Brittany + Donald - A Beautiful Beach Wedding at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, 6/18/23

Chloe Leach July 27, 2023

On a warm summer evening in 2019, Brittany and Donald were introduced by mutual friends over what seemed to be a casual dinner like any other.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, this meeting was far from coincidental. Having discussed their plans at length, these mutual friends had decided that the two would be a perfect match for each other.

Though native to the state of Michigan, Donald was living in LA at the time, visiting home to be with friends and family. As dinner came to a close that night, he mused out loud what a shame it was that Brittany didn’t live in LA. The two had quickly hit it off, with Brittany enjoying Donald’s easy personality and lively conversation. The two exchanged socials and contact info before parting ways that evening, resigned that the 2,000 miles between them meant they might not meet again.

Fast forward to November. The two had lost touch since their meeting. Donald was tagged in a post on Facebook that Brittany commented on, which prompted Donald to send her a text. They continued talking after that, deciding to meet up over the holidays the next month. Sparks flew. Brittany made the trek to LA from Michigan to visit Donald in January, and they took turns visiting one another each few weeks during the next couple of months. March of 2020, during the last half of a visit to LA to meet Donald’s family, the rise in Covid cases was causing widespread alarm, and lockdowns began. Rather than be separated, Donald and Brittany decided to “flatten the curve” together in Michigan for the next two weeks. Two weeks turned into several months, and the two lived together in Brittany’s Michigan bungalow until June. At that time, Brittany downsized her possessions to 2 suitcases worth of things, and relocated to LA with Donald. After three years together, Donald proposed. 6 months into their engagement, they both decided to bypass the big wedding in favor of an intimate beach celebration. In just 30 days, they planned and coordinated the whole celebration exactly as they had hoped.

With Northern Michigan holding a special place in both their hearts, it was their first choice for location. They found their perfect venue at Grand Traverse Resort’s Beach Club. With a picturesque views of East Grand Traverse Bay, Brittany and Donald exchanged vows under the summer sky on June 18th, 2023.

Lindsay & Stephen - An Intimate Celebration at Grand Traverse Resort - 9/28/19

Chloe Leach October 16, 2019

Lindsay met Steve at Grand Valley in 2010. Of all the first impressions that would have drawn in her future spouse, Lindsay definitely didn't think it would be twerking in a referee costume at a neighborhood Halloween party. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, the two of them quickly bonded over their shared sense of humor and affinity for vodka. Steve was insistent on taking Lindsay out. Their first date was a Grand Rapids Griffins game, and Lindsay still has the ticket stub to this day.

8 years, a dog, and a house later, Lindsay was hard at work on a bullet journal and her goals for 2019. She informed Steve matter-of-factly that they would be getting married in 2019, that it was time. Steve's eyes widened in shock. Lindsay mistook his look for consternation, but she had yet to find out the real reason for his reaction. Just a couple of weeks prior, Steve had gone to Lindsay's parents to ask permission to propose.

On a seemingly mundane Wednesday in February, after finishing a quiet dinner together, Steve got down on one knee and presented Lindsay with his grandmother's wedding ring. After 9 years together, it was finally happening!

Both of them knew right away that they wanted an intimate celebration to begin their new chapter together. With a small group of their immediate family and closest friends, they made a getaway to Traverse City for a destination wedding at the Grand Traverse Resort. Free of stress and full of gratitude, Lindsay and Steve spent the whole evening celebrating their past and their new future together, feeling like the kids they were when they first met.

Venue and Catering: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, Aerie Restaurant and Lounge

Floral: Lisa at the Blossom Shop

Hair: Kate Birdsall

Makeup: Spa Grand Traverse

Gown: The Wedding Shoppe, Berkley, MI

Ali & Charlie - A Quintessential Beach Wedding at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa - 7/13/19

Chloe Leach July 24, 2019

Ali and a friend moved into the lower unit of a St. Louis duplex in the summer of 2016. They were told that there were two neighbors in the upper unit, but a whole month passed before those neighbors made an appearance. It was an evening in July, when Ali was backing out of the parking lot. Charlie and his roommate Blake were taking out the trash together. Ali’s first impression was that the guys were a couple. Two males doing chores together voluntarily, not to mention that they were dressed alike? It seemed a reasonable assumption to make.

September came, and the girls hosted a backyard cookout and invited Charlie and Blake to join. That night, it was discovered that the two men were not, in fact, an item. As it turned out, the fashion-coordinated, co-habiters were decidedly interested in women. Ali and Charlie became friends that night after much conversation and dancing at one of their favorite Irish bars in Saint Louis. The two of them discovered a shared affinity for lifting weights, and began weekly workouts together. Those workouts quickly turned into long texting conversations, which ultimately turned into excuses to see each other more than once a week. All the while, Charlie played it cool. Ali was under the impression that their relationship was completely platonic. Little did she know that he was talking with his family and many of his friends about “this girl he really liked who happened to be his neighbor.” Ali’s friends began to comment about how Ali’s face would light up whenever she would talk about Charlie. Once the two of them started dating in November, The reaction from friends and family on both sides could be summed up, “Well, that and a bull-dozer would knock me over.” Ali & Charlie were the last two to discover what everyone saw as apparent.

