Tag: castle events

What to Include in Your Invitations

Written by Karrie Mueller on September 15, 2021. Posted in Blog, Wedding Tips & Trends. No Comments on What to Include in Your Invitations

Let’s talk about invitations. There are so many reasons to get excited about them. You get to pick out some custom stationery, share a favorite photo from your engagement shoot, and ultimately, it means you’re wedding is approaching. And SOON.

Before we get into invitations, let’s talk about save the dates. Save the dates are important specifically just for that reason: saving the date. When guests receive a save the date, it gets your wedding on their radar and lets them know to keep an eye out for the invite. A Facebook post announcing your engagement doesn’t cut it; your guests need to know when you’re tying the knot so that they can block off any necessary time for work or travel.

Save the dates should be sent out about six months before your wedding. If you’re envisioning a Northern Michigan wedding as a destination wedding, consider sending save the dates as early as eight to ten months out. That allows your guests plenty of notice and gives them time to make plans surrounding the big day. It’s also helpful to include the city you’re getting married in, so that guests can prepare themselves, however, they need, on travel or if they need to take time off for work. Include accommodation information on your save the dates. Many hotels release room blockings90 days out, so by the time invites go out, those room blockings may not be held anymore. You could even list your wedding website on there so that guests can check in on any updates on the big day.

When it comes to invitations, this is where the details really come into play. Invitations are to be sent out about six to eight weeks out from the wedding, hopefully with RSVP turnaround within the next four weeks. Rather than just giving a city and a date, there are a number of things to include.

Accommodations

It’s important to layout accommodation options for the area you’re getting married in. A lot of the time, you’re going to have guests traveling from out of the area who are going to need a place to stay. List where you’ve blocked rooms, local hotels, or bed and breakfasts. Check out accommodation options we offer in the Charlevoix area here and note that blockings are usually offered in neighboring cities like Petoskey or Traverse City.

Schedule

Outside of listing the time of your wedding alone, it may be beneficial to lay out how the weekend will go. This applies to those couples who plan on having welcome drinks or a post-wedding brunch. Think of it as mini-invitations to each event of the weekend.

You’ll also want to include the location of your wedding, something along the lines of:

Ceremony at 3:00 in the Queen’s Courtyard at Castle Farms

Cocktail Hour and Reception to Follow

How to RSVP

Whatever the plans are for your wedding, always be sure to include an RSVP option. Be specific about how you’d like guests to RSVP, either by mail or online, and give a clear deadline. RSVPs are essential to the final details of your day. For fun, creative ways to have your guests RSVP, click here.

Website

Regardless of what you include in your invitation, you should have all your wedding week(end) details compiled on your website. You can create a tab for a schedule of events, an RSVP option, your registry, a dress code, accommodations, and even your personal back-story of how you met. Your website is completely customizable to what you want it to be, as long as it includes those key points to your wedding.

Have fun with your stationery and website! Consider cute matching color schemes and creative ways to share your engagement photos with the world.

Wedding Party Expectations

Written by Karrie Mueller on September 1, 2021. Posted in Blog, Wedding Tips & Trends. No Comments on Wedding Party Expectations

Have you just been asked to be in a wedding? Are you newly engaged and not sure what to expect of your wedding party? We’ve got some tips for you!

Agreeing to be in a wedding party is a commitment. It requires time, obligations, responsibilities, and money. Make sure you, as a bride or groom, and your wedding party know what to expect when taking on that role.

Bridesmaids at Fountain — Garrett Gormley Photography

Attire

One of the main things that come to mind when being in a wedding party is the coordinating dresses and/or tuxes. Those almost always have to be paid for by the individual who wears them. With that, ultimately, it’s up to the bride or groom to decide what style, color, fabric, etc. they want their party to be in. They may be open to opinions, but it’s never easy to please three, four, sometimes twelve people on each side. If you’re in a wedding party and have questions about what to wear the day of the wedding, be respectful of the vision of the loved one you are standing for. On the other hand, if you’re a bride or groom and are contemplating what you want to put your party in, be conscious of budgets and what’s flattering for your entire group.

