Sunday, June 23, 2002
Many couples married at the gazebo have no connection to Lowellville, the mayor said, but have fallen in love with the setting.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
N ORMA CONSTANCE AND STEVEN CALERIS saved for two years to pay for their wedding, and they wanted it to be something special.
The date and place for such an important occasion had to be just right. The price had to be just right too.
They chose to be married Saturday because that is the birthday of Caleris' grandmother, Mary Bykowski. The couple had planned to celebrate their marriage and her birthday together. Unfortunately, Bykowski died a few weeks before the nuptials.
After exploring several possible wedding sites, including the gazebo at Fellows Riverside Gardens in Mill Creek Park, they opted for a quiet ceremony in the Lowellville gazebo.
"Lowellville is a nice little town, a nice, quaint place to be married," Constance said. Her fianc & eacute; also grew up there, and his parents still belong to Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish in the village, she noted.
"The Lowellville gazebo is a unique setting. You don't hear of many other people getting married there," Caleris said.
Free rent
Marrying at the gazebo also was far more economical than getting married most other places. It costs $100 to rent the gazebo at Mill Creek Park, Constance said, plus a $200 security deposit.
Use of Lowellville's gazebo is free. The gazebo is in Veterans Memorial Park next to the railroad tracks near the administration building.
Couples married there sometimes make a donation to the village or to the person officiating, but there is no charge for use of the park and gazebo, said Mayor Joseph J. Rossi.
Constance and Caleris are the third couple Rossi has married in the gazebo.
"It's very scenic," he said, likening the setting to a Norman Rockwell painting.
Many of the couples married at the gazebo over the past 10 years have had no connection to Lowellville, he said, but have fallen in love with the setting.
Once the word gets out, the mayor expects more couples will ask to be married there.
The only restriction is that at least one of the parties must be a Mahoning County resident, he said.
Constance's daughter, Ashley Thompson, and Caleris' brother, Eugene, made up the bridal party.
Constance is the daughter of Norma and Charles Ward of Hagerstown, Ind.
Caleris is the son of Joyce and Gene Caleris of Lowellville.