Reserving the Chapel 

UVA CIOs and Departmental reservation requests must be made online via our EVENT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE (EMS).

Clients for weddings, christenings, baptisms, memorial services, funerals: MAKE YOUR RESERVATION REQUEST HERE. Reservations may be made up to one year in advance. 

The historic UVA Chapel can host weddings, christenings, baptisms, memorial services, funerals, meetings and special events for up to 250 guests. Please use the following links to learn more information about how the Chapel can suit your needs. 

Wedding Reservations
All other Meetings and Events
Fees
Additional Information (Parking, addresses, and equipment)
Regulations
Additional Services (Cross, sound system, organists)
History of the Chapel

Wedding Reservations

It is not necessary to have UVA affiliation to reserve the University Chapel for a wedding.  

Wedding parties will be required to sign a contract indicating that they understand our policies when they reserve the University Chapel. The signatory of the contract will be responsible for all wedding-related activities and may be held financially liable for charges required to repair or replace damages.  

MAKE YOUR WEDDING RESERVATION REQUEST HERE. Reservations may be made up to one year in advance. 

Weddings are booked for 3-hour time blocks, an additional 1-hour rehearsal may be scheduled the day or week prior to the reservation date as/if space is available. Available time blocks listed below:  

• 9:00 am-12:00 pm  

• 1:00 pm-4:00 pm  

• 5:00 pm-8:00 pm 

Additional time may be requested by booking an additional 3-hour block, prices listed below. 

During the following months, wedding reservations are only available on Saturdays: 

• February 

• March 

• April  

• August*

• September*

• October*

• November* 

*On Football Saturday Game Days, the Chapel is only available from 9 am-12 pm

Wedding reservations are available 7 days a week during the following months: 

• January 

• May 

• June  

• July 

• December 

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All Other Meetings and Events

Reservations may be made up to one year in advance. 

UVA CIOs and Departmental reservation requests must be made online via EVENT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE (EMS).

Non-UVA affiliated reservations for events, such as christenings, baptisms, memorial services, or funerals can be requested via the WEBFORM

Reservations may be made up to one year in advance. 

All requests for the Chapel must be made no less than 14 days in advance and no further than one year in advance.  

Please make sure to check all information on Chapel regulations and fees to ensure your reservation can be approved.  

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Fees

Student groups will not be charged any fees for use of the Chapel.  

University Department: $250 

UVA Affiliate: $625 

Non-Affiliate: $850 

Included in pricing:  

Three-hour reservation window and one-hour rehearsal time. Basic A/V package, including one lavalier microphone, one microphone at the lectern, one handheld wireless microphone on a straight stand. If more than three hours is needed, an additional time block will need to be reserved. The reservation block includes setup, event, and breakdown (i.e., you must stay within the reserved time). 

Payment

Payment is due no later than 14 days upon receipt of invoice from UVA Accounts Payable. Or 7 days prior to the function whichever date is sooner. Failure to pay will result in cancellation of event request.

Cancellations

All cancellations must be made via email. Paid reservations will receive a 50% refund if cancelled in writing 30 days or more before the reservation date. If the cancellation is made less than 30 days before the reservation date, a refund will not be issued.

Event Insurance

You must obtain and provide proof of event insurance. All third parties (CIOs, UAOs, outside entities etc.) will need to procure and submit a certificate of insurance to Risk Management and the certificate must show that the following is covered as an additional insured: “The Commonwealth of Virginia and the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia, its officers, employees and agents.”   

The minimum levels of insurance needed are as follows:  

Insurance Requirements  

• General Liability - Providing CGL coverage on an “occurrence” basis (not “claims made” basis) for bodily injury and liability including, but not limited to death, assault, battery, property damage, liability for damage to property of third parties, and personal injury liability, with minimum limits of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence and Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000) aggregate. 

• Sexual Abuse/Molestation* – Providing coverage with a minimum limit of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence. *This coverage is required only if unaccompanied minors will be in attendance at the event.  

• Automobile Liability** - Providing coverage on all vehicles (i.e., owned, non-owned, and hired) operated with combined minimum limits of liability of at least One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage. **This coverage is required only if minors will be transported in vehicles during the event (not including transport to/from the event).  

In addition, for any vendors providing services on grounds, certificates of insurance showing the additional insured language and proof of coverage for the General Liability and Automobile Liability coverages must be submitted to Risk Management 14 days in advance of your event.  

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Additional Information

Please note that we respect the privacy of all parties who reserve the Chapel. We will neither provide contact information nor communicate on behalf of one client with another except in the case of emergency situations.

The chapel does not offer dressing rooms. However, there is a small room located on the right wing near the back of the chapel, as well as a small office to the right of the altar, that can be used as a waiting room.

