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Take a drive along
Wharncliffe Road in London, Ontario and you will see drive-thrus galore.
They are all over the city, in every city, meeting everyone’s needs
and providing services from fast food to banking, without people having
to get out of their car. They are made for our convenience to use when
in a hurry. And it seemed like every drive-thru avenue had been
exhausted. But take another look as you drive down Wharncliffe Road
South and you might see one drive-thru that is not so familiar. |
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Crystal Wedding Chapel, is located on Wharncliffe Road South at the
corner of Cliftonvale Avenue. It's unassuming appearance, at first
glance, might not grab anyone’s attention. You may not even know it’s
an actual wedding chapel until you enter it. However, this chapel offers
more than your average choice of weddings. It is host to London’s, as
well as Canada’s first and only drive-thru wedding chapel.
Meet Dale Brewster, owner and creator of Balloons To Go and Crystal
Wedding Chapel, both located in the same building. The wedding chapel
itself takes up a majority of the space, with Dale’s balloon business
and office in the back. The drive-thru weddings themselves are offered
through the pull up window just off the side of the building, however,
despite its growing popularity, most people still opt for the indoor
style wedding.
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Dale Brewster opened Crystal Wedding Chapel two and a half years ago and
the drive thru just last June.
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The drive thru window is located at the side of the chapel and decorated
with flowers with a minister waiting to perform the ceremony from the
window.
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As a former belly
dancer until the late 1960s, Dale started up her Balloons To Go business
in 1979, mainly to coincide with the singing telegram business she had
where she offered balloons with the service. However, the business
quickly expanded and soon featured just balloons. During a trip to Las
Vegas where she ended up getting married, Dale got the inspiration to
start her own wedding chapel. She returned home to London but it took
her nine years to find the perfect location for her store. Eventually
Dale opened up her very own chapel. The chapel itself has been open for
about two and a half years but the drive-thru was not born until June of
2003. Created more out of a joke than anything else, she called peoples’
bluff and opened up an actual drive-thru and it was an instant success. |
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Dale is also the owner of Balloons To Go, the business she created years
ago to coincide with the singing telegram business she was running.
Balloons To Go is located at the back of the Crystal Wedding Chapel.
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In today’s
society, where the sacred marriage vow seems to be made a mockery of, it
is hard to find people who take it seriously. So the stigma of a “drive-thru”
wedding chapel has tainted many people’s views of Dale’s business.
Several radio and news stations have interviewed Dale and not knowing if
they were mocking her idea, she did her best to squash the stereotypes.
It’s hard not to have pre-conceived notions when thinking about a
place like this. Dale’s main goal was to set out to make a place for
people to get married which suited their wishes. Some people opt to go
the traditional route - white dress, music and attendants and family.
While others may just casually stroll in on their way somewhere else,
clad in nothing fancier than blue jeans or jogging pants. The drive-thru
offers that extra bit of individuality to an otherwise traditional
ceremony. |
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A view from the back of the chapel during Angela and Daniel Boudreau’s
wedding ceremony.
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Robert and Karen Anderson take a more casual approach to their wedding,
popping in for quick vows on their way to a hockey tournament.
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This
Vegas-influenced chapel is really not far away from the real deal. The
only thing separating the two is geography. People getting married via
the drive-thru can drive up in their car with family and friends inside
or on the hood of their car, or on their Harleys, and yes, even a coffin
has passed through the drive-thru. Unfortunately the drive-thru has been
closed since January due to the winter weather. Dale is hoping to have
it open again come early spring. Dale has turned the wedding chapel
interior into a beautiful area, with a large amount of seating, an altar
area, lovely flowers and a gazebo for the bride to pass under as she
walks down the aisle. A licensed minister meets the couple at the
chapel, witnesses can also be provided if the couple arrives on their
own. The chapel also provides their very own photographer to catch all
the important moments. The day is different for everyone but the chapel
makes it go along as smoothly as possible. |
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Angela walks down the aisle under the flower gazebo in the wedding
chapel.
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Angela and Daniel Boudreau sign their registry and smile for photos,
which are provided by the Crystal Wedding Chapel.
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Crystal
Wedding Chapel, named after Dale’s daughter, offers a plethora of
different packages, suiting everyone’s needs. Depending on the time of
year, themed weddings and accessories are also offered for any event
ranging from Valentines’ to St. Patrick’s Day to Halloween. Same-sex
marriages are also performed. A shotgun wedding will run you $99, an
elopement as well as renewing vows at the drive-thru is $169.99. The
actual drive-thru wedding costs $199.99 but includes the ceremony and
minister, balloons, silk roses for the bride and a boutonnière for the
groom. Or if Vegas is just what you crave, you can have your very own
“King” package for $799.99, which includes the best impersonator
Elvis in town escorting the bride down the aisle, and who will sing
three songs for the couple. |
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Karen Anderson walks down the aisle. Opting for a more casual approach
to her wedding ceremony, she chose not to dress up.
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Robert and Karen Anderson exchange their vows in front of Rev. Lori
Hisson in a more casual and relaxed ceremony.
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Angela and Daniel Boudreau pose for their photos under the gazebo just
after their ceremony.
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Although the idea of a drive-thru wedding chapel may not be to
everyone’s taste, there is something to be said by the recent success
of this venture. It is a different way of doing the traditional and has
seemed to peak the interest of many people across the city and country
and has even crossed over the border. With over 400 weddings under its
belt, Crystal Wedding Chapel has gotten off to a great start. Whether
you desire classy or low key, a quick wedding indoors or out, or a
different and memorable ceremony at the infamous drive-thru, Crystal
Wedding Chapel has the goods to offer, if you ’re up for the taking!
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