Saint Ursula Academy Chapel Wedding Contract SUA is honored that you are interested in having your wedding in the chapel. The use of Saint Ursula Chapel for weddings is restricted to graduates of Saint Ursula Academy.
To reserve your date, please fill out the last page of this contract, acknowledging you have read all pages, and include your $250 non-refundable check deposit. Reservations are on a first come, first served basis; therefore, once all the criteria above is received, the date is secured for the graduate and not before.
FEE $1,000
$250 non-refundable deposit due with reservation of date; balance of $750 must be received at least 1 month prior to wedding date.
∙ This fee covers the cost of using the Chapel, hiring Police Detail (for the wedding only) and the SUA Wedding Coordinator & Sacristan for the rehearsal and wedding. 🡺 Note: arrangements for Police Detail for the rehearsal must be made through
the SUA Advancement Office at least two months prior to the wedding weekend and the current cost is an additional $35 per hour, with a minimum of two hours. Police Detail rate and minimum are subject to change.
TIME LIMITS
Saint Ursula requires that you limit your use of the Chapel to the following timeframes. With three (3) hours total for your wedding day, including arrival, the ceremony, and all photographs, you may designate your use of this three hour allotment to fit your needs.
🡺 Note: Timing must be confirmed at least two months prior to the wedding to help us plan appropriately The SUA Advancement Office will send a reminder email to request this information about two months prior to your wedding.
If we do not receive return communication within six (6) weeks of your wedding weekend, Saint Ursula Academy reserves the right to schedule the Cincinnati Police Officer and SUA wedding coordinator based on times added by Alumna Bride on the last page of this contract.
Please use the following as a suggested guideline:
∙ Rehearsal (total time allotment) 1 ½ hrs.
∙ Florist, pictures (e.g. before ceremony) 1 hour
∙ Wedding Ceremony 1 hour
∙ Pictures (e.g. immediately after ceremony) 1 hour
A Cincinnati Police Officer and SUA Wedding Coordinator are scheduled to work on the day of your wedding for 3 hours total. Please consider your wedding hours start time when your florist and photographer would like to access the Academy as the SUA Wedding Coordinator needs to be present.
🡺 Note: If your florist or photographer wishes to set up outside of the time limits outlined above, one extra hour may added to the 3 hour block of time, purchased at an additional charge of $100 for the extra hour.
PROPER PERMISSIONS (please give this information to your Priest)
Any wedding performed in the Saint Ursula Chapel must be a wedding in the Roman Catholic Rite. You may choose to have other clergy (rabbi, reverend) present and you may choose whether or not to have the wedding ceremony within a full Mass. All arrangements are ordinarily made at least 3 months prior to the wedding with the pastor of the bride.
It is the responsibility of the officiating Priest or Deacon to obtain explicit delegation from the pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish, or his associate, to perform a licit wedding in the Saint Ursula Chapel. It is also his responsibility to obtain permission from the Chancery Office of the Archdiocese. The pastor at St. Francis de Sales Church is Fr. Michael Nartker, SM. at 1600 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45206, phone: 513-961-1945; email: smnartker@yahoo.com. SUA Advancement Office must receive a copy of the proper permission from the Archdiocese. It is your responsibility to have all pre-nuptial papers filed and the marriage properly recorded in the matrimonial register of St. Francis de Sales Parish. Questions can be directed to Rev. Tom Snodgrass at 100E. Eighth Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-3131 or email at tsnodgrass@catholiccincinnati.org.
FACILITIES, DECORATIONS, AND MAINTENANCE
The spaces available for the wedding include the Chapel and a designated conference room for the bride and her family/wedding party. An additional conference room is available for the groom, if needed. The bridal party/family are free to leave personal items in these spaces, though the Wedding Sacristan and Coordinator/the School are not responsible for lost or stolen items.
The Parlors will be available to the bride to take a few special photographs on the day of the wedding, if desired. Due to the nature of the Parlors, though, there are restrictions which will be communicated to the bride and photographer by the Wedding Coordinator & Sacristan at the time. The Parlors are not available as a gathering or waiting space.
