ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, February 28, 1997 TAG: 9702280012
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE
SOURCE: MARIA SANMINIATELLI THE DAILY PROGRESS|
They bonded, they swapped stories about wedding plans, they shared food and drink - and then the dozen or so strangers climbed into sleeping bags or under blankets on the hard floor of Peabody Hall.
By 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, they had each other's addresses. And by 9 a.m., they all had what they had been waiting for: a wedding in University of Virginia Chapel.
About this time every year, the university's reservation office takes reservations from couples who want to get married in the chapel the following September, October or November, said the office's coordinator, Linda Harmon.
``This is making me a wreck,'' said 62-year-old Elizabeth Messerly, who turned up at 6:45 a.m. Tuesday to bag the chapel for her daughter and future son-in-law, who were in California. In the end, she got the date she had asked for - her own wedding anniversary.
Harmon said her office doesn't take reservations for the fall until the schedule for home football games is known.
``We discourage weddings during the game weekends,'' she said. ``There's no parking, hotel accommodations and things like that.''
But because marrying in the chapel is so popular, and since fall has few weekends without football, couples rush in to secure dates.
Dorothy Lippincott, who works in the reservations office, said the couples became fast friends overnight.
``They actually had a pajama party,'' she said.
More often than not, couples have to adjust their requests to suit each other. One year, Lippincott said, there almost was a fight.
Harmon said the office is thinking of having a lottery next year to see who gets first pick. Couples also have been trying their luck over the phone, she said, although that upsets people who turn up in person.
Lippincott said the chapel is available to everyone, although those who are not affiliated with the university pay the full $500 fee. Faculty members, staff, alumni and their immediate families are charged $200, while students and their immediate families are charged $100.
Natalie Boden, 27, and her older sister, Laurie, were first in line this year. They turned up with camping gear and beach chairs at 10 a.m. Monday, almost 24 hours before the UVa office started taking reservations.
``They thought we were crazy,'' said Laurie Boden, who came down from Reston, where she lives, to wait with her sister.
Early the next morning, Dean of Students Robert Canevari brought all the assembled couples coffee and doughnuts.
``They have fun doing it,'' Canevari said.
LENGTH: Medium: 54 linesby CNB