MyNorth Wedding: Grand Traverse Resort and Spa

wedding WEDDINGS WE LOVE

STORY BY ELIZABETH EDWARDS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY NORTHERN ART PHOTOGRAPHY

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TERRAH HANKS & CHAD TAYLOR | SEPTEMBER 5, 2020

Chad and Terrah had their first kiss on September 5, 2007. Thirteen years to the day, and three beautiful daughters later, they were married at the Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City. Their wedding was worth the wait.

While the couple lives in Eaton Rapids, they chose Traverse City for their wedding as they have a cottage on Old Mission Peninsula’s East Grand Traverse Bay. They wanted to treat their guests to a weekend on the bay that has become so precious to them. And, lucky for them, Grand Traverse Resort has a beach club on East Grand Traverse Bay. Moreover, it was big enough to handle their guest list with aplomb.

Topping it off, the resort staff was also nimble and helpful enough to handle a pandemic wedding. Did we mention that it was pandemic wedding … on horseback?

The horseback part was always a part of the plan. Terrah's family owns Sundance Riding Stables in Grand Ledge, and both Terrah and Chad are rodeo contestants—she is a barrel racer and he is a steer wrestler. Horses are such a big part of their life, that they wanted them in their wedding—Terrah and her father would ride down the aisle side by side; her father would then give his horse to Chad to ride out on after the ceremony. Molly Schroderus, GTR’s wedding coordinator who was involved in the wedding’s initial planning stages (she later handed the reins over to Event Coordinator Steve Baehr), ok’d it to happen at the GTR’s beach club. If Chad and Terrah could get the horses to the beach, why not?

The reception was initially planned for the resort’s Governor’s Ballroom. Then came the pandemic and its moratorium on large indoor gatherings. One of the resort’s outdoor venues, the tented plaza, offered a partial solution. The trouble was, the tent wasn’t big enough. So Schroderus and her team offered to tent the patio portion of the plaza.

“They said, ‘Listen, you have been through thick and thin with us … we are going to make this happen,’” Terrah says.

With the reception venue solved, the wedding went seamlessly. The night before, guests were shuttled to the resort’s Turtle Creek Casino for an evening of gaming. The wedding day began with a golf scramble for the wedding guests at the beautiful Wolverine Golf Course, one of the resort’s three championship courses. 4

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The ceremony on the beach club deck brimmed with the couple’s personal touches. Terrah and her father, Terry Hanks, rode out of a grove of trees and down the aisle to Chad (and yes, she chose a wedding dress with a stretchy lining so she could saddle up), to the music of Nashville-based, renowned harpist Phyllis Taylor Sparks, who is Chad’s aunt. Sparks brought her very special 23-karat gold-leaf grand harp for the occasion. The officiant was a close family friend, Jason Pendleton, and in lieu of unity candles, the couple burned their brand into a log beside a bonfire. But without a doubt, the most important part of the ceremony were the flower girls—their daughters Zadah and Attikah—and their third daughter, Aspen, who shared ring-bearing duties with her cousin, Cammon.

From the ceremony, the guests and bridal party proceeded to the tented plaza for a plated dinner followed by dancing to the tunes of DJ Cam Ridley, a longtime friend of Terrah’s. But first came a special treat for the guests—a performance by Chad and Terrah, who had taken dance lessons beforehand. While guests watched in delight, the pair twirled and dipped to a medley of songs by Blake Shelton, The Lacs and Nate Kenyon, put together by Chad’s uncle, Nick Sparks, a grammy-award winning recording engineer and producer based in Nashville.

By the time the resort-baked red velvet cake was cut, everyone knew Chad and Terrah’s wedding would live in their memories forever.

Zadah summed it up best when she said to her mom: “That was the best day of my life. Can we do it again sometime?”

resources

Venue, Plated Dinner, Cake | Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, grandtraverseresort.com Photography | Andrea Bogart, Northern Art Photography, northernartphotography.com Videographer | Benjamin Foote, Benjamin Foote Cp, benjaminfootecp.com Gown | Sofia in Ivory/Champagne by Morilee Purchased at Pierre’s Bridal, Prom & Tuxedo, pierresbridal.com Hair, Nails & Makeup | Ledges Hair Salon; Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, Janell Marie Artistry, facebook.com/ledgeshairsalon; grandtraverseresort.com Dance Studio | Our Dance Studio, choreographed by Louis Soma, facebook.com/ourdancestudio Dance Music | R&S DJ’Z

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See more photos at MyNorth.com/GrandTraverseResort21 Know an engaged couple? Send them MyNorth Wedding magazine at ShopMyNorth.com/Wedding21

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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

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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

Special Events Manager Steve Baehr

Reception Capacity 2,500

Spa Director Dawn Olsen

Event Rooms 35

Spa/Golf Sales Managers Cara Goss Joann Hanafi

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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