Here are some of our favorite sites – both on the web and around Northern Michigan . Investigate the helpful web sites below, full of priceless information regarding resources in the Traverse City , Michigan area.   Scroll down for excellent choices for ceremonies and receptions.

Helpful Web Sites/Regional Information

By visiting www.traversecityweddings.com you’ll be able to access information on Reception Facilities, Officiants, Area Musicians and a selection of Wedding Vendors that can make your wedding the day of your dreams. 

To utilize a free, online wedding planning tool called the Michigan Wedding Planner, visit www.michiganweddingplanner.com. 

For information on the Traverse City , Michigan region – including area hotels, restaurants, activities, night life, transportation, churches, etc. – visit the TraverseCity Convention & Visitors Bureau web site at www.visittraversecity.com or the Traverse City Chamber of Commerce web site at www.tcchamber.org .

For answers on a wide array of wedding questions, including Marriage License Requirements for every state, visit www.weddingdetails.com

Area Transportation

Traverse City offers a convenient and accommodating airport known as Cherry Capital (TVC). Public transportation in Northern Michigan is limited.  When flying into Traverse City you may want to consider renting a car.  Car Rental Companies as well as Cab and Shuttle Services in the area are listed below.

Cherry Capital Airport – Car Rental Companies On Site:

Budget – (231) 947-3883 or (800) 527-0700 www.budget.com

Hertz – (231) 946-7051 or (800) 654-3131 www.hertz.com

National – (231) 947-1560 or (800) 227-7368 www.nationalcar.com

Other Car Rental Companies – Offering Free Airport Pick-Up:

Enterprise - (231) 933-7000 or (800) 736-8222 www.enterprise.com

Thrifty - (231) 935-3600 or (800) 847-4389 www.thrifty.com

Cab and Shuttle Services:

TC Cab Company – (231) 941-8294

By the Bay Shuttle – (231) 932-1065 www.bythebayshuttle.com

Wine Country Limo Tours – (231) 941-7060 www.traversecitywinetours.com

Favorite Facilities for Ceremonies & Receptions

If you’re still in the market for a charming spot for your ceremony, reception or special event, here are some of our favorites listed here in alphabetical order:

Built in the 1880's as a summer retreat for Chicago lumber baron J.W. Stickney and his wife Genevive, Bowers Harbor Inn sits peacefully along West Grand Traverse Bay amidst the majestic oaks and pines of Old Mission Peninsula just outside Traverse City. This picturesque location can accommodate larger groups for a ceremony and tented reception by the garden overlooking the bay in the warmer months and smaller weddings inside the inn year-round. Events By The Bay also offers Bowers Harbor Innas one of the sites for our Sweet and Simple Weddings. To view this charming facility, visit www.bowersharborinn.net or for rental information call (231) 223-4222 and ask for Amy.
Sweet and Simple Weddings

Wedding Dreams and Fairy Tales become reality at Castle Farms . The outdoor ceremony and indoor chapel areas are breathtaking with wonderful music, stone backdrops, groomed lawns, fragrant flower gardens, private courtyards and water fountains. Accommodating up to 500 guests, you will enjoy the setting for a perfect wedding ceremony. Your guests will then enjoy a social/cocktail hour while you go off privately with your family and wedding party to explore the many beautiful photo opportunities.  Contact Castle Farms at (231) 237-0884 or visit www.castlefarms.com

Located on East Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City is the Cherry Tree Resort and Hotel . Contact Events By The Bay to book your Sweet and Simple Wedding at this freshwater resort. To learn more about Cherry Tree Resort and Hotel, go to  www.cherrytreecondohotel.com.
Sweet and Simple Weddings

Ciccone Vineyards near Suttons Bay offers a delightful vineyard setting with rolling hills, bay views and a quaint, rustic, refurbished barn for your wedding reception .  Get married under the great maple tree, weather permitting! Visit www.cicconevineyards.com (click on Special Events) or call (231) 271-5553 for more information.

The ideal location for a wedding in any season...Crystal Mountain Resort in Benzie County offers golf, splendid accommodations, downhill and cross-country skiing, excellent food, state-of-the-art conference facilities and entertainment for the entire family.  With all it has to offer, why not choose Crystal Mountain for your wedding?  Visit www.crystalmountain.com or call (800) 968-7686 and see why weddings and Crystal just seem to go together!

Eagle’s Ridge Conference Center and the Sand’s Showroom at Leelanau Sands Casino just north of Suttons Bay may offer the ideal setting for your wedding. Eloquent cuisine combined with exciting gaming, grand events, reasonable lodging, breathtaking views from the beautifully appointed reception facility with expansive stone deck and numerous area activities, it's a natural winner any way you look at it! For more information contact the Sales Department at 1-800-922-2946, ext. 8816 or via email at lisa.wrocklage@gtbindians.com

Escape to Field of Flowers Farm for your outdoor wedding.  Located within the cherry orchards and woodlands of mystical Lake Leelanau , you will be drawn to the beautiful ornamental flowering gardens and fresh cut flower beds that grace the property.  Have your reception in the rustic but elegant restored barn on site.  Contact Christina@FieldOfFlowers.net or visit their web site at www.FieldOfFlowers.net

Frog lovers listen up!  Frog Pond Village of Interlochen offers plenty of ponds, fountains and rustic yet elegant accommodations for couples looking for a delightful and unique setting for their wedding ceremony and reception .  And yes, they have frogs, too!  You can even make S’Mores over an open fire for an after dinner sweet treat.  This charming property features two wedding chapels and two reception facilities.  For more information on Frog Pond Village , visit www.frogpondvillage.com or call (231) 276-9490.

