Swedenborgian Church

We got married here earlier this month. It was perfect - lovely, intimate and the perfect size for our group of about 45 people. We didn't want a big church. We wanted a place that would make us feel close to our guests. The Swedenborgian Church's coziness and character (it's a National Historic Landmark) made for a very memorable ceremony. Our guests have said over and over what a beautiful church we chose.

Valentyna was a fantastic wedding hostess. She responded to all my e-mails promptly and made sure our rehearsal and ceremony went off without a hitch. Rev. Doug is wonderful. We met with him before the ceremony, and he was genuinely interested in getting to know us. As an Episcopalian, I knew nothing about the Swedenborgian Church before I started wedding planning. But Rev. Doug made me feel comfortable and was so flexible in letting us design the ceremony to our liking (which I did by inserting some elements from the Book of Common Prayer and asking a friend to read a poem).

I also think it's excellent value for the all-inclusive price. The$1,800 fee we paid includes the minister, musician, wedding hostess, rehearsal, candles, fireplace, conference with the minister, bridal dressing room and use of the garden for photos. Some other churches I researched ask for far more than this and require a lot more planning work!

The Swedenborgian has my highest...

We loved our experience with Swedenborgian. Valentyna Hohl was an excellent coordinator. She was professional and very responsive. Reverend Doug Moss did an excellent job with our service as well.

Everyone at the Swedenborgian church was attentive from the wedding coordinator to the church musician and minister. My fiancee and I were treated with respect and kept informed all along the way.

I got married 4/9/11 at Swedenborgian Church. I had an overwhelmingly positive experience! The Event Manager, Valentna Hohl, was an absolute delight, offering genuine encouragement and helpful support along the way.

In fact, all of the staff that supported our marriage were tremendous -- Music Director Charles Calhoun, Reverend Doug Moss, Wedding Host Alice Grisez (all provided as part of the rental cost), and John Lehrak, Pianist ... they all supported our planning efforts in a professional and authentic way!

Throw in some of the vendors that I found on my own -- Toast Catering, Three Sisters Flowers, Ille Photography and Hopkins Street Bakery ... everything was absolutely top notch!! According to a good friend, "it was the most amazing wedding. Definitely on my top list for beauty and location."

Swedenborgian Church was the wonderful size for our group of about 85 guests. We used the chapel and adjoining parish hall. Even the bridal dressing room and the location for signing the marriage certificate were charming and photogenic!!

I cannot say enough about the warmth of the historic venue, with sunlight streaming through the windows and candles galore. If I might recommend Swedenborgian Church (and all of the vendors) to anyone planning a wedding, I would do so without hesitation. The venue itself stands proud on its own, as one of the most important members of my wedding cast of characters ... my husband and I will definitely visit Swedenborgian Church year after year, to remember and celebrate our wedding day with fondness and joy!

Lovely intimate venue with attached space for reception and nice intimate garden. Valentyna - the host was very helpful and made sure everything went perfectly - even without a rehearsal.

The candle lit interior of the church could be a challenge for some photographers but make for some lovely shots.

The musician and officient were included and were accomodating and wonderful as well. All told a beautiful place for a small wedding of maybe 20-75 people

I cannot imagine a more perfect venue for an intimate wedding and reception. We fell in love with the architecture of the sanctuary and parish house. We appreciate the historical significance of the building and the Swedenborgian religion. We enjoyed getting to know the pastor after attending church one Sunday. The officiant is different from the pastor, and our officiant (Rev. Doug Moss) was great too! Everyone at the church was extremely kind and helpful. The space was perfect for the size of our wedding (3 bridesmaids, 3 groomsmen, 72 friends & family attending) followed by a mingle-style reception in the parish house. We rented some cocktail tables and had catered appetizers, wine and champagne. It was absolutely lovely!

What a wonderful place to be married! My husband and I felt so fortunate to have found the Swedenborgian Church. The history behind this church is also fascinating. From the architecture to the previous members, this is truly a special place--a little gem in San Francisco.

Not only is this an amazing place to be married, but Valentyna was great to work with! We had an interfaith ceremony and everyone felt welcome.

Great Mission style church. Very warm and inviting with a fireplace in the church and two more in the reception hall!

