Non-denominational wedding chapel suggestions

[WickedSix]

Need some help. Being an unbaptised heathen tends to make traditional churches shy away from letting you get married in their confines.

If anyone has some suggestions for places it would be most appreciated. We are looking for an older style chapel in the country. Think high exposed ceilings, stained glass, and a bell tower.

Couple places I've already found we are going to take a look at. One of them is the DeKoven center in Racine, their St Johns Chapel looks promising as do their grounds if we choose to have it outdoors. The only thing i don't like about this chapel is the seating is choir style...makes watching the procession easy but seems like the formal part would leave the audience craning their necks for a view. The second is out at the kettle moraine ranch...pictures look dark on the inside of their St Rose chapel but it seems worth a look anyway. I drove by another place already outside of allenton I think it is called the wedding chapel...pictures online looked awesome but got their and it looks like a big mess... and it has a massive graveyard behind it that kind of detracts from the whole happiest day of my life feel I'm trying to achieve here.

So again if anyone has suggestions for ceremony sites, as well as persons to perform the ceremony please offer them. We have a pretty good handle on the reception and food etc but her being raised catholic and me being raised LDS but unbaptised (I think i look like this to the priests i've talked too :devil) its making for a challenge to find the right place for a ceremony.

Thanks,
Pat

[BR3W CITY]

I'm an ordained minister if you do end up needing someone to sign the papers for you. I haven't done any formal ceremonies, but can do the "justice of the peace" style marriage pretty easily.

[badass88gt]

I highly recommend Rev. Cooper, he performed my ceremony and did a fantastic job.

[Prince Valiant]

See if you can use the unitarian church on port road on the north side of mequon. Gorgeous facility...it is an old octagonal barn converted to a chapel (of sorts). Unitarians are really like spiritual hippies, so they'll see it as a positive you aren't baptized. Probably will let you choose a reverend of your choice too...

http://www.galen-frysinger.com/wisconsin/milwaukee01.jpg

http://www.tkwa.com/img/ucn02-444.jpg

[BR3W CITY]

I'm a unitarian minister, but have never been in that building lol.

[WickedSix]

thanks PV thats the kind of suggestion I was looking for. Looks like they do rent it out according to their website so I will be contacting them for a tour :D

[STANMAN]

If you are a heathen, as you state, what's the purpose of having a ceremony, vows, ect. ect. I realize that "heathens" do it for tax purposes and the like, but that being the case, just go to the courthouse, cut the paperwork, they will have someone at the courthouse who performs the "ceremonty" for free, and spend the money on a huge celebration party. It's a suggestion more than a question I guess.

[michelle]

I really liked our "outdoor" wedding location. I'm a bit bias though, obviously. It was a park in Mequon.

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/10133_576332819448_219700023_33902017_3152824_n.jp g

The inside of the huge gazebo was nice too.
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/10133_575176302118_219700023_33859130_4440325_n.jp g

They have a butterfly garden within the park too, which was cool. We just found a minister to perform the ceremony, but he let us take out a lot of the religious stuff so we could keep it quick and to the point (which I loved, versus those weddings where you sit forever).

Good luck! Enjoy the planning!

[STANMAN]

^that was a very nice venue!

[WickedSix]

We are looking at outside venues as well but we need to have some kind of contingency since its a fall wedding. Lots of people aren't religious but still would like a traditional ceremony.

[badass88gt]

One of the most important things you can do.......forget what everyone else wants. Do what you and your lady want. This is YOUR day, not THEIRS. I have seen many, many couples regretful over their wedding day because they were trying to satisfy family requests and expectations.

We had an outdoor ceremony up here last May and it was beautiful.

[Reverend Cooper]

go to youtube
soniccoop
there is video from dans wedding with me doing the ceremony. You should check it out I may be what you need. lol

[pnad]

I was married in St. Johns Chappel at the Dekoven center in Racine almost 14years ago...

If you are coming down this far, just a little farther is the Kemper Center in Kenosha. They have a hall for receptions also. Similar to Dekoven, little nicer.

http://www.kempercenter.com/

[WickedSix]

How was your experience with DeKoven? We are heading out there this weekend to get a feel for the place along with others that i've listed.

[WickedSix]

I've been to 3 actual wedding ceremonies in my life...two of them have been catholic...one of them was in spanish and the other english.... the call and response from the priest and the audience had me feeling like i was in the twilight zone...it was spokey when everyone (but me) would say something in unison seemingly out of them blue..... and the whole everyone drinking from the same cup thing made me gag.......pretty churches though

[pnad]

We got married at Dekoven in late October so we were the only group there. Had the run of the place.

Someone met my wife there the morning of the service, unlocked the doors and that was it. There were some rules about decorating, clean up and stuff but that is pretty typical.

What time of year are you looking at? I dont think there is AC in the chappel. There is also a water treatment plant across the road. Potential reeker if the winds blows wrong on a hot july day.

We didnt have our reception there so no opinion on that.

[WickedSix]

Late sept-late oct is our timeframe. Got a tour setup for this weekend. Also going to investigate the other place you listed.

[Prince Valiant]

we had an outdoor wedding at the dog park my wife and I met at...it was iffy as far as weather, but happened to work out fine for us. It was nice that it wasn't too hot or humid though. Ours was oct 18th, which turned out to be one week past peak colors...

[WickedSix]

and thats another worry... we are having a fall/harvest theme for everything...it'd be nice to hit it so the colors are turning but aren't dropping yet.

Anybody been to a function at the irish cultural centers Hallamor?

[Exitspeed]

We had our ceremony and reception at the same place, The Grain Exchange on Michigan Ave. It had wood floors though when we got married there. The carpet isn't as nice IMO.
http://www.bartolottacatering.com/images/uploads/ge_ext.jpg
http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/imgs/hed/art10332widea.jpg
http://wislawjournal.com/files/2011/02/judgesnite9_klh.jpg

[FoxStang]

Need some help. Being an unbaptised heathen tends to make traditional churches shy away from letting you get married in their confines.

If anyone has some suggestions for places it would be most appreciated. We are looking for an older style chapel in the country. Think high exposed ceilings, stained glass, and a bell tower.

Couple places I've already found we are going to take a look at. One of them is the DeKoven center in Racine, their St Johns Chapel looks promising as do their grounds if we choose to have it outdoors. The only thing i don't like about this chapel is the seating is choir style...makes watching the procession easy but seems like the formal part would leave the audience craning their necks for a view. The second is out at the kettle moraine ranch...pictures look dark on the inside of their St Rose chapel but it seems worth a look anyway. I drove by another place already outside of allenton I think it is called the wedding chapel...pictures online looked awesome but got their and it looks like a big mess... and it has a massive graveyard behind it that kind of detracts from the whole happiest day of my life feel I'm trying to achieve here.

So again if anyone has suggestions for ceremony sites, as well as persons to perform the ceremony please offer them. We have a pretty good handle on the reception and food etc but her being raised catholic and me being raised LDS but unbaptised (I think i look like this to the priests i've talked too :devil) its making for a challenge to find the right place for a ceremony.

Thanks,
Pat

You know you can still get baptized right? There's no age limit on that sort of thing. Then you can have the ceremony at any church of your choosing.

[WickedSix]

I know I could get baptised in any religion of my choosing, but ive chosen not to be since I haven't found one I have that level of faith in.

Went to DeKoven today and drove by Kemper Center and both look like good options. The Unitarian church in mequon was nice as well but the sanctuary may not be our ideal.