A love letter to Cleveland

Dearest Cleveland,
Ah, Cleveland, the city where my heart resides! From the Rock Hall to Jacobs Field, you have a lot going for yourself.

But city I love, you are a very strange bird when it comes to weddings. You operate on a different wedding planning clock than the coasts do (and what magazines tell me!). Places aren't typically booked a year in advance. Prices are much lower for just about everything. But you lack the availability of floral designers, couture dresses, photojournalistic photographers and interesting venues that are found other places. So many of your residents, both vendors and family, still do weddings how they were done in the 1980s. While I can chicken dance with the best of them- not only am I from Cleveland, home of the Polka Hall of Fame, but I'm also German- Calvin doesn't want that. How you force us to be resourceful to seek out vendors and locations that seem to be readily available elsewhere in the nation!

But you have your hidden strengths and talents. Your restaurant scene is phenomonal, with too many choices for a fabulous rehearsal dinner. Michael Symon's Lola or Lolita, the Baricelli Inn, Paladar or Sarava.

Lola

Lolita

Sarava

And you are really easy to get to and around, whether by car, plane or public transportation. While understated with an inferiority complex, you really have a lot to offer people who are visiting. You frustrate me, but deep down inside I know I will always come back to you.

Love,
Meg

~

Has anyone else found significant differences between what is in magazines/books/blogs/websites and what is available in their area? And does anyone have any tips for bringing out the best in cities for guests who wouldn't be there if it weren't for your wedding?