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Weddings

About

Rollins College is a banquet hall and wedding venue located in Winter Park, Florida. The newly renovated campus is surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardening areas and steeped in educational history. With two traditionally designed state-of-the-art facilities that are ideal for wedding ceremonies and receptions, couples can create long-lasting memories that they and their guests will remember for many years to come.

Facilities and Capacity

For intimate and traditionally styled wedding ceremonies, the Knowles Memorial Chapel provides a picturesque setting in a venue that oozes class and precise elegance. Built-in 1932 the chapel features breathtaking stained-glass above the altar, incredibly detailed high-ceilings, a large organ, and more. The neutral colored pillars and wooden altar area embraces a religious atmosphere whilst creating a bright space that allows couples to decorate the chapel to best suit their style and chosen theme color. Additionally, couples can celebrate in the Rice Family Pavilion. Originally built in 1942, the room has been repurposed as a wedding reception and banquet hall location. While maintaining its nostalgic charm, the pavilion features a glorious arched ceiling and large windows that allow natural light to flow throughout the room. The Rice Family Pavilion can accommodate up to 200 guests in a variety of configurations and can also make use of adjoining spaces including the patio and rotunda.

Services Offered

Rollins College provides couples with a number of event services and rental items to help their planning process run as smoothly and as stress-free as possible. The venue also allows couples to work with outside vendors to help craft their envisioned celebration. Event services and rental items offered include a bridal dressing room suite, setup, cleanup, chairs, tables, linens, furniture, wheelchair accessibility, and bar services. Additionally, the venue to pleased to be partnered with the campus’s on-site catering team to provide delicious fresh cuisine for any celebratory event.

Location

The campus is conveniently located near many local transport services, luscious parks, and is just a short journey away from Lake Virginia, Lake Killarney, and Lake Osceola. For couples traveling from further afield, Orlando International Airport is approximately a 30-minute drive away.


Weddings can be reserved one year in advance.

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$4,500

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?

$3,600

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

$2,000

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

$1,500

Which of the following are included in the starting site fee?

Bridal Suite
Chairs
Clean Up
Set Up
Tables

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Server(s)

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

3

Describe your venue:

Ballroom
Banquet Hall
Historic Building
Religious

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Bar Services
Catering Services
Clean Up
Get Ready Rooms
Outside Vendors
Wifi

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail Reception
Dessert
Family Style
Hors d'oeuvres
Outside Cake
Plated
Server(s)
Stations
Tastings

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Cash Bar
Champagne Toast
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
Limited Bar
Liquor License
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink
Specialty Beer
Specialty Wine

What event items are available?

Chairs
Furniture
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Chocolate Fountain
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Valet
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

March
April
May
October
November

What months are included in your off-peak season?

June
July
August

Reviews of 1885 Events at Rollins College

Julia
Julia Sent on 05/29/2022
5 out of 5 rating

The Alfond Inn at Rollins College was Incredible!

The Alfond Inn was a perfect place to host my bridal shower! The Atrium space was so beautiful and unique! Thank you to Jane and her team for their help in making it an amazing day!
Jo Marie
Jo Marie Sent on 07/19/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect Place for a Catholic Wedding

The Knowles Chapel at Rollins College is the perfect spot for a Catholic wedding. It is one of the few places outside your Parish Church that is permitted. It is a gorgeous, old, historical church. The photos we took inside and outside of the church are absolutely stunning. The wedding planner provided by the college, Susan, has done this hundreds of times. Everything was perfectly organized. The organist and singer recommended by the college were also very experienced and talented. I wouldn't change a thing.
S
Shelby Sent on 07/17/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Rollins College

Had the best time and experience at Rollins Chapel for our wedding! Would do it over and over again!
S
Suzanne Sent on 07/08/2019
5 out of 5 rating

the wedding i dreamed of.

I was so thrilled to be married at the Knowles Memorial Chapel at Rollins College. Not only is it a venue that is very special to my family, but the aesthetic is exactly what I was looking for in a church wedding. Not much decor was needed, only little touches to make it feel a bit personal. Its close proximity to the Alfond Inn made it wonderful for guests who were staying at the nearby hotel.
User1422606
User1422606 Sent on 11/05/2013
4.6 out of 5 rating
I have been wanting to get married here since I got accepted and I am so excited that that day finally came true! This was the most beautiful place to get married and take pictures. I am forever grateful that I will have these memories in my heart.

