Wacky wedding spots draw couples

MANSFIELD, Ohio – A famous prison that was the backdrop for the movie The Shawkshank Redemption, the house where Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall tied the knot in 1945 and victory lane at one of the nation’s top race-car courses are among the unique and unforgettable wedding locations found in pastoral Mansfield, Ohio.

Weddings are already being booked at the Ohio State Reformatory, the famous prison known as “Dracula’s Castle” that closed to prisoners in 1990 but has since undergone a $1.3 million restoration. An additional $600,000 is being spent to convert the prison’s former guard room into a dramatic setting for weddings and special events. The prison, which features a museum and gift shop and routinely hosts popular ghost hunts, is now available for weddings.
 
MalabarFarmState Park, site of the former home of author Louis Bromfield, offers a more traditional wedding destination, yet with its own Hollywood twist. Scores of brides and grooms exchange vows each year in the entrance hall to the farm’s Big House. The foot of its grand staircase is the location where Bogey & Bacall were hitched in May 1945. The site remains one of the most popular wedding destinations in the Midwest. Malabar Farm offers other unique venues such as barn for weddings and special events.
 
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, one of the nation’s leading road courses, offers a dramatic wedding backdrop for race fans. Ski buffs can tie the knot atop Mount Mansfield at Snow Trails, Ohio’s first commercial ski resort. Snow Trails was recently named the No. 4 terrain park in the Midwest by Freeskier Magazine. Couples can also marry with a ceremony at the scenic Deer Ridge Golf Course, where a new clubhouse provides space for weddings, receptions and special gatherings. Deer Ridge’s golf course is rated four-stars by Golf Digest.
 
No matter the site of the wedding, KingwoodCenter, a 47-acre estate just west of downtown Mansfield, is a popular destination for wedding photographs. The grounds of the former mansion of a Mansfield businessman are famous for their brilliant floral displays and are the dream spot for to capture the most special of special occasions.
 
Add to these sites the brand new timber-frame Deer Ridge Golf Clubhouse and the area’s new banquet facilities and the list of unique wedding locations available in Mansfield becomes even more impressive. The region’s variety of family fun, historical and educational attractions, romantic getaways, outstanding golf and more also make Mansfield the perfect weekend getaway or midweek escape. All-inclusive Getaway Packages are available by calling (800) 642-8282 or online at www.mansfieldtourism.com.
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Comp or press rate trips and images available. Contact
Amy Weirick
(614) 848-8380 or amy@WeirickCommunications.com.