Middlebury Chapel Weddings

Middlebury Chapel is generally intended for use by College-affiliated individuals. College-affiliated individuals are defined as students, parents, alumni/ae, faculty, staff, or trustees.  Requests from non-affiliated individuals may be considered at the discretion of the Department of Event Management. 

We ask that all requests for chapel use for weddings or civil unions be submitted via our Middlebury Chapel wedding request form. The information provided on this form allows our associated service providers to review event details to ensure that we can successfully support your event.

Facility fees for weddings in the Chapel are:

• For ceremonies with 50 or fewer guests, the facility fee is $500.
• For ceremonies with more than 50 guests, the facility fee is $1000.
• Wedding ceremonies that require in-person media support and/or media equipment are charged an additional $100.

Rehearsals can be scheduled the day before a ceremony, based on chapel availability, or the day of the ceremony.

The facility fee for the chapel partially defrays the cost of cleaning, event setup, and in-person custodial and event management support.

In addition to the facility fee, the College also requires a Letter of Agreement, a completed facility release form, and a Certificate of Insurance.

Middlebury Chapel is heavily utilized during the regular academic year for institutional events, classes, and annual religious events. During the summer, Language Schools have scheduling priority in the chapel for rehearsals and performances. Chapel availability is limited, and so we encourage you to check both the College’s academic calendar as well as our scheduling date restrictions.

It is the responsibility of the couple to arrange for a cleric or justice of the peace to officiate.

A minister, priest, or rabbi holding ordained status in their denomination or a justice of the peace is welcome to officiate at your wedding in the chapel. However, special arrangements pertaining to particular religions may have to be made. Please check with the local congregation of the church with whom your officiant is affiliated (i.e. St. Mary’s Catholic church has certain protocols for visiting priests in the area).

If the cleric performing your wedding is not licensed in the state of Vermont, by state ordinance, the cleric must write a letter stating his/her formal education, date and place of ordination, by whom he/she was ordained, as well as their present standing in the church. This letter must be signed by the cleric. The bride and groom must write a letter requesting that this cleric be permitted to perform the ceremony. Include in the letter the date, time and location of the ceremony. Both letters should be mailed (together if possible) no later than one month prior to the wedding, to the Addison County Probate Court, Addison County Courthouse, Middlebury, VT 05753.

After you have purchased your marriage license at the Middlebury Town Clerk’s office, you must go to the courthouse where they will issue a permit for the cleric, and attach it to your license. Please call (802) 388-2612, ahead of time to ensure that the permit has been prepared.

Clergy and Justices of the Peace are traditionally given an honorarium for their services. Honoraria vary according to the individual officiant. Checks should be made payable to the officiant performing the ceremony.

The following is a list of people who have performed weddings at the chapel. An asterisk denotes member of college community.

Clergypeople:
*Mark R. Orten, Presbyterian, Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life, (802) 443-5886.  Email orten@middlebury.edu

Justices of the Peace:
Walter Richard Calhoun (802) 388-2534
Peg Martin (802) 388-7697
*Michael Olinick (802) 443-5559
*David Rosenberg (802) 443-5612 (W) or (802) 338-6453 (H)

If one of you is a Vermont resident, you may apply for a marriage license at your town clerk’s office.  If neither of you are Vermont residents, you may apply from any town clerk in the state.  Most couples use Middlebury’s town clerk; here is a link to their application for a marriage license.

The chapel is accessible to individuals with mobility challenges via a ramp located on the north side of the building. There are no accessible bathrooms. Limited handicapped parking is available on Hepburn Road, at the chapel’s back door.

Please note on your Middlebury Chapel wedding request form that you are interested in potentially having a reception on campus. A member of the Event Management team will follow up with you regarding your reception request.

The wedding party provides their own floral arrangements for their ceremony.  Most local florists are familiar with the chapel; we are happy to provide interior photos if that would be helpful.  Keep in mind while discussing arrangements with the florist that the wedding party will likely be using the steps at the front of the chapel.  If decorating the pews is desired, flowers and/or bows may be hooked, clipped, or draped on the ends of the pews. Most florists will supply the devices necessary for safe attachment. We ask that nothing be stuck on, into or taped to the pews or any other surface within the Chapel.

• New Leaf Organics (802) 349-7369
• Carr’s Florist (802) 247-5727
• Middlebury Floral and Gifts (802) 388-2800
• Cheers! (802) 453-3655
• Cole’s Flowers & Frames (802) 388-7852
• Bloomers Garden Flowers  (802) 948-2434
• Silver Toad Floral Design (802) 878-7350

While couples are responsible for arranging for their clergy person to conduct the ceremony, a custodial staff person will be present during the wedding ceremony, as will a staff member from the Department of Event Management.

Per Vermont fire code, candles may only be used during the wedding ceremony, such as a Unity Candle. Candlelight services are not permitted.

Aisle runners are permitted in the Chapel. The length of the aisle from doorway to altar steps is approximately sixty feet.

