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Select unique venue for your wedding, reception
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By SUE REID
Choosing a venue is not only one of the first steps in wedding planning, but is becoming one major way couples are letting their personalities shine through when it comes to a component of their special day. Couples today are definitely thinking outside the box with trendy, extraordinary locations for their wedding and reception.
Luckily for couples in our area, the choices are spectacular and varied. Too many to list here, but the following are some unique choices from the many endless possibilities ...
GERVASI VINEYARDS
Tuscan-style Gervasi Vineyards is perfect for an indoor or outdoor wedding or reception. An outdoor pavilion with bridal quarters and kitchen seats up to 200 people and provides a spectacular view of a spring-fed lake.
For an indoor affair, the Villa Grande ballroom at Gervasi is a grand Tuscan home in Old World style with a striking lobby, ballroom and rear veranda. Paintings by local and native artists grace the walls.
The Villa’s 24 suites accommodate overnight wedding guests, and all of the buildings on the property date back to the 1800s. Brick pathways and patios are just some of the beautiful touches at this historic venue. Gervasi Vineyards, 1700 55th St. NE, Canton, 330.497.1000
NAUTICA QUEEN
The 124-foot Nautica Queen cruise ship offers two fully-enclosed, climate-controlled decks which can accommodate up to 300 passengers. All cruises include the Nautica Queen’s lavish, unlimited buffet meal and musical entertainment, explained Colleen M. Grey, assistant general manager. Ceremonies are held on the ship’s open-air Observation Deck, weather permitting.
“The Cleveland skyline makes a great backdrop for ceremony photos,” Ms. Grey said. The captain is available to perform ceremonies. Experienced wedding planners/sales reps work with each couple through the entire planning process. All food is prepared fresh on board the Nautica, by Executive Chef Frank Ragone, who is also the executive chef for Windows on the River.
Weddings can take place on any public cruise or couples can elect for a Private Charter instead. If a couple chooses a public cruise, seating is reserved so the party will all be together, Ms. Grey noted.
Most unique about this venue choice is that couples have the opportunity for an outdoor ceremony without worrying about weather concerns. If it rains, “we move you inside!” Ms. Grey said.
As long as a couple is flexible with dates, the Nautica can accommodate short-term bookings. Their availability varies weekend to weekend and depends on the party size. “It is easier to accommodate a group of 30 people short term than it is 200,” she said. The Nautica Queen, 1153 Main Ave., Cleveland, 216.696.8888
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
and Museum
Couples get the “red carpet treatment” when they choose the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum as their wedding venue, said Risa Goehrke, marketing coordinator of the Rock Hall. “We can accommodate the wedding and reception within this 150,000-square-foot glass monument,” she added. With exclusive access to the entire museum, including seven floors of exhibit space and spacious areas for mingling and dining, guests feel like “true stars,” Ms. Goehrke said.
Guests at the Rock Hall are treated to breathtaking views of Lake Erie and the downtown Cleveland skyline.
“That will get your guests in the party spirit faster than a twist and shout on the dance floor,” Ms. Goehrke said. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., Cleveland, 216.515.8441
SEVERANCE HALL
Home of the Cleveland Orchestra, weddings at Severance Hall are “truly an event of perfection,” said Bob Bellamy, facility sales manager. “The building itself is a piece of art so many people do not imagine hosting a wedding or other event in it,” he said.
Severance Hall can accommodate 250 guests comfortably, although that can be expanded with creativity and client flexibility. Mr. Bellamy said that many couples are choosing Severance Hall because they are looking for something other than the “hotel ballroom” or “rental hall.”
From early June to mid-September, Severance is available regularly because the Cleveland Orchestra does not perform there. Bookings can be made a year or more in advance. Orchestra performances make it much more difficult to book weddings during the concert season, Mr. Bellamy noted, “but we do have limited other openings that can be booked.”
Severance Hall offers a full suite in which a bride and bridesmaids can dress and prepare, as well as stunning outdoor terraces, which are perfect for cocktail hour. Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 216.231.1111
The Inn and Suites of Fieldcrest
The amenities offered at Fieldcrest make for a memorable, stunning wedding event. Fieldcrest and its 50-acre lush estate property can host the simplest to the most elaborate event. Fieldcrest Inn and Suites offer overnight accommodations for wedding guests.
“A welcoming ambiance and charming character is effortlessly added to your memorable day because of the beautiful location,” Tracy Walker, of Fieldcrest, said. The options for decor are endless and Fieldcrest’s events coordinator will assist couples in viewing a full-service menu created by their experienced and talented chef.
Fieldcrest can accommodate small, intimate gatherings of 50 as well as groups as large as 250. “Once you drive through one of the most picturesque entrances in Stark County, you can see the rolling fields available for your event,” Ms. Walker said. “The Lodge, the Inn and the Barn are also beautiful, historic venues for your event needs as well,” she said.
Photo opportunities abound at Fieldcrest, ranging from the natural to the architectural. “Sunrise to sunset, there is a beautiful location at Fieldcrest Estate,” Ms. Walker said. “It is simply elegant.” It is beautiful in every season. The Inn and Suites of Fieldcrest, 1346 Easthill St., North Canton, 330.966.2222
Executive Caterers at Landerhaven
As trends change, so do the offerings at Executive Caterers at Landerhaven. Marketing and Development Director Chris Krause said that “destination weddings” are a marked trend this season and many couples are returning from various tropical locations and “re-creating” that special destination at Landerhaven.
“We are the premier venue in Cleveland,” Ms. Krause said. “Because of our tremendous designers, we have the ability to recreate all different destination locations.”
Menus at Landerhaven reflect new “cross-cultural” trends, Ms. Krause said. Landerhaven will custom-design menus. There are couples who come from different cultures and want their menus to reflect that. “We have amazing cultural combinations in our food, and in our custom-designed food,” Ms. Krause said. Being eco-friendly is a common practice now at Landerhaven.
Lush gardens provide an ideal outdoor setting for any wedding event at Landerhaven. “Our gardens are exquisite for ceremonies,” Ms. Krause said.
“It’s Landerhaven,” she said. “We’re never the same place twice.” Executive Caterers at Landerhaven, 6111 Landerhaven Drive, Mayfield Heights, 440.449.0700
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