When most brides think of a wedding in Oakland, the usual spots to look at are Heinz Chapel, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Phipps Conservatory. All three are incredibly popular and book up quickly.
However, there are two hidden gems in Oakland that I believe are worthy of a visit.
The first is First Baptist Church of Pittsburgh on Bellefield Avenue, just around the corner from the CMU columns. I really like this church! Among it’s many charms:
- Four, count them, four balconies. Front, both sides, and back
- The nicest wedding coordinators you will ever meet
- A private parking lot for the church
- Convenient parking garage for any overflow
- Magestic nooks, crannies, and Gothic arches for photos
- Off the beaten path by only one block
- The ability to bring in a guest minister
The second of my hidden treasures is the Twentieth Century Club. Located just down the street from First Baptist Church, TCC is on Bigelow Blvd. The outside doesn’t give you one tenth of a glimpse of the grandeur of the inside of the facilities. Founded as an all womans’ club, the TCC does not advertise in the traditional wedding magazines for our area. TCC relies on word of mouth from past brides, photographers, DJs and other guests who visit the site.
I won’t be able to sum up all of the charming features here but these are some of my favorite characteristics of TCC:
- Wonderful catering!
- The ballroom layout and it’s unique Art Deco feel. Very classy!
- The diningroom is a pleasure to photograph guests in
- The large floor to ceiling window on the second story is great for photos (especially useful if the weather is not cooperating)
- Charming salon-style rooms (also great for photography)
- Exceptional value (one of my brides told me that the TCC was very affordably priced for a reception)
- Super nice employees who are very attentive to the bride, groom, attendants of the wedding and even vendors!
So if you’re considering Oakland for a wedding and reception, I highly recommend First Baptist and the Twentieth Century Club.
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Paul and I just finished cleaning up after our big workshop with David Beckstead. It was fun, exhausting, and very informative. You can check out the first round of images at our gallery page. Just click on the Shoot with Beckstead link and browse around.
After shooting all day on Tuesday, David asked me to drive him back into Zelienople to take a quick shot of a little surprise that we had set up for his visit. I thought he was going to do some creative stuff for his own use. Little did I know that I’d be photographing HIM!
I’ll admit that my hands were shaking a bit as David is one of THE top photographers in the world. But for being put on the spot, I’m pretty happy with this grab shot!
A special thanks goes out to Melissa, Annie, and Kate for allowing us to drag them here, there, and everywhere as we chased elusive shafts of light and funky textured interiors to go for a fun fashion shoot.
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A special thanks to Patricia Boudrot at Filene’s Basement for passing on this valuable information!
Brides To Battle for Bargains in Cleveland
The annual “Running of the Brides,” Filene’s Basement’s legendary sale of designer and famous label wedding gowns, will take place Friday, October 17, 2008 at its store just outside Cleveland. The selection of over 2300 gowns, sizes 2 to 30, will be priced between $249 and $699, a real bargain compared to the $900 to $10,000 these dresses would cost in a bridal salon.
Recently named the number one “sale worth waiting for” by WalletPop.com, brides who take advantage of the once a year sale will save a ton of money and make great memories in the process.
Filene’s Basement’s Running of the Brides
Friday, October 17, 2008 — 8:00am to 9:00pm
Richmond Road and I-271
Warrensville Heights, OH
Cash, checks and credit cards accepted. All sales are final.
www.filenesbasement.com/bridal.jsp
Win a Free Wedding Dress!
WeddingWire.com and Filene’s Basement are giving away gift certificates towards a wedding dress of your choice at the Running of the Brides. Enter at http://filenes.weddingwire.com. Entries accepted until 5:00pm EDT on 10/14/08.
Marriott Cleveland East (just yards from Filene’s Basement) is offering a discounted rate for the night of Thursday, October 16, 2008 for $99 plus applicable state and local taxes. To reserve a room call 800-533-0162 or go to http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/cleem?groupCode=runruna&app=resvlink&fromDate=10/16/08&toDate=10/17/08
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