MyNorth Wedding 2023: Grand Traverse Resort & Spa

GrandResortTraverse & Spa

BY ELIZABETH EDWARDS PHOTOS BY SLOW JUKE PHOTOGRAPHY

Claire Dijak & Shaughn Handley

GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT & SPA, TRAVERSE CITY | JULY 17, 2021

Claire and shaughn’s wedding is proof that, despite obstacles, love prevails. On October 26, 2019, Shaughn proposed to Claire on a vacation in Colorado. The couple, who live in Traverse City, immediately began planning a large wedding at a big indoor venue there for the next summer.

We all know what the Covid-19 lockdown did to the best-laid wedding plans. With a 2020 wedding scratched off, they booked for 2021 at the same venue. But just two months before the July date, they were told the venue would be restricted to 25 guests (Covid again). With invitations waiting to be sent out, they knew they’d have to scramble to locate an available reception venue.

Claire’s father, Tim, rolled up his sleeves and got on the phone. His calls included Grand Traverse Resort, a venue with several outdoor wedding spaces. But, of course, they were already booked. Tim didn’t give up, explaining the couple’s dilemma. The resort’s wedding coordinator at the time, Steve Baehr, graciously offered them the use of The Clubhouse and adjacent lawn at the 18th hole of the resort’s beautiful golf course, The Bear. While The Clubhouse is often used for events, it has never been the site of a wedding. Unbelievably, the resort also offered to cater and staff the wedding. Claire and Shaughn would, however, need to find their own tent, tables and chairs.

Enter the invincible Melissa Conradie of Conradie Event Design. “She helped us coordinate getting everything we needed,” Claire says. “She made it work; we wouldn’t have been able to do it without her.”

With all finally in place, Shaughn and his friends kicked off the wedding weekend with a golf outing at Grand Traverse Resort before the rehearsal dinner.

The next afternoon, the ceremony took place at St. Francis Church in Traverse City. Afterward, the wedding party boarded the Traverse City Wine & Beer Tours white trolley and headed out to Old Mission Peninsula for photos. By 5 p.m., they were back at the resort to join their guests for cocktails and appetizers.

Booking the resort at the last minute meant that the couple hadn’t had time to try the food in advance. “We thought, ‘We’ll just get what we get,’” Claire recalls. The appetizers—which included delicious bites like tuna tartare on wonton chips and crostini topped with goat cheese and morel mushrooms—were the tipoff that the entire meal would be outstanding. Not only was the food impressive, but so were the well-staffed bar and knowledgeable bartender. Then came the plated dinner with entree choices of filet mignon, cherry chicken or vegetarian pasta, all of which, Claire says, was “yummy right down to the cheesy potatoes dauphine, salad and mixed veggies.”

The couple kicked off the dancing to Gregory Alan Isakov’s “Suitcase Full of Sparks,” which set the stage for a romantic evening. Jordan Anderson with Mr. Music DJ & Event Services followed the dance with a playlist of upbeat, fun music. When guests needed to refuel, the resort staff supplied pizza. “We heard it came but we never even saw it,” Claire says, laughing. As the reception wound down, Claire and Shaughn retired to their suite in The Tower at Grand Traverse Resort—accommodations that came with a jaw-dropping view of Grand Traverse Bay. After soaking in that panorama the next morning, the newlyweds headed back to the tent for a farewell brunch, catered by the resort. “It was wonderful because we got more use out of the tent and one more chance to enjoy the way Melissa and [florist] Amy Kate decorated it,” says Claire.

The brunch was a lovely ending to the wedding that went on against all odds. “Melissa and the resort were amazing,” Claire says. “They really pulled out all the stops.”

resources

Venue

Grand Traverse Resort and Spa grandtraverseresort.com

Photography Slow Juke Photography

Videographer Mountain & Mitten Videography mountainandmitten.com

Wedding Planning & Event Design

Conradie Event Design conradieeventdesign.com

Wedding Cake

Aunt B’s Cakes & Dessert 231.642.1205

Rentals Event Theory eventtheory.com

Sensational Events TC sensationaleventstc.com

Florist Amy Kate Designs amykatedesigns.com

Music Mr. Music DJ mrmusicdjs.com

Stationery Holly Thomas Design hollythomasdesign.com

Honey Paper Boutique honeypaperboutique.wixsite.com/ website

Hair & Makeup

Pavlova Salon & Spa pavlovaspasalon.com

Trolley Traverse City Wine & Beer Tours wineandbeertours.com

Melissa and the resort were amazing. They really pulled out all the stops.

Weddings

at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa

Multiple Venues

86,500 square feet of versatile indoor and outdoor function space gives you ultimate flexibility in selecting the venues for your special day.

All guests can enjoy the on-site Spa, Salon, Golf and nearby Turtle Creek Casino. With multiple venue spaces you can create intimate unions or grand affairs. Your guests will feel every bit loved, cherished and honored as the wedding couple.

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 northern Michigan charm and elegance. 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 venue selection of your choice into a truly unforgettable environment. You’ll appreciate the smooth, detail-oriented leadership of our event professionals, as they turn your vision into reality. Welcome parties and rehearsal dinners are easily arranged onsite.

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).

Catering

From 25 to 2,000 people, our Catering department can make an unforgettable experience for your wedding. 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! Our culinary team is well versed on dietary restrictions and are more than happy to accommodate your needs.

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:

• Fully equipped Cardio and Weight Room

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

• The Hotel – Our six-story hotel is undergoing a $10 million renovation to be completed in Spring 2023. The renovation includes over 200 guest rooms, 2 junior suites, 4 hospitality suites and corridors.

• The Tower – Our 17-story Tower offers 186 large, luxuriously appointed rooms and suites. You’ll relax amid breathtaking views of East Grand Traverse Bay, and the rolling hills and orchards of the surrounding golf courses.

• Condominiums - Experience 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.

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 experts at Spa Grand Traverse provide endless relaxation for wedding couples and their guests alike, offering luxurious treatments and massage, along with bridal party hair and makeup services. 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 and other winter activities.

• Fitness Classes

• 15,000-square-foot Indoor Water Playground

• Recreation Pool

• 5 Indoor and 4 Outdoor Tennis Courts

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

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