Current Trend: Vow Renewals

Remember when you exchanged those vows with each other?  Whether it's your 1st, 5th, or 50th year together, the two of you have something conderful to celebrate!  You're still together, still in love, and still making it happen!

Join Sarah Hagen and Kathleen Paterka of the very beautiful and very famous Castle Farms in Charlevoix, Michigan as they dish all the goods on the growing trend of vow renewals.

Visit Northern Nuptials for more...

Creative Budgeting By A Northern Michigan Bride

Jennifer Bruhmuller and Jason Mott of Traverse City were planning for their July 31, 2010 wedding on a very tight budget. All said, the couple was trying to find a creative way to host 100 of their closest family and friends on a mere $1000 budget.

Impossible? It may seem that way to some, but to Jennifer, it was very much a reality.

While planning, she actively began an online search for ways to cut costs. During that search, she learned of a couple in NY who sought sponsorships for their wedding. Figuring the idea wasn't too far fetched, Jennifer began creating a plan to seek sponsors for her big day in July.

Among those who ended up participating were Subtle Impact Photography of central Michigan and Forever Flowers By Val of northeastern Ohio. Each vendor who signed on with Jennifer and Jason received different promotions in exchange for discounts and donations.

The day finally came and when all was said and done, the entire wedding and reception came in under her original $1000 mark.

Today Jennifer and Jason are enjoying their first year of marriage. Now in a full-time nursing program, Jennifer is also available as a consultant to brides who seek assistance in gaining sponsors for their own wedding. Email Jennifer directly at j_bruhmuller@hotmail.com for details on her consulting services (note "WEDDING CONSULT" in the subject).

Jennifer emphasizes that while seeking sponsorships for your upcoming wedding can provide significant cost savings, it also requires a good deal of dedication and planning.

Valentine's Wedding Bells at Bay View Terrace Inn

This Valentine's was a special wintertime day at the Bay View Terrace Inn in Bay View, Michigan near Petoskey.

Northern Michigan business owners Ruth Krauss and Ron Hannah were wed on the greatest day of romance in an early evening ceremony and immediate dinner.

Approximately 100 guests attended and enjoyed traditional culinary delights by Chef Kevin Phillips. The mother of the groom provided her own special cheese cake as dessert. The decor was a rich, romantic, red and black throughout with even guests donning the color theme in their attire. Monarch Floral of Petoskey provided floral in deep reds and burgundies.

Smooth jazz filled the room as guests mingled after dinner. The event was an evening of enjoyment for everyone in attendance.

For additional information on planning your perfect Up North wedding, please visit www.northernnuptials.com.

For additional information on Bay View Terrace Inn, please visit www.theterraceinn.com.

Trout Creek In Harbor Springs: The Perfect Up North Base Camp

With several acres of unspoiled Northern Michigan splendor, Trout Creek Condominium Resort in Harbor Springs offers a tranquil, yet adventure ready base camp for any visitor.

Located just a few miles northeast of Harbor Springs, Trout Creek is nestled in the Pleasantview Valley at the base of both Nubs Nob and Boyne Highlands. This stellar location creates four full seasons of intrigue and exploration throughout Northern Michigan.

Head north and in just 25 minutes, you'll be in downtown Mackinaw City, boarding a ferry to Mackinac Island. Downtown Harbor Springs is literally minutes away by car. Also nearby Petoskey, Bay Harbor, and Charlevoix are less than a 30 minute drive.

Enjoy a condominium setting on a stunning piece of land where golf, tennis, hiking, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, skiing, snowboarding, and of course trout fishing are all at your fingertips. Properties are individually furnished and offer full amenities.

Trout Creek offers that unique blend of an authentic family resort coupled with Pure Michigan magic - perfect for Up North weddings, conventions, and of course the perfect Northern Michigan vacation. Be sure to inquire about Trout Creek's many seasonal specials and packages such as the Holiday Recovery Weekend, the Ski Week Special, and the Valentine's Weekend Special.

For more information on Trout Creek Condominium Resort, please visit www.troutcreek.com.

To plan the perfect Northern Michigan wedding, visit www.northernnuptials.com.

Say I do. Up North.

The Cupcake Craze

Cupcakes are all the rage these days and are quickly making away with the traditional wedding cake.

Northern Nuptials had the pleasure of speaking with Kerry Johnston, owner of The Cupcake Station with three downtown locations in Birmingham, Ann Arbor, and Plymouth, Michigan.

Cupcakes offer greater variety, a more reasonable portion size, and far less waste. They're also super cute and taste fabulous!

Read more at www.northernnuptials.com.

Say I do. Up North.

Join Northern Nuptials At The Grand Rapids Wedding Affair

Join us next month at the Grand Rapids Wedding Affair in downtown Grand Rapids. The vent takes place Friday, October 15 5-9pm at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.

