Introducing....CONCOURSE HALL!

It makes my day when I find a new wedding ceremony and/or reception venue in Ann Arbor.  It seems like there can never be enough spaces for all of our wonderful brides, grooms, their friends and families.  My good friend Donnie from The Produce Station (a FABULOUS caterer) pointed me in the direction of Concourse Hall.  Located right off I-94 just past the intersection of State Street & Ellsworth, it is a big, open, blank slate of space waiting to be decorated just the way you want!

Here are the details:

- parking available right on-site for 88 cars
- Seats 160 people with room for dancing
- includes 20 sixty inch round tables & 160 navy blue plastic chairs
- use of kitchen area and all dishes, pitchers, silverware, mugs, glasses in the kitchen
- coat closet (coat check is separate and would have to brought in from outside)
- loft area perfect for pictures, cocktail hour, lounge area, or extra reception area
- includes stage, piano and sound system ($25 extra for podium and $150 extra for tech to run sound system)
- PRICE: 
**you will want to rent the space for the full day for a wedding reception to allow ample time for set up!**

              Fridays: 8 am - whenever = $700
                           5 pm - whenever = $450

          Saturdays: 8 am - whenever = $800
                           5 pm - whenever = $500

           Sundays:   8 am - whenever = $400
                           5 pm - whenever = $200

**you are reading correctly - there is no specific end time...you can use the space until as LATE as you want!**



View from the loft area

table and chairs that are included with price of facility rental

the stage



 gretchen, the owner, highly encourages recycling...which I LOVE!!!!

What I love about this space is that it is a blank slate.  You can bring in any lighting, draping, tables, linens, decor that you want and make this space your own :)

Feel free to call or email me with any questions you have about the space!  They also have an online calendar you can check for availability at http://www.aactmad.org/ - contact at Concourse Hall is Gretchen Preston - gretchen.preston@gretchenshouse.com

 

courtney@petalsplanningco.com

http://www.petalsplanningco.com/

Hiring a Wedding Band or DJ

After the engagement the first steps I always recommend to my clients are creating the guest list, selecting ceremony and reception venues, and hiring a photographer and videographer, as these are the vendors that are booked up the earliest.  After being turned down by all my favorite DJ's because they are booked for my sister's October 1, 2011 wedding, I now feel as though securing a DJ and/or band is also a crucial step at the start of the wedding planning process. 


A great wedding band or DJ can truly make a world of difference.  We have worked with great bands and DJ's and ones that are not so good.  What makes one DJ better than another?  One word....cheesiness (is that a word?  It is now ;))  A great DJ is reliable, professional, and articulate.  They will be the ones announcing the entrance of the bridal party, the cake cutting, the toasts, etc. so it's important they know how to pronounce all the names and actively participate in the line up of the bridal party.

A great wedding band is extremely entertaining, knows how to energize the crowd, draws everyone to the dance floor, and can rock out any genre of music from motown to hip-hop and everything in between.  They should have music that covers their breaks, are typically booked for a 4 hour time slot and can range in price from $2,000 - $10,000 depending on the band.


The BEST wedding DJ's and bands are booked far in advance, as we've been learning by planning my sisters wedding this October! I highly recommend securing them ASAP.  Who are the best you ask?  This is by no means an extensive list - but some of my favorites:

DJ Mary Ann Ross - http://www.maprodj.com/

Photo Credit - Abby Rose Photo

Music Box Productions - http://www.mbproductionsinc.com/

Photo Credit - Abby Rose Photo

Intrigue - http://www.intrigue-online.com/home.htm

Photo Credit - Abby Rose Photo

Simone Vitale Band - http://www.simonevitaleband.com/

Photo Credit - Abby Rose Photo

courtney@petalsplanningco.com

http://www.petalsplanningco.com/



Ceremony & Reception Venues in Ann Arbor & Metro Detroit

I recently mentioned that my sister is engaged!!!  She lives out of state and was home over Christmas so we have hit the ground running on trying to find the appropriate venue for her ceremony and/or reception.  Here are her requirements:


1.  Time of year:  July - December 2011
2.  Approximate number of guests:  225
3.  Ceremony does not have to be in a church.  She is open to a hotel, outdoor ceremony or traditional        church ceremony as well
4.  Location:  Ann Arbor & Metro Detroit
5.  Budget:  TBD


The places we have looked are:

Travis Pointe Country Club - Ann Arbor

University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA)

Henry Ford (Lovett Hall) - Dearborn

EagleCrest Marriott - Ypsilanti

Royal  Park Hotel - Rochester

 *Photo Credits to Abby Rose Photography and The Shooting Gallery*

courtney@petalsplanningco.com

http://www.petalsplanningco.com/

Crossing River Wedding - Jessica & Brian

Back in September we had the pleasure of working with some amazing vendors for Jessica & Brian's wedding.  I've recently received the video that Doug from Crossing River Weddings compiled for the wedding and it's a must see!  A huge thanks to Doug and Whitney from Imagine Three Photography for all of their work!


Jessica and Brian's Wedding Trailer from Crossing River on Vimeo.


courtney@petalsplanningco.com
http://www.petalsplanningco.com/

Real Wedding 2010 ~ Jessica & Brian ~ The Dearborn Inn

We had the pleasure of planning, designing and coordinating Jessica & Brian's September wedding.  With the couple living out of state, we communicated a lot through email, and met a few times in person.  They had an amazing line up of vendors...so without further ado...

