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Finding a Spot to Tie the Knot

(page 2 of 4)

A prime location on Big Detroit Lake is only part of the reason couples seek out small wedding celebrations at the Lodge on Lake Detroit, a smoke-free lakefront lifestyle hotel and spa. Other reasons include a banquet room accommodating up to 100 guests, The Spa Within (great for pre-wedding pampering), a fireplace lobby with a full-service bar, grand piano sunset serenades, a sandy beach and swim area, complimentary kayaks and paddleboats, wonderful guest rooms with upscale amenities, family suites with furnished kitchens and connecting rooms, and a romantic Renewal Spa Suite, complete with an aromatherapy whirlpool and fireplace, for the newlyweds.

“We offer affordable luxury,” says Chris Holland-Mehlhaff, co-owner. “Our team members are empowered and actively involved in doing everything they can to help our guests have a positive experience at our hotel and spa. Our company motto is: Service isn’t a big thing, it’s a million little things.”

For a fun wedding that allows guests to get in touch with their “inner Minnesotans,” many couples are choosing to get hitched on the North Shore. The sparkling blue waters of Lake Superior, breathtaking scenery, historic river towns, and old-fashioned hospitality create remarkable weddings in the Duluth area, Lutsen area, and Bayfield, Wisconsin.

Located 15 miles northeast of Duluth, along the Lake Superior shore, Nokomis Restaurant and Bar offers fine dining, exceptional lakeside views, and warm, modern, Scandinavian-Asian fused décor. The restaurant can accommodate weddings and rehearsal dinners of up to 150 guests.

Sean Lewis, co-owner and experienced executive chef of the Nokomis, works directly with couples to determine the details of the menu and facility. A seasonal menu includes mouth-watering items like butternut squash veal, chocolate soufflé, chicken gnocchi, polenta, salmon galette, grilled tuna steak, filet of beef, lobster strudel, and Lake Superior whitefish cakes. A wine list includes over 120 fine wines from around the world.

“Brides and grooms like our attention to detail, attentive service, quality of food, and the stunningly beautiful setting,” says Rondi Erickson, co-owner.

Couples wanting to minimize expense and stress while enjoying a celebration with close friends and family might want to consider a wedding at Lutsen Resort on Lake Superior. A beautiful and historic Scandinavian-style lodge provides the perfect mix of casual comfort and rustic elegance for weddings that remain etched upon guests’ memories for years to come. The Lake Superior setting is a big draw for couples wanting to get married on the beach or for those choosing to get hitched out on the lawn near beautiful flower gardens.

On-site wedding planners help make the day as stress-free as possible, and guests like that they are part of a weekend celebration.

“It’s like a mini vacation for everyone invited,” says Tina Connor, director of group sales. “Even the younger kids always have something to do. We offer activities like pizza and movie night, craft-making, and kayaking with an activities director.”

The resort can accommodate up to 200 for a seated dinner and sleeps up to 730.

At Cove Point Lodge in Beaver Bay, the location on Lake Superior is only part of the resort’s popularity. The lodge is romantic, quiet, and secluded—ideal for a small wedding. Some couples are married in front of the Great Hall fireplace; others choose to get married outside on the lakeside lawn, on the point, or at Split Rock Lighthouse. Wedding season at the lodge is from December through May. Honeymoons are also popular at Cove Point Lodge, with packages available throughout the year.

Dream weddings are regularly held at Bluefin Bay in Tofte, a seaside resort on Lake Superior, 80 miles north of Duluth. Described by many as one of the most romantic resorts on the North Shore, Bluefin Bay is in a class of its own.

The resort is “wedding friendly” in every way, from the newly-remodeled and contemporary Bluefin Grille Restaurant, with split-level dining (perfect for weddings of up to 100 people), a talented chef offering a variety of menu possibilities, and a variety of lodging options ranging from hotel suites to townhomes overlooking the water.

Couples can unwind before the ceremony with a massage in the new wellness center, soak in the only year-round outdoor pool and hot tub on Lake Superior, or relax in a double Jacuzzi as a fire glows in the fireplace and waves crash against the rocky shoreline. In addition to being a popular wedding destination, Bluefin Bay holds a special place in many honeymooners’ hearts.

Within a four-hour drive of the metro area, Bayfield, Wisconsin is the “perfect setting for the perfect wedding,” says Cari Obst, executive director of the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce. “Only in Bayfield can wedding parties experience the spectacular vistas and romantic experiences of the big lake and the glimmering Apostle Islands.”

A quaint harbor town on Lake Superior, Bayfield is the gateway to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, encompassing 21 islands and 12 miles of coast on the mainland. Guests can get married on one of the islands, on a chartered sailboat, in a field of flowers, in a beautiful barn, on the shoreline, or in the Bayfield Lakeside Pavilion. There are over 80 lodging properties for every taste and budget, five-star restaurants and caterers, experienced wedding planners, florists, musicians, and photographers available, and “a tourist community that really knows how to put out the red carpet,” Obst says.

CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE

Faced with questions of “What do I do? Where do I start?” or “How am I ever going to get everything done?” a baffled or panicked couple can find great solace in hiring a wedding coordinator to calm pre-wedding jitters.

Hiring a planner gives couples a chance to sit back, relax and enjoy their engagement and wedding rather than worry about logistics of the day.

A team of creative consultants at Give My Regards To, located in Minneapolis, can help ensure smooth sailing on the wedding day.

“We work with a full list of preferred local wedding vendors to achieve the look and feel the bride and groom desires within their specified budget,” explains Owner/Lead Event Planner Amy Zaroff.

The process of working with a wedding planner consists of going over basic ideas and concepts, outlining a budget, and letting them help as much — or as little — with referring and hiring vendors. On the day of the wedding, a coordinator can help keep the bridal party on track and resolve any potentially problematic scenarios.

Zaroff describes her company as a “one stop shop” that also offers custom invitations —with the option of beautiful hand-made paper and letterpress typography — and unique stationery.

Invitations set the tone of the wedding, and “the whole package needs to be considered,” Zaroff says. How the envelope is addressed, what stamp is used, the texture of the paper, the wording, font, and ink color all matter. A consistent color palette helps brand a celebration and conveys a well thought-out message.

According to Alexis Harsh of Watermark Fine Stationery, deep, saturated cardstock colors are in style for wedding invitations, although white and ecru remain steadfast options for those who don’t want to stray too far from the traditional.

“Paisley patterns, damask, and stripes are all the rave because they are patterns brides can carry to other details of their day,” Harsh says. Another growing request at Watermark, a full-service invitation studio, is green invitations, made with soy-based ink on 100 percent recycled, acid-free paper.

And what does Harsh think about creating invitations through an online service?

The problem with online wedding invitations, Harsh says, is that you’re not guaranteed a high quality product, you don’t have access to someone willing to do the legwork, and you don’t have someone helping with wording and etiquette (tips: it’s tacky to use a mailing label to address your envelopes, print “no children” on the invitation, or tell guests where you’re registered). Other invitation blunders include adding confetti or glitter, underestimating the time it takes to address, stuff and send the invitations (they should be sent six to eight weeks in advance), and ordering too few invitations. A word of advice: Order 25 extras just in case; reordering is expensive.

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