Wedding Photographers & Videographers at Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica, Latrobe

A wedding at Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica in Latrobe means getting married in the church of a Benedictine archabbey, a basilica the parish itself calls a sacred space for prayer. Your photographer and videographer are welcome inside, but they stay on the floor of the nave: the galleries and the sanctuary are off limits to them during the liturgy. That makes the long center aisle and the vestibule the heart of your wedding photos and video, so ask them to plan the processional from there.

The basilica celebrates Catholic weddings only. Parishioners, Saint Vincent College alumni and couples from elsewhere may all ask about a date, and couples from outside the parish bring their own priest, who needs a letter of good standing. Your wedding ceremony slot is tight and clear: for a 12:30 wedding you can come in at noon and must be out by 2:00, and a 2:30 wedding runs from 2:00 to 4:00. The Chapel of the Immaculate Conception sits to the right of the vestibule.

Music is planned with the parish music director, and only Saint Vincent organists play the organ. The bridal chorus from Lohengrin ("Here Comes the Bride") is not approved here, a detail worth sharing with your wedding videographer before they plan the soundtrack. For the reception, the parish rents The Grove, about half a mile away, and its rental request form is linked from the wedding page.

• Give the parish at least six months' notice and plan time for marriage preparation.
• Rehearsals are the evening before at 6:00 or 6:45 and last 45 minutes.
• Read the parish photo and video guidelines with your photographer, since they are asked to share them with vendors before the wedding day.

A little about Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica

Saint Vincent Basilica Parish traces its roots to 1790 and calls itself the first Catholic parish west of the Allegheny Mountains; since then it has worshipped in five buildings. The Archabbey of Saint Vincent was established in 1846.