In 2005, Chapel Dulcinea became the first Free Wedding Chapel in the world.
But is it really a free wedding chapel?
Yes, it’s free to you, but the truth is that it costs us a little more than $200,000/year to maintain the Chapel and pay the support staff that allows us to make free weddings possible from 8Am to 8PM 363 days a year.
That cost is partially offset by the occasional donation of a generous bride and groom, but it has mostly been Wizard Academy’s founders, Roy and Pennie Williams, who have shouldered the bulk of our shortage each year since 2005.
Sadly, the day is rapidly approaching when we won’t be able to rely on their ability to do this anymore.
When Roy and Pennie were married in 1976, they held their rehearsal dinner in an Oklahoma Pizza Hut and it took all the money they had. Their dream of a free wedding chapel is one of the many ways they’ve chosen lend a helping hand to happy couples in love who may be starting their lives as financially strapped as Roy and Pennie were.
If you are one of the couples or families that could afford another wedding venue but chose Chapel Dulcinea simply because you fell in love with it, here are a couple of ways you might consider helping keep Chapel Dulcinea open, free and beautiful.
- Donate your cancellation deposit to Chapel Dulcinea. All you have to do is let the staff at the Welcome Center / Enchanted Emporium know that you won’t be expecting a refund check on the day of your wedding. For each $200 you donate, we would like to honor you with your choice of a Legacy Brick or a Tower Tour. (If you can swing $400, we’d be thrilled to give you both.)
These $200-$400 donations are extremely important to the future of Chapel Dulcinea. Will you join Roy and Pennie as investors in the future of thousands of other couples in love?
- Become one of Dulcinea’s Darlings, donating $10/month to help keep Chapel Dulcinea free. Roy and Pennie have prepared a personal gift they would like to give you in return.
This next part is extremely important to us.
If you’re in the same situation that Roy and Pennie were in when they were married, please know that we built this wedding chapel for you.
Yes, it really is free. No strings attached.
Think of it as an investment – made by strangers – in you and in your future.
When you’re able, we know you’ll help us do the same for others.
We don’t want anyone to feel guilty about not being able to donate.
That would sort of defeat the whole purpose, right?
Have a great wedding!
Have a happy life.
Daniel Whittington,
Vice-chancellor, Wizard Academy
