MyNorth Wedding, Grand Traverse Resort & Spa 2022

wedding WEDDINGS WE LOVE

STORY BY ELIZABETH EDWARDS PHOTOGRAPHY BY MELINA MASSENGILL PHOTOGRAPHY

2022 MyNorth Wedding

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LINDSEY ROY AND DANNY HUNT | AUGUST 15, 2021

Picture Lindsey and Danny at age 13 meeting for the first time at a family and friends’ reunion somewhere on Lake Michigan along the Michigan coast. The get-together was inspired by Lindsey’s Uncle Kurt and Danny’s dad, Stu, who’d been fraternity brothers and remained best friends ever since. Shy middle schoolers, who were raised miles apart—Lindsey in Oklahoma and Danny in Grand Rapids— but they both recall a mutual crush.

Flash forward more than a decade. Although they’d seen each other several times over the years, Lindsey and Danny both moved to Nashville, Tennessee, after college by happenstance … or so it seemed.

Lindsey’s parents had moved to the city and they invited her to move in with them for a bit and give Nashville a go. Meanwhile, three miles away, Danny had moved in with Lindsey’s Uncle Kurt (the one who was best friends with his dad, Stu) and his wife Sandy, because he’d just started a job with the insurance company owned by Kurt, Lindsey’s other uncle, Joe, and her dad, Don. Was it destiny or were Uncle Kurt and his old friend Stu playing cupid? Lips are sealed.

No matter, Lindsey and Danny became reacquainted in Nashville where they spent a year developing their friendship. A weekend together at Danny’s family’s river cabin in Manistee convinced them it was time for that friendship to become a romance.

Two years later, on the dock of that river cabin, Danny proposed.

She said, “Yes!” and her family, who had snuck into town the night before, came out to share the moment.

When the couple began planning their wedding, they agreed that they wanted it on the water—and wouldn’t it be amazing if it could be on Lake Michigan where they’d first met all those years ago? Lindsey comes from a large family and Danny’s family has a bounty of friends—so they wanted a venue that could hold at least 250 guests. It didn’t take long for Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, located just north of Traverse City, to pop to the surface of their search.

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The Resort had everything they needed: A deck at the Resort’s private beach area on Lake Michigan for the ceremony, and The Plaza, a semi-permanent tent set adjacent to the Resort’s renowned golf course, The Bear, for the reception. Moreover, Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, with its wide array of accommodations from condominiums to hotel suites, offered the perfect destination wedding location. From the Resort, Lindsey and Danny’s guests had easy access to stellar golf courses, Northern Michigan’s award-winning wine country, beautiful Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the fabulous shops and eateries of Traverse City.

Their wedding weekend kicked off with a meet n’ greet in the resort’s swanky Lobby Bar. The bridal party (all 10 bridesmaids and 10 groomsmen) and guests of the Roy-Hunt wedding got the bar rocking early and kept it that way until even after closing hours. “It usually closes at 10 p.m. but some of our guests were still there until midnight and they told us not to worry, that they would be happy to stay open,” Lindsey says.

On their wedding morning, shuttles, provided by the Resort, transported all of the guests to the beach venue where they were welcomed by the soothing music of the Bay Strings Quartet and a natural wood altar built by Danny’s father adorned with floral swags.

Behind the altar, the azure waters of Lake Michigan’s East Grand Traverse Bay sparkled.

After the ceremony, the Resort’s shuttles whisked guests to The Plaza where bistro lights hung over the terrace and inside the tent.

The glow under the tent was amped with floating candles, hanging chandeliers encircled with rings of greenery and tall gold centerpieces topped with blush and white floral arrangements. After a lovely sit-down dinner prepared and served by the Resort, the DJs of Pluister Entertainment got the party going. “They played old songs, new songs, something for all ages … we had light-up batons for dancing—it was amazing,” Lindsey says. A final sparkler sendoff sent the tired but elated newlyweds off to their suite. At brunch the next morning in a beautiful courtyard at the Resort, they relived all of the memorable moments with their friends and family—and Danny announced (humorously) that he had married the boss’s daughter.

resources

Venue | Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, grandtraverseresort.com Photography | Melina Massengill Photography, Instagram @melinamassephoto Floral | Premier Floral, 231.947.1167 String Quartet | Bayshore Strings, bayshorestrings.com Music | Pluister Entertainment, plu-ent.com

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See more Up North weddings and find ideas at MyNorth.com.

Click Live Here > Getting Married Up North.

