Severance Hall Archives

Overview

Aside from being one of our favorite spots in Cleveland for a wedding ceremony or reception, Severance Hall holds a special place in my and Genevieve’s relationship. Our very first date took place at Severance Hall. I took Genevieve there to see The Cleveland Orchestra perform Handel’s Messiah. I still remember the dress she wore, and I think it was the first night where Genevieve finally figured out how much she actually liked me. :) Fast forward several years, and we have been back a number of times to photograph wedding ceremonies, receptions, or just as a mid-day photo location with the bridal party.

For those of you who might not be from the Cleveland area, Severance Hall serves as the winter home to the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra. It was built in 1920 as a permanent home for the Orchestra and is nestled neatly in University Circle along with the Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Botanical Garden, The Natural History Museum, and Case Western Reserve University.

Ceremonies at Severance Hall

The Grand Foyer can be a beautiful location for a wedding ceremony. The ornate Art Deco design and directional window light are a dream to shoot in and can be a very nice alternative to the traditional church ceremony.

Bridal Party Portraits

There are many options in and around Severance Hall for portraits with the bride and groom and with the bridal party. The Grand Foyer, the building exterior, and the nearby Wade Lagoon and Art Museum are all fantastic backdrops. The Grand Foyer is a great backup location in the event of rain on your wedding day. If your wedding is not taking place at Severance Hall, you will need to make arrangements ahead of time if you want to use Severance Hall as an indoor photo location. This is easier to do in the summer when the Cleveland Orchestra is spending most of its time at Blossom Music Center. But, it’s worth making a call regardless of the time of year. Check availability by calling 216-231-7421.

The exterior of Severance Hall is available year-round without the need to make prior arrangements. The stone facade makes an excellent backdrop for your photos and the front entrance offers cover from the sun and rain.

Receptions at Severance Hall

The two-level layout of the Grand Foyer works out great for wedding receptions. Cocktail hour can take place on the main rotunda while tables and settings for dinner are being set upstairs in the mezzanine. After dinner, you have a beautiful wide-open space for a dance floor and the less dance floor savvy guests can watch the festivities from their seats up above. All the slightly reflective red marble can be tough to light for some photographers, but the right technique and care, it can really look amazing.

Catering

Marigold Catering is the exclusive caterer for Severance Hall, which is a great thing because they are some of the best in town. Marigold can be reached at 216-566-5400. Severance Hall can seat up to 250 people for dinner.

At a lively wedding reception in Akron, a person wearing a black shirt and orange tie holds a white rectangular plate with nine small, round appetizers garnished with green herbs. In the other hand, they hold a purple napkin.

A plated gourmet meal at the wedding reception in Cleveland features a seared steak topped with microgreens, accompanied by creamy scalloped potatoes and a portion of sautéed spinach. A rich brown sauce is drizzled adjacent to the steak, and the dish is presented on an elegant white plate.

A person wearing a black shirt and red tie is holding a rectangular white platter with small, colorful appetizers, garnished with greens, arranged on it. The appetizers appear to be rice paper rolls filled with vegetables, perfect for an elegant ceremony in Cleveland or Canton.

A white plate on a tablecloth holds a fresh salad with leafy greens, beet chunks, and small rounds of mozzarella cheese. Around the plate are a fork, knife, and spoon. This elegant presentation could easily be part of a sophisticated wedding ceremony in Cleveland.

A clear glass bowl contains three small scoops of white sorbet, garnished with two fresh mint leaves. The bowl is placed on an intricately patterned cream-colored tablecloth, reminiscent of a wedding reception setting, with a hint of a spoon in the background.

A dinner plate from a charming Akron eatery features a grilled salmon fillet atop a bed of sautéed spinach and roasted potatoes. The presentation, set on an elegant tablecloth with a fork and knife placed precisely on either side, resembles the care taken for a fine dining ceremony.

A person holding a rectangular white plate with eight round appetizers, garnished with microgreens and what appears to be a sauce. The appetizers are arranged neatly in two rows of four. The background is out of focus, but it evokes the charm of culinary scenes popular in Canton and Akron.

Conclusion

If you are planning a wedding at Severance Hall, we would love to be a part of it. We have a lot of experience photographing in what is a beautiful but sometimes challenging space and we believe that we would be an excellent choice to bring your wedding day memories to life. Please use our contact form to request more information or to set up a consultation.