Westside
Unitarian
Universalist
Church
Love Unites - Caring Connects - Community Thrives
Weddings at Westside
Your Wedding Space
Our Sanctuary - A wedding at Westside is unforgettable! You can arrange the chairs any way you'd like. Want a center aisle so you can "walk down the aisle"? Go for it! Want tables and chairs set up along the side? We can do that too. And our Sanctuary can be easily configured for the reception after the ceremony, with plenty of room for dancing.
A Sanctuary rental includes the use of our many long dining tables and tablecloths, as well as our sound system.
You'll also have complimentary use of one classroom that can be used as a dressing/prep area. The room has two comfortable couches, a mini refrigerator, two mirrors, and a sink for freshening up.
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An Outdoors Wedding at Westside - There are several perfect wedding spots on our grounds, and we'd be happy to work with you to make your day one to remember. Our serene flowing water feature has a stone staging area surrounded by tall trees. It's a peaceful, magical place!
Hear our "Babbling Brook" for yourself! Peaceful, isn't it?
Kitchen - What is a reception without food? Located right off our Sanctuary, a serving window connects with the Sanctuary and allows easy access. Features: 2 ovens, microwave, gas stove, professional-grade dishwasher, double deep sink, refrigerator, and coffee maker. You must provide your own coffees & teas.
Kitchen rentals include the use of our supply of dining & flatware, glasses, and mugs.
Wedding Services
Officiant - Our minister, Rev. Carol Bodeau, would be happy to officiate your wedding. Contact her using the form below to discuss your needs.
Officiant services begin at $450, and include premarital counseling, if desired.
Her fee is separate from any rental fee, and you will pay her directly.
To inquire about hiring Rev. Bodeau as officiant for a wedding not held at Westside, or for other rites of passage, see our Ministerial Services page.
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Rev. Carol Bodeau
Premarital Counseling - Rev. Bodeau is happy to do premarital counseling for couples married at Westside, or who are having a ceremony elsewhere or for whom she is not officiating. Currently Knox county offers a discounted marriage license for couples who participate in premarital counseling.
The fee is $200 for the 4 hours of counseling required by the state for a discounted marriage license. Click here to visit the Knox county marriage license page.
Westside Proudly Hosts Same-Sex Weddings.
Pricing Information
Rental Fees
$300 base fee for the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary doubles as our reception hall. You will have full access to our many tables and tablecloths as well.
$200 base fee for an outdoor wedding. Sanctuary space for reception is not included. This option is great if you plan to get married at Westside but hold your reception elsewhere.
$300 base fee for an outdoor wedding, with Sanctuary space for reception.
(We have an option for outdoor receptions as well. Contact us for more information. An additional fee will apply.)
Kitchen Fee: $50 This includes full use of all double ovens, stove, refrigerator, sink and coffee maker. (You must provide your own coffee/teas.)
Damage Deposit: $100
Required Hourly Fee
For the protection of our building and its contents, all wedding events require the hiring of a church representative known as a Sexton. The Sexton will be on the premises for the duration of your rental. They will assist in chair arrangement, and will guide post-event cleanup. The Sexton fee is in addition to the rental rate and is paid for in advance along with the rental fee.
Representative: $17/hr fee for a church Sexton to be on-site during the rental, plus 1/2 hr. before and 1/2 hr. after. Overages beyond the pre-paid amount will be deducted from the damage deposit.
Extras
Additional Rooms: Any rooms in the RE wing are available for $40. For example, we have a nursery with its own bathroom that many people opt to use if there will be a lot of babies or young children at the event.
Early Entry: $50 For decorating purposes, access to the building may be granted 1-2 days early if Westside's schedule allows and there are no events.
Contact us for information about wedding event scheduling availability, premarital counseling, and rental fees. Please provide a preferred date for your event, and if possible, an alternate date. Also please indicate if you'd like Rev. Bodeau to act as your officiant.
NOTICE:
The terms "rent" and "rental" are used for the sake of brevity and understanding. However, the building is not actually rented. To utilize our space, we ask for a small donation to cover the maintenance, utilities, and materials (for example, paper products) used during your time in the building.
With this in mind, Westside Unitarian Universalist Church cannot and will not provide space to entities that are strictly for-profit, or are political in nature. Entities requesting building space must align with our Mission and Vision statement (See below). Primarily, these entities must provide a means to improve the lives of the church community and the community of Knoxville.
Our Mission: We are a religious community that nurtures each person’s unique path of spiritual development as we live our values through service to each other and to the larger community.
Our Vision: We strive to be a religious home to all people, regardless of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, opinions, beliefs, or abilities, and to be good stewards of the Earth. We support everyone in our congregation and extend that support to the larger community through social action activities.