Venues with character

I was talking the other day with a prospective client who lives out of town. She has great style and is looking for a venue to match her vision. She's looking at some historic buildings because she wants something with character, something classic. That got me thinking about the places around here that fit the bill.

Youngstown is one of the top ten most affordable places in the U.S. The Crandall Park District is the most affordable historic district in the country. (I'm lucky enough to live here.) Youngstown is brimming with history and so are its wedding venues. Let's take a look at some of them now.

First, let's talk about the uber gorgeous Stambaugh Auditorium. Stambaugh opened its doors in 1926 and was intended as a place to entertain the community, although I'd venture to say it was the upper eschelon of the community. Its marble floors and dramatic staircases exude elegance and make for a very classic backdrop if this is your wedding vision. Stambaugh seats anywhere from 75-550 people depending on what part of the facility you'd like. Oh, and the large concert hall has an un-augmented E. M. Skinner pipe organ for your listening pleasure :) For more information call 330.747.5175

Next on our list is the equally beautiful Powers Auditorium. Powers opened (as a movie theater) in 1931 and was originally called the Warner Theatre. Remember the Warner Bros? Yep, that's them. They grew up right here in Youngstown, Ohio. In 1968 the Warner Theatre was slotted for demolition to make a parking lot. A PARKING LOT?! Thankfully, the Edward W. Powers family donated $250,000 to renovate the building, and in 1969 it reopened as a concert hall and houses the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra and Broadway-style shows to this day. Seating for receptions is up to 400 people in the lobby and mezzanine areas. For more info call 330-744-4269.

The B&O Railroad station offers something truly beautiful and unique. Built in 1905 the interior boasts an incredible wrought iron, winding staircase, copper-patina, full-service bars and a fireplace. Imagine this scene...your guests are enjoying cocktail hour near the blazing fire. You and your husband are introduced for the first time and you descend down the spiral staircase allowing your guests to see every angle of your gorgeous dress. WOW! The B&O has seating from 100-250 people. For more info call 330-480-9859.

Lastly, let's talk about the Butler Institute of American Art. The Butler is the first museum of American art and was dedicated in 1919. The museum houses over 20,000 individual works including pieces from Georgia O'Keeffe, Andy Warhol and Norman Rockwell. For those brides who can't decide between historic and something more modern, this venue offers them both.
For more information call 330.743.1107, ext. 122

There are a lot of other great venues around the area, but for this post I wanted to concentrate and highlight the ones located directly in Youngstown. As you can see, these are gorgeous venues with tons of historic value and character. If that's what you're looking for, then any of these place would work!

Cheers,