Our absolutely perfect wedding
I met the man who would become my husband on a warm late April evening in 2008. I was only a few weeks into my 20s, and he was newly 21. We both worked at the college newspaper and were attending a year-end celebration and awards ceremony thrown by our employer. He was “the cute new guy” and my coworker introduced us—she swears to this day that we would have ended up together anyway, but I’m eternally grateful for her introduction.
Through the years that followed that first meeting, we always found our way back to each other, regardless of the geographic location, time zone, or job that currently ruled the day. We grew up together during those years and spent the past five years living and working in San Francisco. He proposed on Thanksgiving Day in 2015 and our families threw us a celebratory Thanksgiving Dinner — the best!
We knew that home would always be in Michigan, and eventually planned to move back there. We were both able to find awesome jobs at the end of this summer and made the move just before our wedding.
We decided to throw a wedding weekend to celebrate our marriage and to kick off our return to our home state. We were so excited to reconnect with the people who shaped us the most: our families. We invited our parents, his three brothers, my two sisters, and their partners to witness our vows and enjoy a Northern Michigan late summer weekend together.
We kept the experience relaxed and casual. Everyone arrived on a Thursday evening, our dads grilled burgers, we laughed around a bonfire and enjoyed wine and beer that was carefully selected for this occasion. Grant and I spent the week before our wedding selecting wine from a dozen wineries on Old Mission Peninsula and Leelanau Peninsula, and Grant’s best friend and brother (both award-winning homebrewers in Grand Rapids!) collaborated to brew two kegs of beer. We picked up three shopping carts worth of groceries and booze to feed the crew through Sunday.
Friday was a glorious mid-September summer day, and we took advantage of the 360 feet of lake frontage. Grant and I picked up sandwiches from the infamous “cheese shop” aka The Village Cheese Shanty in Fishtown, Leland. We rehearsed our entrances and vows in the church where I attended services during blistering summer Sundays and snowy Christmas Eves during my childhood. Afterward, we had drinks at the bar next to the church before heading back to the vacation house to enjoy pizza from The Leland Lodge, another local spot that hosted weddings for both my sister and my aunt in years past.
On Saturday morning, my mother-in-law served her famous Blueberry Buckle, everyone prepped for the day, and we took photos before boarding a Lisa Frank-inspired limo bus for the 7-minute commute to the church for the ceremony. A string quartet, trumpeter, the church organist, and a local high school girl with a beautiful voice serenaded us throughout the ceremony, our fathers each performed readings, and we became husband and wife.
We boarded the party bus and headed to our favorite winery, Blustone, for a toast, bottles of Pinot Grigio, and more photos in the vineyards. The driver graciously drove us around the lake on our way back to the house, and he took the long way so we could drink, dance, and celebrate.
When we arrived at the house, the pianist we’d hired was playing our favorite 70s & 80s jams, the servers had the table set up, and we enjoyed cocktails and appetizers before sitting down to one of the best meals we’ve ever had, prepared by John and Linda Sisson of Sisson’s Main Street Specialities in Leland. We had a pile of delicious desserts to follow the meal, some prepared by the Sissons, others from Grand Rapids Cheesecake Company. We then danced together as husband and wife for the first time (bus dances not included).
From what I remember — it was all a beautiful blur — the light was perfectly golden, glistening off the lake and through the 100-year-old trees that lined the property, the music was relaxing and uplifting, the vendors and our families did an incredible job setting everything up, our siblings and parents gave heartfelt speeches, and we had the absolute best time. After dinner and desserts, we all changed out of our formal attire to jump in the lake and enjoy wine and a glorious sunset down on the dock. We danced by the light of dozens of candles and tiki torches late into the night, relaxed by the bonfire and star gazed on the dock.
Sunday brunch was delicious, and a cool front was blowing in off the lake. It finally felt like fall was soon to arrive after one last gorgeous summer weekend. Everyone cleaned up, packed up, and departed, and we knew that we’d thrown the most fun wedding we’d ever been to. It exceeded all of my wildest expectations because it was so relaxing and fun and full of love.
My mother was a few days post chemo (she’s been battling stage 2 breast cancer since May) but was constantly working to set up and clean up decorations throughout the weekend. The table she set up for our wedding dinner was gorgeous — long wooden farm tables full of eucalyptus garland, string lights, mercury glass candle holders and vases to hold flowers and beeswax candles.
My mother-in-law grew gorgeous flowers in gardens at her house and her cottage all summer and arranged them beautifully at the church and at the dinner table. She also made us an incredible quilt that will be part of our lives for years to come. Our fathers and brothers and sisters worked all weekend to entertain, set up, and clean up.
