First Congregational Church

Beautiful, Historic Downtown Church & Banquet Hall

We serve the Inland Empire

Service area

Holds ceremonies and receptions

First Congregational Church is a majestic wedding venue located in Riverside, CA. We are committed to helping you to wed in the way you envision. You can call on us to discuss your special day. At First Congregational Church, we offer wedding ceremonies for everyone in our historic building. There are no membership restrictions, and we are an open and affirming congregation. Reverend Kristen Nelson is our Senior Pastor and has more than 28 years of ordained experience. She has officiated for hundreds of couples and wants to ensure that your ceremony is sacred and meaningful for you. She will collaborate with you and your loved ones to make your celebration truly your own. Marriages are more than a celebration of social customs. The guests gather not only to witness the ceremony but also to support the couple, give thanks to God, and receive God's blessing upon their relationship. First Congregational Church is eager to make your marriage a beautiful and memorable occasion. We also have a large and renovated party hall and kitchen available for receptions. Please check out our website or give us a call for more information! And don't forget; we have the only swinging bell carillon in the region to ring in your new union! What You'll Love About First Congregational Church Couples rave about the breathtaking historic spaces available at this lovely venue. They also love working with the helpful and professional wedding team. Check out the FAQs for more information about your special day at this beautiful church.

112+ years in business

Speaks English

Large team (21+ members)

Amenities + details

Amenities

Ceremony Area

Dressing Room

Handicap Accessible

Indoor Event Space

Liability Insurance

Reception Area

Ceremony Types

Interfaith Ceremony

Religious Ceremony

Second Wedding

Vow Renewal Ceremony

Settings

Historic Venue

Religious Setting

Church

Venue Service Offerings

Cakes & Desserts

Cupcakes

Any questions?

Meet the team

Kristen Nelson
Senior Pastor
Reverend Nelson is an experienced minister and officiant. She has served congregations in Northern California, Virginia, and Minnesota.
Joshua Romo
Music Ministry/Choir Director
Joshua Romo is a conductor from Southern California with 6+ years of experience. He has varied experience leading ensembles and in stage direction.

5.0

out of 5.0

3 reviews

Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

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Afiawan E

Highlighted review.

6/03/2025

Working with First Congregational Church in Riverside for my wedding was fantastic!Besides from the church being an absolute beautiful venue, the wedding coordinators made the expe...

rience so nice and easy! They comforted my niece who was the flower girl during wedding rehearsal and at the wedding to make sure she wasn’t nervous and where she would walk to! Every member I worked with at FCC was kind, loving, patient, communicative and so supportive. They rang their bells outside when it was announced that my husband and I were married, which was such a cool touch and everyone in downtown Riverside was able to hear the bells ring. They all made my ceremony experience so memorable and it was my favorite part of wedding day because everything went perfect in my eyes!

Angela B

7/10/2025

I had my wedding at the First Congress Church of Riverside on May 31. They were great; everything ran smoothly. They were flexible regarding working with my photographers and video...

graphers and helping my dream wedding come to life. Pastor Kristen was able to give me the ceremony. I would like, even though it wasn’t a complete Catholic ceremony/wedding. We were still able to do some Catholic traditions.

Any questions?

Connie R

1/17/2025

I am extremely fortunate to have had my wedding at this lovely historic church. Not only is this church stunning but the staff made it extra special for us. The communication, de...

dication, vision, and professionalism we received from our church coordinator Maggie Degroff, was awesome. It was an absolutely lovely and magical experience working with her. Maggie paid attention to the details; we met twice for at least 3 hours at a time. Whatever I requested she would make it happen. Her joy in helping me plan our ceremony (we did have a Catholic ceremony) showed in her smile and eyes. Her team Lori and Yvette were on top of every detail on the Wedding Day. They were so helpful and showed joy that the plan flourished into our dream come true. The pianist and music coordinator Josh Romo was awesome as well, he was sick one night but he still made an effort to connect with me to go over some details. He helped me choose the music and encouraged me to be creative. The ringing of the beautiful bells when we walked out after the ceremony was the cherry on the cake. I cannot thank Pastor Kristen and her staff for their kindness and flexibility. It was thanks to all of them, especially my Maggie, that made our day spectacular. We hope to live long enough to come back and celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary.

Response from First Congregational Church on 01/18/2025

Thank you Connie. We were honored to be part of your special day. It brings us such joy ...

when our church is the perfect venue for a couple to share their vows and begin their life together. On behalf of our church staff we wish you and Danny many years of joy and love and hope to see you back for your 25th Wedding Anniversary. May God bless you and your beautiful journey together.

Service area & Contact info

3504 Mission Inn Ave, Riverside, CA

Open map

(951) 684-2494

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First Congregational Church

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