San Agustin Church: Wedding Mass & Ceremony

San Agustin Church, also known as the Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Consolacion y Correa or the Immaculate Conception Parish, is a Roman Catholic church under the auspices of the Order of St. Augustine, located inside the historic walled city of Intramuros in Manila. Source: Wikipedia

^{Myio Okamoto Photography}Location: General Luna St, Manila, 1002 Metro Manila, Philippines

Contact Person: Ms. Belen Gregorio

Contact Number: +63 85274061, +63 85272746

Email Address: bj_gregorio@yahoo.com

Working Hours: 8AM to PM. Closed on Mondays

FB: San Agustin Church

Mode of Payment: Cash Basis only

Trivia

San Agustin Church Intramuros Manila is the oldest stone church in the Philippines built-in 1587.
Completed in 1607, a baroque church and full of historical objects with enormous structure and grandeur perfection of interiors of the famous ornate trompe l'oeil frescoes on the vaulted ceiling and sophisticatedly adorned of 18th century-old of vintage European chandeliers
San Agustin Church has withstood seven earthquakes as well as World War II.
In 1993, it was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Rates in Php

Service	Price	Why to Avail?	Remarks
Wedding Service	34,000.00	Includes wedding mass and marriage ceremony, simple flower decoration, royal red carpet, organist and singer, 6 ushers and usherettes, altar server, 18th-century chandeliers, documentation and registration of marriage contract and *pre - Cana seminar (waived).	Standard package
Door Opening	1,000.00	For a grand dramatic bride's entrance	optional
Top View	1,000.00	For a more picturesque top view photo and video shoot	optional
Floral Wall	3,500.00	To avoid the photo bombers during the bride's entrance, SAC is in Intramuros which a lot of tourists most of the time.	optional
Video Electricity	1,000.00	In case your P/V team requests an electricity outlet for additional lightings, battery charging, etc.	optional
Extension of Use of the Church	15,000.00	To better manage the flow of wedding mass, marriage ceremony and group P/V session without rushing	optional
San Agustin Museum	5,000.00	For postnup shoot	optional
Total	60,500.00
Others:	Additional Php 400.00 per pair over more than 6 pairs of Principal Sponsors Ceremony Flower Decor and Styling - If you have other preferences on this, you may discuss ahead of time with your contact person in SAC and they have a list of accredited suppliers. Php 750.00 per couple. SAC Pre - Cana seminar held every during Saturdays from 8 AM to 12 NN.

^{as of January 10, 2018}

Why San Agustin Church?

One of the most important decisions that my groom and I are to decide where to hold our wedding ceremony, I'm from Batangas and he is from Cebu. We didn't just choose, we prayed and discerned a church for our wedding ceremony. We discerned for two churches only, Taal Basilica since it was my mother's wish for all of my siblings to get married there and San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila; as my personal choice in honor to my favorite saint Patron Saint Augustine. Why? Growing up in my hometown, we have a family tradition of perpetual devotion to Patron Saint Augustine where I learned about his life, work and sainthood that helps me in my spiritual and community life.

Upon considering the sentimental value, logistics and mobility of our entourage, guests and resources, Alger and I decided on San Agustin Church.

What happened next?

1. On October 8, 2017, we got engaged. During December 2017, we got the rates through a phone inquiry of my sister. It requires Php 10,000 non - refundable downpayment. It was a pencil - booked only. Policy: who can pay first will get the booking officially.

2. January 10, 2018, I booked our wedding church for Sunday, December 22, 2019, at 2 PM. Ms. Belen gave me a pamphlet of basic requirements, rules and regulations, rates and schedule of Pre - Cana, submission of the documents and canonical interview. (Please see San Agustin Church Basic Requirements, Rules & Regulations.)

3. On June 29, 2018, we sent an email requesting for changing our wedding ceremony time from 2 PM to 3 PM. We decided to move an hour later to accommodate the travel time convenience of our guests coming from nearby provinces. Here are the steps on how to request changing the booking date and time at SAC. (Please see Steps on How to Change your Wedding Date and Time at San Agustin Church.)

4. On November 12, 2019, I emailed the copy of our available documents through our wedding coordinator and it was sent to Ms. Belen.

5. On November 20, 2019, we submitted the original copy of our available documents and got the request letter of Ecclesiastical Banns and Permit address to Santo Niño Parish Church in Sucat, Parañaque City. And, Ms. Belen gave us a missalette template.

6. On November 20, 2019, it was our canonical interview with Rev. Fr. Arnold C. Sta. Maria, OSA.

7. On December 10, 2019, we submit the original copy of our Marriage License and got the list of to be provided on the day of the wedding. (Please see San Agustin Church: Provided by the Couple on the day of the Wedding.) Also, Ms. Belen gave us a copy of the approved music playlist. (Please see San Agustin Church: Approved Music Playlist.)

8. On December 20, 2019, Alger submitted the original copy of our Ecclesiastical Banns and Permit issued by address Santo Niño Parish Church in Sucat, Parañaque City.

9. On December 21, 2019. Alger together with his father and sister had an interview with Fr. Arnold as a replacement for his Certificate of Freedom to Marry and Ecclesiastical Banns and Permit supposedly from KSA This interview was to validate his singleness status. (He wasn't able to process this requirement because there's no Catholic church in KSA. And FINALLY, we accomplished these requirements:

10. The Big Day. This is the day that Lord has made! The very day I have someone that I can call my husband.

^{Myio Okamoto Photography}

Feedback On

Value for Money. It's San Agustin Church located in Intramuros, Manila. I have nothing to say further. My groom agreed to pay for it! ;) Nonetheless, if we knew all the nitty-gritty stuff of getting married at SAC, most likely; we will consider other churches.
Communication. Ms. Belen is accomodating us very well and she is responsive to all our inquiries. However, she did not discuss what are other things, such as nuptial direction and music playlist during my first meeting with her.

