Highlight: Going To The (Wooster) Chapel

You've sat through weekly Chapels. Said the Wooster School Prayer more times than you can count. You've listened to Chapel talks, watched presentations, sang along with the Chapel Band, heard sermons from Chaplains including Coburn, Verdery, Lingle, Taylor, Ross, Tickner and now, Mrs. Blandford, to name a few. You have lit your candles during Lesson and Carols, mourned the loss of friends and teachers, and celebrated milestones. You have even cleaned the pews and vacuumed the aisle. A lot has happened in that historic space since the first Chapel service was held there in 1931. 

But have you ever imagined getting married there? My inspiration for writing this article stems from attending the wedding of my own Wooster friend and co-worker, Parvin Taraz, in 2019. Although she didn't attend Wooster as a student, she did choose to hold her wedding where she works, which says a lot about Wooster's beautiful Chapel. 

"The Wooster community and this campus hold a significant place in my heart. Having the ceremony in the Chapel was so perfect and it really made the day special," Taraz says, when asked about selecting the Chapel as her ceremony venue. 

Facebook posts on alumni pages have highlighted people who were married in Wooster's Chapel, oftentimes family members of alumni or former faculty and staff members. But, there are a handful of Wooster alumni who have come back, maybe even with a future spouse who did not attend Wooster, and said their I Do's in the James Marshall Chapel.

40 years ago, on December 29, 1984, Debi (Andersen) Rieflin '79, married her husband Ed, and chose Wooster's Chapel because it "was my 'church home,'" she says. "I always felt comfortable and inspired there. Despite having been born catholic, we both wanted a christian, nondenominational ceremony. The Wooster Chapel welcomed us and made it the obvious choice!"

Debi was joined by her best Wooster friend, Michele (Delavigne) Gregory '77, who served as a bridesmaid, and David Najman '83, as the organist. "The unique layout of pew seating made the entire ceremony more inclusive and joyful for us. The acoustics of singing and organ music, courtesy of David, were particularly glorious."

Looking back now, Debi says, "following near blizzard conditions in Connecticut days prior, December 29, 1984 was sunny and 72 degrees - a sign that our future together would be bright."

Another December wedding in the Chapel took place on December 15, 2001. Kate (Paulsen) Gill '91 and her husband Jeromey were married in what she calls a "special place." After her church in Sandy Hook had closed, she needed a venue, "but, maybe I had always envisioned myself getting married there."

Their wedding took place just three months after 9/11, so many people still weren't traveling yet. Her husband was from Oklahoma, so many relatives didn't attend, and the small venue was perfect. "The intimate gathering was even more perfect at Wooster," she recalls. Plus, "it was Christmas time. We had luminary bags on the walkway; very simple decorations. The new art piece had just been installed behind the altar, which was beautiful; very simple. We had the organ playing and a choir. It's a remarkable space, and even prettier in the evening. It was exactly what I hoped it would be."

Mark Lingle was the Wooster Chaplain at the time, and he performed the ceremony. He had also been at Kate's previous church, Emmanuel Lutheran, before she came to Wooster, so it all came full circle. "The Chapel has always held a special place in my heart. My faith is very important to me. It’s where I began to appreciate different religions, as we recognized and celebrated all religions at Wooster."

23 years later, Kate remembers the moment the car drove her to Upper Campus for her ceremony. "What a moment that was…" she says. 

"Getting married there was amazing. We stood on the stairs for the exit and then walked out the doors…" That’s what Laurene (Wahlstrom) Beattie '78, said about her wedding day in the Chapel. On June 26, 1986, she and her husband, Ian Beattie, were married in Wooster's Chapel. Despite the fact that she was living in Australia at the time, she says her incentive for choosing the location was, "we decided to marry there since it was non-denominational and I adored the setting." She and Ian flew back for their wedding, which was mainly attended by their families. 

38 years later, Laurene reflects and says, "It was a beautiful setting and service - then we went back to my parents house for the reception. My husband passed in 2019, but it was a long stretch :) I have a lot of contacts from those days and look back on my time there with love and pride."

It's safe to assume that the Chapel was professionally cleaned for these weddings, but did any of these brides ever work in their future wedding venue? When asked if it was ever her job area, Laurene replied, "Ooooh. Well a couple of times. I was a SciBi nerd so most of my jobs were there (unless KP but no one got out of that!)."

"I was the library proctor, but dusted pews on more than one occasion!" recalls Debi. While Kate said, "No, I worked in Admissions with Mr. Cheeseman, but the smell of Murphy's Oil Soap always reminds me of the Chapel. My good friend was the prefect in there."

Alumni, we are keeping it clean here for you, and are always happy to welcome any of you back to say your vows in this magical space.