Weddings in the SMC Chapel

Celebrating Your Wedding in the SMC Chapel

The following persons may reserve the Saint Mary's College Chapel for their wedding:

• Alumna/us of the College
• A currently employed, full-time staff member of the SMC.
• A currently employed, full-time regular faculty member of SMC.

*Regretfully, this permission does not extend to family or friends.

To uphold the value of our Christian identity and to abide by the canonical laws of the Catholic Church and the Diocese of Oakland, Saint Mary’s College requires the following:

• All weddings in the Chapel must be dignified and of a Christian nature, either Catholic or a mainline Christian denomination (recognized by the Diocese of Oakland). The Chapel may not be used for non-denominational or non-Christian ceremonies.
• The Chapel may not be used for civil marriages, that is, those witnessed by a judge, justice of the peace or other civil official.
• At Saint Mary’s College Chapel, in a marriage between a baptized Catholic and a non-Catholic, the ceremony must be from the Catholic rite, officiated by a Catholic Priest or Deacon, as required by the Oakland Diocese. However, a non-Catholic minister may participate in the ceremony with a Catholic priest or deacon. Only the Catholic priest or deacon may sign the marriage license.

Wedding Days & Times Available

*In accordance with the wedding policy of the Diocese of Oakland, Nuptial Mass is not permitted on Sundays. "Rite for Celebrating Marriage Outside Mass" should be used.
These times are non-negotiable.

College events will make some weekends unavailable, and the Chapel is not scheduled on the following feast days or holidays: New Years Eve/Day ~ Palm Sunday ~ Holy Saturday/Easter Sunday ~ Initiation Weekend (1st Sat. & Sun. after Easter) ~ Graduation Weekend ~ July 4th ~ Labor Day Weekend ~ Halloween ~ Thanksgiving Weekend ~ Christmas Eve/Day. (Other ritual days may exclude a Wedding Mass.)

Procedure

Requests for use of the Chapel will be taken in the order they are received, beginning at 12 a.m. one year before the desired wedding date. (For example, if you wish to be married on July 29, 2023, you would call at 12 a.m. on July 29, 2021.)  The recommended preparation period is six months, therefore the wedding may be scheduled from six to twelve months prior to your wedding date.

Chapel Scheduling Line: (925) 631-4366

Your message needs to include the following:

• The desired date and time (including a second time choice).
• Two phone numbers (ex: home and work).
• Both of your names (including spelling).
• The year you graduated from Saint Mary's College (if alumni).
• Your affiliation with the college (if full-time faculty or staff).

The Chapel Coordinator will return your call within 48 hours (or the next business day) and inform you of the Chapel availability. We recommend waiting until you receive this confirmation before scheduling your reception site.

Chapel Use Fee

The Chapel rental is $1,950 (payable to Saint Mary's College and due within 7 days of scheduling your wedding) and includes:

• Use of the Chapel for your wedding and rehearsal.
• The services of the wedding coordinator.

Security Deposit

A $500 refundable security deposit is due at the time the Chapel Use Fee is paid to ensure the following of the Chapel policies by all involved parties, including the wedding couple, guests and vendors.

Other fees, paid directly to provider, may include stipends for clergy, organist, liturgical ministers and musicians.

Note: The wedding couple must provide their own officiating priest / minister.

We look forward to speaking with you. If you would like additional information, please call Colleen O'Healy da Silva, the Wedding Coordinator, at 925-631-4366.

Commemorate Your Marriage on the Wedding Wall

Commemorate your special day and your connection to this beautiful space with a personalized plaque on the Chapel’s Wedding Wall. With a $750 gift to the Chapel Fund, your custom, named plaque will become a lasting symbol of your love and a meaningful contribution to the Chapel’s legacy.

You are invited to add your names to the Wedding Wall now. For assistance, please contact University Advancement at stewardship@stmarys-ca.edu or 925.631.4019