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Weddings
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Weddings at
St. Nicholas ChurchSt. Nicholas Church Welcomes Your Wedding Ceremony!
Sitting atop a hill overlooking Millvale with views of the Pittsburgh cityscape and Allegheny River sits St. Nicholas Church for your wedding venue consideration.
St. Nicholas Catholic Church was founded in 1900 by Croatian immigrants and is a designated National Historic Place and Pittsburgh Landmark.
The Croatian immigrant parish inspired the murals of Croatian artist Maxo Vanka that can serve as a dramatic and enriching backdrop to your wedding. In addition to the church, we also offer a church hall (below the church) with a full-service kitchen, very convenient for a caterer to drop off and set up, or you could op for a food truck in the parking lot in one of our designated parking lots for your guests.
We are currently in the process of adding a lovely "St. Nicholas Courtyard" that will be a grotto devoted to the Blessed Mother adjacent to the church that will offer additional beautiful backdrops for your wedding photos.
Congratulations on your impending marriage and we hope you will consider celebrating your marriage ceremony at picturesque and historic St. Nicholas Church.
To view the church, please contact our Parish House at 412-231-2994. -
ABOUT OUR VENUE
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Photo by Kristen Wynn PhotographyCHURCH
St. Nicholas is an intimate setting for your wedding that can provide seating for 250
CHURCH HALL
Our Church Hall is located beneath the church accessible only by stairs via two separate entrances. The table and chairs can be set up in various configurations to meet your needs. The Church Hall has a capacity of 125 seated at tables.
PRICING
NOTE:
a) If you are a non-parishioner, you must provide your own priest.
b) You must be a parishioner six (6) months prior to your wedding.c) If the Church Hall is used as a reception, the Kitchen cannot be used for food preparation
and as such, we recommend using a caterer.d) An insurance policy must be obtained for any type of alcoholic beverage that will be
served at your reception in the Church Hall. Please contact our Business Mgr. at
412-231-2994 Ext. 101 for more information.
PARKING
St. Nicholas offers two parking lots - a church-side parking lot and a lot across the street from church in front of the closed convent. Street parking is also available.
Total Capacity of both lots: 50 without a lot attendant
*Additional parking areas may be available upon requestACESSIBILITY INFORMATION
The church itself is handicap accessible with designated handicap parking and a ramp into the church on the side of the church next to the rectory.
Please note, the restrooms are NOT handicap accessible as they are only accessible through stairs below the church, in the church hall.
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HOW TO GET STARTED
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Photo by Kristen Wynn PhotographyWHERE TO START- Contact the Parish Office 412-471-4767 ext. 401at least six (6) months prior to the desired date of your marriage ceremony. Please request a wedding packet that will help you plan your sacramental wedding at St. Nicholas Church and set up a meeting with the priest or deacon to celebrate your wedding ceremony.
- In the meeting you can discuss your plans and the date you would like for your wedding. The priest may require some additional information, especially if a member of the couple wanting to get married has been previously married. In the case of previous marriages, a meeting is necessary with one of our priests or deacons before a date can be booked.
- Following the meeting, please contact the Parish Office at 412-471-4767 ext. 401 to select and confirm your wedding date in the Pittsburgh Shrines calendar.
CHOOSING A DATE- Weddings may take place on any day or time, with consideration that Saturday ceremonies
Photo by Kristen Wynn Photography would need to be concluded by 3:00pm to accommodate 5:00pm Mass, Wednesdays after 10:00am, and Holy days would be exceptions.
ABOUT YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY- Wedding Ceremony Planning Book: The priest who will marry you will give you a copy of Together for Life. This book contains readings, prayers, and the exchange of vows so that you may pick those you wish to use in your ceremony.
- Ceremony or Mass: The preferred form for Catholics to enter the sacrament of marriage is in the context of a Nuptial Mass. However, when one of the partners is not a Catholic, they may elect to have a marriage ceremony
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wedding ceremony Planning Guidelines
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Photo by Kristen Wynn PhotographyDECORATIONS- Flowers:
In working with the florist of your choice for your
wedding flowers, please keep the following in mind:- You may place floral arrangements on and beside the altar, along the aisles.
- If you choose, you may leave the flowers as a gift to St. Nicholas Church, otherwise all flowers must be removed following the ceremony.
- You may choose to place a single flower or a bouquet in front of the statue of the Blessed Mother located within the church.
NOTE: St. Nicholas Church does have an in-house florist that we would be happy to put you in touch with, if you wish.- Other Decorations:
- Bows:
- May be used on the pews but should be attached with rubber bands.
- Rice
- Rice throwing in or outside the church is prohibited.
- Bubbles:
- Guests are permitted to blow bubbles to greet the happy couple once outside of the church.
- Bows:
MUSIC- Musicians:
- You may ask any organist, guitarist, or musician(s), to play for your wedding ceremony. If they are not affiliated with St. Nicholas Church, you will need to check with the priest concerning the musicians.
- If you would like an organist, St. Nicholas Church’s Parish House can help you find an organist at the cost of $300 for your ceremony.
- Singers:
- You may choose your own singers, but if they need to rehearse before the wedding in the church with the organist or other musicians, it is up to you to arrange this time with the parish office.
PHOTOGRAPHERS & VIDEOGRAPHERS:
We welcome the photographers & videographers of your choosing, but as our murals are part of our National Historic Place designation, they must be preserved. Given this,- These professionals should contact the priest marrying the couple before the service for any questions they have about the venue.
- They should NOT be on or around the Altar during the ceremony, nor should they stop or interrupt the wedding procession or the ceremony to get the “right” shot.
- They should be “very discreet” in their positions during mass.
- They may take photos after the ceremony inside and outside on church grounds.
- THEY SHOULD NOT USE FLASH BARS OR STRONG FLASHES.
CLEAN UP FOLLOWING THE CEREMONY
As St. Nicholas is a Nationally Designated Historic Place and Pittsburgh Landmark, we ask that you respect this sacred place to limit doing damage to this Pittsburgh Shrine.- We expect all decorations to be removed immediately following the ceremony.
- If you will be using the Church Hall as your reception, there will be a $500 clean up charge that includes the removal of garbage.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Are Pre-Cana Classes Required?
Pre-Cana classes are mandatory marriage preparation course required for couples planning to mary in the Catholic Church. The name comes from the biblical wedding at Cana, and the sessions focus on communication, finances, and the religious meaning of marriage. All Catholic couples are required to take a pre-canna marriage class. Please call the parish office at 412-471-4767 ext. 401 for information on the classes.
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How do I get a Marriage License?
Marriage license must be obtained through Allegheny County. Completing a marriage license application in Allegheny County is a two-step process. The license is issued after a mandatory three-day waiting period and when a license is issued, will be valid for 60 days from the date issued. It is recommended to apply for a marriage license at least 2-3 weeks prior to your wedding date. Please plan your timeline accordingly and apply for a marriage license through the Allegheny County Marriage Bureau; for more information, call 412-350-4230.
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What Kind of Paper Documentation is Needed for Sacramental Records?
You will be contacted by a member of our clergy team to discuss the necessary documentation that is needed.
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Can we have a Unity Candle as Part of the Ceremony?
If you would like to have a Unity Candle as part of the ceremony, then two smaller single candles are lit by a member of the groom’s family and a member of the bride’s family then the couple takes each of those candles to light a larger unity candle, it is possible but all candles must be supplied by the couple.
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St. Nicholas Photo Gallery
