Louise's Helpful Hints for Chapel Weddings

The staff of the Wren Building does not involve itself with matters of faith, ritual, taste, or style. We do concern ourselves with matters that affect the safety and comfort of your guests and matters that bear on the welfare of the Wren Building. That said, please don't hesitate to contact Louise Kale with questions about how things are usually done. The following notes include general information, answers to the most frequently asked questions, as well as some unsolicited advice.

Bernard Bowman

One of the Wren Chapel's greatest assets is Bernard Bowman, who has worked for literally hundreds of Chapel weddings since coming to the Wren Building in 1985. Bernard will check in with you for special instructions at the beginning and end of your rehearsal, and he will be on duty outside the Chapel during your wedding. He does not perform the functions of a wedding coordinator, but he is indispensable in many other ways, not the least of which is making sure that if there is a rehearsal or wedding before yours, the group is out of the chapel on schedule so that you can get in on time.

Decorations

The dimensions of the top of the altar table are 30 x 78 inches (36 inches high). Area florists are familiar with the size of the table and prepare arrangements that are of a suitable size. If your celebrant plans to conduct part of your service from behind the table, as he or she might do for a communion service, be sure the scale of your arrangement will not interfere with the celebrant's use of the table. You might even consider dispensing with an altar table arrangement altogether. It is Louise's opinion that the bride and her attendants are the principal decorations of the chapel.

If you want the cross behind the altar to be visible, your flower arrangement should be no more than 14 inches high. The cross can be removed for a non-Christian ceremony. If you would like the cross and/or candlesticks removed from the altar for your ceremony, please advise Louise in advance and remind Bernard at your rehearsal.

Weather

Because there is no vestibule in the chapel, it is a tricky place for a wedding during inclement weather. Fortunately, Louise and Bernard have special contingency plans for bad weather which we will discuss with you at your rehearsal if rain threatens. Please bear in mind that many cultures consider rain on the wedding day to bring great good fortune.

Climate Control and Doors

The chapel is air conditioned and heated for your comfort. It is also equipped with a sophisticated humidity-control system for the preservation of the antique organ. Because of the sensitivity of the organ to changes in temperature and relative humidity, we ask that you minimize the time the chapel door is open. Please encourage your ushers to help us keep the doors closed when they are not in use. Receiving lines and guest books tend to increase the amount of time the door is open, so please have them at your reception, not at the Chapel.

Since the bride and her escort are the last ones in the wedding party to enter the Chapel, we recommend that you have a friend or family member posted at the door to straighten the bride's veil and train, and to close the door behind her.

The groom, his best man, and the officiant typically enter the chapel through the sacristy (the door to the right of the altar). The last one through the door must remember to shut it so that your guests won't be staring into a closet during your ceremony. Your officiant is the most likely of the three to have his wits about him, so Louise suggests you assign him or her the door-shutting duties.

Lighting

The antique chandelier in the Chapel is electrified and equipped with a dimmer. There are also concealed lights (also with dimmers) in the window sills. The Chapel lighting was designed so that its color and intensity are appropriate for a historic interior. This means that on a cloudy day or during an evening wedding, the Chapel will be adequately illuminated, but not blazing with light. If you are concerned about light levels, please make an appointment with Louise to see the Chapel after dark. You might also consider scheduling your rehearsal at the same hour as your wedding, so you'll know what to expect the next day.

Photography

Frequently the wedding couple and their attendants leave the chapel, walk through the courtyard, and re-enter the building by way of the portico, waiting in the hall behind the chapel for their guests to leave, and then going back into the chapel to pose for photographs.

Some weddings use the portico and other areas inside and outside the building for photography. If there is a wedding before or after yours, please try to avoid being on the grounds during that reservation. While we cannot guarantee that the Great Hall and other public spaces in the building will be available for photography, you are welcome to use them on an as-available basis, with the understanding that you may be sharing the space with other visitors. Contact Louise a week or two before your ceremony if you want to know what rooms will be available.

If you plan to have formal photographs taken in or around the Wren Building prior to the day of your wedding, please encourage your photographer to schedule the shoot with Louise so we can be sure that other scheduled events do not interfere with your photography.

There is no prohibition against flash photography in the Wren Building, but you might consider whether you want the distraction of flashes during your ceremony. Your officiant may also have an opinion about this, so it might be a good idea to check with him or her.

On the Grounds

Please give Louise some advance notice if any element of your wedding will involve use of the grounds around the Wren Building. This includes photography, a horse-drawn carriage, or musicians such as a fife and drum corps or a bagpiper.