You’re engaged and you’re in the midst of all the wedding excitement which means you’re about to plan your dream wedding! You’ve got your gorgeous ring, and now you’re raring to plan a gorgeous wedding. You might be local to Michigan and can’t think of a better place than home to have your wedding. Or you might be considering having a far-flung dreamy destination wedding and Michigan is high on your list of potential places…
Michigan is renowned for its natural beauty, rich history, and diverse culture, making it an ideal location for a memorable wedding celebration. Whether you’re looking for a grand ballroom ceremony, a cosmopolitan city affair, something natural and rural or an intimate ceremony by the lake, Michigan has a variety of options for every taste and style.
In this guide, we’ll take you through all the steps of planning a luxury wedding in Michigan, including the importance of having a wedding planner, luxury venues, pre and post-wedding activities, and choosing the right wedding photographer. Let’s dive right in…
A Step-by-Step Guide To Planning Your Luxury Michigan Wedding
Step 1: Start With A Plan
Before you dive into planning your wedding, it’s important to sit down with your partner and jot down all your ideas to create a plan that outlines your vision, preferences, and budget. Researching venues is a great place to start gathering inspiration so you can get ideas of what your wedding could look like so make a list of your favourite venues and then think about how the venue could potentially look.
You’ll then start to identify your vision for the day, including the style, theme, and overall vibe you want to create. Do you envision an indoor or outdoor wedding? What colours do you like? What does your wedding cake and table decor look like? Write down everything you like along the way and then create a rough list of potential dates, a guest list to determine potential numbers, and what kind of entertainment you might want. You should also establish a budget to ensure you’re able to prioritise your spending on the things you want.
Step 2: Consider Hiring A Wedding Planner
Planning a luxury wedding is hard. There are so many elements to think about and the sheer amount of tasks can be overwhelming, which is why it can be a great choice to get a wedding planner on board to help you curate the wedding of your dreams.
A skilled wedding planner can help you navigate the planning process, rules and regulations, manage vendors, and create a flawless event that reflects you and your partner’s unique style and personality. Look for a planner with experience in planning luxury weddings in Michigan, as they will be familiar with the best venues, vendors, and resources in the area.
Here at Coleen McKay we love to help couples plan and make each and every wedding idea come true, resulting in bespoke luxury weddings that exceed expectations and make your wedding day the absolute best it can be. It’s safe to say we offer a luxury wedding planning experience like no other.
As well as planning and coordinating luxury weddings in Michigan, we specialise in gorgeous elopements, celebrity weddings, and stunning ceremonies from 2 to 300 guests across the UK and worldwide. We have all the expertise to ensure your wedding is all you have dreamed of and more!
We build strong relationships with couples throughout the process to ensure they get their once in a lifetime experience and most importantly have fun – after all you spend a lot of time with your wedding planner, so it should be a fun process, and one that you remember for the rest of your life!
We take the stress out of planning through a hands-on approach and ensure everything is perfect down to the tiniest details and use design, trends and your vision to give you a wedding experience that embodies luxury and is unique to you and your partner.
If you’re undecided on your destination, in love with multiple venues or ready to start planning your wedding then do not hesitate to contact us about luxury destination weddings, we’re all ears and ready to help make your dream wedding become a reality.
Step 3: Choose Your Luxury Venue
With so many gorgeous venues across Michigan, from historic manors to cosmopolitan city blocks and rural fairytale barn affairs it can be incredibly tricky picking the perfect venue.
Think about the various areas in Michigan that you can have your wedding? Do you want a chic cosmopolitan affair where tradition blends with urban flair – a Detroit wedding might be for you. If so, check out the Henry Ford and The Shinola as potential venue options. Or is a golden hour ceremony by a glittering lake house more your style? If so, Lake Michigan could be the play with venues such as Stonegate Manor and The Veranda making a dreamy wedding setting. Need more help finding your dream luxury venue? Our blog post dives into the various areas across Michigan to have your wedding and the best venues around those areas so you can get a feel of what you and your partner are drawn to.
