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Late Afternoon Ceremony at Catholic Church (Philadelphia)

ClarissaMLClarissaML member
First Anniversary
in Catholic Weddings
Hi all, my fiance and I are having our reception at the American Swedish Historical Museum in south Philadelphia, but want to have our ceremony at a Catholic Church in or near Center City.  Ideally, we'd like our guests to be able to go straight from the ceremony to the reception, starting around 5 or 6 pm.  But all the churches we've spoken to so far only do ceremonies much earlier in the afternoon - usually around 1 or 2 pm, though some do 3 pm ceremonies.  Does anybody know of any Catholic churches in Philadelphia that do ceremonies on Saturdays later in the afternoon, like 4 or 5 pm? Thanks so much! 
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Re: Late Afternoon Ceremony at Catholic Church (Philadelphia)

  • agapecarrieagapecarrie member
    Knottie Warrior 1000 Comments 100 Love Its Combo Breaker
    Almost all Catholic churches will not-- they have confessions and a Mass on Saturday late afternoon time. 

    Go through the church-- your parish church to get married is best. Follow the process... they won't give you a date until you finish some pre-marital inventory and investigation. THEN choose a venue. 
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  • photokittyphotokitty mod
    Moderator Knottie Warrior 5000 Comments 500 Love Its
    edited March 2015
    You should ask your priest. I was able to have my wedding at 6pm, after 4pm mass on Saturday. I had to use the reading for that weekend, so we didn't have the more traditional wedding mass readings. The priest knew me from high school, it was the groom's parish, and he really wanted to conduct the wedding so he made it work. YMMV. 

    You are correct to try and avoid a gap. Gaps are rude. Work with the priest, then choose a venue that fits your needs and allows your guests to go straight to the reception. 

    GL! :)
    :kiss: ~xoxo~ :kiss:

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  • MesmrEweMesmrEwe member
    Knottie Warrior 2500 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers

    Gaps are a discussion all their own...  People either love them or hate them, and above all else that varies from family to family for which end of the spectrum they are...

    As for the Church to get married - start with your own parish which you attend mass and feel as your church home.  Getting married in the Catholic Church isn't like picking a park for your ceremony, it's a commitment.  The Catholic Church is very strict for a reason about many things.  Chances are this is one of them.  You never know, you might have to have your ceremony during evening mass with everyone invited to the ceremony if you are heck set on a late service. 

    But really, start with a parish that you can make your church home once you're married and contact them on the process of getting married in the church..

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