The University Chapel does not have restrooms. The closest restrooms are located in Shannon Library or Newcomb Hall. Hotel A restrooms may be utilized by the bridal party. 

 

Facility and Equipment Description:

The Chapel has front door wheelchair access, as well as A/C and heat. There is a foyer in the entrance with a wooden table. The chapel seats 250 people. The bell tower is on the right side of the Chapel. There are 17 pews on one side of the center aisle, 15 of which are 10 ft, 8 in. The remaining 2 pews are 6 ft long. There is a 2 manual skinner pipe organ, a Carillion automated bell system, a brass lectern, a wooden kneeler (13 in. wide, 12 in deep, 3 ft tall), 4 large wooden altar chairs, and a wooden altar table (6 ft 2 in wide, 2 ft deep, 3 ft high). The Chapel stage area is approximately 32 feet wide and 13 feet deep.  

Address

Invitation Address:
The University of Virginia Chapel on the corner of University Avenue and McCormick Road

Directions Address:
145 McCormick Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22903

Building Hours

The Chapel is open Monday - Saturday, 8 am to 10 pm, and Sunday 9 am to 10 pm. Reservations are accepted Monday - Saturday, 8:30 am to 9:30 pm, and Sunday 9:30 am to 9:30 pm.

Parking

Parking may be available in the five spaces along McCormick Road next to the chapel. Due to the high volume of traffic at the Chapel, parties must clear the spaces when their reservation has ended. Parking availability is listed below:

• Monday-Friday 7:30 - 5:00pm - 5 spaces may be available.
• Monday-Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after 5:00pm  - 2 spaces may be available. 

To reserve parking spaces, please send a request at least 14 business days prior to your event date. Any parking fees are paid directly to the Parking and Transportation office and are not included in the facility use fee for the Chapel. 

For questions or more information, please email the Special Events Coordinator at Parking and Transportation at [email protected] to make reservations.

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Regulations

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.

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.

Candles

• A request to use candles at your event must be sent to the Event Management Office via email for approval.  

• A maximum of 3 candles may be used. 

• Only dripless candles may be used. Any wax dripped on surfaces (carpet, tabletops, etc.) will incur a $250 cleaning fee. 

• Candles placed on tabletops must be placed in candle holders. 

• Candles may not be placed on the piano, organ, windowsills or in the aisles. 

• No aisle may be blocked in any way per fire code. 

• Candles may not be moved once they are lit, with the exception of lighting a unity candle.  

• All candles must be extinguished immediately after the event is over. 

• Candles must be removed carefully so that the hot wax does not spill on any surface. 

• Candles must be removed and taken out of the chapel after use. 

• When using candles, the event organizers must be aware of the location of the fire extinguishers in the building. Fire extinguishers are located in the room to the right of the stage, and beside the doors leading to the right side exit. 

• Suggestion: Use battery operated candles or consult with your florist. 

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Additional Services

Chapel Cross

A Stanislav Makielski designed cross is available for display on the altar. It is 12” x 24”. For those who do not prefer to have the cross on display, please make note this within your reservation request. 

Sound System

The basic A/V package includes one lavalier microphone, one microphone at the lectern, and one handheld wireless microphone on a straight stand.

Special Approval is required if you would like to bring equipment into the chapel.

 

Hearing Loop Assistive Listening System

The Chapel features a hearing loop assistive listening system. Guests with hearing aids or cochlear implants can wirelessly receive the audio signal from our sound system by selecting the "t-coil" or "telecoil" program on their hearing device. For individuals who do not have their own hearing devices, headphones are available. To learn more about how a hearing loop system works, please see this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlnx3ZImTw0 

Organ

The University Chapel is equipped with an Aeolian-2 manual Skinner pipe organ.

It is the responsibility of the event organizer to contract with an organist. The Event Management Office has no affiliation with this service. 

The organists listed here charge a flat fee of $400. This includes one consultation, the wedding rehearsal, the ceremony, and any time required to rehearse with a soloist if you have hired one. 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 to the organist 14 days in advance of the wedding rehearsal. 

Pre-Approved Organists for UVA Chapel

Any organist not listed above must receive prior approval. To receive approval, submit a brief description of the organist’s training and experience by email to the organist coordinator, Barbara Moore at [email protected].

The organist may call or email the Event Management Office, (434) 924-7225, to reserve a one hour organ rehearsal time.

Chapel Bell 

The Chapel Bell is available to ring at the end of each ceremony.

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History of the Chapel

UVA’s student newspaper, the Cavalier Daily, wrote an article published on February 11, 2016 delineating the University Chapel’s history. You can find the full article here.

You can also read about the recent renovations to the Chapel written on January 18, 2024. Find the full article here.