Wedding Showcase At Oglebay Offers Bridal Inspiration This Sunday Afternoon

A dazzling winter theme was chosen for the wedding reception that is pictured above.  Oglebay’s talented wedding specialists offer a variety of customizable packages.By LEIGH C. MERRIFIELD

News & Journal Editor

Although the month of February is a short one, it has several celebrations and probably has been longest known as a month of romance thanks to Valentine’s Day.  While that particular day is all about love and chocolates and roses, it is also the second most popular day to become engaged … surpassed only by Christmas.

While an engagement is an exciting, happy day, it is followed by the arduous task of wedding planning and an endless list of details to make it “perfect”.   The elements include choosing a date and attendants, bridal party attire, invitations, color scheme, the venue, the menu, the cake, photographer, flowers, seating arrangement, music, and the list goes on.  Because weddings have become such “grand exhibitions”, the wedding industry has grown by leaps and bounds, and wedding planners are often hired to offer guidance and suggestions through the entire process.

If, however, you don’t have the privilege or the budget to hire a planner and are doing it yourself, attending bridal shows can perhaps be of benefit, allowing couples to both see and sample what all is available to them to prepare for their most memorable day.

Attending Oglebay Park’s upcoming ‘Wedding Showcase’ might be worth the drive to Wheeling to gather some of those ideas and assistance.   The resort itself has become a popular destination for wedding events … and even if you’re planning something less extravagant, bridal couples may find some very creative inspiration by attending.

Oglebay’s ‘Wedding Showcase’ will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. this Sunday, February 24^th.  Wedding specialists will be available to guide couples through each step of the planning process.  And the event is free and open to the public.

Guests can sample delicious hors d’oeuvres and decadent wedding cakes … see some tablescape designs presented by Oglebay’s wedding décor partner Eventioneers of Pittsburgh.  An array of unique ceiling treatment displays will also be presented by Scott Klinkoski.

Many vendors will be participating, including Masterpieces of Old Town, James Carl Photography, Selfie Snaps LLC, DJ Brian Oliver, and J Jones Evening Wear.

Even informal weddings require attention to many details, but for those who choose more elaborate nuptials designed to provide a “wow factor”, the choices and the to-do lists can be extraordinarily overwhelming!   Regardless of the event’s size, its formality, and budget, the most common advice given in wedding planning is to start early!  So why not take advantage of this opportunity to stroll through Oglebay’s Banquet View rooms and see some of the possibilities first hand?

In addition, guests will have the opportunity to win a variety of door prizes including a one-night stay at Wilson Lodge with buffet breakfast for two, among others.

Plan to make a day of it!  Oglebay’s nearly 2,000 acres offer spectacular scenery and incorporate several golf courses, tennis courts, outdoor pool, extensive walking trails, the Good Zoo, the Mansion Museum, gardens, a greenhouse, amphitheater, the Wilson Lodge, 54 cottages, a nature center, planetarium, ski slope, and Schenk Lake that is used for fishing, pedal boating, and several nightly fountain shows in season.  Be sure to take a camera; there is a lot to see – in addition to the ‘Wedding Showcase’!