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West End/Elliot Overlook

NJSLNJSL member
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in Pennsylvania-Pittsburgh
Hi ladies!  I'm snowed in and working from home today, so that means I can spend most of my day wedding planning without worrying about getting caught by my boss!

My FI has been trying to keep me from going too crazy too early, but in an amazing event last night he randomly turned to me and said "if we can't have the ceremony at the same site we have the reception I want to have the ceremony at the overlook you showed me".  I was floored!  I haven't ever been to the West End Overlook, but we'll swing by when we come down to visit reception locations in April.  I did find a PDF for shelter rentals from the city, but I was hoping someone could provide me with specifics on the West End Overlook.  Are the shelters the only place you could have a ceremony?  I've seen pictures of what looks like an open deck, do you have to get a permit from the city to use it?  Are we allowed to put rented chairs there for our guests to sit?  We're looking at having around 100 people, is the overlook possible with this many guests?  I also saw something about permit day on the city park's website, but city residents get first crack.

Any information you ladies could provide would be extremely helpful!  Oh, and we're looking at either August 20, 2011 for the wedding or August 6, 2011 if we decide to go with Heinz Field for the reception (before preseason football starts).
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Re: West End/Elliot Overlook

  • kwynnkwynn
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    If you go with Heinz FIeld, you can definitely have the ceremony and reception there in the same place. I would think almost any reception site could accommodate that, so I don't think you have to worry about having it there only if you can't have it at the reception site.

    But if you want to have it there, I think it could be pretty beautiful.

    I have seen photos of a West End Overlook ceremony, but I have never actually been to one.

    My thoughts would be the ceremony time. You definitely want to avoid midday light up there, it can be very harsh. I know it is hard to keep people from squinting up there on a sunny day.

    Sometimes the city can actually be hazy below, so that's a consideration as well.

    I wouldn't honestly want to have the ceremony there as the sun is setting either because the surrounding neighborhood (Sheraden and the like) is not the best. (I don't mean to offend anyone with that; it is just an observation from the night I got engaged up there and a few other times I've been there).

    Handicap access isn't the best, but manageable, if you have any older guests. I think there are two parking lots and enterting from the back one, not the one on the side, would be more direct.

    And lastly, you would have to be prepared to rent a tent in case of rain. I'm not sure what that would run you or if that would be approved by the city.

    I think it is a really neat idea and can be very scenic! I have no idea on costs, but I hope that helps you out somewhat! :)



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  • NJSLNJSL member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    So far the only place I've found that won't let us have the ceremony at the site is the PPG Zoo & Acquarium, which just so happens to be my favorite at this point in time.


    We were thinking early evening so it cools down a little bit, but we want a short, to the point ceremony.  And in August the sun doesn't set until well after 9, so I think we should be OK.  A tent is definitely something we would look into, just not at this point just yet.

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