The staff at the Dearborn Inn are top notch, from the sales and marketing team, to the event manager, and banquet manager the day of your event.  We had the pleasure of working beside some of the industry's finest!  Thanks to everyone who made this day a success! :)

Planning, Design & Coordination - Petals Planning (Kate, Courtney, Lyndsay & Jill)

Flowers - Hearts & Flowers of Dexter

Photography - Imagine Three (Whitney Keeler)

Videography - Crossing River Weddings (Doug Dibert Jr.)

Ceremony - Zion Lutheran in Ferndale

Reception - The Dearborn Inn

Linens - Your Event Party Rental

DJ - DJ Manny

Real Wedding 2010 ~ Vicky & Paul ~ Michigan Union

Vicky & Paul contacted me about a month before their wedding to inquire about day of coordination services.  I am so thankful I had the day open for them, they were so much fun to work with and their wedding reception rocked the Michigan Union all night long!  Vicky & Paul planned their Ann Arbor wedding all the way from New York, so we spent a lot of time emailing back and forth before finally meeting in person!  They are such a great couple, who are so in love, and it was such an honor to be a part of their special day!  Below are a few pictures captured by the fabulous Abby Rose. Click here to see the rest of these amazing pictures!

 Vicky and Paul had a sweetheart table set up right by the stage where the DJ was.  They were so sweet and looked so cute all night long! 

Reception Coordination:  Courtney, Lyndsay & Caroline - Petals Planning Co.
Ceremony Venue:  St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
Reception Venue:  Michigan Union - Rogel Room
Photographer:  Abby Rose
Chiavari Chairs:  Chiavari Chair Rental
Flowers & Linens:  Flowers & More
Cake:  French Confection

Real Wedding 2010 ~ Tecumseh, Michigan

I feel like I say this in every real wedding blog post, but I truly do love every single one of our clients.  Lindsey & Nick are no exception.  Every detail of their wedding was a true reflection of their personalities, style, and love for each other.  Lindsey's color palette was very natural, brown, ivory and green.  Her cake was one of my favorite details of the day! 

Lindsay & Nick were married in her parents backyard in Tecumseh, Michigan; a very intimate and beautiful setting.   They were married by their close friend Carlos, and incorporated their sweet little pooch into the evening.  Without further ado...here are some pictures of their fabulous day!

Wedding Planning & Coordination - Kate & Alyssa - Petals Planning

Catering - Pilar's

Photography - Ryan Gorby

Cake - Michelle Vincent "Let Them Eat Cake"

The Michigan Union

A couple weeks ago we were contacted by a lovely couple who have hired us to coordinate their reception at the Michigan Union.  As soon as I heard the words "Michigan Union" my heart smiled.  I love most ceremony & reception venues - especially those here in southeastern Michigan.  However, the Michigan Union & the Michigan League hold a very special place in  my heart.  I grew up in Ann Arbor - and as anyone from Ann Arbor knows, the University becomes a part of your life...the downtown scene, hockey games, football games, frat parties...I mean... ;)

The Michigan Union (and Michigan League) hold so much history.  Not only are they gorgeous on the outside, but they are beautiful inside and full of rich architectural details.  Here are some pictures that showcase their beauty:

Photo Credit

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It wouldn't be a complete "Michigan" picture without the infamous blue bus!  Even the kids love the Michigan Union ;)

courtney@petalsplanningco.com

http://www.petalsplanningco.com/

The Inn at St. John's

I have been working with Linda Johnson, event coordinator at the Inn at St. Johns over the past several weeks to try to secure a date for one of our 2011 clients!  Linda and I have quickly become good friends, as we've talked almost every day!! :)

Our client fell in love with the Atrium at the Inn at St. John's - the problem was availability.  Even finding a Friday date was near impossible.  Luckily, our client was able to secure one of the last Friday's available during peak wedding season. 

The Inn at St. John's is beautiful - they have a stunning chapel, gorgeous ballrooms, and of course the Atrium is to die for!  I had to share some pictures by the amazing Kristen Taylor :

The outside of the Inn at St. John's

The gorgeous chapel

The Regal Ballroom

The Atrium

courtney@petalsplanningco.com

http://www.petalsplanningco.com/

The Royal Park Hotel - Rochester, Michigan

I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon in Rochester visiting a couple amazing wedding vendors - among them, the Royal Park Hotel.

I stopped in to the Royal Park Hotel and met with Kristen Burnett, a wedding/social catering manager at the hotel.  She was so friendly and so fabulous!  Thanks Kristen :) 

Photo Credit: The Shooting Gallery

Photo Credit: The Shooting Gallery

The uniqueness of the Royal Park Hotel lies in two things:

1.  The location & abundance of activities they offer.  The Royal Park Hotel is located one block from downtown Rochester.  You could walk, rent a bike, or use their free shuttle (within a 5 mile radius).  They also have equipment for fly fishing on the river that runs right outside the hotel, bacci ball courts, and premiere golf courses located within a couple of miles.  There are so many activities to keep your guests entertained all weekend long.

2.  Linens.  Most hotels offer the standard white linen and napkin as part of their wedding package, and charge extra for other colors or styles.  The Royal Park Hotel offers an ivory damask linen with all it's wedding packages and it is BEAUTIFUL!  It is definitely a very unique touch.

Did I mention the amazing Murano chandelier that radiates supreme beauty?  It's a must see!

The Royal Park Hotel has two immaculate areas for a wedding ceremony and reception.  The conservatory (pictured below) is ideal for a ceremony.  It is a nice air conditioned room in the summer  provides a beautiful indoor space for you Michigan winter brides.  The ballrooms are just as grand, with lots of room for guests, a dance floor, and a DJ and/or a band.

Photo Credit: The Shooting Gallery

courtney@petalsplanningco.com

http://www.petalsplanningco.com/