Know an engaged couple? Get them a copy of MyNorth Wedding magazine at ShopMyNorth.com

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Wedding Notebook Grand Traverse Resort and Spa

Event Facilities

86,500 square feet of versatile indoor and outdoor function space gives you ultimate flexibility in selecting the venues for your special day. Our wedding staff is practiced at transforming the ballroom or outdoor venue of your choice into a truly unforgettable environment. You’ll appreciate the smooth, detail-oriented leadership of our event professionals, as they execute your vision to perfection.

Bridal parties delight in our spa and salon, while groomsmen typically prefer golf and our nearby Turtle Creek Casino. And with multiple wedding and reception venues, our planners create a brand of seamless perfection, regardless of scale. From intimate unions to grand affairs, your guests will feel every bit as loved, cherished and honored as the bride and groom.

Michigan’s Premier Resort Experience People often remark that the most appealing thing about the 900-acre Grand Traverse Resort and Spa is its sense of the genuine. So when couples choose to exchange their vows here, it feels especially romantic. Sincerity resonates among the trees, and love sparkles on the water. Simply put, it just feels right.

Our wedding staff is practiced at transforming the banquet room or ballroom of your choice into a truly unforgettable environment.

You’ll appreciate the smooth, detail-oriented leadership of our event professionals, as they execute your vision to perfection. Pre-event parties and rehearsal dinners are easily arranged.

From our convenient, centrally located Midwest location, Grand Traverse Resort and Spa is easily accessible to all of your guests – just ten minutes by Resort shuttle from Traverse City’s Cherry Capital Airport (TVC).

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Catering From 2 people to 2,000 people, our Catering department can make an unforgettable experience for your wedding. Our experienced staff can work with any budget and is committed to great guest service.

Weddings are a time for celebration, and our catering staff can work with you on any specialty menu to suit your attendees and their finer tastes! And special meals are no problem for guests with special food needs, and dietary considerations.

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Accommodations

Recreation Grand Traverse Resort and Spa is renowned for many things, but the golf experience is among the best anywhere.

For each of our three signature courses, we sought out the finest designers the industry has to offer.

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The Bear by Jack Nicklaus.

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The Wolverine by Gary Player.

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Spruce Run by William Newcomb.

Our 100,000-square-foot Health Club offers something for everyone. Features include:

Whether you stay in the Hotel, the Tower or a Condominium, you’ll revel in the natural splendor of the outdoors, and the luxurious amenities and outstanding accommodations within.

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Fully equipped Cardio and Weight Room

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Fitness Classes

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15,000-square-foot Indoor Water Playground

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Recreation Pool

• The Hotel - Our six-story hotel offers 238 spacious guest rooms, many with gorgeous views and wireless high-speed Internet access. Conveniences include: color cable television, bathroom television speakers, hair dryers, and much more.

• The Tower - Our newly renovated 17-story glass structure offers 186 large, luxuriously appointed rooms and suites each with wireless high-speed Internet access. You’ll relax amid breathtaking views of sumptuous forests and the rolling hills and orchards of the surrounding golf courses.

Deluxe amenities include: wet bars, Jacuzzi whirlpool tubs, bathroom phones, cable TV, refrigerators, and more.

• Condominiums - Sample fairway or beachfront living when you get away to one of our 161 condominiums.

Studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom accommodations are available in a variety of locations.

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5 Indoor and 4 Outdoor Tennis Courts

Guest Services At Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, you’ll find nearly 600 rooms, suites, and condominiums plus a combination of services and amenities unmatched elsewhere. The expert hands of our spa professionals relax bride and attendants with luxurious treatments and massages, and can create perfectly styled hair and makeup for the bridal party. Groomsmen and guests will enjoy a pre-wedding round of golf on one of our three premier courses, a tension-releasing game of tennis, or a relaxing whirlpool. Pristine beaches and exciting water sports are additional options that will make your wedding a memorable mini-getaway for each and every guest. Winter weddings have a special allure with our crackling fireplaces, snow-covered views, and elegant lodge atmosphere. Your guests can also enjoy cross-country skiing, sleigh rides, and other winter activities.

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100 Grand Traverse Village Blvd.

Acme, MI 49610-0404 231-534-6000 800-748-0303 weddings@gtresort.com GrandTraverseResort.com

Reception Capacity 2,500 Event Rooms 35 Guest Rooms 585

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GOLF SPA SHOP DINE CASINO

GET UP AND GO Breathtaking scenery and unforgettable moments. The paradise of a Northern Michigan wedding is more than inspirational views, a flowerlined path, or sunset stroll on the beach. More than tee times with the guys or endless pampering for the girls. It’s having all of those things at your fingertips. You won’t believe it if you haven’t seen it. Get up and go at grandtraverseresort.com/weddings.

Owned and Operated by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians

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