The Basilica of Saint |Mary Reviews

Reviews

• Katherine Sent on 11/28/2012
  5 out of 5 rating

  5.0
  • Quality of service
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Average response time
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Professionalism
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Value
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Flexibility
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0

  I loved working with Fr. Kleinmann and Page Johnson was my cantor. She has a voice like an angel!

  I loved working with Fr. Kleinmann and Page Johnson was my cantor. She has a voice like an angel!
• Rita Sent on 07/02/2010
  5 out of 5 rating

  5.0
  • Quality of service
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Average response time
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
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    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Value
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Flexibility
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0

  Our wedding preparations with St. Mary's were wonderful, and brought us closer together as a couple. Fr. Kleinmann was able to use the things we talked about as part of our homily which was such a thoughtful and personal touch.
  St. Mary's is absolutely beautiful, especially since the renovation. We used Paige Johnson as our cantor, Steve Matera as our trumpeteer, and Charles Saik as our organist. It was really an outstanding trio. While Paige was singing Ave Maria, I had tears in my eyes.
  The church and music were all that we could ask for!

  Our wedding preparations with St. Mary's were wonderful, and brought us closer together as a couple. Fr. Kleinmann was able to use the things we talked about as part of our homily which was such a thoughtful and personal touch.
  St. Mary's is absolutely beautiful, especially since the renovation. We used Paige Johnson as our cantor, Steve Matera as our trumpeteer, and Charles Saik as our organist. It was really an outstanding trio. While Paige was singing Ave Maria, I had tears in my eyes.
  The church and music were all that we could ask for!
• Marianne Sent on 05/26/2011
  4.6 out of 5 rating

  4.6
  • Quality of service
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Average response time
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
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    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Value
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Flexibility
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0

  Love the church!! Didn't have a lot of time to take pictures since there was another wedding right after, have to admit that I didn't really mind, Old Town is great for that anyway.

  Love the church!! Didn't have a lot of time to take pictures since there was another wedding right after, have to admit that I didn't really mind, Old Town is great for that anyway.
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• Kristin Sent on 11/16/2006
  4.1 out of 5 rating

  4.1
  • Quality of service
    4.0 out of 5 rating
    4.0
  • Average response time
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Professionalism
    4.0 out of 5 rating
    4.0
  • Value
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Flexibility
    2.5 out of 5 rating
    2.5

  St. Mary's is a beautiful historic catholic church in Old Town Alexandria, VA. It is gorgeous and a picturesque place for a wedding ceremony. It is EXTREMELY difficult to get into the church though for a wedding ceremony. You must live within the church boundaries to even belong to the church. Once you are a member the staff and priests are fantastic. They have you go through a series of meetings (which are actually pretty painless, make for good conversations, and help you as a couple learn a lot about values and expectations).
  
  They have an excellent music demonstration prior to your wedding where all the cantors and organist come and play all the songs you can choose from. It helps you decide what songs to use during your ceremony and what cantor and organist you would like.
  
  There were two difficulties I found. One, there was no wedding coordinator there the night of the rehearsal or the wedding day. I had to have relatives open the doors for the bridal party to proceed down the aisle. It was very difficult to not have someone there directing people and focusing on the timing of everything. Two, there is no place for the bride and bridal party to get ready or hide before the ceremony. I basically pulled up in the limo and walked down the aisle.
  
  All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better church and location. It was beautiful and I loved our priest!

  St. Mary's is a beautiful historic catholic church in Old Town Alexandria, VA. It is gorgeous and a picturesque place for a wedding ceremony. It is EXTREMELY difficult to get into the church though for a wedding ceremony. You must live within the church boundaries to even belong to the church. Once you are a member the staff and priests are fantastic. They have you go through a series of meetings (which are actually pretty painless, make for good conversations, and help you as a couple learn a lot about values and expectations).
  
  They have an excellent music demonstration prior to your wedding where all the cantors and organist come and play all the songs you can choose from. It helps you decide what songs to use during your ceremony and what cantor and organist you would like.
  
