Wednesday, January 21, 2015

To marry in Michigan: Pick a destination wedding spot

Want to get married in a castle?
You can do it in Michigan.
Also available for your destination wedding: A bluff overlooking beautiful Torch Lake, Lake Michigan beaches, sumptuous wineries with an Old World feel — even a lighthouse.
At Castle Farms in Charlevoix — a turn of the 19th century estate built by a Chicago businessman in the style of French castles — brides and grooms can pick from five reception rooms for parties from 60 to 350 people, said Johanna Alexander, on-staff wedding planner. There's space for both indoor and outdoor weddings.
"The castle itself is really just a unique venue," she said.
A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort hosts just one wedding per weekend — a few dates are left this season — overlooking the crystal blue waters of Torch Lake for parties of 10 to 250.
"The lake is just such a great backdrop for a wedding," said Lauren Smiley, group sales manager at the resort near Traverse City.
CASTLE FARMS COURTYARD
Another draw: Lodging. "A lot of our guests want to be able to stay on site and walk to the reception and the ceremony," she said.
Here are these and other Michigan destination possibilities — but truly, with islands, beaches, woods, water and many, many quaint downtowns, the possibilities are as endless as your imagination and the proximity of caterers.
Castle Farms
Where: 5052 M-66 North, Charlevoix
What: Built in 1918 by Sears, Roebuck & Co. president Albert Loeb, it was designed by architect Arthur Heun based on stone barns and castles in Normandy. It was a working farm and in later years was used as a concert venue, among other things. Current owner Linda Mueller renovated it as an event space, and it has been hosting parties and weddings since 2005. It can accommodate weddings from 60 to 350 guests in indoor and outdoor settings.
Why: It's living the dream of a fairy-tale-castle wedding, without passports or plane tickets to Europe.

What else is there? Plenty for guests to do in and around Charlevoix, including dining, shopping, art galleries and plenty of lake and outdoor activities at nearby state parks.

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