Say “I Do” at Philadelphia’s new historic wedding venue, Riverside Weddings at Gloria Dei. Walk down the aisle following the footsteps of Philadelphia’s own Betsy Ross and countless other couples since 1700. Capture your unique moments in our park-like setting surrounded by nature. Gloria Dei works as an intimate wedding chapel for 20 and is the perfect size for up to 150!
Choose from an Episcopal ceremony or an interfaith-ceremony with your own officiant.
All Christian and Interfaith traditions welcome!
In Pennsylvania, a self-uniting marriage license offers couples an option for the wedding of their dreams. We invite you to bring your own officiant or clergy to Gloria Dei Church.
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Ceremony Options
Classic Episcopal Wedding:
Are you looking for a traditional Episcopal wedding? Our ceremony follows the Canons of the Diocese of Pennsylvania and the Book of Common Prayer. You do not need to be Episcopalian to be married in this tradition, but one partner must be a baptized Christian, and couples are expected to attend 2-3 Sunday services prior to the wedding. You will meet with the rector for pre-marital counseling and to plan your ceremony. No weddings will be conducted during Lent. Episcopal weddings must be booked at least three months in advance (6 months for re-marriages). Couples married at Gloria Dei are also invited to renew their vows at our annual Valentine’s Day Service.
This package includes:
- Use of Gloria Dei Church for the wedding ceremony and rehearsal
- 3 premarital counseling sessions with our Rector
- Pre-wedding planning meetings and the assistance of our Gloria Dei Wedding Coordinator
- Rehearsal and ceremony with clergy
- Organist for ceremony
- Pre-and post event cleaning fees
Fees: $2500
Other Christian and Interfaith Traditions:
Are you looking for a beautiful historic space to create your own unique wedding ceremony? Riverside Weddings at Gloria Dei allows you the flexibility to create your ideal ceremony. Please contact our Wedding Specialist for more information.
This package includes:
- Use of Gloria Dei Church for the wedding ceremony and rehearsal
- Pre-wedding planning meetings and the assistance of our Gloria Dei Wedding Coordinator
- Consultation with Rev. Christopher Micklewright
- Organist for ceremony
- Pre-and post event cleaning fees
Fees: $2000
About Gloria Dei
(Old Swedes’)
Church
Gloria Dei is an inclusive, vibrant and historic congregation located in the Queen Village neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All are welcome here.
Surrounded by an idyllic National Park, this campus of beauty and tranquility, combined with free parking, in a South Philadelphia location, makes the ideal spot for weddings and celebrations. The church holds up to 150 guests for your ceremony. Adjacent Riverside Hall holds up to 50 guests for a seated reception and our parking area has space for a tented reception for up to 75 guests.
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Create your ideal wedding experience!
Ready to Learn More and Reserve Your Day?
For information on renting Gloria Dei Church or Riverside Hall for concerts, birthday parties, lectures, or other gatherings, please visit our Events page.
We had an amazing experience having our wedding at Gloria Dei. Communication with all staff was open and easy making it one of the least stressful parts of planning our wedding. The church and grounds provided a beautiful backdrop for our photos. I loved that our photographer was able to access the balcony and get some unique shots of my husband and I during the ceremony. Even more so then the setting, the music made for such a grand experience. The organist Paul is incredibly talented and their organ is absolutely beautiful. They provided us more than enough space in Riverside hall to get ready before the ceremony and allowed us ample time to make sure decorations were in place. I would recommend Gloria Dei to anyone, there’s truly nothing like it.
My husband and I had our wedding ceremony at Gloria Dei in 2016 and our guests are still abuzz about this stunning enclave in one of Philly’s oldest neighborhoods. The church’s historic interior is unrivaled and the exterior yard and burial ground was the perfect place for guests to mill about before and after the ceremony. We were worried about the limited parking, but all 150+ guests were able to find spots on the nearby streets we told them about – no issues. If you’re a history or architecture buff or just want to kick off your forever in a stunning and meaningful setting, consider Riverside Weddings at Old Swedes.
An adorable church with friendly, organized and incredibly helpful staff. Amy helped the ceremony go so smoothly, she was a calming presence and very organized. Taking photos inside and on the grounds were so special and turned out beautifully! We loved our wedding here and highly recommend the venue for anyone looking for a quaint and welcoming chapel in the city.
Gloria Dei is the perfect spot for a wedding. The church is beautiful and it just makes the event so much more special. My wife and I could not have chosen a better space for our wedding. As a same sex couple we were very fortunate to find a church that would marry us. We were the first same sex couple married in the church in 2015, and we always hope that we have started a trend. The staff, priest & organist were very helpful and welcoming. I will always suggest Gloria Dei to anyone who will listen :).
My husband and I discovered we are eleventh cousins whose immigrant ancestor was one of the founding fathers of Gloria Dei. Thanks to the most outstanding organist in Philly, we had a 17th century ceremony, in costume, replete with magnificent Swedish music, white horses and carriages for arriving guests to have their photos taken and gifted to them.
It was so easy to work with the staff at Gloria Dei to make our daughter’s wedding a perfect occasion! The church is filled with light and was a perfect place to decorate with our flowers. We were blessed with clear skies and loved being able to photograph our family and guests in the historic Gloria Dei churchyard.