3 Things To Keep In Mind If You Want To Get Married In A Military Chapel

If you want to get married in a military chapel, there are a few things you need to know ahead of time about how the procedure works when you are married on a military chapel.

You Need To Book Ahead Of Time

Just like other popular wedding venues, you need to make sure that you call and book the chapel ahead of time. If you are planning on getting married at a service academy, you may need to book your wedding date up to a year in advance, especially if you want to get married on the weekend. Chapels located at service academies, such as West Point, are extremely popular locations for former graduates to get married and need to be treated like any other popular wedding destination; if you want a weekend or summer wedding, you better book early.

If you plan on getting married in a chapel on a military base, you may not need to book it a year in advance like you do the chapels located at military service academies and universities. If you are aiming for a weekend wedding, you'll still want to book your date a few months in advance. Shorter notice may be appropriate for a weekday wedding.

Be Prepared To Make A Donation To The Chapel

Unlike other wedding venues, if you are a current or former military member or dependent of a military member, you are not going to be charged to use the chapel for your wedding. However, it is customary for the bride and groom to make a donation to the chapel in return for the chapel hosting your wedding. These donations help supplement the chapel's budget and allows them to keep their chapel looking nice and provide needed services to the local community.

The amount that you should donate is not set in stone; however, it is a nice gesture to donate at least a couple hundred dollars, if not more, in return for the use of the chapel and the chaplain. Base your donation on what you can afford to give.

You Need To Work  With The Chaplain

If you plan on getting married in a military chapel, it is expected that you will be married by the military chaplain who presides over the chapel. When you book the chapel for your wedding, you will also book the chaplain as well. Some military bases have multiple chaplains, so this is a good time to let your preference for chaplain be known. After you have booked your wedding, you may need to attend a couple of pre-martial counseling sessions with the chaplain, so be sure to make time in your schedule for these sessions.

You do not have to pay the military chaplain to conduct your wedding ceremony. It is considered part of their duties, and any donation you make to the chapel will indirectly also benefit the chaplain as well.

If you plan on getting married at a military chapel, don't plan on booking your wedding at the last minute. Military chapels book up fast, just like other wedding venues, and most also require at least a few sessions of pre-martial counseling as well.