Mood for love: Clifton Inn sets the stage for a weekend-long celebration

When they thought about how they wanted to get married, Heather Welch and Greg Arbogast knew one thing: Their wedding should feel like a weekend retreat. The couple sought a “location where our friends and family could enjoy exclusive use of the property and unwind for the weekend, sort of like a mini vacation,” Heather said. And after visiting the Clifton Inn, “we fell in love with everything about it.”

The pair and their guests had the run of the inn from Friday to Sunday, which allowed them to treat the property like a resort. The weekend began with desserts and cocktails by the pool after Friday’s rehearsal dinner, and before the wedding the following day, everyone enjoyed lawn games and some more downtime at the pool. Later that evening, the post-ceremony dinner was served family style “to build a sense of community among the guests,” Heather said. “We provided flip-flops, so the girls could enjoy dancing under the bistro lighting and the stars.”

“We strove for casual elegance that matched the relaxing, yet clssic atmosphere of the Clifton Inn,” she said. And the wedding’s personal touch came courtesy of the bride’s grandmother and aunt, who have canned dilly beans (pickled green beans) for years, and finally were able to pass the tradition on to Heather, who “spent an entire weekend canning fresh green beans,” which was her way of saying thank you to the people who joined her and Greg for their unforgettable weekend.