Hosted by Grand Rapids Bride, this event is the most anticipated bridal show of the year, offering a unique and upscale environment for planning the perfect day.

Visit with over 50 vendors including top wedding consultants, reception venues, florists, musicians, and caterers.

Northern Nuptials will be on hand promoting all things Northern Michigan - as the ultimate destination wedding venue that it is. Stop by and see us and begin planning the perfect Up North wedding here in beautiful Northern Michigan!

Say I do. Up North.

Grand Rapids Wedding Affair
Grand Rapids Public Museum
272 Pearl Street
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Adding The Romantic Strains of Bagpipes To Your Big Day

The romantic and poetic sounds of bagpipes offer a seemingly classic touch to your wedding day. Michigan's own Greger MacGregor offers authentic bagpipe music throughout Northern Michigan and is available throughout the year.

Greger boasts over 40 years experience, including hundreds of weddings as well as concert performances alongside world-famous acts.

Among his accreditations, Gregor is certified for wedding performances by the National Piping Centre of Glasgow, Scotland.

Bagpipe music can enhance your guests arrival into the parking lot, the bridal processional, the service, the bride and groom's recessional, the post-ceremony departure of guests, the entrance of bride and groom into the reception area, and even an eclectic addition to the cocktail reception.

For additional information on incorporating the soul stirring sounds of professional pagpipes into your upcoming wedding here in Northern Michigan, contact Gregor MacGregor of Michigan's upper peninsula.

Visit www.bagpipesnorth.com for more on Greger MacGregor. For additional information on planning the perfect Up North wedding here in beautiful Northern Michigan, please visit www.northernnuptials.com.

Green Your Big Day With Earth Friendly Tips

Special thanks to Stephanie Nash at The Green Bride Guide, a comprehensive, credible resource for green wedding ideas, products, and services for her contribution to our monthly guest editorial.

Minimizing emissions on your transportation plans, choosing all natural hair and make-up products, and purchasing organic fabrics for bridal attire are just a few ways you can green your big day.

Visit Northern Nuptials (www.northernnuptials.com) for 13 WAYS TO GREEN YOUR WEDDING DAY.

Location, location, location in Northern Michigan

When it comes to weddings and events in general - the sky is truly the limit when it comes to planning the many details. For destination weddings in general, the one item critical for a successful event is location.

Northern Michigan boasts rolling landscapes, dark, starry nights, moonlit skies, and sparkling blue shorelines that extend for miles along Great Lakes Michigan and Huron as well as countless other inland lakes, rivers and streams. We also boast amazing, remember-forever, sunsets.

When planning a Northern Michigan destination wedding, consider the location and the imagination that will follow. Keep in mind the green of the hilltop, the blue of the sky, and the natural flora that surrounds the destination you choose. Northern Michigan boasts some of the most spectacular landscapea our planet has to offer.

Pick your land, pop your tent, let the event begin. When it comes to a destination wedding, location rules first. After that, all things will fall into play.

For more information on planning the perfect Northern Michigan wedding, visit www.northernnuptials.com.

Mackinac Island: Open For Another Fabulous Season

Ahhh Mackinac Island. Michigan's crown jewel. There's never enough that can be said for a place frozen in time, doused in tranquility, and never ending charm and character.

Mackinac Island is open for the 2010 season and there couldn't be a more beautiful time of year than spring to visit and begin planning your upcoming Northern Michigan wedding.

Begin your trip in neighboring Mackinaw City and hop aboard one of three ferry lines with direct service to the island. Spend the day exploring this are rich in history, natural beauty, and romantic appeal.

For additional information on Mackinac Island weddings, please visit Northern Nuptials.

To Hire Or Not To Hire: The Professional Planner

For many, the decision of whether or not to hire a planner is determined solely by budget restrictions. Undoubtedly if you cannot afford to hire planner, your entire event will be DIY. The flip side is that chances are, if you can hire a planner, you will.

Planners are now available to offer complete, full service efforts or individualized assistance with a particular phase or portion of the process. Read advice on whether a planner is right for you - and what the bottom line is when it comes to planning your wedding.

Read more at Northern Nuptials (www.northernnuptials.com).

Michigan's Sunrise Coast Offers Plenty To See and Do Along Lake Huron

This week we were thrilled to find a new FB page dedicated to Michigan's sunrise coast, the expansive coastline along the state's eastern side, bordering Lake Huron.

Northern Nuptials is excited to promote fabulous locations along the Sunrise Coast including Rogers City, Alpena and Cheboygan.

Visitors traveling along the shoreline's US 23 can expect breathtaking vistas, an abundance of wildlife and unexpected dining and shopping opportunities. For destination weddings, an abundance of lodging opportunities compounded with wonderful ceremony and location spots make the area a haven for those seeking true up north beauty.

