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The
Irish Inn offers an elopement package and stress-free weddings with ceremonies performed by officiants of varied
affiliations. While most couples choose to be married in a natural setting or at The Irish Inn
by a Christian minister, some choose a Humanist, Native American, or judicial officiant. Two-day visits
work very well for eloping couples who need to return to work and family obligations.
More and more couples are choosing
to marry in the superb nature settings of the Shawnee National Forest. People want something simple, elegant, and uncomplicated. They also want to save money and avoid the stress of doing all the wedding planning themselves. "We make it easy. All they have to do is call (618)
695-LOVE with their date. They get their license from the Pope County
Courthouse one day and marry the next. So far, the oldest groom married
at The Irish Inn was 81, which shows that love can happen to anyone at any age! Rev. Murrell Hazel has married people on horseback, on the Ohio River,
and in most of the natural areas around here,” explains Brian McCreery. The
McCreerys were themselves married by 89-year-old Eddyville resident and World War II veteran, Rev. Murrell Hazel on the
levee overlooking the Ohio River at Golconda in June of 2008.
The McCreerys serve as witnesses for couples
eloping on their own, but The Irish Inn regularly offers weddings for ten guests or fewer. The largest
wedding so far included more than 120 guests on the banks of the pond with the bride walking down the ramp from The
Irish Inn to a triumphant herald of a fluglehorn. "One wedding I will never forget was in the grove next to
The Irish Inn," says Lynn McCreery. "As soon as the minister began to read the vows, it seemed like
all the birds in the forest began to sing. The feathered singing didn't settle down until the couple kissed."
A number of couples have married near waterfalls, which are located within a few miles of The Irish Inn at
Bellsmith Springs, Burden Falls or Jackson Falls.
Seeing the couples themselves is the best way to communicate their happiness. The
Irish Inn has a fan page on Facebook where several brides and grooms have posted photos and videos of their weddings
and honeymoons. The photos on this page are used with the permission of the marrying couples, but they are not named
to protect their privacy.
Elopement
packages start at $500, which includes two days and nights at The Irish Inn, full Irish breakfast, wedding
cake, bridal ornament, full China/silver service after ceremony, and the minister's fee. The Irish Inn
is devoted to providing an elegant but affordable marriage experience in the Shawnee National Forest. To elope this
year, call (618) 695-LOVE!
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