Heinz Chapel

christinah2016

Hello all! 

Pittsburgh bride-to-be looking for advice on booking the competitive Heinz Chapel.  My fiance and I are planning to book our reception venue (has a built-in ceremony back-up location) for October 2016.  We really would like to get Heinz for the ceremony but aren't willing to risk being unable to book our reception venue (Soldiers and Sailors).  We are both Pitt alumni, my fiance has gotten his BS, MS, and soon-to-be PhD from Pitt and I my BS.  Also, he works for Pitt and I work for UPMC so we VERY MUCH meet the requirements to get a slot!

Currently planning to have at least 5 people calling on the 1st of October, 2 from a university-based phone line at the least.  Any advice on what time to start calling?! I know October is the most sought after month but someone has to get a slot! Why not me?

Any advice you have is welcomed and appreciated!

Christina

Knottie80779227

I booked Heinz Chapel for October 2015. I also got the time slot and date I was aiming for. I held a breakfast at my house for all those helping me to say thanks. Phone lines open at 9AM. We had 6 people (me, FH, my mom, my grandma, and my two aunts) dialing. Phone lines I would say actually opened at 8:59am. Once you dial you will get put on hold and have to listen to the same automated message aboout 100 times. Do not freak out, they have 1 person working the line and taking reservations and it took her about 15 minutes to process everything, so truly, they will only deal with maybe 4 phone calls an hour. We were on hold for almost 90 minutes, but I still got everything I wanted in the end. Do make sure you have a second-choice time in mind in the event your time slot is taken. We had two times and the date was not being changed, so I had already come to accept if neither were available, I was going to look somewhere else. Good luck on booking!

ack18

If he works for Pitt, have him call from his office at 8 am on the nose.  Or better, juuuust before 8 if you know you'll have more than one office phone going.

If you call from a non-Pitt number, you hit a voicemail and get put in a queue.

If you call from a Pitt number, you immediately speak to a live person.

We're using Heinz next July, and I had a bridesmaid call at 8 am on July 1st, and I got my second choice of time.  Bridesmaid was on hold for 20 minutes while they finished with the first bride.  I guess the girl that got my first choice knew about the loophole!