Old Ogden mansion reborn as elegant reception center
Bellington Manor in Ogden recently reopened its doors as a reception center after undergoing renovations. Photo taken Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (JESUS lOPEZ/Standard-Examiner)
Bellington Manor in Ogden recently reopened its doors as a reception center after undergoing renovations. Photo taken Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (JESUS lOPEZ/Standard-Examiner)
Bellington Manor in Ogden recently reopened its doors as a reception center after undergoing renovations. Photo taken Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (JESUS lOPEZ/Standard-Examiner)
Bellington Manor in Ogden recently reopened its doors as a reception center after undergoing renovations. Photo taken Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (JESUS lOPEZ/Standard-Examiner)
Bellington Manor in Ogden recently reopened its doors as a reception center after undergoing renovations. Photo taken Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (JESUS lOPEZ/Standard-Examiner)
Bellington Manor in Ogden recently reopened its doors as a reception center after undergoing renovations. Photo taken Wednesday, March 26, 2014. (JESUS lOPEZ/Standard-Examiner)
OGDEN — Plenty of oil and polish has gone into bringing the Italian staircase at the old LeRoy Eccles Mansion back to its original luster.
After six months of renovations, the mansion at 1029 E. 25th St. in the historical Eccles Avenue district has reopened its doors as Bellington Manor, a wedding and event center.
Wedding and event coordinator Debra Darrington-Peterson, the owner of Chantilly Mansion Reception & Event Center in Layton, bought the building in October.
According to historical rumors, Leroy R. Eccles built the mansion in response to a large home completed by Ralph Bristol at 2480 Van Buren Ave.
Built in a post-Victorian, art deco and Italian Renaissance style, the home featured Tuscan columns, red clay tile roof and detailed hand carved woodwork.
Peterson said the mansion is great for her purposes. The building has multiple entryways, parlors and ballrooms, as well as a bar. The large kitchen and separate servants’ quarters and staircases make it easy to move about and serve guests unnoticed.
“The home was originally built for entertaining large groups,” Peterson said. “It was built with entertaining and hosting people in mind.”
Keys to the mansion changed hands over the years, even serving as the home of the Weber Club, a male-only organization whose roster included many of the area’s prominent business and community leaders.
Before Peterson purchased the building it still functioned as a reception center. Her goal is to revive the mansion’s original look as it was when it was built 100 years ago, but with modern conveniences.
Peterson said the building was not winterized and it suffered from burst pipes.
Upon assuming ownership, Peterson and her staff got to work exposing and expanding the hardwood floors, which she said were will in flawless shape, as well as updating the West Ballroom.
Peterson completed work on the first and second floor. She plans to finish work on the basement, which includes a long bar with a brass rail, by fall.
In opening the reception center, Peterson fills in a void in Northern Utah.
Event planner Heidi Luv Clark, owner of Utah Wedding Exclusive, said there is a shortage of dedicated reception centers. Clark took a break from event planning as she underwent cancer treatment.
“I think we can use a lot more in this area,” Clark said. “From Bountiful on, it’s really limited.”
Spaces that are available must be booked at least six months in advance.
Life gets in the way and many unforseen circumstances can happen preventing or changing the event.
“I think it puts them in a bad situation where people are losing their deposits,” Clark said.
Events such as weddings and quinceañeras have to rely on alternatives including art galleries and school gymnasiums. Clark said she has seen homeowners with nice landscaping opening their private residences.
“The last year I did it, there were people renting out their backyards because there weren’t enough places to do it,” Clark said. “Everyone is capitalizing on it because people see the lack of space to do it.”
The challenges of using the alternative spaces is that they do not have the necessary amenities for an event or are difficult to decorate. Clark said there are many eyesores to hide.
“It is like trying to fit a box in a circle,” Clark said. “It would be so much easier to have the right atmosphere.”
She said a dedicated reception center helps a bride or 15-year-old girl celebrating their quinceañera feel like a princess.
Even members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are moving beyond the temple marriage and ward house reception. Clark said some couples are having separate ring ceremonies and what would be considered traditional receptions.
“They want that full experience,” Clark said. “Even if they are getting married in the temple.”
Although initially a residence, Peterson said the layout is perfect for holding events.
For its first event, Bellington Manor will be the location of Layton Christian Academy’s prom on April 25.
“They were doing a Great Gatsby theme and this seemed to match perfectly with what they were doing this year,” Peterson said.
Peterson is glad to be able to restore a historical part of Ogden.
“I was especially fond of this subdivision,” Peterson said, “it is just a beautiful heart of the city.”
For more information about Bellington Manor,contact Debra Peterson at 801-628-2213 or debra@bellingtonmanor.com or visit www.bellingtonmanor.com.
Contact Jesus Lopez Jr. at 801-625-4239 or jlopez@standard.net. Follow him on Twitter at @jesuslopezSE and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/JesusLopezSE.
