Grand Traverse Resort & Spa STORY BY HEATHER JOHNSON DUROCHER PHOTOGRAPHY BY CORY WEBER PHOTOGRAPHY
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Lindsay&Christopher LINDSAY THOMPSON CHRISTOPHER LIPARI SEPTEMBER 5, 2015 A weekend trip north for Chicago residents Lindsay Thompson and Christopher Lipari helped them find the ideal location for the Labor Day weekend wedding they envisioned. Naturally the couple sought a venue that would make a lovely stage for their wedding, but the venue would also have to feel like a satisfying mini-vacation for their guests, many of whom would be traveling long distances. Her family is all in California and Chicago. His family is in Detroit. The couple selected the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Acme, just east of Traverse City, in large part because of the connection they made with Liz Brooks, Grand Traverse Resort's special events manager. “She played a huge part—we felt we connected with her on the first day we met her. She had answers to all of our questions, could accommodate all of our guests, and she executed our vision. Every time we talked with her she made us feel we were a priority and she was going to bat for us—and she did,” Lindsay says. The Grand Traverse Resort’s numerous offerings and amenities— golf and tennis, on-site spa and pool, boating, shopping—also helped seal the deal. That the resort was re-doing its beautiful Tower rooms was a bonus. “So many of our guests ended up raving about that,” Lindsay says. Celebrating Northern Michigan’s landscape and the outdoors was important to the couple. “As far as aesthetics go, I wanted to be outside because Traverse City is so beautiful,” Lindsay says. “With weather being a little unpredictable, we wanted a tent … I wanted to bring the outdoors inside the
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tent. I wanted a romantic, elegant feel.” To achieve that plein air, natural feel, the couple worked with a vendor who decorated the poles of the Grand Traverse Resort’s own Plaza reception tent—located near the golf course—to look like towering trees. Lights made the branches sparkle. An altar designed by the couple featured willows. “Her style was on point—it was very classic, very elegant, not over the top. It was the perfect amount of perfect,” the resort’s Liz Brooks says. With 250 wedding guests, Lindsay and Christopher realized they’d be hardpressed to be able to catch up with friends and family as much as they’d like on the day of their wedding. For this reason, they hosted two other gatherings over the weekend, first an “all-white” beach barbecue Friday night and then a Sunday brunch at the resort’s gorgeous Tower restaurant, Aerie. “It gave us time to give each guest quality attention,” Lindsay says, adding that a post-brunch gathering with the bridal party and family members featured time on the water in rented pontoon boats. “Everyone enjoyed all of our events.” Liz couldn’t agree more about the success of the weekend. “They’re just a beautiful couple,” she says. You can really tell when two people are in love, and they just complement each other well, from their humor to their seriousness. They are a match made in heaven.”
PHOTOGRAPHY: CORY WEBER PHOTOGRAPHY,. CORYWEBERPHOTOGRAPHY.COM VENUE: GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT AND SPA, ACME, GRANDTRAVERSERESORT.COM
MYNORTH.COM/WEDDING
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Opposite: Flowers played a pivotal role in the ceremony and at the reception. This page, clockwise: Potted hydrangeas lined the aisle in the ceremony tent. The wedding party included 10 bridesmaids and 10 groomsmen, consisting of family and friends. (“We’re both one of five kids,” Lindsay says.) In separate photos with Lindsay, each bridesmaid held a frame with a significant phrase they’d written about their friendship with the bride. The Grand Traverse Resort rises above the Northern Michigan landscape. Lindsay’s bouquet featured cafe au lait dahlias, garden and spray roses, freesia and the greenery Dusty Miller.
wedding 2016 2014
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This page, clockwise: The reception tent decor continued the outdoor theme, with trees wrapped around the tent poles, white lights illuminating their branches. Lindsay chose garden and spray roses as well as dahlia and freesia for the table arrangements. A cocktail hour on the deck near the reception area included plenty of hors d’oeuvres.
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MYNORTH.COM/WEDDING
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This page, clockwise: Lindsay created the cake topper herself, fashioning it from antique broaches and buttons. (A nod to her love of antique and heirloom jewelry.) Wanting a simple dessert for her guests, Lindsay found a photo of a similar cake on Pinterest, then added a few personal touches of her own including an ivory ribbon and cascading flower petals. The celebration continued well into the evening, with guests enjoying music and dancing alongside Lindsay and Christopher until midnight. “We definitely were dancing the night away,� she remembers. The tree theme set by the decorated tent poles played out in a miniature tree for the escort card table.
2014 wedding 2016
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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. • The Bear by Jack Nicklaus. • The Wolverine by Gary Player. • 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.
• Fully equipped Cardio and Weight Room
• The Hotel - Our six-story hotel offers 238 spacious guest rooms, many with gorgeous views and wireless highspeed 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.
• 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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• Fitness Classes • 15,000-square-foot Indoor Water Playground • Recreation Pool
GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT AND SPA 100 Grand Traverse Village Blvd. Acme, MI 49610-0404 231-534-6000 800-748-0303 weddings@gtresort.com GrandTraverseResort.com
Special Events Manager Liz Brooks
Reception Capacity 2,500
Spa Manager Dawn Olsen
Event Rooms 35
Spa/Golf Sales Managers Kris Ruckle Katie Reas
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 those things at your fingertips. You won’t believe it if you haven’t seen it. Get up and go at GrandTraverseResort.com/Weddings.
#gtresort Owned and Operated by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians
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