We are forever grateful for the perfect weather, the amazing vendors who were so great to work with, and our incredible family for being such a wonderful part of our lives. Grant and I are so excited to start this new chapter of our lives together after that epic kickoff party!
Vendors & details:
Attire
- Engagement ring: custom made by Set at La Bijouterie in San Francisco (it’s perfect).
- Wedding band: MondiNYC on Etsy (Natalie), Tampico Imports in Leland (Grant).
- Wedding dress & bridesmaids dresses: The Dress Shop in Howell, MI. My dress was Londyn by Maggie Sottero.
- Bridal accessories: Maria Opal earrings & Simply Silk Sash in Whisper Pink from BHLDN.
- Wedding shoes: Badgley Mischka ‘Glamorous’ Crystal-Embellished Pointy Toe Pump in Latte Satin. They’re surprisingly comfortable for blinged-out 4" stilettos. I got them at Nordstrom but they’re available elsewhere (Amazon).
- Comfortable shoes: TOMS Classic Crochet Glitter slip-on in Rose Gold for myself and my matron of honor, Keds x Kate Spade New York Glitter Sneakers in Multicolor for my maid of honor.
- Groom & groomsmen attire: Macy’s Suit Shop, The Tie Bar.
- Alterations: custom high/low hem on a chantilly lace gown, custom purse made with leftover lace by Cathy Ann Randall in Traverse City, MI.
Venues
- Ceremony: St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Lake Leelanau. Special thanks to David Schmidt, Mary Kuznicki, and Father Bryan Medlin for coordinating details.
- Ceremony music: Lexi Schaub, cantor; Festival Strings (violin, viola, cello); Mark LaSarge, trumpet.
- Weekend lodging: The Wheeler Cottage on Warden’s Point, a private residence on Lake Leelanau available for rent on VRBO/HomeAway. Thanks to Rink Wheeler for being an amazing host!
Food & Drink
- Wineries: Old Mission Peninsula: Bonobo, Chateau Grand Traverse, Chateau Chantal, Hawthorne Vineyards, Bowers Harbor Vineyards, Brys Estate, Mari Vineyards. Leelanau Peninsula: Aurora Cellars, Chateau Fontaine, 45 North, Blustone Vineyards. Special thanks to Blustone Vineyards for hosting us for photos after the ceremony, for serving delicious sparkling wine and bringing endless bottles of Pinot Grigio for our family to enjoy during photo sessions.
- Sandwiches: The Village Cheese Shanty. The “cheese shop” made pretzel bread sandwiches to feed our crew on Friday during our relaxing day on Lake Leelanau.
- Pizza: The Leland Lodge. Special thanks to Katelyn VanVreede for coordinating pizza and salads for Friday night dinner and for arranging for two servers and a bartender to set up, serve, and clean up our wedding dinner on Saturday.
- Wedding Dinner & Sunday Brunch: Sisson’s Main Street Specialties in Leland. Enormous thanks to Linda and John Sisson for being incredible as always, for shutting down their normal business operations to prepare and deliver an amazing wedding dinner, desserts, and Sunday brunch.
- Additional desserts & beverages: a selection of cheesecakes from Grand Rapids Cheesecake Company, cherry pie by Rick Wanroy of The Cove in Leland, lavender lemonade from Brys Estate Secret Garden on Old Mission Peninsula.
Everything else
- Hair: Faith McGinley from Northern Waves came to the house in the morning to do my hair and my sisters’ hair while we had coffee & breakfast.
- Photos: Coreene Kreiser of Tavla Studio did both engagement and wedding photos.
- Flowers: Christina Pfeufer of Field of Flowers North created the bridal and bridesmaid bouquets. My mother-in-law grew and arranged the church and table/decor flowers.
- Party Bus: Scott Nelson of Northern Michigan Limo Service. Scott drove us from the house to the church to the winery, then took the long way back to the house on North Lake Leelanau for us to drink, dance, and be merry before our wedding dinner.
- Dinner music (piano & vocals): Jay Schumacher.
- Tables & chairs: Cindy Burkhardt of Sweet Seats in Traverse City, MI. We rented two 96" farm tables and sixteen walnut chiavari chairs.
- Table decor: silver dollar eucalyptus garland by TheGarlandGuy on Etsy. Assorted items from Marshall’s and HomeGoods — mercury glass candle holders and vases, jade candlesticks, beeswax candles, micro LED lights on a copper string (similar on Amazon), all arranged by my mother.
