A wedding at the Naval Academy chapel is an occasion you'll always remember. The sublime space is appropriate to the solemnity of the vows you'll exchange.

And with all that room, wedding parties can be as large as you like! But how to transport all those bridesmaids and groomsmen? And what about the guests, who can't drive on without a military I.D.?

We can help! We are experts in moving wedding parties to, from, and around the Naval Academy. With seating for 23, we can save you money on transportation. A trolley makes your day easy and is a great value. And depending on the number of guests and where they are staying, we can get your guests there on time, too.

Contact us early to check for availability. We can take reservations more than a year in advance (and do).

Every wedding is unique, but here's an example of the service we can provide:

• Pick up the bridal party and deliver to Mahan Hall for photos before the wedding.
• Pick up the groom's party and deliver to the chapel to begin seating the guests.
• Bring the bridal party to the chapel.
• Shuttle the wedding party around the yard for photos. Favorite spots are the Zimmerman Bandstand, the Superintendent's garden, Mahan Hall, and the Sea Gate.
• Deliver wedding party to the reception site.

If we are shuttling your guests to the wedding, here's a typical scenario:

• Shuttle guests from downtown hotel or parking garage to Gate 3.
• Last shuttle enters Gate 8 and drops guests at the chapel steps.
• After the service, the first shuttle leaves from the chapel steps; the others pick up at Gate 3..
• We will shuttle your guest from downtown hotel(s) or parking garage or the stadium parking lot through Gate 8 or Gate 1 up to the Chapel steps.
• Following the wedding ceremony, we can return the guests to their cars in the garage, or deliver them to the reception site.
• Following the reception, we'll take them back to their hotel or to their cars.
  

TIPS --

• Everyone 16 years or older will need a photo I.D. for admission to the Naval Academy. Remind your guests!
• If your reception is at the Officers Club, be aware that Gate 1 and Gate 3 close at 10 pm. So if your guests park outside the wall and walk in, they won't be able to walk out if the reception ends after 10 pm. Better to have them all park at a parking garage or the stadium and shuttle them over and back.
• If there's a wedding just before yours, your guests will join the guests from the earlier wedding on the steps to witness the arch of swords by the earlier newlyweds. Then their guests will disperse and your guests will enter the chapel. You (the bride) won't want to arrive at the Chapel until your guests have gone in and "the coast is clear," which is about 20 minutes before your wedding. (If there isn't a wedding before yours, your guests can go in whenever they get there.)
• Tell your photographer and videographer they must not point cameras at sentries as you enter the Yard.

FAQs --

Sounds like the fun answer to our transportation needs! Where do we start?
Complete the form on our website so we can have your contact information. We'll call or email for details on how we can be of service and then prepare a contract which you can return with a $200 deposit. The balance is due two weeks before your wedding. If you or your betrothed receive orders that change your wedding plans, all deposits are promptly refunded in full with our thanks for your service to our nation.

Can you drive onto the Yard? Yes. The chapel's wedding coordinator will supply Security with driver and vehicle information for us to be added to the list of vehicles allowed onto the Yard that day.

Can we bring a cooler with iced waters?
Keep your cooler! We provide iced waters during your photo shoot.

Is the trolley clean, or should we bring a sheet?
Keep your sheet! The trolley will be immaculate.

FYI --

The Chapel's wedding website is here.

You and your guests might find this history of the Naval Academy interesting.

What's the weather like? Here's a webcam and weather for the Naval Academy.

Just for fun: here's one of the three blizzards of the winter of 2009-2010 on the Yard.

Perspectives on starting a Navy family --

• Roberta Burke
• Sybil Stockdale
• A plebe on 9.11.11
• A Seabee spouse