Frequently Asked Questions

A: The chapel is open to the entire community whether related to the university or not. A discount applies only if one of the individuals being married is a TCU alumni, faculty, staff, trustees, or children of one of the groups listed. People not affiliated with TCU are welcomed to host their wedding in the Chapel. Because TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by Disciples of Christ, we welcome all to have their wedding in the chapel.

A: Typically, we book 12-18 months in advance. Please contact our office to check availability. We do not book more than 2 years in advance.

A: The following are included with chapel fees:

A 3 hour block for the wedding and 1 hour for the Friday rehearsal.

A chapel coordinator to assist you on-site at the rehearsal and ceremony as needed, and to work with outside coordinators as needed.

Parking in a TCU campus lot (please note additional parking fee required on home football game days).

A: Robert Carr Chapel 2855 South University Drive Fort Worth, Texas 76129

A: The chapel office is housed inside the Office of Religious & Spiritual Life, which is directly across the street from the chapel. The building is named Jarvis Hall. When you enter Jarvis, from the street (S. University), our office is directly on your right.

A: Because we host up to five weddings in the chapel each weekend along with campus worship services, we are unable to provide tours of the chapel on Saturdays or Sundays. In addition, the chapel is closed whenever TCU is closed. The chapel is open Monday through Thursday from 7am-8pm and Friday 7am – 4pm. Saturday from 8am-8pm and Sunday from 8am- 4pm.  You are welcome to pop in and take a peek during these hours. Please be respectful of any events that may be occurring in the chapel at that time. If you would prefer a guided tour, please contact our office to schedule an appointment during our weekly office hours, Monday through Friday, 9am-4pm.

A: You are welcome to pay online, or you may send or bring in a check made out to TCU.

Checks may be mailed to:
Robert Carr Chapel
TCU Box 297310
Fort Worth, TX  76129

A: Please see our Wedding Policies that covers Rescheduling, Refunds, & Late Bookings.

A: The chapel does not have a designated officiant for wedding ceremonies. The couple is responsible for bringing their own officiant. He or she can be of any denomination.

A: There are student organizations that use the chapel on Sundays, but there are no regular worship services open to the public.

A: Guests parking is available in the parking lots along Parmer Ave and Lowden St. Guests who have difficulty walking may be dropped off closer to the chapel, though there is no parking closer to the chapel. There are more spaces than the number of people the chapel holds; therefore, there is always enough parking. If a football game is scheduled on your wedding day, please see the wedding policies for more information.

A: You are welcome to decorate with flower petals (real or fake) and have a flower girl toss petals.  Please keep in mind that your party will be responsible for picking up ALL petals and we do not provide cleanup materials. It is up to the wedding party to ensure the chapel looks as it did when you arrived, whether you contact a florist to clean up or schedule friends/family to help. This is a task that little kids usually don’t mind helping with!

A: No animals are allowed inside the chapel other than service animals.

A: Yes, but they must be removed immediately after they are used and not block any walkways or aisles. No motorized vehicles are allowed.

A: Yes, you may have a unity candle, sand, knot, cross, etc. We do not discriminate and are open to all kinds of unity ceremonies. However, we do not allow unity paintings due to the risk of paint damage.

A: The chapel does not provide any decorations, candles, or flowers. However, if your wedding is during the season of advent, the chapel will be decorated.

A: No recorded music is permitted in the chapel. Please see our Wedding Policies that covers music in the chapel. You can also listen to frequently used songs online.

A: We have 3 instruments in the chapel, an organ, piano, and carillon bells. In August 2013, the chapel obtained a brand-new Mason & Hamlin piano. Our most popular instrument is the 2,400-pipe organ. “The present organ in Carr Chapel was built by the Ross King Organ Company of Fort Worth.  The King, valued at over $300,000 has three keyboards,  thirty-six stops and is fully digitized and movable. The carillon is electronic, not, as one would expect, a cast-bell mechanism. The Verdin carillon plays short measures of the TCU alma mater before striking each hour.”

A: Yes, you are welcome to use whomever you wish for instruments other than the organ and carillon bells. Please see our Wedding Policies about music in the wedding contract for more information and frequently used songs online.

A: Side table in narthex: 47 x 15 inches (for guestbook, flowers, candles, etc.)
Front table in narthex: 56 x 22 inches (for guestbook, flowers, candles, etc.)

