Meagan Francis, Author at The Vineyard @ 12 Corners

How to Plan a Classic Wedding in Michigan

by Meagan Francis | Apr 25, 2020 | Outdoor Weddings, Pro Tips, Real Weddings, Theme Weddings

There is something about classic wedding photos that make us feel nostalgic and innocent, hearkening back to a simpler time. No wonder we find that engaged couples gravitate toward the elegance of a wedding style that draws on classic decor, food, dress and ambiance.

Luckily, crisp, elegant, and memorable weddings never go out of style – it’s about looking past all the fads and choosing elements that have remained truly timeless. These styling tips will help you plan a wedding that transcends time by incorporating traditional and classic touches in a fresh way that’s still very “now” in a style we at the Vineyard at 12 Corners call Classic Elegance.

Click to start planning your classic wedding today!

Choose An Elegant Backdrop

When it comes to choosing a venue, think elegant and simple – a subtle canvas upon which you can layer some more traditional and classic elements without it feeling over-done. At southwest Michigan wedding venue, The Vineyard at 12 Corners, we find that the combination of a classic white tent and the additional touch of a winery, perhaps with wine-themed decor, set against a view of the vineyard, create a perfect backdrop for a classically elegant wedding.

Keep Decor Timeless

Classic neutrals like black, white, and grey can be blended with deeper colors like navy and emerald hues for effect, and you might incorporate metallics for an upscale, extra-elegant feeling. Light, summery colors can work, too – in this case, blending soft shades like pink, white, and natural tan can create a romantic feeling.

Floral arrangements will often center around well-known flowers like roses, dahlias, hydrangeas and peonies, often in a simple color palette and large arrangements. You can’t go wrong incorporating florals into table decor, along with small touches like chargers and flat napkin folds to add extra sophistication to tablescapes. Additional touches like personalized guest books in colors and lettering that match invitations and guest place cards can be a nice touch.

Let us help you plan the classic wedding of your dreams!

Whatever you do, don’t overlook lighting: luxurious, elegant elements like large chandeliers add flair, while more delicate details like string lights and lots of candles add to the romance. When used together in the right combinations, your lighting scheme can guarantee great photos.

A Traditional Experience

When it comes to the itinerary, a Classic Elegance wedding typically sticks to the tried-and-true. At the Vineyard at 12 Corners we find that most couples planning a Classically Elegant wedding choose to offer a cocktail hour with passed appetizers, a full bar with a signature cocktail or two and a traditional seated dinner. If a late-night snack is on the menu, it’s usually a caterer-created option that’s easy for guests to grab. Traditional, tiered wedding cakes are common in this style of wedding as well.

You’ll likely lean into the most recognizable order of events, too, from the toasts and speeches to classic wedding dances. If you do choose to shake things up by changing the typical lineup or incorporating unusual activities, keep those surprises sparing to maximize impact and maintain the classic feel.

Let’s Get Started

Ready to bring Classic Elegance to your wedding at the Vineyard at 12 Corners? Our beautiful, elegant winery setting offers the perfect backdrop for the timeless wedding of your dreams, with plenty of flexibility to use the space in creative ways to make your experience unforgettable. Contact us and we’ll get started!

How To Plan Your Michigan Boho Wedding

by Meagan Francis | Apr 25, 2020 | Outdoor Weddings, Pro Tips, Theme Weddings

What’s not to love about a boho wedding? They’re natural, laid-back, and the lack of “rules” and tradition means you can make the experience completely your own.

From statement entrances with vines of greenery to rustic tablescapes and exotic outdoor settings, couples are looking to Mother Nature to present a bohemian new take on traditional weddings. Here are some styling tips to keep in mind as you plan your Beautifully Boho wedding.

Down-To-Earth Decor

There aren’t many rules to follow with a bohemian wedding, so you can get as creative and unconventional as you want. From tablescapes to seating, one option is to think earthy and eclectic. Create an “I-just-put-these-together” look using reclaimed wood, bud vases, mismatched chairs, and textured flowers. Or, play with statement pieces and delicate, fresh flowers to get a chic and slightly more formal effect.

When choosing colors, think muted, soft tones that lean toward a natural palette: soft pinks, lots of natural shades, cream, tan, and so on. More vivid hues like deep turquoise or burgundy can pair well with the softer, more subtle tones; just use them sparingly as accents to keep the natural, hippie vibe in place. If you’re aiming for a more dramatic effect, textured metal and electric colors are a great addition to natural elements.

At Southwest Michigan wedding venue The Vineyard at 12 Corners, our couples often work macrame items into the decor. We also see more unusual uses of fabrics and textiles, like patterned rugs in outdoor areas and throw pillows as accents. Wicker and rattan are used in shades and seating for a natural, outdoorsy look.

Click to start planning your Michigan boho wedding today!

Fairyland Florals

It’s no secret that flowers and greenery play a big role in a Beautifully Boho wedding. At the Vineyard at 12 Corners, we often see pampas grass, greenery and oversized floral pieces in arrangements and archways. Loose and luscious, these wild-looking natural accents give the impression that nature has taken over the wedding and reclaimed the setting.

Ethnic and vintage accents blend together, making everything look straight out of a mythological fairytale. With a little bit of creativity and vision, a boho wedding can create stunning results with a more modest budget.

Let us help you plan your boho wedding.

Unique Guest Experiences

Attention to details is a must when it comes to planning your Beautifully Boho wedding. From table settings to music to gifts, all details are carefully crafted to showcase the couple’s style and offer their friends and family a unique experience. Get involved in the process as much as you can to put your own spin on the overall aesthetic. Surprise your guests by introducing interactive activities, like a Polaroid selfie or photobooth station or old-school yard games, to add a fun twist to every aspect of your wedding. Boho weddings are all about creativity and freedom of expression, so your guests won’t quite know what to expect when they attend yours. Take advantage of that sense of anticipation by infusing originality and adventure into every aspect of their experience!

