Collegiate Times

Try to think back to orientation and remember the handful of other incoming freshmen you had the opportunity to meet. What if you ended up marrying one of those people?

That?s the story of Sandee and George Cheynet, who became more-than-friends after meeting literally at the beginning of their college experience at Virginia Tech. Six years ago on Memorial Day, the couple was married at Virginia Tech?s War Memorial Chapel.

Jaime Williams, manager of War Memorial Chapel, said emotional ties to Tech are the most common reason why couples decide to be married at the chapel ? most meet here, so it is a very special place for them, she said.

?I felt like it was because of attending Virginia Tech together that we met,? said Sandee Cheynet, ?It was symbolic of starting our future together at the same place.?

The most popular misconception about wedding ceremonies at Tech is the waiting list. ?Some students believe that you have to book a date years and years in advance to be get married here,? Williams said.

?I had to wait 15 months to have that date and to have the evening time slot. I think there were three weddings at the chapel in that day alone,? she said.

However, Williams said that the chapel is just like any other wedding venue. Booking a date would be the same as any other chapel. The date should be set about six months to a year in advance.

On average, War Memorial Chapel hosts about 50 weddings a year, most of which take place in the summer. About a fourth of the weddings are current students ? the rest are alumni and staff or affiliations, said Williams.

Kenneth Belcher, associate director for occupancy management, said there is no special on-campus housing program for married students.

?Students may live on campus if they are married and their spouses are not living with them, but this is not common,? said Belcher. ?Married students and families are directed towards the Off-Campus Housing Center since the off-campus community is better equipped to handle their needs.?

Williams said to be eligible for a chapel wedding, at least one of the couple must be affiliated with Virginia Tech in some way.

There are three different rates for ceremonies at the chapel. For students, services are $65 an hour, for alumni ? $75 an hour, and for affiliations and staff, $85 an hour. The chapel also offers a full candlelight service, which costs $165, Williams said. The Cheynets opted for this at their wedding ceremony. ?It was stunning,? Cheynet said.

Couples also have the option of specializing their ceremonies at the chapel, Williams said. One of the most popular options is the ?saber arch? ceremony held by some of the members of the Corps of Cadets here at Virginia Tech.

Cadets form an arch with their sabers for the couple to walk through. This is normal if the bride or groom was in the military.

Williams said an event like that has to be arranged through the corps, because the chapel only provides services in space and rentals ? anything else is up to the bride and the groom.

The Cheynets had their own special ceremonies after their wedding. They had portraits taken outside at the top of the chapel with the Pylons in the back and pictures with Burruss Hall in the background. After the ceremony, they had a limo escort them around the Drillfield and campus as they celebrated with champagne. Afterwards, they had a reception at the German Club, ?where we definitely did the Hokie Pokie!? Cheynet said.