  There were two difficulties I found. One, there was no wedding coordinator there the night of the rehearsal or the wedding day. I had to have relatives open the doors for the bridal party to proceed down the aisle. It was very difficult to not have someone there directing people and focusing on the timing of everything. Two, there is no place for the bride and bridal party to get ready or hide before the ceremony. I basically pulled up in the limo and walked down the aisle.
  
  All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better church and location. It was beautiful and I loved our priest!
• Stephanie Sent on 07/07/2018
  2 out of 5 rating

  2.0
  • Quality of service
    2.5 out of 5 rating
    2.5
  • Average response time
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0
  • Professionalism
    2.0 out of 5 rating
    2.0
  • Value
    2.0 out of 5 rating
    2.0
  • Flexibility
    0.5 out of 5 rating
    0.5

  The good: We had a wonderful time working with Fr. Barnes to prepare for our marriage. My husband is not Catholic and he found our meetings with Fr. Barnes to be both enlightening and welcoming. Working with the church regarding flowers and music was smooth sailing as well.
  
  The bad: it cost us a fortune, the administrative staff was both unhelpful and inflexible, and the coordinator was downright mean. My ceremony was at 2:30 p.m., the booklet provided by the church said to be at the church by NO LATER than 2 p.m. Not wanting to disrespect a busy institution, my bridesmaids and I showed up at 1:45 p.m. and were told there was no way we could be let inside because its a hard 2 p.m. arrival (never said that in the booklet). Nevermind that the temperature that day was 87 degrees and sunny and we were all melting. Then at the end of mass when my husband and I kissed, our guests began cheering and were promptly SHUSHED by the coordinator. Witnessing a couple uniting in the sacrament of marriage is a joyful occasion and we are not prohibited from celebrating that. And then they rushed us through our pictures because they had confession scheduled at 4 p.m. First of all, I fail to understand how quickly taking group pictures disturbs those waiting for confession. My group was quiet and respectful. Second, when my sister made a light hearted joke about it, the coordinator yelled at her, claiming we were "lucky" to even be able to use the space and that it was a "privilege" they were even letting us get married. It was so incredibly mean and rude and we were all taken aback. For the record, we are not LUCKY. We are parishioners. We live within parish boundaries, pay tithes, and go to church on Sundays. We have every right to be there, just as much as those arriving for confession. And it was not a PRIVILEGE because we PAID OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO BE THERE. The coordinator made it so unpleasant and awful for my guests. Do not recommend AT ALL.

  The good: We had a wonderful time working with Fr. Barnes to prepare for our marriage. My husband is not Catholic and he found our meetings with Fr. Barnes to be both enlightening and welcoming. Working with the church regarding flowers and music was smooth sailing as well.
  
  The bad: it cost us a fortune, the administrative staff was both unhelpful and inflexible, and the coordinator was downright mean. My ceremony was at 2:30 p.m., the booklet provided by the church said to be at the church by NO LATER than 2 p.m. Not wanting to disrespect a busy institution, my bridesmaids and I showed up at 1:45 p.m. and were told there was no way we could be let inside because its a hard 2 p.m. arrival (never said that in the booklet). Nevermind that the temperature that day was 87 degrees and sunny and we were all melting. Then at the end of mass when my husband and I kissed, our guests began cheering and were promptly SHUSHED by the coordinator. Witnessing a couple uniting in the sacrament of marriage is a joyful occasion and we are not prohibited from celebrating that. And then they rushed us through our pictures because they had confession scheduled at 4 p.m. First of all, I fail to understand how quickly taking group pictures disturbs those waiting for confession. My group was quiet and respectful. Second, when my sister made a light hearted joke about it, the coordinator yelled at her, claiming we were "lucky" to even be able to use the space and that it was a "privilege" they were even letting us get married. It was so incredibly mean and rude and we were all taken aback. For the record, we are not LUCKY. We are parishioners. We live within parish boundaries, pay tithes, and go to church on Sundays. We have every right to be there, just as much as those arriving for confession. And it was not a PRIVILEGE because we PAID OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO BE THERE. The coordinator made it so unpleasant and awful for my guests. Do not recommend AT ALL.