Chapel
Reservations
Please contact the Event Planning Office for the most updated pricing and availability.
Newcomb Event Planning Office
Newcomb Hall, Room 436
Phone: (434) 924-3203
The SOURCE has information on upcoming events scheduled to take place in the chapel.
Handouts
- Chapel Regulations (.pdf)
- Wedding Regulations and Information (.pdf)
- Removable Cross Information (.pdf)
- Organ Information (.pdf)
Fees
The chapel fees are as follows:
Weddings
| Registered full-time U.Va. students | $200 |
| Alumni, staff, faculty, administrators | $350 |
| No University affiliation | $750 |
Other Services
| Christening/Baptism (UVA affiliation required) | $25 for one hour |
| Memorial Services/Funeral (UVA affiliation required) | No fee |
| Concert (UVA Department or CIO only) | $40 fee if admission is charged |
These fees cover two hours for the wedding and one hour for the rehearsal. Wedding reservations must be for a minimum of 2 hours and can be increased in one hour increments. The fee is increased accordingly.
Wedding Reservations
Lottery Schedule
A lottery system is used to book the Chapel for wedding ceremonies. Wedding reservations are taken starting one year to the month in advance. A lottery is held each month and can be entered during the last 5 working days of the previous month, one year ahead.
The drawing is held on 1st working day of the month, one year in advance. Lottery entries are drawn at random. Requestors are contacted as their names are drawn and may reserve any date (in the lottery month) and time available at that point. You must be available via phone the morning of the lottery drawing. The lottery continues until every entrant has been called.
For example: For an April 2007 wedding, you would enter the lottery by calling the office during the last 5 working days of March 2006. The drawing would be held on the first working day of April 2006.
The exception to this is for the months of September, October, and November. This is due to the finalization of the home football schedule.
To reserve for September, October, or November you may enter a lottery during the last 5 working days of January of the same year. The lottery drawing is held on the 1st working day of February. If the football schedule has not yet been released, you will be notified when you call to enter the lottery.
After the lottery drawing is completed, reservations for remaining dates and times are accepted by calling directly. Only the bride or groom or members of their immediate families may make reservations.
Cancellations
Paid weddings will be refunded 50 percent if canceled within 90 days of the wedding date. You must call the Event Planning Office (434) 924-3203, and request a cancellation form, which will be sent to the person who paid for the wedding. This form must be completed and returned to the Event Planning Office within 10 days in order to process the 50 percent refund. If you have not paid and wish to cancel, please send a brief letter to that effect.
General Regulations Applicable to all Reservations
- No food or beverages may be taken into the chapel.
- Decorations may be hung on the pews. No stapling, gluing or taping to any surface, including the pews, is permitted. Items left behind will be disposed of immediately.
- Music: Organ- There is a 2 manual skinner pipe organ in the chapel for use. Sound System- You may bring in a sound system. Piano- May not be taken into the chapel. There will be no exceptions; only electric keyboards or other instruments may be used.
- No rice, birdseed, confetti or any substance may be thrown in or outside of the chapel. Bubbles may be used outside of the chapel. ONLY dried flowers may be dropped on a runner because they can be vacuumed.
- Cross: It may be carefully removed from the altar, but must be replaced following the ceremony.
- Candles:
- Only drip-less candles may be used and must be lit with a lighter. Any wax on the carpet will incur a $250 cleaning fee.
- Candles must be stationary (not hand held) in candelabras or on a table top in candle holders.
- Candles, even in candelabras, may not be put in the aisles or on window sills (fire code). No aisle may be blocked in any way due to the fire code.
- Candles must be removed carefully so that the hot wax on the top does not spill on any surface.
- Candles must be removed and taken out of the chapel after use.
- Runners and candelabras are to be provided by your florist.
- Florists must remove all equipment, candles and litter before reservation period ends.
Payment
We accept Visa, MasterCard and checks. The contract must be signed and sent back with payment. Checks should be made payable to the University of Virginia and mailed, with the signed contract, to the
Event Planning Office
P.O. Box 400701, Newcomb Hall Station,
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4701.
Payment must be received within thirty days after the reservation is made or your reservation will be cancelled. The income from these fees pays for Chapel maintenance and renovation.
