The 10th Annual Bridal Extravaganza Sunday, February 27, 2000

Sunday, February 27, 2000

Y Hot spots
Grace, Windsor top spots for weddings
By SIDNEY SCHUHMANN
Staff Writer

Getting married in Abilene means having the reception at the Windsor downtown for many couples, but the Key City has other popular places for couples to tie the knot and cut the cake.

Weddings in Abilene are most likely to take place in one of the city’s 145 churches.

Popular wedding locations include some of the larger local places of worship: Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Holy Family Catholic Church, St. Paul United Methodist Church and First Baptist Church.

Parishioners of Sacred Heart and Holy Family Catholic churches do not pay fees for using church facilities to get married, unless they use the facilities for a reception, to cover cost of cleaning and utilities.

Other popular wedding locations include the three universities’ chapels, Abilene Chris-tian University’s Chapel on the Hill, Hardin-Simmons University’s Logsdon Chapel and McMurry University’ Carleten Chapel.

Because Logsdon Chapel experiences two weddings a weekend during busy months, Tim McCarry, HSU facilities coordinator, said couples are required to have some association with the university to be married in the chapel.

“The popular times of May, June, July, August and December are quite booked,” said McCarry.

About 30 weddings a year take place at Chapel on the Hill. The cost to have a wedding in ACU or HSU’s chapels is $300-450. Carleten Chapel costs $25.

Grace Cultural Center is a sought-after location for weddings and receptions. The downtown museum and cultural center has a ballroom and courtyard available for ceremonies. Another room, called the loggia, is glassed in with skylights overlooking the courtyard.

“If it’s outside, it has to be nice weather,” said DeLisa Dean, rental coordinator at the Grace. “When the weather is just right, it’s absolutely beautiful out there.”

Dean had her own wedding at sunset on the roof of the Grace.

Because of the limited size of the Grace, Dean said a maximum of 150 guests could comfortably fit in the center.

Besides the Grace, many couples follow their weddings with receptions at the Abilene Civic Center, Embassy Suites Hotel, Fairway Oaks and Abilene country clubs and the Windsor. The Civic Center can hold as many as 1,300 people. The cost to have a reception at the center is $200-800, excluding food and beverages.

The Windsor in downtown Abilene is one of the most popular locations for brides to have portraits taken, and for couples to marry and have receptions. With hardwood floors and high ceilings, the renovated hotel is favorite wedding spot.