Great cute little church

My family is a regular at this church and we decided this was the place for my special day. The whole process of booking the venue, music etc was a breeze. After having heard of horror stories from several of my friends about how hard it is to find a good place for their wedding ceremony, I think we were incredibly fortunate to have chosen this beautiful church. It was truly a memorable wedding ceremony which met all of my expectations.

The church is very beautiful and intimate. It's best suited for parties under 90 for the ceremony, and depending on the time of year, the lighting in the church can be a challenge for photographers, so make sure to visit ahead of time.The wedding program is non-denominational and open to everyone. Reverend Rachel is a warm and wonderful person to work with, and we appreciate the thoughtful and beautiful ceremony. We also quite enjoyed having the music director help us with the music. It was definitely a value.

This was a great location for our wedding. They had everything we needed in one place: Beautiful space - complete with real wood rafters that smelled fresh, fireplace, and a real cozy feel. It was small - we only had about 80 people, so it was perfect. The "house" musician was fantastic - and worked with us to choose music (he played the piano, and then the organ at our request).

Flexibility is marked lower, only because they were booked up. We ended up getting married on April 1st, which actually suits us ;)

The minister was also very personable. We met with her for some time to discuss what we wanted, and were able to custom choose our service.

Financially, we were able to save a bundle on decor - the place is beautiful on it's own.

Beautiful, historic venue in the Laurel Heights area of San Francisco.
They make it very easy on you - one reasonable donation for the use of their church, officiate and organist.

Thanks so much for helping us coordinate a wonderful wedding at the church on August 17. Jules and I are so glad we stumbled across your venue on the internet, because it was the perfect place for us. Our guests enjoyed it as well.

We especially appreciate your working with us as we planned our day from half a world away. It was great to have the officiant, the organist, and the wedding hostess all included. Though we missed having you as our wedding hostess, Megan did a great job. Please pass along our thanks.

We hope to come back and attend a service at the church next time we are in San Francisco, since we didn't get enough time to enjoy the ambience on the wedding day!

Good luck and peace,
Joe and Jules

Kirill and I just want to thank all of you for conducting such a beautiful wedding ceremony on July 25th. We are very happy that we chose Swedenborgian Church for our ceremony site. Several people asked us how we found the church and more people mentioned that it was the BEST ceremony they've ever attended. Without your help, it would not have been possible. Thank you again for your assistance.

Many blessings to you!
Ryoko & Kirill

Many thanks to each of you for the priviledge and pleasure of having our wedding and reception at your church. We could not have asked for more beautiful, welcoming, and unique place. Thank you for making our day so special. Enclosed please find a couple of photos from our wedding. We would love to help provide referrals to potential clients in the future. We recently moved to NY, but are always available via phone. Many thanks once again.

Best wishes,
David & Caitlin

This is to thank you and Megan for your help in making Alice's and Zach's wedding and reception a joyous and memorable event for Alice and Zach and our family and friends. The Swedenborgian Church, the grounds, and the Reception Halls are beautiful, and all our guests loved the setting and the historical aspects of the Church. It was the perfect place for Alice and Zach to renew their wedding vows with their sweet daughter Nina.

Most sincerely,
Susan Barclay
Mother of the Bride

Thank you for everything at our wedding on October 4th. We had an amazing time. Glen did a great job and Reverend Moss was amazing.

Thank you,
Jennifer

John and I want to thank you and the SF Swedenborgian church for allowing us to have our wedding and reception at your beautiful church facilities. Our guests all said it was a very special, intimate space for a wedding, made all the more memorable by the wonderful church staff.

Sincerely,
Ray and John

Thank you for all your help facilitating Timmy's and my wedding. The day could not have been any more special and memorable. We're grateful for how kindly you accommodated all our requests. Please enjoy this homemade jam as a token of our thanks for your graciousness for us.

Michael, Timmy, Eli & Ezia

We absolutely loved our ceremony at the Swedenborgian - it was so immensely special, intimate, cozy, and wonderful in every way. We stopped in again just last Sunday to take it all in again before leaving San Francisco, and it took our breath away once more. We'll look forward to visiting again sometime soon.

With thanks and gratitude,
Amy & Brian

Swedenborgian is a San Francisco gem. What a special and beautiful place. I am always excited when we get to design flowers for this amazing place.