For a charming and affordable location for your reception in Leelanau County , consider using the Glen Arbor Township Hall in downtown Glen Arbor. This facility has lots of windows for great light, plenty of personality and rents for the entire weekend so you have time to decorate, celebrate and tear down…without doing it all in one day. The rental fee is VERY reasonable. Contact the Glen Arbor Township Office at (231) 334-3539 for more information.

Inspiring views, acclaimed service, and the downtown location are just a few reasons why the Traverse City Holiday Inn West Bay is a premier choice for weddings.  The Holiday Inn West Bay is the only full service resort in downtown Traverse City located on the shores of beautiful West Grand Traverse Bay . Check out www.tcwestbay.com for more information or call (231) 947-3700.  

If sandy beaches, Lake Michigan views and a complete Northern Michigan experience are what you desire, then The Homestead Resort of Glen Arbor fits the bill.  Have your ceremony and reception near the beach as all your guests enjoy this world-class resort.  There’s no lack of things to do and sights to see when staying – and playing – at the Homestead, which can accommodate up to 200 guests for your ceremony and reception.  For more information visit www.thehomesteadresort.com or call (231) 334-5377.

Mon Ami, located near Clam and Torch Lakes between Alden and Bellaire, offers the perfect setting for a garden wedding.  Beautifully manicured gardens, fountains and lush trees grace the property which also features a styling salon so the bride and her bridesmaids can have their hair done by professional stylists on site.  Comfortable dressing rooms complete the list of amenities.  Both Torch and Clam Lakes are within a mile of the property for great photo opportunities.  Mon Ami is featured as a Sweet and Simple Wedding Site for Events By The Bay and can also accommodate groups of 50 or less for ceremony and tented, garden reception . For information on Mon Ami, contact Events By The Bay at info@eventsbythebay.com or call (231) 929-9614. Visit Mon Ami's Info Page
Sweet and Simple Weddings

For the couple that wants their wedding to be part of a wonderful, long weekend for family and friends, Northport Bay Retreat is the perfect place. Available for rental for your exclusive use, Northport Bay Retreat encompasses 6.5 acres and 340 feet of West Grand Traverse Bay frontage with 16 deluxe lakeside bedrooms to accommodate your guests. This facility requires a minimum 4-night-stay and maximum of 64 total wedding guests, no exceptions. For more information visit www.antonco.com/northportbay or call (231) 935-0111.

Park Place Hotel of Traverse City is an historic downtown hotel loaded with elegance.  Reception hall choices include the spacious “Dome” with seating up to 500, the Top of the Park with its breathtaking view or the conference-style Lakes Room.  Delicious food and an attentive and experienced staff round out the package.  Check out www.park-place-hotel.com or contact the Sales Department at (231) 946-5196.

Positioned on a wooded peninsula near Onekama with miles of sandy Lake Michigan dunes and beaches to the West and the clear, protected waters of Portage Lake to the East, Portage Point Inn opened in 1903 and offers Historic Northern Michigan character combined with fine dining, pristine beaches and beach front amenities.  Investigate your wedding possibilities at www.portagepointinn.com or call (800) 878-7248.

Rivershire, a private location on the beautiful, pristine Boardman River minutes from Traverse City , offers nature and water in its most scenic natural setting for your wedding.  Offering small, intimate Sweet and Simple Weddings or a Ceremony Only location for 20 people, Rivershire is the perfect setting for peace and serenity.  There is even a cozy cabin on the property to further enhance the experience of Rivershire.  Contact Events By The Bay at (231) 929-9614 or info@eventsbythebay to book your wedding at Rivershire. Visit Rivershire's Info Page
Sweet and Simple Weddings

Timber Ridge Resort, located just off Hammond Road in Traverse City adjacent to the scenic Pere Marquette State Forest , offers a cozy, intimate atmosphere for weddings of 135 people or less. The unique log cabin setting will make the bride, groom and all of their guests feel right at home as they celebrate. For the couple that would prefer to select their own caterer, bartender or set up the celebration themselves, Timber Ridge offers a full kitchen for any type of dinner plan you have in mind. Call today – (231) 947-2770 - to book your wedding in the woods! Or visitwww.TimberRidgeResort.netfor more information.

For a truly unforgettable wedding experience, sail back in time aboard the schooner Manitou on the sparkling waters of West Grand Traverse Bay . Traverse Tall Ship has been making wedding dreams come true for over seventeen years. This 114’ replica of a 19th Century schooner offers a variety of daily afternoon and evening cruises as well as the popular “Floating Bed & Breakfast.”  Catering and bar options are available to make the day trip complete.  Visit www.tallshipsailing.com or call (231) 941-2000 and set sail for the wedding of your dreams!

The Waterfront Inn Conference Center of Traverse City allows you to have your reception “on the beach” while securely tucked inside a comfortable banquet facility.  You and your guests will love the huge deck overlooking the bay as well as the fine food and excellent service.  Contact the Waterfront Inn at (800) 551-9283 or (231) 938-1100 or check out their web site at www.waterfrontconferencecenter.com .