Unfortunately, my experience getting married at this church was extremely disappointing, and I…read morehonestly feel that the staff took away from what should have been one of the most meaningful and emotional days of my husband's and my lives.
I chose to get married here because I completed all of my sacraments at this church. Because of that history, getting married here was something that meant a lot to me. I truly wanted to continue that tradition and have my wedding ceremony in the church that had been such an important part of my life. Looking back, I deeply regret that decision.
The issues started at our rehearsal the day before the wedding. The wedding coordinator spoke to my husband, I, and our families in a way that felt extremely rude, condescending, and unnecessary. We are adults preparing for one of the biggest moments of our lives, yet we were ALL spoken to as though we were children who couldn't be trusted to understand basic instructions.
Then, just minutes before I was supposed to walk down the aisle, the priest felt it was appropriate to express his strong opinions about how weddings should be conducted and how we were already past the start time and needed to cut recording our private vows now as he was going to begin the ceremony. There is absolutely a time and place to communicate expectations, but minutes before a bride walks down the aisle is not it. That was supposed to be a moment filled with excitement, love, and emotion. Instead, I was stressed, upset, and emotional for all the wrong reasons.
My family was upset by the way everything was handled, and even the professional photographers and videographers we hired were shocked by how restrictive and difficult the church's policies were (Which wasn't communicated to us)! Photos were not allowed during the ceremony, and there was even an issue with whether I could have a photograph of my late father included in the Mass. As a bride, having my father represented during such an important moment was incredibly meaningful to me, so having to fight for something so personal added even more stress to an already emotional day.
I understand that a Catholic wedding is a sacred ceremony and that churches have rules and traditions that should be respected. I was fully prepared to respect those traditions that is exactly why I chose to get married here. But respecting tradition should not mean making a bride and groom feel belittled, stressed, or unheard during one of the most important moments of their lives.
What hurts the most is that I wanted this church specifically because of my personal history here. I completed my sacraments here, and I thought getting married here would make the day even more special. Instead, I left feeling like an experience that I can never get back was taken away from us.
Several people warned me beforehand about their experiences here, and unfortunately, I wish I had listened to my gut. I am sharing this review because I genuinely wish someone had been this honest with me before we made our decision.
If you are considering this church for your wedding, please ask very detailed questions beforehand about the expectations, restrictions, photography, ceremony procedures, and how the staff communicates with couples. Go into it knowing exactly what you are agreeing to.
My wedding day was incredibly important to my husband and me, and unfortunately, our experience with the church staff overshadowed what should have been nothing but a beautiful and joyful beginning to our marriage. I will always cherish marrying my husband, but I will also always be disappointed that the experience surrounding our ceremony was not what we hoped or prayed it would be.
