Couples are locking up their love at the Inn at the Quay.
Just before Valentine’s Day, the waterfront hotel unveiled a new love locks sculpture that allows couples to place locks on the sculpture as an expression of their love. A couple who got married in February was the first to take part in the hotel’s new offering.
“Love locks are not a new thing. They have been around a long time,” said Sue Belzer, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing. “We wanted to find a unique way to put a spin on the weddings that come here.”
The hotel thought a love locks feature would be a unique way of honouring couples and immortalizing their love.
“It is not open to the general public,” Belzer noted. “It is for those brides and grooms who are married here at the Inn or celebrating their wedding night at the Inn.”
Along with newlyweds, couples who are celebrating marital milestones can put love locks on the sculpture. A couple celebrating their 30th anniversary did just that last weekend, placing the second lock on the sculpture.
Belzer contacted local artisan Rick Carswell, who drew up three concepts for the hotel’s consideration and suggested fellow New West resident Jesse Matzhold for the project.
“The two of them were working together. Rick created the base of it and Jesse created the sail,” Belzer said. “Both of their inspirations and talents are in the piece.”
The love locks sculpture is located on the outdoor patio at the front of the hotel.
“We put it at the front of the patio so those that are on the McInnis overpass will be able to see it,” Belzer said. “We put three spotlights there. People looking from the distance will be able to see it at night.”
Belzer said the love locks sculpture builds on efforts done last year to put together a unique wedding package for guests. The Inn at the Quay can accommodate about 26 to 30 weddings in-house each year, Belzer said, but it also provides accommodations for couples who marry at other venues around town.
The Inn at the Quay is inviting community members to help name its new love lock art sculpture.
The person who submits the winning name will receive a complimentary night’s stay at the Inn at the Quay, a $50-gift certificate to the Boathouse and an opportunity to put a love lock on the piece, something that’s reserved for couples who marry or spend their wedding night at the hotel or celebrate a marital milestone at the Inn at the Quay. The contest closes on March 31 and the winner will be announced April 15.
You can contribute your suggestions at the Inn at the Quay’s Facebook page or email them to [email protected].
