NOTTOWAY COUNTY, Va. (WRIC)– A Nottoway County wedding planner is crushed after someone stole her gazebo.
You’re probably wondering how someone steals an item as large as a gazebo? Wedding planner Cheri Peraino tells 8News it was portable so it wasn’t that far-fetched.
“As we drove by on 460, my husband yelled ‘the gazebo’s gone!’,” Peraino said.
Peraino owns Whispering Wishes, a wedding planning company in Blackstone.
She says when she and her husband left the business Thursday night, the gazebo was there. On Friday her landscaper reports it was still there. So, when did this happen? At some point over the weekend, Peraino says the 12-foot gazebo that was used for weddings was actually stolen from its usual spot in the grass.
“I was definitely in shock. We drove around the building,” she said. “I had hoped that maybe the landscaper had moved the gazebo to maybe mow underneath it or something, but he had not moved it. We did call him to verify but, unfortunately, my gazebo was gone.”
Peraino ordered the $3,000 gazebo a year ago. She says it meant everything to her as it became a popular attraction for couples on their special day.
“When I saw this one I mean it’s a metal gazebo. It’s a very intricate gazebo. It was just perfect. It’s almost like when you’re a princess getting married. Because you had this beautiful gazebo behind you,” said Peraino.
Peraino says being in a rural area also makes it hard to compete with places like Richmond that have a ton of venues. She says the thieves didn’t just take a gazebo, but so much more.
“They took a lot from me. I’ve been working so hard at getting this venue going and I mean this was kind of my centerpiece for the venue,” said Peraino.
Peraino says in spite of this setback she will continue to move forward. For brides who expected the gazebo to be at their wedding, she is creating some unique settings that she says will be special.
As for this missing gazebo, the Nottoway County Sheriff’s department is investigating the theft.
