Maybe its just Southwestern Pa

Cheaper weddings in my hometown (which are a lot of them, it's a fairly low-income area) are in the local VFW. I think with a lot of elbow grease and a good creative outlook, you can make a tent look like a palace.

I'm in S Central PA... was VERY popular here too... maybe a few years ago. I guess some still go that route, but there are so many other venues to choose from too. I think the draw for something other than the firehalls now is that most places have everything included for you. Firehalls, you have to put in more of the work.

Brittany - Do what works for YOU! I'm sure you'll transform it into something beautiful.

We don't have firehalls down here, we have stations, but no halls, I've never seen a bingo hall eigther. I have heard of people having them at like VFW or the moose lodge though.

Denise is right down the road from me. I've been to my share of firehall and VFW weddings. None of the firehalls that I've been to weddings in have ever been air conditioned. You have the unrelenting sound from fans blowing non-stop. The VFW's are typically air conditioned, but dank. Ceiling tiles hanging down and yellowed from all the years of smokers being in there. I think that is why park weddings have become so popular. It's a shame that PA doesn't allow alcohol in parks, they could get a lot of business doing weddings in their pavilions.

I think most of the parks you just have to get a permit for the alcohol. At least in S Western Pa. I know North Park and South Park allow it.

I've never been to a firehall wedding that didn't have air conditioning.

Its quite common around here, Im in North East PA.

I am from western PA and I have heard of them. There is VFW about 5 minutes from my house, but they have a BEAUTIFUL ballroom. If I was getting married here, I would probably have my reception there.

I guess I should have said State parks aren't allowed to have alcohol.

@ Angel - My BIL is from North East. My wife is from Cambridge Springs, so I'm up that way a couple times a year.

I'm originally from northeastern Maryland and I attended a few weddings where the reception was held at the fire hall.

Our reception was held at a Parks & Rec building in Florida, but one that is entirely a free-standing event venue, sitting on the river.

I'm from Western New York and they are pretty popular arounf here!

Having it in a Fire hall is not a bad thing. You can still have an elegant beautiful wedding. Like you said, you just have to create what you want. If you would like assistance, email me at ****@*********************.*** or fill out the contact form on our website: http://www.BeautifulBeyondDreams.com = )

Sincerely,

Brittany Allen

I live in Cambria County, PA and it's popular around here too. However, we found a nice little inn to have our reception. We're going to have h'orderves (sp?) by the pool and move inside for dinner and dancing. I figure it's all about a wash financially because I'd have to spend a lot more money to decorate a fire hall than the Inn. The inn is absolutely gorgeous!

I live in VA, and know of a friend who had a reception at the firehouse recently, and it looked tacky.

But for her, she is a firefighter, so I can see why someone would want to use that space.

I'm from Pittsburgh, so obviously I can relate to the firehall weddings! LOL. All the parks in Allegheny County permit alcohol. The buildings at North Park are very nice and also very cheap. But they book fast.

The place has pontential if you put $$$ and effort into it! I dislike my ceiling in my hall and I am going to put drapery on the ceilings to trying to cover it up as much as possible. Maybe you can do something like that (just check with the fire code). Gossamer comes flame resistent if the fire code prohibits fabric on the ceilings!

This is my hall and an idea of what I what the ceiling to look like!

Also some chair covers and nice table overlays make a big difference!

The hall we got is pretty clean. I'm renting linens and chaircovers to give it the venue feeling and not the firehall feeling. Its really big and has air conditioning. So hopefully it comes together. And yeah they do have bingo boards up but im defiantly making it a point to cover those up. It does suck that there's not help to set it up but they do do tear down soo. idk. ): hopefully everything looks nice in the end.

I have seen pleanty of fire hall weddings both growing up in NJ and here in Central PA. I think the more DIY stuff you do with decorating and dressing up your tables with tall centerpieces and some special lighting will really help change the atmosphere. I think Shaira has great ideas!!!!!

Brittany its common for VFW halls here in cincinnati northern ky. I think you can turn the fire hall into whatever your imagination and wallet takes you lol