Get me to the Chapel on time

While millions of people have pictured the words "I do" ringing through cathedrals, hometown churches or outdoor alcoves, I think it's safe to say that many Princeton students dream of saying their vows in a more specific location: beneath the soaring arches and glittering stained glass of the University Chapel.

After all, who wouldn't want a wedding in a beautiful chapel that, architecturally speaking, may as well be one of the Gothic cathedrals of Europe? On top of that, if you meet your future spouse as an undergrad, as many people do, what better place to tie the knot than on the campus where your love first blossomed?

At the same time, though, we've all heard the myths of the two-year waiting periods and the exclusivity of Chapel weddings. Is a ceremony in the Chapel too good to be true?

To find out, I did some research on how getting married in the Chapel really works, and I was surprised to find that a Chapel wedding is not as difficult to accomplish as I had initially thought. In order to get married in the Chapel, you do not need to be ridiculously rich, famous and important. In fact, the only prerequisite is that you are a student, alum, current faculty or staff member, or the child of any of these. Same-sex ceremonies are also performed in the Chapel.

Okay, so what about the wait? Deborah Blanks, associate dean of religious life, dispelled the popular notion that having a wedding in the Chapel is impossible unless you're willing to have the world's longest engagement. When I asked her about the waiting period for a Chapel wedding, she laughed and said, "Ah, the myths..."

"There really isn't an average wait," Blanks said. "As soon as a person submits the paperwork, as long as the person meets the criteria, it goes over to [Chapel Administrator Liz] Powers, who looks at what dates are available."

Blanks explained that it is possible to book a wedding up to two years in advance but said most weddings occur sooner than that.

So, let's say that Alex and Jamie meet during their senior year at Princeton. They go to graduate school together and, one beautiful fall day, decide to get married. If the two want to get married in the Chapel the following May, their first step would be to write to Blanks explaining their connections to the University. They might tell her about how they loved coming to religious services in the Chapel as undergrads, and how much it would mean to them to secure their bond there forever.

The couple would also have to provide two dates and times for their wedding. Since they want a wedding in May, they can only get married on a Saturday; Sunday weddings are permitted in June, July and August. Once they pick a date, they have a choice of service times; either from noon to 1 p.m. or from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Either way, they'd be allowed into the Chapel an hour in advance to set up and allow their guests time to come in.

Once they establish a date, Alex and Jamie need to start thinking about who they would like to officiate their ceremony. "Usually people are married by their own clergy," Blanks said. "But the deans of religious life are available if someone does not have a clergyperson."

If the to-be-weds choose to use a dean, they will be charged an extra $500 on top of the standard $2,025 wedding fee. This fee includes the services of a wedding coordinator, sexton and organist.

The University organist is responsible for the arrangement of all music for Chapel weddings; private organists are not permitted. Couples can ask the organist for a wedding demo CD from which they can select their music.

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The University does not provide florist services, though there are florists in Princeton who can create the two floral arrangements that are allowed in front of the sanctuary. The Chapel does not permit decorations other than these two bouquets and two altar candles.

Likewise, the University Chapel is not responsible for providing reception services. These are up to Alex and Jamie, though they may take their pick of locations in the Princeton area.

So, the big day approaches. The couple has invited guests and set up rooms for them in the Nassau Inn. Jamie has ordered a cake from Chez Alice.

Friday evening, Alex and Jamie have a wedding rehearsal in the Chapel. The next morning, the couple and their loved ones get pictures taken on campus. Finally, it's time for the wedding. The chapel fills with people, the sound of the organ echoes against the columns. Alex makes a grand entrance while Jamie beams at the altar. Their fairytale Chapel wedding is a reality ... and one day, yours could be too.