Wedding FAQs

Graham Memorial Chapel was dedicated in 1909, having been gifted to WashU by Christine Blair Graham as a memorial to her husband, Benjamin Brown Graham. Since then, it has become a focal point of campus, used for concerts, plays, lectures and panel discussions.

If you are a WashU-affiliated couple, you may submit your application as soon as 14 months in advance of your chosen date. Non-affiliated couples may submit up to 12 months in advance.

Affiliated couples include:

• Current WashU students
• Current WashU employees
• Alumni and graduates of Washington University
• Having a parent fitting one of the above criteria

Submitting an application does not guarantee confirmation; all days and times are subject to availability. Please do not make ceremony arrangements until you have completed all required steps below.

A ceremony is only confirmed when the couple has completed the required agreement and has paid the rental fee in full. If both components are not returned within the time frame outlined on the ceremony agreement, the selected time slot will be made available for other bookings.

Signed agreements and/or checks or money orders can me made payable and sent to:

Washington University – Event Management
Campus Box 1068
One Brookings Drive
St. Louis, MO 63130

The couple’s last names and ceremony date should be written on the memo line of the check or money order. Your rental payment should be submitted with a signed copy of the ceremony agreement.

Catholic ceremonies, not inclusive of mass, are possible at Graham Memorial Chapel for those affiliated with Washington University in St. Louis, or for those associated with the Catholic Student Center at Washington University. 

Couples who wish to hold a Catholic ceremony should submit their wedding application online and contact Carol Jones at the WashU Catholic Student Center. She can be contacted by phone at 314-252-8118 or by e-mail at jones@washucsc.org

Your wedding session includes a one-hour rehearsal. We offer the following times on Thursdays and Fridays, subject to availability:

• 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

During your rehearsal, you and your wedding party will have access to Graham Chapel for a complete run through of your ceremony. We encourage you and your wedding party to arrive outside Graham Chapel a few minutes before your selected time slot. 

Furniture and A/V equipment will not be set up for rehearsals, and no decorations or wedding day supplies may be left in the chapel.

An event coordinator will be present for the rehearsal to answer questions, however we ask that your officiant or wedding planner guide your rehearsal.

We welcome musicians to Graham Chapel for your ceremony. Graham Chapel has great acoustics and perks for your favorite musicians.

Included with the rental of Graham Chapel you have access to the grand piano, up to 4 microphones, a house sound system, music stands and the in-house organ.

The grand piano is available for your pianist to utilize without prior approval. However, the organ requires an approved/credentialed organist. Speak with your wedding coordinator for a list of pre-approved organists or how your organist may be approved.

WashU also has some of the top musicians in the country—you may hire your own musician or you can inquire with the Department of Music on how you can hire faculty or students for your ceremony.

Please note that we cannot handle any component of your music or playlists. We will provide you with inputs to connect to the house sound system, but you must provide someone to start and stop your music for you.

All decorations must be approved prior to the event by your wedding coordinator. Please note the following guidelines on decorations:

• Nothing may be affixed to any wood surface, including pews, doors, podium or floors by using any material that will harm the wood finish (putty, wire, tacks, staples, tape, etc.).
• Pews may not be moved for any reason. Please make sure your photographer is specifically aware of this policy.
• We do not allow candles in Graham Chapel, except for a unity candle which you must provide.
• Aisle runners are allowed, but must be secured to the floor with low-residue tape. Please avoid the use of disposable aisle runners as they cause a particularly dangerous tripping hazard.
• Only silk petals or paper petals may be dropped on the floor. No live petals or tissue petals may be utilized as they cause damage to the marble flooring. 
• We do not allow the use of: rice, bird seed, live or tissue flower petals, glitter, confetti or helium filled balloons. 
• You may provide way-finding signage to help guests navigate to Graham Chapel, however, it must be free-standing. We do not allow for signage posted on trees, lamp posts, walls, inside or on buildings, street signs or other structures. The best way-finding signage are A-frame signage or simple yard signs. Signage can only be placed out during your ceremony time frame and must be collected by the end.

Particular activities are not allowed on university property without express written permission from the Event Management office:

• The lighting or use of sparklers or other fireworks
• Releasing of doves or pigeons
• Releasing of balloons or lanterns 

Event Managers offers a selection of reception spaces on campus. However, due to academic year restrictions, these spaces are only available during June and July.

There are additional spaces available that are managed by our campus partners, such as the Whittemore House, Knight Center, and Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum. To learn more, view the “Other campus spaces” tab on our Campus Spaces page.

Before 5 p.m. on weekdays, campus parking is largely limited to permit holders and paid guest parking. You will need to pay to park in a guest spot.

After 5 p.m. and all day on weekends, parking is free for couples and their guests in any guest parking or yellow permit spot on campus.

There are two parking locations with convenient access to Graham Chapel:

• The parking garage located under the Danforth University Center
• The surface parking lot south of Simon Hall

Your wedding coordinator will make every effort to notify you of events on campus that may limit nearby parking, but available parking is not guaranteed for any wedding.

Driving instructions
Graham Chapel does not have a formal address because it is on the inner WashU campus.  For GPS, use the address for the Danforth University Center: 6475 Forsyth Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63105.

From Skinker Blvd: Turn west onto Forsyth Blvd and go down to Wallace Drive (stop light). Turn right onto Wallace Drive. The parking garage is directly ahead, and the Simon Hall parking lot is located directly to your left. 

From Big Bend Blvd: Turn east onto Forsyth Blvd and go down to Wallace Drive (stop light). Turn left onto Wallace Drive. The parking garage is directly ahead, and the Simon Hall Parking lot is located directly to your left. 

We cannot guarantee any changes, but we are happy to work with you to make your wedding day perfect. To ensure your ceremony is exactly how you want, all ceremony and rehearsal date change requests must be in writing and are not confirmed until a new agreement has been issued, signed and returned to you.

All ceremony cancellations must be in writing. Cancellations made greater than six months in advance will receive a 50% refund of the rental fee. Cancellations made with less than six months notice will not receive a refund of the rental fee.