The first weekend of dating was spent carving pumpkins, drinking fall beers, and staying up into the wee hours on the back porch, falling in love to the tune of each other’s voices. It didn’t take them long to realize that they were in this for the long haul.

In keeping with their tradition of visiting Northern Michigan every summer in July, Ali and Charlie planned their destination wedding accordingly. They chose the beach at the Grand Traverse Resort as the backdrop for both ceremony and reception, decorated in understated gold and blue hues. Here’s a peek at the first day of their newest adventure.

Venue and catering: The Beach Club at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, Acme, MI

Coordinator: Molly Schroderus

Entertainment: 2Bays DJs

Amanda & Ron - An Exquisite Summer Wedding at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa - August 19, 2018

Chloe Leach August 30, 2018

5 years ago, Amanda was decidedly not the "marrying type".

It seemed clear to her that marriage was the place where love got lazy and went stale. Vulnerability and passion got traded for the numbness of everyday life, and people stopped caring for each other after the honeymoon ended. Amanda had concluded long ago that the kind of selfless and enduring commitment that her grandparents had together was simply not possible in today's society, and she was certain that nobody could change that.

Enter Ron.

The kind-hearted man who could always be found wearing a backwards hat and a wide grin began frequenting the bar where Amanda worked. The two became friends almost immediately. Amanda was drawn in by the warmth of Ron's personality. "He would get excited about the smallest things. He was always kind, and his outlook on life was so positive. He has a child's soul." That was fall of 2006. A couple years passed, with Ron moving out of state to train in Arizona with Border Patrol. The two lost touch. Once Amanda became a nurse, she ran into him one evening at an event at the old bar where they first met. They were quick to pick up the conversation where they had left off, and their bond quickly grew stronger than ever. They began dating in July of 2013. Over the next 5 years together, Ron steadily challenged Amanda's preconceptions about love and commitment with his resolute pursuit of her. She was moved by the way he never wavered in his dedication to her, still the same person she was drawn to on the first day they began this adventure together. Amanda's barriers were being crushed by the very thing she feared would undo the love they had: the little everyday things. It was here that Ron proved his dedication to her.

August 19th was a long-awaited celebration of something truly beautiful. Amanda and Ron exchanged heartfelt vows beside the water of Grand Traverse Bay, and topped off the evening with a bountiful dinner and dancing late into the night at the area's iconic Grand Traverse Resort. What a joy it was to share such a significant day with this special pair of lovers!

Ceremony & Reception Venue, decor, cake and catering by Grand Traverse Resort & Spa - Liz Kondik, Coordinator

Hair by Up North Perfection

Makeup by Adriana Cristina

Bride's gown by Piera’s Bridal

Guys' attire: Men’s Wearehouse

Flowers by The Blossom Shop

Lauren & Lucas - An Elegant Wedding Celebration on the Eve of the New Year at the Grand Traverse Resort - 12.29.17

Chloe Leach January 10, 2018

As kids, Lauren and Lucas grew up only one mile apart from each other. Despite their close proximity, they never met in their hometown.
It was in 2007, when both of them were attending Michigan State University, that they finally got acquainted through mutual friends. Two years later, a romance began to develop that would be the start of a beautiful life together.

Lauren and Lucas are an irresistible pair with their down-to-earth charm, easy humor, and great affinity for one other. They've secured a little piece of paradise in their home state, realizing their shared dream of life on their very own farm (along with their dog, 2 cats, 9 chickens and 2 horses). To celebrate their first day as husband and wife, Lauren and Lucas chose the airy and bright 17th floor of Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. With panoramic views of Grand Traverse Bay and the rolling snowy hills surrounding, the tower view was the perfect setting for their exquisite and cozy winter ceremony. Despite the extreme cold outside, the warmth of love and excitement that day positively radiated!

Venue: Grand Traverse Resort and Spa - Traverse City, MI

Bride's Gown: Justin Alexander

Floral and Greenery Design: Field of Flowers North (Christina Pfeufer)

Hair and Makeup Design: Onsite Bridal

Caitlin & Lawrence - A Medieval Wedding Celebration Under the Harvest Moon - Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, October 5th

Chloe Leach October 11, 2017

"May they be to each other both strong and gentle.
May all who follow their lives with interest and affection have cause to rejoice not alone in their happiness, but in their brave and generous living which makes life beautiful and significant.” Áine Minogue, A Celtic Wedding

Caitlin and Larry are two souls from a bygone era, and the love they share is one for the ages. Their story began in 2010, when a significant friendship formed during their time working together in the same banquet kitchen. 7 years later, on the rolling green hills of this same special place, the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, Caitlin and Larry began their lives together as one. Under a towering oak bathed in warm rays of autumn sun, surrounded by the love of those dearest to them, they exchanged sacred vows. In true medieval fashion, the celebration continued late into the evening over a bounty of rich food, lively games on the lawn, and roaring fires.

Venue, and Feast: Grand Traverse Resort and Spa

Bride's Gown: Armstreet

Floral and Design: Sensational Events

As the Shutter Clicks: The Meridian Photography Blog