Brassware on the altar includes two candlesticks and a cross.  These may be removed and placed in the side closet if they are not desired.  The chapel is not equipped with a candelabra.

Rice, confetti, balloons, birdseed, rose petals, etc., may not be thrown or released inside the Chapel, on the outside steps, or on the sidewalks around the Chapel.

Wedding parties may not tape, tack, or nail anything to the pews or woodwork of the chapel.  All decorations must be set up and completely removed within an hour following your ceremony. 

Rehearsals are usually scheduled the day before the ceremony. Rehearsals will be scheduled based on availability in the chapel.

Middlebury College cannot provide lodging for wedding parties or their guests, but Addison County has lots of great places to stay. Here are just a few:

• Basin Harbor Club, Panton, (800) 622-4000
• Blueberry Hill Inn, Goshen, (802) 247-6735
• Brandon Inn (802) 639-8685
• By the Way Bed & Breakfast, East Middlebury, (802) 388-6291
• The Chipman Inn, Ripton, (802) 388-2390
• Churchill House Inn, Brandon, (877) 247-3078
• The Greystone Motel, Middlebury, (802) 388-4935
• The Lilac Inn (800) 221-0720 or (802) 247-5463
• Mary’s at Baldwin Creek, Bristol, (802) 453-2432
• The Middlebury Inn, (802) 388-4961
• The Sugar House Motor Inn, Middlebury, (802) 388-2770
• The Swift House Inn, Middlebury, (802) 388-9925
• The Waybury Inn, East Middlebury, (802) 388-4015
• The Whitford House, Addison, (800) 746-2704
•  

Middlebury Chapel’s official address is 75 Hepburn Road in Middlebury.

Microphones are located in each of the podiums on the chancel, and the chapel has a newly revamped audio system. The college’s Media Services department can provide additional support, including in-person technical assistance and equipment, based on availability.

Photographs in the chapel before or after the service must be completed within the two hours allotted for your reservation.

It is the Chapel’s policy that no flash or other photographic illumination for picture taking be used during the actual ceremony. We ask this with respect to the solemnity of your marriage vows and the Chapel sanctuary. Your photographer and guests are welcome to take pictures during the processional and recessional of your service. Please inform your photographer and guests of our policy.

Your entire service may be videotaped with a stationary camera with existing lighting only. Neither the Scott Center staff nor the College Media Services staff are available to do video or audio recordings of weddings and civil unions.

Local Photographers:

• Brett Simison (678) 852-4761
• Green Mountain Photography (802) 862-8222
• Kristin Hirsch (802) 545-2149
• Gillian Randall Photography (802) 425-4242
• Curtis Rhodes Photography, (800) 673-1213
• Loveworks Photographic, Christopher J. Clements. (802) 453-5988
• Annalisa Parent, Middlebury College Class of 1997, Parent Studios (802) 865-4209

There are several  local musicians who are familiar with the the chapel organ and piano; their fees vary:

• Emory Fanning (organ), efanning@middlebury.edu
• Susan Mason (organ, piano, harp, recorder), suitcasesusie@hotmail.com
• Kevin Parizo (organ), (802) 388-6971
• Ann Rowell (organ), (802) 388-8410

Organists generally do not attend wedding rehearsals, but will meet with couples, musicians, or soloists as necessary.

The organ (Gress-Miles, 1970) in the chapel is a large instrument with three keyboards and a pedal board controlling 48 sets of pipes. Guest organists must have experience with such classical organs. If you wish to use a guest organist, please let Event Management know so that they can connect you with the appropriate member of the Music Department faculty.

The Dragone Carillon (1986, 48 notes), located in the tower, is available for qualified players. A practice clavier is located in the basement green room. If you are interested in having the carillon played either before and/or after your ceremony, please connect with Event Management.

Local Musicians:

• Samuel Guarnaccia, classical guitarist, (802) 985-2917
• David Gusakov, violin/chamber music/ensembles, (802) 453-5725
• William Kirby, trumpet, (802) 388-0267

Hepburn Road, directly behind the chapel, can be opened based on the date and time your deliveries are scheduled. Please work with Event Management regarding delivery times to ensure the Hepburn Road gates are open and deliveries can access the chapel.

Event Management will work with the Department of Public Safety to determine the best spaces for parking for your guests—up to four spots can be reserved behind the chapel on Hepburn Road for guests who have mobility challenges.

There is one tiny bathroom in the chapel. It is in the lower level, and is not handicapped accessible. There are both men’s and women’s rest rooms in Proctor Hall, across Hepburn Road from the chapel. Proctor Hall is handicapped accessible.

There are no facilities within the chapel for changing into wedding attire. Adjacent buildings may have available spaces that can be utilized as changing rooms. However, if another space is not available, please make arrangements for an alternate, off-campus location. 

Please contact the Department of Event Management at sched@middlebury.edu with questions. Event Management works closely with the Chaplain’s Office to coordinate chapel weddings. If we can support your event in the chapel, we will set up a meeting with you to include the Chaplain’s Office, Event Management, and other appropriate service providers.