Northern Nuptials encourages everyone to join this excellent FB page and to give a nod to Michigan's east coast when planning the perfect destination wedding in Northern Michigan.

For more, search "SUNRISE COAST" during your next stop on Facebook.

Spectacular Up North Planning Service By N|M Event Design

Be sure to visit the fabulous website of N|M Event Design for details on amazing event planning, equipment offerings and packaged promotions by Danielle Vogelheim, owner and master Event Designer.

Danielle states that it is important to tell the story of the couple and portray the couple in their wedding details. She calls herself an Event Designer because it is important that the wedding itself is not a reflection of her but rather of the couple - a brilliant thought!

Danielle is on hand to assist with the design of the venue, reception, production, vendors, logistics and overall weekend activities.

Whether you are looking to host a Traverse City Wedding, Petoskey Wedding, Charlevoix Wedding, Bay Harbor Wedding, Harbor Springs Wedding, Mackinac Island Wedding, Grand Rapids Wedding, Holland Wedding or a Destination Wedding outside of Michigan, N|M Event Design would welcome the opportunity to work with you to make your special day a memorable one. Visit www.nmeventdesign.com for more!

For additional information on planning the perfect Up North wedding, visit www.northernnuptials.com!

Special February Promotions For Vendors

Northern Nuptials is excited to announce a special February promotion for new vendors interested in joining.

Join Northern Nuptials at any time during the month of February and commit to a two-year listing (participation now through September 2011) and receive two months as a featured vendor - at no charge.

Two months free as a featured vendor equals an $800 savings. There's no better time to become a vendor of Northern Nuptials and take advantage of this great savings!

For information on joining Northern Nuptials, visit www.northernnuptials.com!

Special Thanks To Northern Express

Be sure to check out the recent Bridal Issue of Northern Express, Northern Michigan's Largest Weekly Newspaper.

We're excited to report that the Northern Nuptials ad was placed on the cover! Check it out at www.northernexpress.com.

For additional information on planning the most fabulous Northern Michigan wedding ever, please visit www.northernnuptials.com!

Fabulous New Event Gallery by Paul Retherford Photography

Be sure to check out our fabulous new event gallery promoting the work of Paul Retherford Photography.

The August, 2009 wedding was held on a beautiful inland lake in Northern Michigan. The outdoor wedding celebration was captured by Paul Retherford Photography. Post wedding included a "Trash the Dress" session. Wedding favors were pieces of flair. Live band, The Aces, featured lead singer, the father of the bride.

All in all an amazing destination event in Northern Michigan.

For more information on hosting a destination wedding in Northern Michigan, please visit www.northernnuptials.com!

Customize Your Wedding Experience: Guest Editorial by Bambi Caicedo Rogers

Be sure to check out our January guest editorial by Bambi Caicedo Rogers, President of BCR Events in Chicago. Bambi boasts over ten years experience in the Chicago special event industry.

Be sure to check out her editorial where she explains in detail the many fabulous ways to customize your wedding experience.

Read it, enjoy it and please... by all means share it with friends.

Happy Planning from Northern Nuptials and Welcome To 2010!

For more information on planning the perfect Up North wedding here in beautiful Northern Michigan, please visit Northern Nuptials (http://www.northernnuptials.com).

Simply Fabulous Photography by Paul Retherford

That's Retherford with an "e", folks. There's no "u" anywhere in the name.

Northern Nuptials is very pleased to note the addition of Paul Retherford Wedding Photography to our list of participating vendors. Paul joined NN on December 16 and we're excited to have him as part of our unique association.

Paul grew up in Alpena, Michigan - a great waterfront city located within our service area on the east coast of Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula. Graduating with a degree in environmental science, Paul began a career in nature photography that quickly transformed into wedding photography. A full-time, professional wedding photographer for over seven years now, Paul resides in Rudyard with his wife Megan.

Paul's the kind of guy you want to do business with. His work speaks for itself. He's honest, straightforward and offers exceptional creativity in the science of wedding photography. The best thing about him is that he loves his profession - he loves what he does and he loves creating memories that will be valued and coveted for years to come.

Working throughout the Midwest, Paul is available for weddings and ceremonies with services starting at $3500.

Paul's photographic style is a mix of posed photojournalistic, candid, traditional and creative wedding images. Paul uses only professional Canon gear and his wedding products are all top-of-the line professional products with lifetime workmanship warranties.

One item definitely worth noting: Paul has a 100% client satisfaction rating. Now how many of us can even begin to boast such a notable accomplishment?!? For more, please visit www.paulretherford.com. And remember that "e".






All images contained in this blog post remain property of Paul Retherford Wedding Photography.