Take the people that you have to deal with with a grain of salt and just remember that it will be done with once your big day arrives! They may set the rules but once the big day is here they can't really stop too much!
J
Jessica Sent on 11/22/2016
3.4 out of 5 rating
Ok, I have always dreamed about getting married at Knowles Memorial Chapel and for anyone who have seen the chapel inside, they would understand. The chapel itself is so beautiful! The grounds of Rollins College always makes for a perfect backdrop for pictures. My ceremony was so beautiful in that church. Though the chapel is stunning, it does come with some unfortunate aspects. One, the only way you can get married there is if you or someone in your family attends or has attended Rollins College. The chapel only accepts certain brides who have some type of affiliation with the College. Two, the chapel is run by a couple of "church ladies" who can be difficult to deal with. They have many rules pertaining to the chapel and if you want anything that is not considered standard traditional its not allowed. The day of my wedding, the lady that was the coordinator for the chapel was working with my wedding planner and was not very pleasant. Even though we have been planning my wedding for over a year with so many details that were approved, she wasn't very accommodating with some of the details the day of. Three, the chapel is a big deal to a lot of brides so they get a lot of weddings there but they do offer three time lots to have your wedding on Saturdays. I can not believe they try to squeeze three weddings into one day almost every Saturday! Because of this, my wedding was at 3:30 pm (the middle wedding) and there was a wedding before mine and they ran over and didn't get out of the chapel in time. Due to this, my floral team started way late on setting up my wedding while guests were already starting to arrive!! I was SO unhappy about this! The coordinator for the church should of made sure that wedding was out on time! Instead the coordinator very sternly came up to us and strictly told us WE had to be out on time! We would of never had our issues if she would have been as stern to the other wedding. Very Disappointed in the coordination.
U
User2107794 Sent on 04/24/2015
3 out of 5 rating
This is a difficult review for me to write because although it is not gleaming with lots of positives, the positives I did have were worth it to still have my wedding here.
Let me start with the positives: Rev Shawn Garvey was incredible. He was organized, professional, and made us feel comfortable and welcome and we hadn't even met him until the rehearsal! The chapel is just beautiful. The moment I stepped in there when I started undergrad at Rollins, I knew I would get married there. And I am so incredibly happy that 8 years later, I did! Susan (I believe that was her name??) helped coordinate the day before and the day of, and she was very sweet but direct, which we needed.
I will say the biggest negative was the coordination prior to the wedding with Joanne. She initially told me I would have to have a day of coordinator due to the size of my wedding. Although I went to Rollins, that does not mean I have $1000 lying around to book a coordinator just because she told me to. She initially was very pleasant and told me what info she would need and she was willing to help, which I was thankful for. For the rest of the year, she continued to ask me multiple times who my coordinator is, and I had to re-remind her of our conversation. Whenever I asked questions, she was very short with me. I was so impressed with all my vendors, but she really pushed my buttons, to the point where I almost thought about forfeiting my deposit and having it somewhere else. Like I said, in the end, I truly am thankful for having my wedding there, but I was very disappointed in how they treat those who spend a great deal of money to be married there, ESPECIALLY when they are alumni.
My recommendation is if you love the chapel, ride the roller coaster because the end result is wonderful. But please heed this warning!
Francesca
Francesca Sent on 12/31/2025
1 out of 5 rating

Rollins College ruined our wedding. Avoid at all costs

If you’re thinking about Rollins College as a wedding venue, please heed my warning and think again. ESPECIALLY if you are booking a November wedding. Our experience was an absolute nightmare, and doesn't even deserve the 1 stars given. We were completely blindsided when we found out from the Alfond Inn just 2 months before our wedding date that Rollins scheduled their annual Family Weekend on our wedding weekend. This major campus event is typically scheduled for the first weekend in November, and was listed as a blocked out weekend when we originally picked our wedding date. Unbeknownst to us, Rollins decided to hold this event on the second weekend in November this year, a weekend that was not blocked out when we selected our wedding date. We didn't even receive notice of this impact from Megan, Rollins Event Coordinator. She could not guarantee our guests parking or confirm any of the Family Weekend event impacts to our wedding logistics, and put us in a terrible situation to cancel and reschedule everything we had painstakingly planned for over a year. Her lack of professionalism is astounding. What should have been a joyful, stress-free experience turned into absolute heartbreak, financial loss, and frustration. Rollins showed zero accountability or consideration for the impact on couples who trust them with one of the most important days of their lives. Months of planning, thousands of dollars spent, and countless hours coordinating vendors were completely wasted. Couples book with Rollins expecting competence and accountability, not to be treated as an afterthought until the damage is irreversible. Do yourself a favor and avoid this venue entirely!
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

8

Professional Network & Endorsements

Preferred Vendors
DREAMTOWN Photo Co.
5.0 out of 5 rating , 1 review
· Wedding Photographers

Map

1885 Events at Rollins College frequently asked questions

1885 Events at Rollins College includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Bridal Suite
  • Chairs
  • Clean Up
  • Set Up
  • Tables
1885 Events at Rollins College includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Server(s)
The space offered by 1885 Events at Rollins College for wedding events is known for:
  • Ballroom
  • Banquet Hall
  • Historic Building
  • Religious
1885 Events at Rollins College offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
1885 Events at Rollins College offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Elopements
  • Rehearsal Dinner
1885 Events at Rollins College offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Bar Services
  • Catering Services
  • Clean Up
  • Get Ready Rooms
  • Outside Vendors
  • Wifi
1885 Events at Rollins College offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Chairs
  • Furniture
  • Tables
1885 Events at Rollins College is recommended by 80% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.0 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.2 in value, 4.1 in average response time, 3.9 in quality of service, 3.9 in professionalism and 3.8 in flexibility.
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