Hotel Cleveland Wedding

An intimate Hotel Cleveland Wedding

Joanna and Tom’s went from the church to their Hotel Cleveland wedding via the RTA train.

Please enjoy, Scott Shaw Photo | Cleveland Wedding Photographer

Hotel Cleveland wedding

This was a first for me. Most take a party bus, limo or car and not public transportation.When I first talked to Joanna she said she would really like to take the train just a few houses away from her home in Shaker Heights to their Hotel Cleveland wedding reception. I loved this idea! As a photojournalist turned wedding photographer I always enjoy unique scenarios and I knew this would be fun.

She told me she’d talked to other photographers that were not so thrilled with the idea. They were a bit less flexible telling her that’s now how it’s usually done. I’m so glad she found me since I was excited about what she wanted. She has taken the RTA downtown many times over the years to get to work.

We started at Church of the Saviour in Cleveland Heights where Joanna did a first look with her sons, Elliot and Ashton. I photographed them several months before and it was good to see them again.

Joanna: “My friend Sarah walked me down the aisle. I call her my academic big sister. She was my mentor in my first job and we’ve been close ever since.

“My friend Sharon went dress shopping with me. I was intent on buying a cocktail dress, but Tom had said he’d like to see me in a wedding dress, so I tried some on. When I tried this one, Sharon said it was made for me and she wasn’t wrong. When Tom and I met I told him I was just glitter inside. 🙂 And yes, my dress had pockets! The fur cape was borrowed from my dear friend Robin, who said her grandmother would have delighted in my wearing it.

After the ceremony and photos at the church we went to the train station in Shaker Heights. The ride was quick and smooth into Tower City. “Tom’s from northeast Ohio but had never been on the Rapid prior to dating me. It was a highlight of our wedding day and just so fun.”

The reception was steps away at the newly renovated Hotel Cleveland wedding venue. Formerly the Cleveland Renaissance Hotel that opened in 1918, it went under extensive renovation and is now officially called Hotel Cleveland, Autograph Collection.

The reception was in Mowrey’s at Hotel Cleveland. This is the perfect location for a smaller wedding reception. It’s named after Mowrey’s Tavern which was the first bar and lodging house on the site in 1815.

The food was a delicious buffet and this was some of the best food I’ve ever had at a wedding.

Officiant: Kelly Collins
Ceremony: Church of the Saviour
Reception: Hotel Cleveland
Cake: Lizzie’s Bakery
Florist: Sola Wood Flowers
Dress: Maggie Sottero from Galleria Gowns
Bride’s shoes: Kate Spade
Engagement Rings: Spiegel & Son
Wedding bands: mine was Spiegel & Son, Tom’s is Triton
Hair: guys was Shana Rose, Mentor
Assistant: Andrea Hallgren