Pittsburgh flair: Heinz Chapel weddings

One of the most popular locations for ceremonies in Pittsburgh, Heinz Memorial Chapel is a gorgeous setting for weddings. Couples have been saying "I do" at this historic chapel in Oakland since 1946 (check out this great story about three generations of brides who wed at Heinz Chapel).

Of course, since it is such a popular venue, having your wedding there can be tricky business. You or an immediate family member must be affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh in some way (as a student, alumni, faculty, staff or board member) or be an employee of Heinz. Booking your desired date and time at the chapel might be a bit challenging, especially on popular dates. To secure your spot, take the advice of some former Heinz Chapel brides:

• Call Heinz Chapel on the first of the month, 12 months before your wedding, at 8:30 a.m. (so if you're having a July 18, 2009, wedding, you'll want to call on July 1, 2008).
• Recruit several family members to call as well to increase your chances to get through (you'll often face busy signals and will need to keep redialing).
• Try calling from an on campus phone at Pitt. Many brides swear you'll have a better chance to get through.

Of course, if you can be flexible with your date and especially with your time, you'll have an easier time. Many Friday and Saturday morning time slots remain open, and if you pick an off-season date, you can often find Saturday afternoon and evening ceremonies available.

If you're getting married at Heinz Chapel, remember that you'll face some restrictions since so many couple marry there each weekend, most notably with time and decorations. The benefits, however, far out way the restrictions, as you'll be sure to have a beautiful ceremony with great memories (and photographs!) to last a lifetime.

Images from Heinz Memorial Chapel