^{With Ms. Belen Gregorio I During the submission of our documents}

Team. Some staff has a lack of coordination with other suppliers. The in-charge at the altar must be reminded to be mindful in handling the direction of the group photoshoot sequence and must coordinate well with the photographer.
Service or Product Quality and Output. They mastered the wedding mass and ceremony. Although, the whole experience has less of sacredness and spiritual intimacy. The elements of the mass, marriage ceremony including our most awaited part - The Homily and photo session, are all compressed and maximized to 60-minutes duration.

Success Notes

Dreamy and majestic - feel of the ambiance. The finest architecture, interior decor and travel back in the time of Victorian-era experience. It was amazingly mesmerizing as I walk the aisle.
Ms. Belen. We had a smooth transaction with her. Although we encounter tiny mishaps in our documentation and changing of ceremony time, she promptly gave a solution and guided us. Plus, we supposed to pay 14 extra pairs of PS and she allowed us to pay 4 pairs only; as a consideration of the other 10 pairs of PS weren't able to attend.
Pre - Cana and Mrs. Ofelia D. Granados. I am highly recommending a Pre - Cana seminar conducted by Sis. Ofelia at SAC. She one of the best spiritual and motivational speakers that I met, her humor, wit and how she delivered the seminar was very relational and practical to absorb.
The Canonical Interview by Rev. Fr. Arnold C. Sta. Maria, OSA. He asked about our love story, our faith and relationship with God, our community life, how many kids we're planning to have, our view towards divorce and what are those things that we envy towards another. The interview was about 15 minutes, and; it was a meaningful conversation.

^{With Fr. Arnold I Taken after our canonical interview}

Our wedding priest. I forgot the name of our wedding priest. During the Homily, he acknowledged our gesture of having the physical presence of late mothers in sketch portrait and he prayed over the soul of our Mom. It was a very touching moment especially for us! Though, the wedding mass was squeezed to 30-minute only.
On-Time. Our wedding started sharp on time!

Failed Notes

Late notice of in - charge in nuptial direction. During canonical interview were Ms. Belen informed us that they have the exclusive team for the nuptial direction and our wedding coordinator is not needed to participate.
Late notice about the music playlist. We need to comply as the official suggested music playlist of San Agustin Church. Their music playlist has limited choices and most of our selection is not available.
Imagine, it was 60 minutes only. Almost every hour, San Agustin Church is holding wedding mass and ceremony. We had 30 - minute wedding mass, 15 - minute wedding ceremony and 15 - minute group photoshoot. We missed savoring our wedding ceremony to the fullest!
Failed group photoshoot direction sequence. The in-charge of the photo sequence direction missed my family to have a group with us. (I cried for several days when I found out that we don't have a group photo with my family. It was my childhood dream of having a complete family photo. We prepared a sketch portrait of my late mother and I look forward that finally at my wedding, we will have a complete family photo. But unfortunately, it never happened.)
Rush group photoshoot. If you do not want to take the risk and want to have a good output of photos and video, look for another church that can hold extra time for shooting. Or, pay an additional charge of extended use of church service.
No official parking space. It has no exclusive parking space for SAC clients and churchgoers. The parking space in front of the church or courtyard can be used by the clients and staff of other establishments nearby. As per the security guard at SAC, for the guests to use the parking space in front of the church, they can come and park their car 2-3 hours earlier to your wedding time.

Supplier Rating
4/5

Wedding Preps Do and Undo

Do. Since SAC is handling Nuptial direction, I will ask a special request to Ms. Belen to provide an assigned staff to manage the guest who does not follow the Unplugged rule. (Probably, this is with an additional charge.)
Do. We will have an exclusive reminder to group the P/V team of our most captured moments that we wanted to have. As mentioned, we do not have a group photo with my family.
Do. Will book extension use of the church
Do. Will organize 1 month ahead assigning who will be our liturgical readers and mass offertories in - charge.
Do. I will bring a copy of the Wedding Church Checklist when booking the church and ask Ms. Belen comprehensively. It will help us to understand the church requirement and rules and regulations and to have a full view of expectations. (Please see Wedding Church Checklist.)
Undo. Will not get top view shot, the P/V did not maximize to use it
Undo. We will not get a floral wall! Better to use our bridal car as the backdrop and the P/V wasn't able to capture better in front of the closed door
Undo. Will not get a musician, SAC has good musicians.

^{Myio Okamoto Photography}

Top 3 Second Best

If it wasn't San Agustin Church, here are our other choices:

Taal Basilica of Saint Martin De Tours Parish is located in the heart of Taal, Batangas.
St. Therese Chapel of the Child Jesus is a Church located at Pico de Loro Cove, Hamilo Coast, Nasugbu, Batangas.
Caleruega Church- The Transfiguration Chapel is located at Brgy. Kaylaway, Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas.

The place of your wedding ceremony may be different from other brides and grooms. Most importantly, you and your fiancé's discernment leads to find a perfect church where you both respects each other's belief, faith and values. How lovely it is, God is your Supreme Witness on your wedding day!

"Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." - Mark 10:9