Pews 19 x 4 inches (for ribbon/tool to wrap around)
17 Pews on right, 17 pews on left for a total of 34 pews
3 feet tall

Windows: there are 5 windows on each side of the chapel for a total of 10.
Window sill is 10 inches + 2 inches (raised ledge) + 5 inches = 17 inches.
Flowers or candles need to fit into 10 or 5 inches.

Aisle: 59 feet, 3 ½ inches long & width is 5 feet 9 inches. No runners allowed in the aisle.

Communion table: length: 7′ 4.5” width: 2’6.5” height: 2’9.5″

A: The chapel in its entirety can hold approximately 300 guests, including balcony and narthex.  Comfortably the pews can seat about 275.

A: There are short and long pews. Approximately 6 people can sit in the short pews and 7 people per long pew. The number of guests per pew depends upon how close your guests want to sit next to each other. The 1st and 2nd pews sit approximately 6 on each side. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th pews sit approximately 7 people on each side. Only 10 people allowed in the balcony, per fire code.

A: Yes, you may take pictures around campus, as desired. You only have the chapel (inside and outside), cloisters, and holding rooms for your assigned ceremony time frame, so we suggest saving campus pictures either before or after your time frame. You may NOT interrupt another couple’s time frame, by showing up early or staying late.

A: Those with chapel reservations can arrange a photo shoot prior, but one must make an appointment. Please email chapel@tcu.edu to schedule a time.

A: Unfortunately, we cannot. Each ceremony time frame matches with a rehearsal time.

A: You may arrive at the chapel at the start of your reservation time; in this case, no earlier than 2pm. The same goes for your vendors including photographers, videographers, florist, coordinators, etc. They may begin arriving at the start of your reservation time.

A: No, you cannot access the dressing rooms early, which is why we highly encourage you to treat the dressing rooms as waiting rooms. You will need to arrive at the chapel dressed and ready to go, so that you can begin taking photos once you arrive.

A: The dressing rooms are two classrooms in either Beasley or Moore Hall, buildings adjacent to the chapel. There are floor-length mirrors in the rooms so that you are able to make last-minute touch-ups.

A: The vast majority of weddings have their receptions off campus. You can see a list of frequent reception sites on our website. There is only one option for receptions on TCU’s campus – at the Amon G. Carter Stadium in the Champions Club, located west of the chapel. The starting cost is $15,000, which does not include food or drinks, and no receptions are held during football season. Also, there must be a donor or alumni tie to the university to use this space. If you are interested, the contact is Flo Hill, Director of TCU Conference Services reachable at 817-257-7641.

A: Yes. Our normal wedding fees pertain to vow renewals that occur on wedding days/time frames. For those interested in other times as feasible, please email chapel@tcu.edu.

A: No, we cannot accommodate weekday weddings due to campus schedules and parking availability.

A: Each rehearsal is one hour each. Here is a typical timeline for a 5pm to 6pm rehearsal:

5:00 Chapel Coordinator goes over chapel rules and regulations and order of rehearsal.

5:05 Chapel Coordinator lines everyone up in place as if they’ve just processed down the aisle.

5:10 Officiant leads wedding party through main points of ceremony.

5:25 Full run through of ceremony with music processional, ceremony and recessional.

5:45 Chapel Coordinator answers any last-minute questions.

5:50 Chapel Coordinator shows dressing rooms and alternate ways in and out of the chapel.

6:00 Next wedding party arrives

A: Typical timeline for a 2pm to 5pm wedding in the chapel:

2:00 Florist/photographer/videographer arrive and begin setting up; wedding party arrives and drops off items in dressing room.

2:15 First group in wedding party take photos in chapel; second party arrives and wait in dressing room.

2:40 First group in wedding party returns to dressing room; next group takes photos in chapel.

3:00 Second group returns to dressing rooms; prelude music begins; guests arrive; ushers seat guests. 3:30 Ceremony begins.

4:15 Ceremony ends, entire wedding party photos begin.

4:30 Florist/photographer/videographer take down decorations/equipment.

4:45 Photos wrap up, wedding party cleans out dressing room and heads off to reception.

5:00 Chapel is completely cleaned up and next wedding party arrives.

A: While ceremonies may start at any time in the time frame, traditionally:

For 11am-2pm, a ceremony over 30 minutes would begin at 12:00pm and a ceremony under 30 minutes would begin at 12:30pm.

For 2-5pm, a ceremony over 30 minutes would begin at 3:00pm and a ceremony under 30 minutes would begin at 3:30pm.

For 5- 8pm, a ceremony over 30 minutes would being at 6pm and a ceremony under 30 minutes would begin at 6:30pm