Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 6, 1994 TAG: 9402180352
SECTION: YOUR WEDDING PAGE: YW-10 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By BECKY HEPLER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Probably the most popular place for weddings in the area is Mountain Lake. Manager Buzz Scanland said during the summer months, the hotel will be the site for anywhere from three to four weddings a day. As befits such a busy place, prospective brides need to reserve early.
The hotel offers several locations, including the gazebo, the conference rooms, the barns and most anywhere on the grounds of the resort. The boat house, which is across the lake from the hotel is available for small gatherings under 50 people.
The hotel offers catering from appetizers to full-course meals, and of course, lodging. One of the nice touches for the wedding is the horse-drawn carriage, which can deliver the bride to the wedding and the couple to the reception, or just tour them around the resort.
Another very popular place in which to be married is the Virginia Tech campus. There are actually several different places, requiring several different calls. War Memorial Chapel is the site of 150 to 200 ceremonies a year, and Naomi Wilson said she is already booking into 1995, so again, start early, if you want to be married there. Her number is 231-6240.
The $75 building rental fee gets you three hours of time, usually two hours for the actual ceremony and one hour of rehearsal time. That fee covers the use of the chapel or the patio upstairs, if you want an outdoor wedding in an impressive place.
If you are interested in the gazebo at the duck pond or the amphitheater, you need to contact the Events Planning Office in room 221, Squires Student Union (231-5005). There is no fee and it is open to the public, not just students.
The Horticulture Gardens are another pretty spot for an outdoor wedding, with different flowers in different seasons. It is also open to the public, but you need to call the Horticulture department to reserve it (231-5451). The Donaldson Brown Hotel and Conference Center has been a popular choice for receptions and some weddings over the years. Its Commonwealth Dining Room can handle up to 450 people.
There is a menu or the chef can customize the reception. They even do ice carvings, and they will do off-site catering, if you want. You need to call the Special Events Office there (231-6795). As with other popular sites, it books quickly, so start early.
Smithfield Plantation, the historic farm adjacent to Virginia Tech, has recently opened its gates to the bridal and party market. Kevin Riley, curator, said the facility is available for events.
There are some restrictions. Parties taking place inside the house are limited to 35 people. However, there are no limits when you're just using the grounds. Riley said the garden plot and bricked-in patio make a lovely spot for a ceremony. The fees are based upon the number of people who will be attending.
Terrific's/Catering Unlimited, Inc. in Radford offers two interesting locations and reception catering. The courtyard is decorated with hundreds of bulbs and flowering shrubs, so there's color from spring till fall, a musical creek flowing beside it and giant willow trees that are like a natural awning, said owner Diane Whitehead.
Across the parking lot is the club, done up in a 1940s nightclub style, with mirrored walls, leather bankettes and a polished wood dancing floor.
If you have enjoyed the music at the Friday Night Jamboree up in Floyd County, you might consider that as a place to get married. Cathy Battle, from Sue's Florist Shop in Floyd, has seen two weddings at the Cockram's General Store. One was during the Jamboree, the other on a Saturday afternoon. Freeman Cockram provided the music.
Battle, who did the flowers for that wedding, told the story of how the bride took the centerpiece from the reception table to put on her grandmother's grave after the event so she could share in the joy of the day.
For those who love the water, the gazebo at Claytor Lake is one choice and a popular one at that, with 40 to 50 couples using it a year. Brides-to-be need to fill out an application and pay the fee to reserve it. It rents for $18 per half day, $36 for a full day, and that gets you the use of 50 chairs to set up at the site.
In addition, the park charges the regular parking fee ($1 in the off-season, $2 Memorial Day to Labor Day). The bride can distribute passes to her guests and settle up with the park folks later.
While the gazebo is close to the Visitor Center (bathroom site), it is not available as a rain-site, if the weather acts up. Park officials ask that you clear your plans with them to be sure you are within park rules. They also advised that this is a public park and there is no way to block off the public from your wedding, so be prepared for casual on-lookers to join you during the ceremony.
On the other side of the lake, the Homestead Inn also allows for a wedding with a lakeside view. Recent renovations have created a large flat spot right on the water where you can set up a tent. Call for an appointment (980-6777) or go by.
Irene Robinson, from the Wedding Center in Pulaski, suggested Canter Memorial Park in Wythe County.
"It's a very romantic place, pretty and uncrowded and with an arch where you can get married," she said. Call the county recreation department to reserve it.
by CNB