St. Paul the Apostle Church
A modern Catholic sanctuary in Chino Hills, known for its Gordon Huether stained glass and a courtyard built for large family portraits after the ceremony.
A modern Diocese of San Bernardino parish in Chino Hills
Founded in 1986, St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church grew from ninety parishioners meeting at a junior high school into a parish of over 2,000 families within its first decade. Its current sanctuary, designed by architects Wolff Lang Christopher and dedicated in July 1999, is a contemporary space rather than an older Spanish-mission building — visitors often remark it’s “no ordinary church.”
Stained glass throughout the sanctuary was created by nationally known glass artist Gordon Huether, and the foyer works well for a father-daughter moment before the processional. The church’s large lot doubles as an official park-and-ride, so guest parking is genuinely ample — a rarity for a wedding ceremony venue.
Photographing weddings at St. Paul the Apostle
Couples booking here should plan for a tight but workable window: bridal-party access to the getting-ready room typically opens about an hour before the ceremony, and the church time-boxes family and group photos inside the sanctuary. We move any additional group shots out to the church’s courtyard once that window closes, and stay for the moment couples return to the altar to sign the marriage certificate.
Good to know before you book
- A minimum of six months’ notice is required to book a wedding, twelve+ recommended
- Couples must first meet with a priest or deacon to confirm eligibility to marry
- The church has a dedicated Wedding Music Coordinator couples contact separately
- Getting-ready room access and in-church photo time are both time-boxed
Where we like to shoot
- The sanctuary’s Gordon Huether stained glass as a backdrop
- The foyer, for a father-daughter moment before the processional
- The church courtyard, once in-sanctuary photo time closes
- The altar, for the marriage-certificate signing moment
What couples and guests notice about St. Paul the Apostle Church
At 4.0/5 on Yelp, visitors consistently call it “no ordinary church,” citing its modern design and spacious, welcoming layout.
The parish lot doubles as an official park-and-ride, so guest parking is rarely a problem here.
The church enforces firm time limits on getting-ready access and in-sanctuary photos, so build that into your day-of timeline.