Transforming a wedding reception into a beautiful, memorable event requires careful planning with an emphasis on the guest experience
By Mimi Vanderhaven
When it comes to planning and hosting the perfect wedding, the dream team at the uber-popular The Aviator Event Center & Pub has mastered it, including important nuances that make a huge difference in the guest experience.
For example, that awkward moment when you have to remind your invitees (yet again) to please turn in their preference for steak, chicken, or fish, and that other awkward moment when the servers are craning their necks at each table trying to figure out who ordered what.
The Aviator doesn’t do that.
“We learned a long time ago that it’s best for the guest experience to offer a dual entrée dinner,” explains president and co-owner Khadar Soussou. “So we serve chef-created, restaurant-style entrées with two different proteins. Many guests will enjoy both. Of course, we offer vegetarian and vegan options as well.”
And with The Aviator’s streamlined systems and trained staff, dinner service is super-fast.
“We can serve dinner for a 200-person wedding reception in 16 minutes,” Khadar assures. “So no one is finishing dinner while others have yet to be served. Plus—and this is really important—speedy service means more time on the dance floor.”
Your Own Wedding Planner
One of the reasons weddings go so smoothly at The Aviator is that every bride-to-be is assigned her own onsite full-time, wedding planner from day one. “You don’t have to hire a wedding planner,” Khadar says. “We give you one and they are experienced, creative, they listen, and they know our facility inside and out. They’ll help you plan your day your way.”
The Aviator is known for being an all-inclusive venue. That means its team handles the set-up, decorations, food, the DJ, lighting, AV system, photo booths, the flowers, etc.—even indoor cold-spark fireworks. All you have to do is send out invitations and show up.
“Our brides love that about us,” Khadar says. “They don’t have to run around trying to hire different vendors to handle all that. We do it all right here in-house.”
And because The Aviator features different- sized rooms for different-sized events, so you can also host your bridal shower and rehearsal dinner at the same location.
Booking Now for 2025
Most popular wedding dates for 2024 are sold out, so Khadar and his team are already booking 2025. That said, they are still scheduling alternative dates for 2024, including Friday and Sunday weddings, which are becoming more and more popular.
And to accommodate even more weddings and other events on popular days, Khadar and his ownership team have just made a special announcement: They have acquired the former Carrie Cerino’s property in North Royalton, and the former Michaud’s property in Strongsville, each of which will be remodeled to the team’s exacting standards. “That’s all we can say for now,” Khadar adds. “But please stay tuned. We have more important announcements coming soon.”
Easy Access to CLE
The event center’s elegant ambience is a big attraction for brides-to-be, but so is the cool factor of being located adjacent to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. “Watching the runway lights and the aircraft land up close like this adds a certain flair to the evening, whether you’re having a wedding reception or enjoying a cocktail on the rooftop,” Khadar says. “And being this close to the airport and to hotels is much easier on out-of-town guests.”
Other Events, Too
In addition to weddings, The Aviator hosts parties, family events, corporate gatherings and more. “Our corporate events business has become huge,” Khadar says. “We’ve created complete, full-service experiences. We like to get out of the box to help companies build and strengthen their culture, whatever that may be.”
With four diverse event spaces available, The Aviator customizes your event based on size and theme.
The Aviator Event Center & Pub is at 20920 Brookpark Road in Cleveland next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. For lunch or reservations or to schedule a tour of the facility, call 216-770-5300 or visit AviatorCLE.com, where you can also make your reservations for the annual Easter Sunday Brunch coming soon.