Dressed in all white, the bride-to-be walked hand in hand with her fiancé through the Oval, nostalgic with Buckeye memories.
“My husband and I are both Ohio State fans and have a huge affinity and passion for the university, so it couldn’t have been more perfect,” Ciana Krymskiy, OSU Alumni Association associate director of stewardship, recalled of her wedding.
Krymskiy and her husband, a 2005 OSU alumnus, were married on June 8, 2013, at the Browning Amphitheater with a view of Mirror Lake. The ceremony was followed by a cocktail reception, dinner and dancing in the Performance Hall and Potter Plaza of the Ohio Union.
Surrounded by friends and family, Krymskiy said having the ceremony and reception on campus was “beautiful and a really idealistic setting,” and is something she recommends to couples still in the planning process.
“From all of the places I remember looking at when deciding on a ceremony and reception venue, OSU seemed the easiest to work with and most reasonable in terms of expenses and what they provide,” Krymskiy said. “They really do work to make your wedding a wonderful experience.”
The Ohio Union offers event planning services for couples interested in hosting any aspect of their wedding on campus, said Senior Event Planning Coordinator Katie Krajny.
But interested couples should contact the Ohio Union event-planning committee at least one year in advance, Krajny said.
Wedding spaces are available at the Ohio Union for wedding ceremonies only outside of the academic term, during summer, spring or winter breaks. Other aspects of the wedding, including rehearsal dinners and bridal showers, can be held in smaller meeting rooms during the academic term.
There are more than 30 event spaces available for rent in the Ohio Union, varying in size and cost. Cost for wedding spaces range from $1,050 to $5,250, according to the Ohio Union website.
Popular spaces include the Performance Hall and Potter Plaza, the Archie M. Griffin Grand Ballroom and the various Great Hall Meeting Rooms, Krajny said.
Those interested in room rental should contact the Ohio Union about the cost. OSU students, staff and faculty receive a 25 percent room rental cost discount because of their affiliation with the university, Krajny said.
But the Ohio Union is not the only location available to rent as a wedding space.
“There are venues all over campus for ceremonies and receptions as well,” said event planning coordinator Elaine McLoughlin-Overholt. “Some couples go to the Browning Amphitheater for the ceremony, then come to the Union for the reception. Others will host an event at the Blackwell, and then come to the Union.”
With multiple venue options available, the event-planning committee aims to make the planning process as easy as possible, McLoughlin-Overholt said.
“We work very closely with other venues and the couple to work through all details so that it’s perfect,” she said.
Couples also can take wedding photos on campus, requiring no prior registration or cost, Krajny said.
“(My husband said) one of the best things about our wedding was even though we really love Ohio State, it didn’t feel like our wedding was only about Ohio State,” Krymskiy said. “It was the right balance of everything.”
