Historic Faith Chapel Perfect Location for Your Royal Wedding!

Jekyll Island's Historic Faith Chapel -

On the island of Jekyll, within the Historic District, resides one of Georgia's jewels, a historic chapel which plays a vital part in making the dreams of brides and grooms from across Georgia, the United States, and even the world, come true - the famed Faith Chapel.

The chapel was built in the early 1900's by Jekyll Island's millionaire crowd during the Gilded Age. It sits next to the Cherokee Cottage at 181 Old Plantation Road.

Completed in 1904, it's actually the second inter-denominational chapel built by the Jekyll Island Club, after the Club's first chapel was deemed to small.

Back then, the church was the perfect venue for the weddings, christenings and religious services of Jekyll Islands millionaire royalty - performing "faithfully", you might say.

Today, this enchanted chapel has been preserved, and is maintained as a premier island wedding venue for brides wishing the perfect royal wedding of their own.

The members of the Jekyll Island Club wanted their chapel to stand out above all others (as millionaires usually do), while also fitting into the laid-back lifestyle they'd created on the island. They had the church built to resemble an early colonial meeting house, in a simple, rustic Gothic Revival style.

Historic Faith Chapel

Faith Chapel (courtesy pwbaker)

It was sheathed with dark shingles made from Tidewater Red Cypress - lots of wood, exposed beams, and arched windows. Then the aisles and pews were adorned with rich red carpet and cushions, creating a feeling of inviting warmth, both practical and romantic.

Guarding the entrance to the tiny church are gargoyles (situated just below the steeple), fashioned after those at the Chapel of Notre Dame de Paris. Inside, among the rafters, the weird sculptured forms of Gothic grotesques stand watch over the chapel's guests.

Gargoyle on the Lookout at Faith Chapel

Faith Chapel Gargoyle (courtesy pwbaker)

Among the distinguishing features within the chapel are two magnificent stained glass windows. At the east end is a beautiful window crafted by David Maitland Armstrong and his daughter, Helen. Called the "Adoration of the Christ Child", this window is a backdrop for the chapel's altar, and the perfect setting for loving couples sharing wedding vows.

To the West is Faith Chapel's crown jewel - a rare work of art, a stained glass window designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. This window is rumored to be one of only 5 in existence, and is signed by Mr. Tiffany in the right lower corner.

Faith Chapel is available for weddings and special gatherings all year long. If you're looking for something unique - like a royal wedding of your own - this island wedding chapel is the perfect venue for exchanging wedding vows and making lasting romantic memories.

Faith Chapel seats 110 guests, including the wedding party. Up to 3 weddings can be scheduled there per day. As of this writing, fees are

  • $800 for 3 hours on the day of the ceremony (for weekend weddings); includes 1 hour for rehearsal.
  • $500 for weddings during the week (Monday thru Thursday), fees paid up front.
  • $300 for an elopement, renewal of vows, or christening
  • weekend weddings require $500 deposit, non-refundable if cancelled within 6 months of the event. The remainder is due 30 days before the wedding
  • Additional hours: $100/hr. or fraction of an hour. Since up to 3 weddings can be scheduled at Faith Chapel per day, any additional hours must be planned and scheduled in advance to gain access to the facility.

This info may be outdated and is subject to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, so to find out more on the particulars of scheduling Faith Chapel for your dream wedding, contact Clint Joiner at (912)635-4403, email cjoiner@jekyllisland.com

The chapel is also available for other events, like small music performances and lectures. It comes equipped with a Yamaha Studio Piano (note to brides: make sure you ask that the piano be tuned before your ceremony!).

Private bride & groom changing rooms are available behind the Chapel, and restrooms for guests are in same building.

The Jekyll Island Museum uses Faith Chapel for interpretive purposes, and it's open to public for viewing on daily basis - unless rented - from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Other Particulars of Note -

Remember this is an historic building, so when planning your wedding at Faith Chapel, note that

  • No open flames are allowed. This includes candles! If you want a candle-lit ambiance in your ceremony, you'll need electric ones.
  • Adhesives, tape, nails, pins, and fishhooks in or on the walls are big no-nos. Ditto for wire on the pews. Go with ribbon. It's nicer, anyway.
  • Don't bring food or drink inside the chapel. You CAN have Communion inside this holy chapel, but only for the wedding party.
  • No smoking! (Duh!)
  • Can't throw rice or confetti, either. Use birdseed, outdoors only.
  • A contract with all rules and regulations required must be signed by bride and by all contracted parties - wedding flower services, photographers, musicians, officiants, and event planners - at least 30 days prior to event date.

Irksome legal particulars, but necessary. And worth it to have your dream royal wedding in Faith Chapel, just like millionaires of the Gilded Age - and on Jekyll Island, one of the South's premier wedding destinations!

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