It’s also good to think about whether you want an indoor or outdoor ceremony – or a mix of both. Michigan is a beautiful state so taking advantage of the beautiful scenery and landscapes that venues have to offer will make an incredible backdrop for your wedding. If you want some venue inspiration we have a blog post covering the best indoor and outdoor wedding venues in Michigan filled with the pros and cons of both indoor and outdoor wedding venues, along with some of the finest indoor and outdoor (and venues that offer both) across Michigan.
When choosing a venue, consider the size of your guest list, your preferred style and aesthetic, and the location of the venue in relation to your pre and post-wedding activities.
Step 4: Pick Your Dates
Once you have a list of luxury venues on your Michigan wedding list, it’s good to know their availability so you can choose a date for the big day! When picking dates here are a few things to consider:
- Work schedules and time off: How much time will you be able to get off on either side of your wedding? How many days do you want the festivities to last? These days, many couples are opting for weekend weddings because they give guests better availability and can also set the stage for a relaxed weekend with family and friends. Weekend weddings allow you that special quality time to really saviour the celebrations with your partner and loved ones.
- Weather: If you’re planning an outdoor wedding in Michigan, you need to consider what season you want to get married in. Do you want the golden, earthy undertones of autumn? The pastels and feeling of new beginnings in the springtime? Rich bright and fun colours of summer or a magical, wintery affair? If you’re an adventurous couple you might not shy away from Michigan’s variety of seasonal weather and choose a date on the edge of the season that other couples shy away from – or you may find that you prefer to play it safe and choose a time of year that’s likely to be mild and dry. Whatever you decide, make sure your wedding venue has a backup option in case of mother nature’s unpredictability.
Step 5: Plan Pre & Post Wedding Activities
If you’re having a weekend wedding or some guests are staying for a number of days around your wedding planning activities before and after the big day can help create a memorable experience for your guests and enhance the overall wedding weekend. So do research on what you can do in the area of your wedding and incorporate some fun activities into your wedding plans.
Step 6: Send Out Your Invites
Once you’ve decided on our dates you can start sending out those long awaited Save the Dates and RSVP’s with information for your guests including venue information, accommodation and travel tips, dress codes, and any pre/post wedding frivolities!
Step 7: Choose A Wedding Photographer
Choosing the best wedding photographer is such an important step when planning your luxury wedding in Michigan. A skilled photographer can capture the special moments of your day and create stunning, timeless images that you’ll treasure for years to come. Look for a photographer with experience in shooting luxury weddings in Michigan and a portfolio that aligns with your preferred style and aesthetic – check out our blog post on choosing the best wedding photographer to get a feel of the different styles of wedding photography as well as a selection of some of the best wedding photographers in Michigan.
Step 8: Confirm Vendors & Find Your Dream Dress
Whether you’re working with a wedding planner or going solo once you’ve decided on your venue and dates it’s time to start planning all the elements that will make up your dream wedding. What decorations, food, wedding cake and entertainment do you need to sort out? Sourcing and coordinating so many different professionals is a hard part of planning and coordinating a wedding which is why having a wedding planner can make the process so much smoother (and enjoyable) for you and your partner.
As well as the wedding venue, one of the best parts of the whole wedding experience is finding your dream wedding dress and finding the perfect makeup and hair stylists. This stage of the process is amazing…watching your dream wedding vision come to life.
Step 9: Finalise All The Details
Once you’ve got all the elements of your wedding sorted make sure you’ve finalised and confirmed all your travel details and everything with your wedding planner (if you have one), the venue, your vendors and guests to ensure everything runs smoothly. Once everything is confirmed you can count down the days until your big day. How exciting!
Planning a luxury wedding in Michigan requires a whole lot of research, attention to detail, planning and effort and the assistance of an experienced wedding planner can be invaluable. By following these steps and working with the right professionals, you can create the most memorable wedding celebration that reflects you, your partner and your love for each other.
If you want to check out some of the weddings we’ve helped curate here at Coleen McKay you can browse right here and see all the wonderful things our couples had to say about us.
C&A