Getting Married at Mission Santa Clara...
As a Catholic student chapel within the Diocese of San Jose, CA, Mission Santa Clara hosts Roman Catholic weddings for current students, faculty, staff, or alumni of Santa Clara University. Only weddings within the Roman Catholic rite, wherein one party (either the bride or the groom) is a baptized Catholic, are permitted.
To reserve Mission Santa Clara for your wedding, either the bride or the groom must be a current student, faculty, staff member or alum of Santa Clara University. Unfortunately, the privilege of using Mission Santa Clara does not extend to relatives or other members of your immediate family. No exceptions to this policy are made.
If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact the Mission Office at 408-554-4023.
To make a reservation, you'll need to stop by or call the Mission Office directly at 408-554-4023.
Available time slots are as follows:
| Saturdays | 12pm, or 3pm (this is the start time of your ceremony) |
Weekday/Outdoor weddings are prohibited on campus.
Reservations consist of a 2.5 hour window with your wedding beginning at one the above mentioned hours. These times are fixed and may not be extended beyond these offerings. When considering a time slot, you can expect your reservation to be broken up into the following:
| 1 Hour | The hour prior to the ceremony is meant for any preparation of the space, as well as the seating of the guests. Floral deliveries, music setup, and any decorations will be put in place during this time. |
| 1 Hour | This hour (consistent with one of the time slots above) is allotted for the wedding ceremony. All ceremonies will start at their contracted time and end accordingly. |
| 30 minutes | The remaining 30 minutes following the conclusion of the wedding are meant for photography inside the Mission. Be aware this time may be diminished if your wedding lasts longer than expected. The limit of your photography time ends with the conclusion of your contracted reservation. With a proper photography permit, you can spend as long as you like utilizing our outside garden spaces. |
The reservation fee to schedule Mission Santa Clara for your marriage ceremony is $1600.
This fee is due in full within 10 business days of putting a date/time on hold. Failure to make this payment within a timely manner will result in the forfeiture of your wedding date and time.
Your reservation fee affords you the following:
- The use of the Mission Church for 2.5 hours on your wedding day.
- 1 hour wedding rehearsal on the Thursday or Friday before your wedding.
- Mission Staff to be with you on both days.
- Available grand piano/pipe organ.
- Seating for 400 is standard (additional fees apply for more seating).
- Sound system will be provided (outside sound systems may not be brought in).
- An Expanded Candlelight Set Up
Please be advised that this fee does not cover the following:
- A customary stipend of ~$200 to your presider
- Marriage Preparation Courses
- 3rd Party Vendors (i.e. florists, photographers, etc.)
- Music for your ceremony
Optional Services for Purchase
- Shuttle Service to brings guests from the parking garages to the Mission Church (and back again): $250
- Vehicular Access to Abby Sobrato Mall (the pedestrian promenade): $300 (up to 5 cars/limousines - buses are prohibited)
Cancellations and Refunds
If for any reason you need to cancel your wedding reservation, you must submit a letter of cancellation to the Mission Office. We will refund 100% of your reservation fee as long as you submit your request no less than 7 months before your original scheduled reservation. Be aware that no refunds, for any reason, are issued if your cancel your reservation less than 7 months before your original scheduled reservation. Refunds are issued to the original payor in the form of a check, and can take 2-3 weeks to receive in the mail once your request has been received. Your refund deadline always remains tied to your original reservation date, and is not affected in the event that you reschedule your original reservation.
The Mission Office does not provide a priest for wedding ceremonies. Couples will need to approach a presider on their own. At the 6 month mark (prior to your reservation), the agreement of a Catholic priest/deacon to preside at your ceremony will become necessary to continue holding your reservation. While your presider can be from within or outside of Santa Clara University, a good place to start is your local parish.
Preparation for the Sacrament of Marriage must begin at least 6 months before your wedding. Consult the following steps to make sure you've met all the requirements before your wedding day. Failure to fulfill any of these obligations can jeopardize your reservation and our ability to host your wedding ceremony.
| Step 1 | Initial consultation with your presider to establish your Freedom to Marry in the Catholic Church |
| Step 2 |
Completion of at least ONE (1) of the following:
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| Step 3 |
Completion of at least ONE (1) of the following:
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A Certificate of Completion will be given to you after the conclusion of the courses. These certificates must be submitted to the Mission Office. Should you have any questions or concerns about your marriage preparation requirements, please contact the Mission Office.
Please remember that University parking restrictions are fully enforced during the following hours:
Monday –Friday: 6am to 8pm
Saturday – Sunday: No Restrictions
Guests to the University can park in either of 2 University owned and operated parking structures:
- Main Parking Structure: 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053
- North Campus Garage: 1063 Alviso Street, Santa Clara, CA 95053
During Enforceable Hours:
- Stop at the El Camino Real guard kiosk to secure a FREE 2hr Visitor’s Permit to park in either garage.
- Pay stations are available in the North Campus Garage, if you decide to bypass the guard's kiosk.
- Valid parking permits must be displayed during enforceable hours to avoid parking citations/fines.
- Permits are NOT required during non-enforceable hours (Saturdays and Sundays - unless otherwise posted).
- Follow all posted signage and instructions to avoid citations and/or fines.
The Santa Clara University Campus is private property. Permits are required to utilize the campus for photography purposes.
Weddings scheduled to take place in the Mission automatically qualify for a Photography Permit. You will be given this permit at you wedding rehearsal.
Please note that wedding photography inside the Mission is prohibited just prior to your wedding ceremony. There is time allotted for this after the conclusion of your ceremony, through the end of your contracted reservation. This time is dictated by the timeliness with which your event begins and progresses. Ceremonies that start late diminish the amount of time you will have for photos in the church.
While the time inside the Mission is limited to your reservation, you are free to spend as much time as you wish utilizing the Mission Gardens for pictures both before and after your ceremony.
Please contact the Mission Office is you have additional questions regarding photography at your wedding.
For those not being married in the Mission, please review this additional information about photography at SCU.