No alcohol is permitted on the property (inside, outside the building) at any time. Water bottles are permitted, but please do not place bottles or coolers on any wooden surfaces.
Due to Mass services/liturgies that could be held prior to your rehearsal or wedding, since the Academy and the Ursuline Sisters also use the Chapel, set up for weddings may take place at the rehearsal, not before.
Decorations which are consistent with Roman Catholic guidelines and which do not risk damaging the space are permitted.
Some standard guidelines/limitations are as follows:
- The pews may be decorated only if soft ribbon, rubber bands, or freestanding columns are used. NO ADHESIVE TAPES, WIRES OR CLAMPS MAY BE USED TO SECURE DECORATIVE MATERIALS.
- Aisle runners are not permitted due to safety concerns.
- Candles may not be placed and lit on any wooden surfaces.
- No items may be thrown/released inside or outside. Examples include, but are not limited to: flower petals (both real and fake), confetti, and bird seed. Blowing bubbles outside is permitted, but please be mindful of littering.
The school is not responsible for items left behind by the florists or decorators. We ask that you make arrangements to take any decorations immediately after the ceremony, or pick them up promptly the next workday. Flowers may be left to decorate the Chapel; all other decorations must be cleaned up by you after the ceremony.
SECURITY
This contract fee covers security costs for the wedding day only. During the winter months, it is suggested that a security guard also be hired for the rehearsal due to darkness. This is primarily decided upon by the bride since arrangements for additional security must be made through the SUA Advancement Office at least two months prior to the wedding and is an additional cost. Current cost is an additional $35 per hour, with a minimum of two hours. Police Detail rate and minimum are subject to change.
PARKING
Parking is available in the front circle; please suggest to your guests to drive into front circle to be directed by Cincinnati Police Officer who will help with additional parking options on campus, if needed, for the wedding. Additional parking available at the lot east of the school, SUA Administrative Building, Keller Center student parking lot located between William Howard Taft and East McMillan Streets on Bell Street. For any guests needing wheelchair access, please make arrangements with the Wedding Coordinator & Sacristan at the rehearsal.
MUSIC
An organist is permitted to use the organ if he/she knows how to use a wind pipe organ. The musician is permitted to practice beforehand, by appointment and/or during the rehearsal. Please contact the SUA Advancement Office to schedule an appointment. There is also a piano available for use in the body of the Chapel. The acoustics are excellent and there is a sound system as well. There are three microphones available for musicians and microphones on the altar. Piano and organ are tuned twice a year, in the winter and summer.
Bride Reminders & Resources
SUA Advancement Office - Weddings
1339 East McMillan Street
Cincinnati, OH 45206
Jessica Pedoto, Director of Alumnae Relations and Constituent Engagement jpedoto@saintursula.org
(513) 961-3410 ext. 148
Next Steps: The SUA Advancement Office will send a reminder email to request confirmation of wedding details, including timeframes and ceremony details, TWO MONTHS prior to your wedding weekend. If we do not receive return communication within six (6) weeks of your wedding weekend, Saint Ursula Academy reserves the right to schedule the Cincinnati Police Officer and SUA wedding coordinator based on times added on the last page of the contract.
Our gift to you is an SUA Alumnae Association candle (you may choose to use it as a unity candle, although the Catholic Church does not promote the unity candle. Please check with your priest to confirm he is okay with it ) to be lit in good times and bad evoking the vows and spirit of your wedding at SUA Chapel, in memory of Sr. Elizabeth Lang '50.
Contract Regarding the Use of the Saint Ursula Academy Chapel for Alumnae Weddings Congratulations and God’s blessing upon your upcoming marriage. Please return this signed page and $250 non-refundable deposit to the SUA Advancement Office to make it official! We cannot save the date for your wedding until we receive both the deposit and contract. Please make your check payable to St. Ursula Academy – Weddings or pay online at https://saintursulaevents.com/weddings.
Please note: if this signed page and $250 non-refundable deposit is not received in the SUA Advancement Office within seven days of notifying the SUA Advancement Office, we reserve the right to release a tentative hold on the date.
By signing below, you are stating that you understand and agree to the terms of this contract.
