The Old Courthouse is a stunning location that embodies elegance, charm, and convenience!  Nestled in downtown Cleveland, this venue offers breathtaking views of the city and a beautiful interior setting for your wedding. 

Read on to find out more about what we love about The Old Courthouse and what makes it a perfect setting for your love story!

WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT THE OLD COURTHOUSE:

Easily Accessible Parking

There is a lot and a garage attached to the venue for cost-friendly covered parking opportunities for your guests.

Nearby Hotels

If you have guests traveling in or if you want easily-accessible areas for getting ready near the Old Courthouse, there are LOTS of options for accommodations in downtown Cleveland.  The Hilton Cleveland Downtown is within walking distance directly across from the venue and has high level rooms available that give gorgeous natural lighting and views of the city and Lake Erie.  The Hyatt Arcade is less than 5 minutes from the venue and boasts a bottomless amount of indoor shooting areas that coordinate with the historic feel of The Old Courthouse.  The Doubletree is also nearby as a walkable or driveable option depending on your preferences.

The Hyatt Arcade

The Hyatt Arcade​​​ The Hilton Cleveland Downtown

The Hilton Cleveland Downtown

The Hilton Cleveland Downtown

The Hilton Cleveland Downtown

The Hilton Cleveland Downtown

The Cleveland Doubletree Hotel

The Cleveland Doubletree Hotel

Weather Considerations and Backup Plans

Hey, this is Cleveland.  We experience gorgeous changes in the seasons but there is always the possibility of rain and snow in addition to high-heat and humidity in the summer months.  One way you can ensure you have a weather-proof wedding that runs smoothly is by having your event at a venue that's fully indoors.  The Old Courthouse has a great layout for indoor ceremonies, cocktail hour, and receptions that don't require leaving the location- which can be just as beneficial for your guests as it is for you and your wedding party.

Overhead Picture Opportunities 

The Old Courthouse has an upper level and a lower level that are used in a variety of fun, creative ways.  One of our favorites?  Getting allllllllll the angles that you can't get at other venues to highlight how your big day unfolded.

Ceremony Entrances The Last Dance of the Night

Iconic Nearby Photo Opportunities 

Whether you want to walk around the immediate area to get the architecture of The Old Courthouse in the background of your images or take a less-than-5-minute drive to get some iconic Cleveland scenery in your photography, your options are just about endless no matter what parts of the city are most appealing to you.  

Front Steps of The Old Courthouse

Alongside City Hall

Voinovich Park

Voinovich Park

East 4th Street

Our Inflatable Photo Booth Fits Here Perfectly

The Old Courthouse has high ceilings and plenty of space to accommodate our 8x8x8 inflatable photo booth for you and your guests to create added fun memories.

Breathtaking Indoor Scenery

The Old Courthouse is gorgeous from floor to ceiling with an endless amount of areas for photo opp's whether indoor or outdoor.  

Bridal Portraits on the Indoor Staircase

Table Details

Toasts and Speeches

Table Details

Sky-High Ceilings for the Hora

Marble Pillars and Elegant Scenery for your Reception

Table Details

Table Details

First Dance as a Married Couple

Candlelit Scenery

Make an Entrance... and an Exit!

If you want to do a stylized ceremony exit, the staircase out front of The Old Courthouse is large enough to accommodate many guests and looks incredible in pictures.  It's also a great area to do sparkler send offs.  The indoor staircases are equally as amazing whether you want to use them for portraits or to make an entrance for your reception!

Bubble Exit From Ceremony

Parents Entering the Reception

Couple Entering the Reception

Sparkler Send Off at the End of the Night

Pro-Tips and People We Love

• Do a first look before your ceremony!  Since everything is on site, the flow of this venue usually has your ceremony going directly into cocktail hour and then immediately into the reception.  This only allows a very short window to take portraits with your wedding party, families, and portraits of you and your main squeeze.  Doing a first look before the ceremony will give you plenty of time to manage the formalities and give you extra time to enjoy with your fiance before you say I Do.  Not sure about what a first look is and what the benefits are to doing one?  Read more here!
   
• Hire a coordinator.  This venue has a lot of space to work with and needs all-hands-on-deck to reset the rooms in between the ceremony and reception.  You will want someone experienced with the venue to manage the loading in and loading out of any drapery, catering, bars, and to ensure your special day runs smooth.  Rain Wedding Planning is my go-to referral for a seamless experience https://www.rainweddingplanning.com/

• Make sure that your DJ is familiar with the venue!  Due to the high ceilings, the acoustics can be tough to manage and ensure you don't have a wonky echo.  Selective Sound Entertainment has done several weddings with us here and always deliver a solid experience.  Consider them for uplighting as well to bring the pillars to life and create an ambient backdrop for your photography and videography https://selectivesound.com/

• There is no natural lighting in the venue so you'll want a creative team managing your photography and videography who know how to navigate their own lighting and make sure that your memories don't get lost in the darkness.  My favorite videographers are on the Elite Entertainment team and we have done many weddings at this venue together! https://eliteohioevents.com/

• As highlighted above, there are many walkable and short-driveable areas for portraits depending on your preferences. Take a tour of the area in advance to see what areas you love the most so you can plan in travel time if needed to hit off-site locations or determine if you're happy to just take a stroll outside.  I am always happy to tour the venue with you to ensure you're fully informed of options and that your photography later on is everything you dreamed it would be!