For some couples, the trip to the Chapel just got a whole lot longer.
A popular place for Duke alumni, faculty, staff and current students to get married, the Duke Chapel is booked solid until it closes for construction May 11, 2015, with three weddings each Saturday and one each Sunday.
Most of these couples have reserved their date one year in advance, reflecting the popularity and high demand of the Chapel as a wedding venue. And for these couples, tenting expands beyond the demands of K-Ville. Although limited to Duke alums and employees, as well as their children and grandchildren, couples looking to wed at the Chapel typically have to book about a year in advance—with the dates for a particular month opening up at 8:30 a.m. on the first of the same month a year beforehand and closing six weeks before the wedding date.
This tradition, however, will see a one year gap as the chapel closes for construction until Spring 2016.
But instead of finding a new venue for their weddings, many couples are choosing to wait until the Chapel reopens for their weddings.
"Most brides are going to wait until 2016—that is the phenomenon that we are seeing right now," said Beth Pendergrass, catering sales manager at Washington Duke Inn, which is a popular reception spot for couples who have their ceremony at the Chapel. "Brides are actually calling asking if we have availability in 2016, but we can only book a year out in advance."
Before the Chapel officially closes, however, staff are working to fit in as many time-sensistive weddings as possible, said Sara Clark, event and wedding coordinator for the Chapel. She noted that the Chapel is such an iconic part of the Duke experience that many couples are unwilling to sacrifice.
"A lot of couples met here at Duke and they're also connected to here as a religious space," Clark said.
Because of the closing, couples with a Duke affiliation—that generally would opt for nuptials in the Chapel—are being given priority for booking at other venues for weddings, such as the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, the Washington Duke Inn and the Nasher Museum of Art. Theses venues, however, have not seen increases in demand for weddings.
“People who want specifically the Chapel wedding don’t necessarily want a garden wedding. One doesn’t substitute for the other,” said Marcia Julien, assistant manager of special events for the Gardens.
She noted that the allure of the Chapel is strong enough to bring couples back to Durham from all around the country—meaning that for some pairs, postponing the wedding for a year may seem worth it if the Chapel is the end goal.
The Chapel restoration projects will include restoring stained glass windows and woodwork, as well as cleaning the floor and walls. The Chapel has had few repairs since it was completed in 1932, and these restoration projects to replace the original construction materials will preserve the aesthetics and use of the Chapel for generations to come.
“The Chapel is trying to keep open as much as we can, as these restoration projects are being done,” Clark said.
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