Site of passage

Saying “I do’’ can feel like the easy part

Published On: April 13, 2009

For the soon-to-be-wed, there are countless decisions to be made. And for many, the question of where to hold the ceremony and reception is right up there.

In just a matter of months, there will be a new kid on that block.  The Schermerhorn Symphony Center will not only boast a state-of-the-art concert hall but will also offer numerous locales for weddings, receptions and portraits.

“It would be feasible to have a wedding in the garden courtyard and a reception in the lobbies,’’ says Ellen Hollis, director of events services. “It will be a beautiful place for bridal portraits.  There will be balconies on the top floor which overlook downtown Nashville.  And there will be beautiful water sculptures surrounding the building.’’ There are nine fixed bars on three levels and nine water features on the outside plaza.

The new building will encompass a catering kitchen with the capacity to serve a sit-down dinner for 750, says Ted DeDee, executive director of the symphony center. “But I think we can accommodate even more. Our kitchen is a lot larger than a lot of hotel kitchens.’’

The rental options include the Laura Turner Concert Hall with its versatile floor that can be converted from a sloped floor with seats to a flat floor.  The flat floor can then accommodate tables and chairs for cabaret-style seating.  Any one of the four lobbies can be rented as can the gardens. Ted says a bride might choose to have a progressive party, having the ceremony in one area of the center, a sit-down dinner in a second and after-dinner dancing in a third. Or a bride might have a rehearsal dinner in one area of the center on a Friday night, and the ceremony and reception again at the center the next night.

He sympathizes with families who are facing the daunting task of pulling off a wedding, especially with today’s high prices.

“Some of the fathers of these brides might start thinking, ‘Let’s go to Home Depot and see about the cost of a ladder…. We are positioned to run the gamut, to do something very simple and casual yet elegant, as well as something that’s very elaborate and keeps guests talking for years.’’

Ted stresses that there are areas in the new center to fit almost everyone’s budget. He says the center will have relationships with local florists to help curb the cost. In addition, following a practice common in hotels, the price of the facility will be based on what a client spends on food and drink. For example, there’s a base fee of $800 to rent the main lobby. “Let’s say you do a sit-down lunch for 150 at $25 per person,’’ Ted says, “then the room rate will be reduced.

“People sometimes leave a venue feeling exhausted financially,” he says.

“What we’re trying to do is not only make potential clients happy but help our concessionaire do more business.”

He says he is in serious discussion with two brides about renting all or part of the center after it opens in the fall of 2006.  Both he and Ellen Hollis say the center will give brides a very different option to consider. “We feel like the sky is the limit,’’ Ellen says. “This is a unique and interesting venue for weddings.  This is an experience for your event, not just an event space.’’