Hi! I am looking to hold my late summer/early fall, 2010, wedding somewhere up north in the Traverse City/Glen Arbor area. I would love to have it at the Homestead or possibly any of the Traverse City wineries. Has anybody had/been to a wedding at any of these venues? Any information/opinions/photos would be greatly appreciated!!! Thank you!
Wedding at the Homestead or Traverse City-area winery?
I really like the homestead, but have not been to a wedding there (though, it was the site of my proposal). We%26#39;ve had friends married at Blackstar Farms, which was awesome...it%26#39;s one of my favorite wineries in the area too, but the wedding was great. Only downfall is that there%26#39;s not much lodging there so guests other than the wedding party will likely have to stay in TC which means a shuttle.
I%26#39;m sure others will have suggestions too...I know several of the wineries have wedding packages.
Wedding at the Homestead or Traverse City-area winery?
We attended a wedding at Willow Vineyard in Suttons Bay (http://www.traversebiz.com/willow/) and it was gorgegous. They shut down the entire winery for the wedding and it had fabulus views of the water from the ceremony site.
The reception was held in downtown Traverse City at the Park Place Hotel. Although they do have banquet rooms, if the date allows, the will seat smaller parties such as yours at the Top of the Park which offers views of Traverse City and Grand Traverse Bay
(http://www.park-place-hotel.com/). Our friends not only chose that location because of the food and ambience but also because it would allow their guests the option of not driving if they choose to drink at dinner.
Good luck with your planning
Okay Beaker...
I%26#39;ve got a couple of questions for you. What size wedding are you looking at? What feel are you going for?
In the past two years I%26#39;ve been very involved with planning a couple weddings in the TC area... one at Chateau Chantel and the other at Ciccone%26#39;s. The one at Chateau was very small, the one at Ciccone%26#39;s was quite large. Reality is, Chateau will only allow the guests who are staying there... which I believe we maxed out somewhere between 35-40.
Chateau is at: http://www.cicconevineyards.com/pictures.htm
chateauchantal.com/host_an_event/weddings.htm
Several of the pictures from the wedding at Cicone are at:
(The inside shot of the barn, done in blue is one of them)
www.cicconevineyards.com/special_events.htm
cicconevineyards.com/Pictures/DSC_0398-1.JPG
cicconevineyards.com/Pictures/DSC_0050.JPG
cicconevineyards.com/Pictures/DSC_0328-1.JPG
cicconevineyards.com/Pictures/manke-montei1.…
The second wedding:
cicconevineyards.com/Pictures/IMG_1960.JPG
cicconevineyards.com/Pictures/IMG_1831.JPG
Both of the weddings at Ciccone%26#39;s was beautiful... and I can get you more pictures from either of the weddings if you would like (I was the MoH for a cousin who is more like a sister...). Ciccone%26#39;s were FABULOUS to work with! We loved the wedding planner, they were incredibly gracious... and EVERYONE loved it! IT was breathtaking, and the photos were fabulous!
Now, because the bride loved the wedding at Chateau, that%26#39;s were we ended up staying... However, I%26#39;m not as impressed with Chateau as the venue size is small, and the cost of the rooms was kind of pricy. (to fit everyone in, we ended up having to have 2 couples in each room, so one couple spent the weekend sleeping on a sleeper sofa were kind of steep) That said, there were very helpful, we loved our meals, really enjoyed the Thursday night wine-fest, it was the perfect location for the rehearsal dinner, and the wedding party really enjoyed the fact that we had access to the wine-tasting room after hours.
However, instead of staying at Chateau, I would stay in Leland (10-15 minutes from Ciccone%26#39;s as opposed to the 40 taht we had) or at Blackstar Farms (about a 5 minute drive from Ciccone%26#39;s). We considered doing a Blackstar Farm%26#39;s wedding, but the weekend the bride wanted was booked... and it is really a farm.. so it depends on the feel you want. We had the same issue with the Grand Traverse (which has an outdoor location option on the Bay side).
Now, because of the fact that we%26#39;ve had 5 up-north weddings in our family over the past 4 years... I%26#39;ve really been able to familarize myself with the area, and the options.
We%26#39;ve been at : Chateau Chantel, Ciccone%26#39;s, a small camp in Elk Rapids, The Top of Crystal Mountain, Garland Resort (on the opposite side of the state),
MY choices: The Homestead, (the bride was concerned it was too far of a drive, I disagreed with her), a Ciccone%26#39;s Wedding with hotels in Leland (There is an adorable B %26amp; B for the morning after brunch and rehearsal dinner), or the Grand Traverse.
Also, if you are looking for something a little different, and your group is small, there is a tall ship that leaves from TC that will do weddings onboard. I had a friend who attended one that said it fit the B %26amp; G perfectly, and they loved it. O
Or, if you want an ';up north feeling';, but not the water or winery... GARLAND by far!