Keys to Chapel and Organ
A designated person must pick up the keys to the chapel and the organ at the Event Planning Office on the 4th floor of Newcomb Hall between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, the week before the wedding. Keys must be returned to the Event Planning Office the Monday after the wedding or put in the drop box, which is located on the inside of the back door of the chapel.
Wedding Invitations
The address to be used for wedding invitations is: THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CHAPEL on the corner of University Avenue and McCormick Road.
Parking
For reserved parking and general parking information please call UVA Parking and Transportation at 924-7231.
Directions to the Chapel
To find directions to the chapel, please use this address, 1619 University Avenue, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, or for maps call Parking and Transportation at 434-924-7231.
Waiting Rooms
There are no dressing rooms. There is a small rustic room on the left side, not large enough for dressing, inside of the Chapel. It is located on the left wing in the back of the Chapel, which has accessibility to the outside. There is an additional room in the back of the altar for the Groom, which also has accessibility to the outside.
Restrooms
No restroom facilities are available inside the Chapel. The closest restrooms are located at the Rotunda (south arcade) and are unlocked for use by the wedding party and guests. The Rotunda is normally open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Carillon
The bells are programmed to ring on weekdays and Saturdays on the hour from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and on Sunday from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. The programming is set and cannot be changed.
Regulations for Weddings (.pdf) PDF version of the above information.
General Regulations for the Chapel (.pdf) PDF version of the above information with wedding specific information excluded
Removable Cross
A Stanislav Makielski designed cross is permanently displayed in the University Chapel in a locked glass display case located on the stage in front of the Chapel organ pipes.
Removal of the Cross from the Display Case
Requests by authorized Chapel users to have the cross removed from its case and placed on the table located on the stage for use as part of a confirmed chapel reservation must be made at the time of event scheduling. The cross will be removed from the case and placed on the table by Newcomb staff at a time agreed upon with the event sponsor. At this time, the safety and security of the cross becomes the responsibility of the event sponsor. At the conclusion of the event, the cross will be left on the table. Newcomb staff will return it to the display case.
Covering the Cross
Requests by authorized Chapel users to have the cross covered during a confirmed chapel reservation must be made at the time of event scheduling. The case containing the Makielski cross will be covered by a Newcomb staff member at an agreed upon time with the event sponsor. At the scheduled end time of the event, a Newcomb staff member will arrive to uncover the case containing the cross, thus putting the cross back on display.
All questions regarding these two event options should be directed to the Newcomb Hall Event Planning Office at 434.924.3203.
PDF version of information about the removable chapel cross.
Organists
The organists listed here charge a flat fee of $300. This includes one consultation, the wedding rehearsal, the ceremony, and one soloist with one rehearsal. A $50 fee applies for any additional meetings, additional soloists or more than three solo pieces to accompany. If you wish to consult with more than one organist, an additional fee may apply. A deposit may be required at the time of engaging the services of the organist. The total fee is due two weeks in advance of the wedding rehearsal.
Organist |
Phone |
Affiliation |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Norman Allen | NApresto73@aol.com | (434) 296-3443 | Wesley Memorial Methodist |
| Karen Dalton | kwd2n@virginia.edu | (434) 984-5308 | University Baptist, Church of Our Savior (Episcopal) |
| Carlton Dickerson | Carltondic@netscape.net | (434) 296-4040 | Trinity Episcopal |
| Linda Hanson | musician@nexet.net | (434) 978-4489 | |
| Alice Layman | alayman@stab.org | (434) 978-4164 | St. Paul's Ivy (Episcopal) |
| Barbara Moore | btmoore30@hotmail.com | (434) 293-9234 | University Baptist |
| David Norfrey | davidneliz@christchurchcville.org | (434) 806-1037 | Christ Episcopal Church |
| James Sivley | jes6j@virginia.edu | (434) 293-6016 | St. Thomas Aquinas (Catholic), Paul's Ivy (Episcopal) |
| Suzanne Smith | suzanne.smith@mjh.org | (434) 823-1144 |
Other Organists
Any organist not listed must be approved by the Event Planning Office. To receive approval, either call the Event Planning Office, or submit a brief description of the organist's training and experience by email to reservenewcomb@virginia.edu. Organists not listed above are not bound by the above fee schedule.
Organ rehearsal
The organist may call the Event Planning Office to reserve a one hour organ rehearsal time.
PDF version of information on organists (.pdf)