Erie), Erie

A wedding at St. Paul Church puts you on Walnut Street in Erie's Little Italy, at the church the neighborhood has gathered around for generations. Every August the parish's Italian Festival brings a procession of the Blessed Virgin Mary through these streets, and on a quieter Saturday the same front steps are a warm spot for wedding photos with your families. If your family's roots are here, your photographer and videographer can tie your day to the neighborhood itself.

St. Paul is now a mission church of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, which shares its office with St. Joseph Church, and Sunday Mass is still celebrated here. Because it is a secondary church, your first call matters: ask the parish office whether wedding ceremonies are being scheduled at St. Paul, and what the parish asks of couples who want to get married there. As at every Catholic parish in the Diocese of Erie, plan on marriage preparation such as Pre-Cana and on giving the parish at least six months of notice.

When you visit, look at the church with your wedding day in mind. Notice where the daylight falls at the hour you'd like your ceremony, how long the aisle feels for the processional, and where a wedding videographer could stand without blocking anyone's view. Sound carries onto video, so ask how music is planned and who plays. The church hosts the ceremony itself; you'll plan your reception at another venue, and Erie's downtown and bayfront are a short drive away for pictures in between.

• Call the Sacred Heart and St. Paul parish office at (814) 452-2982 well ahead of your date.
• Ask about the parish's photo and video guidelines and share them with your photographer.
• Walk the church with your photographer before the day.

A little about St. Paul Church

This grew up as the church of Erie's Italian community in Little Italy, and its summer Italian Festival still celebrates that heritage. The St. Paul community has since been merged into Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, with St. Paul kept as a mission church.