wedding WEDDINGS WE LOVE
STORY BY COURTNEY JEROME | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINE MAGEE PHOTOGRAPHY
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BRITTANY GARCIA & ANDREW ROMERO | JULY 12, 2019
When Brittany and Andrew stepped off the ferry on to Mackinac Island on their first vacation together ever, Brittany exclaimed, “Oh my gosh! We are not in Kansas anymore!” (Catch her Wizard of Oz reference?!) “It was the coolest thing I think I’ve ever seen in my whole life,” she recalls. That said, it’s understandable why this Florida couple wanted to have their wedding there. On that first trip to the island, the couple missed visiting Mission Point Resort—the idyllic spot that would become their wedding venue. The truth is, Brittany and Andrew didn’t see the venue until two days before exchanging their vows. Talk about trust. Trust that led to what the couple and their friends ended up referring to as a Hallmark movie-style wedding. “Ninety percent of our guests flew in from Florida,” Brittany says. “They equated it to stepping out of time and into a Hallmark movie. We had horse-drawn carriages. I mean, seriously!” Brittany laughs, saying she still has to remind herself, “Yes, that really did happen, you rode down Main Street and waved at all the little girls who thought you were a princess.” It’s true. Her dress was fit for a princess. The monogrammed bridal party pajamas: storybook worthy. The three-tiered cake adorned with local peonies and even an exact edible replica of the couple’s pup, Rory: perfect. Then there was the meticulous menu planned by Andrew, based on his past-life in the culinary world. Add the countless sentimental moments between family members, and there are more than just a few reasons why the Romero wedding seemed made for a movie set. As an accountant, naturally Brittany debated the dollars. To get married on the island, Brittany assumed it would cost them “a million dollars.” She considered it a pipe dream. But after some investigating by her parents and their family friend, Chelie (whose family has a house on Mackinac’s Main Street), they discovered that “to have our dream wedding here was less expensive than to have our wedding in Florida,” Brittany says. “It was the best of both worlds.” So how did she choose her wedding vendors from a distance? “The biggest thing in our planning was to find out who knew the island the best? That was most important to me.” And in a very Mackinac Island-fashion, the vendors they hired called each other to work through the details of the Big Day themselves—while Brittany and Andrew relaxed hundreds of miles away. On July 12, just over 60 guests joined the couple for their vow exchange at the gazebo on Mission Point’s front lawn, followed by a crisp-white reception complemented with blush pink accents and horse-drawn carriage designs throughout the room. Later, they danced the night away as the sunset was in full view through the Summit Room’s 180-degree windows looking out at the Lake Huron lakeshore. “Mission Point was amazing,” gushes Brittany, which is a compliment that doesn’t come lightly from the bride, as she and Andrew first met while working at the acclaimed Breakers Palm Beach Resort in Florida—which is known for its hospitality. “Everybody we worked with at the property blew our expectations out of the water,” Brittany says. “If we had to say how incredibly easy this all was, it still baffles my mind. It was just incredible.”
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resources
Venue | Mission Point Resort Photography | Christine Magee Photography Videographer | Love Stories Productions Flowers | St. Ignace in Bloom Food | Mission Point Resort & Doud's Market Cake | Bella e Dolce Favors | Joann's Fudge on Mackinac Island Music | Northern Entertainment, Michael Williford Bridal Gown | Mariolka's Bridal Boutique Horse-Drawn Carriage | Mackinac Island Carriage Tours
See more photos at MyNorth.com/MissionPointResort20 Friend getting married? Get them a copy at ShopMyNorth.com/Wedding20
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Wedding Notebook
Alisha Tova Photography
Mission Point Resort
Mackinac Island’s Premier Lakefront Wedding Venue Located on the sunrise side of historic Mackinac Island, family-owned, award-winning Mission Point Resort has been a premier site for wedding ceremonies and receptions for generations. Spectacular views, lush lawns and gardens, refreshing lake breezes and a deep sense of historic character all distinguish our resort as the ideal desitination for your special day. The atmosphere of genuine hospitality, relaxed elegance and inviting comfort provides the perfect setting for rest, inspiration and meaningful connections.
Bre Thomas Photography
Memorable Weddings For weddings of 2 to weddings of over 300, Mission Point is home to a variety of ceremony and reception spaces, all of which reflect the unparalleled beauty and tranquility of Mackinac Island. Set on 18 acres of expansive lawns and beautiful shoreline overlooking Lake Huron, Mission Point has limitless possibilities for taking gorgeous wedding photos and creating a lifetime of memories. Our wedding sales team is ready to assist you in every way possible, including coordinating catering and location needs and connecting you with the area's best photographers, florists and other wedding resources.
Mackinac Island
Our culinary team is committed to high quality, sustainably sourced and innovative dishes and the culinary experience at Mission Point is second to none in northern Michigan. Ingredients featured on our menus are sourced from the farms, forests and waters of the Straits of Mackinac area and state of Michigan; regional influences help to transform each meal into a memorable and delicious culinary experience.
Beautifully situated at the intersection of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, Mackinac Island is a storybook location filled with historic character and unparalleled beauty. From horse-drawn carriages and tandem bicycles to famous fudge and flowers galore, Mackinac is the perfect destination for weddings large and small, second weddings or for couples wanting to renew their vows. Consistently voted one of the top islands in the United States, Mackinac’s romantic charm can be found all around the island – century old churches, garden gazebos, turquoise blue water, refreshing lake breezes and gorgeous flowers.
Wendy Thibodeau Photography
Weber Photographers
Delicious Food
Bridal Beauty
Wendy Thibodeau Photography
Mission Point is also home to Lakeside Spa & Salon, a full-service Aveda salon with a variety of bridal services and packages available for your perfect day. Lakeside Spa & Salon is the largest and most modern salon on Mackinac Island and boasts a complete menu of services for bridal parties and individuals including spa treatments, massages, facials, aromatherapy, manicures, pedicures, hair styling, eyelash enhancements and makeup application. We also invite you to reserve our intimate bridal-ready room, which is a great private wedding headquarters for the day.
One Lakeshore Drive Mackinac Island, MI 49757 906-430-8137 weddings@missionpoint.com missionpoint.com Wedding Sales Manager: Michaelena Vassallo Reception Capacity up to 350
Hotel guest rooms: 241
Recent reviews from
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Our wedding ceremony took place at the Mission Point Gazebo and the reception on the Promenade Deck. Everything was so beautiful and went off without a hitch! The food was amazing and all of our guests enjoyed themselves. Mission Point could not have done a better job!
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Marcy C.
The individuals at Mission Point were wonderful to work with. As a destination location for the “wedding, they were highly responsive to emails through the planning process and they were highly accommodating when dates and times to go up there were a challenge to plan on our part. I received numerous compliments about how well their team coordinated the events of the day, along with the quality of the food served at the reception, and the friendliness of the wait staff and bartenders at the reception. We had our wedding ceremony at the waterfront Gazebo, and the reception in the Colonial room. I would highly recommend looking into Mission Point as a wedding venue - my husband and I have no regrets and only happy memories. Taylor M.
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Michaelena Vassallo, Wedding Sales Manager | 906.430.8137 | weddings@missionpoint.com