And actually... the latest cousin to get engaged is considering either GT or Bay Harbor in Petosky. I%26#39;m not sure if she is looking for a different feeling or just doesn%26#39;t want to get married at the same place as someone else! =)
Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to help you!
Heather
And Congratulations... by the way!
Thanks for the thoughts, everyone! These posts are really helpful.
HMontei--
Some of the spots I am considering actually include Ciccone%26#39;s, the Homestead (my first choice, but haven%26#39;t seen the actual venue in person yet), Bay Harbor, and a few other wineries (Willow Vineyards, although they haven%26#39;t responded to my first request for info. Have you ever been to a Willow Vineyards wedding?). Also Bower%26#39;s Harbor Inn. You said you%26#39;ve been to weddings at the Homestead and Bay Harbor? How were they? Do you have any pictures?
Also, if you could send the other pictures you said you have available from Ciccone%26#39;s, that would be GREAT! The one thing that I%26#39;m worried about having it there is, that you have to rent bathrooms, and I don%26#39;t know how my guests are going to feel attending a wedding but using a port-o-john? How did it work out at the wedding you attended there?
I initially did consider Chateau Chantal, but you are right--They only do weddings for 40-something people, and everyone must stay the night. I will probably have about 100-125 people I would guess.
Thank you!!!
Sure.... If you can get me your address, I%26#39;ll try and put a CD of the pictures in the mail. That might be the easiest way (She had like a million!) And I think I can also get you the pictures from the other wedding as well so you can see what two different brides were able to do. (They both used the same professional photographer)
I don%26#39;t know if you%26#39;ll be able to access it... but here is the bride%26#39;s pictures on myspace from the wedding.
viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm…
Yes, it%26#39;s a porta-poty.... but not what you%26#39;re picturing. It%26#39;s more or less a trailer they bring in... so it feels like a seperate building. We set it up on the side of the barn, the one that doesn%26#39;t have the cocktail bar.... I%26#39;m not sure if the bride had any pictures of that (she took pictures of EVERYTHING... but that might have been beyond her limits even). =) Anyways, that was a concern of her%26#39;s as well, but it actually worked really well.... and as it%26#39;s not the kind of porta-potty that you use at a concert, for instance, but like a restraunt bathroom on wheels. I%26#39;m trying to recall what everyone said... and the thing is, I just don%26#39;t remember it being a big deal (like she was afraid it would be). (actually at either wedding for that matter).
I%26#39;m not sure if I have any pictures of the weddings at Bay Harbor or the Homestead, but I%26#39;ll check around and see what I can find. Both were nice... but I must admit, I%26#39;m of the belief that if the Venue is nice, and you%26#39;ve picked an outdoor setting that is beautiful, it really takes a tacky bride to screw it up!
We looked into Willow (I believe she had a friends of the family kind of connection with them, but decided it just wouldn%26#39;t work)... I believe the wedding size was too large for them to accomodate the way the bride was looking for. The backup was inside of the winery, with a major lack of seating... and definitely not enough room for 100+ people to be in their comfortably. Also, at that time at least, parking was a major problem... they have one driveway in... that is quite steep... and not very wide. With the older people who would be invited (a larger extended family) she thought it would be too difficult to work the parking situation.
Bower%26#39;s Harbor is a PHENONMENAL restaurant (at least the Bowery was before it closed... no word yet on the New Mission)... (the management company actually has several restaurants right there Royal Oak). Chateau uses them for Brunch on Sunday Mornings! Your biggest problems there are going to be acccomdations for your guests. Once again, you%26#39;re out in the middle of the point, so they will have to drive back to TC. Also, I%26#39;m not sure exactly how big of a wedding they can accomodate... and whether you want a tented event, or something inside of a venue for your reception.
Do the winery..many wineries offer. There are cottage rentals everywhere that can accommodate your guests. Enjoy the beach ect. Cicciones in Suttons Bay or Blackstar. Sweet.
Hey L! I just wanted to tell you that you gave a very informative answer to beaker, and I thought it very nice of you to give all the links, and the pics. They certainly ought to be able to find a great place to have their wedding with all the info that you provided.
Congrats, beaker21220!!
Tyme-
What can I say... I have a wealth of information after all these weddings... and thought it should go to someone%26#39;s use.
BTW, have you ever been to the Frankenmuth Ice Fest? We are thinking of going this weekend... but not sure if it%26#39;s worth freezing the cold!
Heather
You bet we have been to the Snowfest. We go every year. Freezing or not. LOL. Tomorrow they have fireworks at about 6:45 I think. We go to those, too. We just bundle up, looking ridiculous..but enjoy the crowds and the sculptures and then watch the fireworks, and the go by something good at Zehnder%26#39;s bakery. LOL. We have also gone into the warming/entertainment tents in previous years, but no longer do-been there done that..
U should go!!
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