Getting engaged is a total whirlwind. Before you get swept away in the excitement, don’t forget that there’s work to be done. Only a few short weeks after getting engaged, we went on the hunt for the best
If you’re planning on a short engagement, you have to start booking wedding vendors ASAP especially your venue. The venue can set the tone for the rest of your theme. Cleveland wedding venues get booked very fast. We started to look at venues in late August 2018 and more than a year out, we already had limited date options for September 2019.
The Venue Search
We started off looking at art galleries and industrial buildings turned event spaces. In a way, these venues were blank canvases and there was an appeal to that. We looked at event centers that were all inclusive. We also checked out a few outdoor spaces including an old stone castle. The outdoor options all had seating limitations that wouldn’t have worked for our desired guest count of 150. None of those venues quite felt like a fit.
Initially, we wanted a rooftop wedding venue overlooking Lake Erie. This search lead us to Ariel International Center which provided exactly what we wanted but the inside of the venue didn’t wow us. Before we left, they asked if we wanted to see their sister venue, .
We Said Yes to the Venue
As soon as we stepped in the doors, we were blown away from floor to ceiling. Crystal chandeliers dazzle. The marble arches and ornate ceiling take your breath away.
Ariel Pearl Center is housed in the old Pearl Street Savings and Trust bank. Famous architects Hubbell & Benes constructed the building in 1923. This duo is also responsible for famous Cleveland landmarks such as the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Masonic Temple and West Side Market.
Located in the hearted of Old Brooklyn, Ariel Pearl Center has an unmatched charm. The Grand Hall fits 250 people without a dance floor and 200 with a dance floor space so we knew we could accommodate our guest list here. It was easy to envision the possibilities.
My husband’s favorite part of the venue was the openness. The large windows let in natural light for the ceremony and created an ambiance in the evening for the reception.
If you get major old Hollywood vibes, this is likely due to the fact that much of the interior is original to the building. There’s even a bank vault fully in tact that makes for a sweet, private photo spot. When I looked at the images our guests took of themselves at our wedding, many of them were in front of the bank vault doors.
When booking Ariel Pearl Center, your contract includes the tables and chairs along with use of entire venue. This includes the Grand Hall with the rotunda, a small kitchen, fireplace room, bank vault and the back room which we used for the cocktail hour and bar.
The fireplace room is located behind the rotunda area. The bridal party gathered here before walking down the aisle. We took formal couple pictures in the fireplace room. I also used this space to change into each one of my dresses.
This set-up makes it super easy to flip your venue from ceremony to reception – exactly what we did! By not having two different venues, we saved money and ensured a consistent look. It also made it easy for our guests to shift to cocktail hour and didn’t leave them waiting.
We worked with Dannie as our event manager. We cannot recommend her enough! She went above and beyond in making sure everything went according to plan. Dannie is as good as an event manager as this venue is beautiful which is saying something because Ariel Pearl Center is BEAUTIFUL.
Although Ariel Pearl Center is an wedding venue on the weekends, you can also book it for weekday events. There’s AV capabilities and can you imagine how epic a brunch or evening networking event would be here?
To learn more or to schedule a tour, contact Dannie at dt@arielpearlcenter.com and tell her Alysse from Ready to Stare sent you!