Eclectic Menus

When planning food for a bohemian wedding, think eclectic options like farm-to-table, international cuisine, street carts, or traditional favorites. There are no wrong answers here, so if you like a specific type of food or drink and know your guests would enjoy it, it’s worth discussing with your caterer ways of incorporating it into the menu.

For example, maybe you want ice cones or summer punch for cocktail hour. Or perhaps you fancy a dessert station filled with cotton candy and salted caramel popcorn. Whatever you choose, the way in which you present your food can really draw focus and set the tone of the day.

At the Vineyard at 12 Corners, our couples often offer a wider array of bar options.. Cakes are typically very simple and often adorned with flowers similar to the ones used in decor – but it’s even more common to see unusual desserts like doughnuts or cookie bars.

Click here to find out more about having your Michigan boho wedding at the Vineyard at 12 Corners!

Let’s Get Started

Ready to start planning your Beautifully Boho wedding at the Vineyard at 12 Corners? Our rustic, nature-inspired setting offers the perfect backdrop for the bohemian wedding of your dreams, with plenty of flexibility to use the space in creative ways to make your experience unforgettable. Contact us and we’ll get started!

Engaged? Start Planning Your Michigan Wedding Here.

by Meagan Francis | Jan 3, 2020 | Outdoor Weddings, Pro Tips

Congratulations on your engagement!

….so, now what?

From picking a wedding venue to choosing a date, the first steps to planning your wedding can be overwhelming. Whether you’re dreaming of a rustic country wedding, an elegant winery wedding, or aren’t sure exactly what you want yet, your imagination is probably dancing with images of gorgeous gowns, flowers and Instagram-worthy table settings. All that dreaming is fun, but getting carried away can make it hard to know where to focus your planning first.

As wedding professionals, we’ve seen it all, and we know how many decisions there are to make! But the good news is, you don’t have to figure out every detail right away. Before you fall too far down the Pinterest rabbit hole, take a few moments to set yourself up for low-stress wedding success by making sure you’re tackling these 3 big steps in the right order:

1. Ask the big questions.

Since you’ve already found this article, we’ll assume you’ve started doing at least a basic Google search on venues and locations. But before you get too far into picking out venues, it’s a good idea to have a discussion with your fiancee to make sure you’re on the same page about some basics. Establishing a few important details up front can help you narrow down your choices and start making decisions instead of getting paralyzed by too many options:

Location. Will you get married near your current home, choose a spot between your hometowns, or have a destination wedding?
Venue type. While being flexible about the type of wedding venue you’re looking for will open up options, some couples have their hearts set on a specific look. For example, if you and your fiancee both know you’ll want something very specific like a rustic Michigan winery wedding, the search will be relatively straightforward (and maybe that’s how you found us!) On the other hand, if you have only a general idea of the kind of wedding you want, or the two of you think you want different things, you may need to get more creative with your search (more about that later.)
Time of year. You’ll need to have at least a basic idea of how soon and what time of year you want to get married, but we recommend holding off on choosing a specific date until you’ve locked in a venue, since that is often the limiting factor.
Budget. While you will likely need to do some research to find out what kind of wedding budget to set, it’s a good idea to have at least a ballpark idea of your range. (Psst – when it comes to getting the best experience for your dollar, we believe small-town weddings provide the best value!)
Size. Will the wedding be an intimate event, or will you need space for 300? This may drastically affect both your location and the availability of venues, so carefully consider not only how many people are on your “must-have” list, but also how easily the major players will be able to travel to the locations you have in mind.
Style. Start looking at wedding-related Instagram accounts and Pinterest boards to get a feel for the aesthetic you’re most drawn to. Many venues can accommodate a wide variety of wedding styles, from beautifully boho to rustic, or classic elegance to vintage, but certain venues will definitely lend themselves better to a particular look and feel than others.

2. Research venues.

Now that you’ve answered some of the most important questions, it’s time to start looking for a venue. Whether you’re starting from a wedding website like The Knot or starting from scratch on Google, the more detailed you can get in your search, the better your results will be. That’s why it’s great that you already made the big decisions: your research will be so much more effective! For example, if you know you want an elegant winery wedding between Chicago and Detroit, using specific search terms or filters will help you find appropriate venue websites. Once you’ve located a few venues that catch your eye, double-check details like how many guests they can accommodate and price ranges.

Once you’ve found a few venues you like, reach out – it’s time to schedule a tour. And prepare to ask a lot of questions! Check out these articles to prepare for your venue tours:

3. Choose a date.

Chances are good that you fell in love with a specific wedding venue – or perhaps it was a tough choice, but budget or location helped you narrow it down to a winner. Now that you’ve settled on a venue and know their availability, it’s time to choose a date! When making this important choice, 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 Friday weddings because they often open up more availability and can also set the stage for a relaxed weekend with family and friends.
Weather. If you’re planning an outdoor wedding in Michigan, your date window will likely naturally be limited. If you’re an adventurous couple, you may be able to use Michigan’s unpredictable weather to your advantage by choosing 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 inclement weather. For more tips, read our guide to planning an outdoor wedding.

vineyard-wedding-venue-kiss

Once these three steps are done, you’re ready to dive in on all the fun details like choosing a gown, selecting a menu, and planning the wedding festivities. Our partner 1928 Planning Company can help you with those details and more, and their blog is a fantastic source of wedding stye inspiration.

Congratulations again on your engagement! Love the idea of getting married in the unique setting of a Michigan winery surrounded by a lush vineyard? Get in touch and we’ll go to work planning a special and memorable day for your wedding party, guests – and especially for you and your fiancee.