Groom with Bridesmaids — Mel Anne Photography

Events

Showers, bachelorettes, dinners, oh my! When you agree to be a bridesmaid or groomsman, you’re not only agreeing to be in the wedding. You’re agreeing to showers, bachelor(ette) parties, rehearsals, and even some dinners or engagement parties. Like we mentioned earlier, being a wedding party member is a commitment, but it’s also a privilege! Don’t let the many events leading up to the big day wear on you. Let those events be something that excites you and create memories to share with the engaged couple you’re standing with.

With those events do come additional expenses. Even though you’re wedding party, you should still be prepared to bring a gift to a wedding shower. Bachelor(ette) parties can be pricey, depending on where you’re going and what activities you’ve got planned. If you’re a best man or maid of honor, touch base with the rest of the party to gauge who’s willing to travel and for how much. Wedding party shouldn’t be expected to drop everything and drop a significant chunk of change on a weekend getaway if they aren’t comfortable with it.

Groomsmen holding up groom — Mitten Films

Responsibilities

If you’re asked to be in a wedding, you have a role. In order to fulfill that role, you have to be willing to go through the motions of what comes with a wedding. This can be the events leading up to the wedding, but also, a majority of the time, responsibilities the week of the wedding. Maybe the couple needs someone to take the leftover food home with them. Maybe the couple needs help decorating the space. These are things that members of the wedding party should be ready to step up to the plate for.

Wedding party members are also expected to attend rehearsals the day prior to the wedding. The purpose of a rehearsal is so that the couple can be completely present on their wedding day, and no one is worried about where to stand, how to stand, where to walk in from, etc. At Castle Farms, our Venue Coordinators set the rehearsal time two months out from the wedding day, with the Set-Up Packet.

Groomsman funny poses — Garrett Gormley Photography

Lastly, if you’re in the wedding party, of course, you’re going to have to choreograph a grand entrance to kick off the reception. It isn’t a wedding without fun, quirky entrances from the wedding party!

Maid of honor and best man funny entrance — Jesslin Rae Photography

Whether you’re getting married and determining who you want to be in your party, or if you’ve just been asked to be in a wedding, it’s important that all are aware of what that title requires. Not only is it an extra responsibility, it’s an honor to be asked to be in someone’s wedding. It’s the best day of their lives, and your potential role in that is critical!

Wedding Etiquette You May Not Know

Written by Karrie Mueller on August 18, 2021. Posted in Blog, Wedding Tips & Trends. No Comments on Wedding Etiquette You May Not Know

There’s a lot that goes into a wedding. (Understatement of the century, we know.) With that said, there are a few things that may not have crossed your mind when planning your big day.

Determining Your Stylist’s Selection

When it comes to getting your hair and makeup done, make sure you confirm your stylist’s selection at your hair and makeup trials, or at least before your wedding day. Make sure your chosen stylist or salon is fully equipped with what they need to bring your vision to life. If you’re looking to add in some extensions to your hair to pull off some effortless, beachy curls, make sure your stylist knows how to work with those. If you’re hoping to pull off a natural, no-makeup-makeup look, make sure you communicate that to them. On the other hand, if you’re wanting full coverage, big lashes, and a statement lip, make sure your stylist is prepared. Some brides are very particular about how they want to look on their wedding day, as they should be. It’s their day!

Having a Vendor Table

Something we’ve repeatedly seen over the years is when couples forget to account for seating for their vendors. You may have covered their dinner, but where will they eat it? Be sure to check contracts with vendors like your photographer, DJ, or band. They may require a meal, and sometimes even a table. Along with that, they may be bringing an assistant and require two meals. Maybe they have dietary restrictions. All of that should be determined when booking and signing a contract. Our Venue Coordinators are pros when it comes to creating your sketch for your reception space, and they have no problem throwing in a vendor table for those who may need a spot to eat.

Updating Vendors on Timeline Changes

It’s always best to keep all your vendors in the loop as plans come together or change. Adding an extra hour to your reception? Providing a midnight snack? Cutting your cake right when you enter your reception? Tell your vendors. Your DJ/band, bartenders, caterers, and potentially, your décor companies, all need to know what is happening when so that they can plan accordingly. One of the easiest ways to do this is to provide each vendor with a detailed timeline for your event prior to the day of. This allows for vendors, including your Venue Coordinator, to catch any issues that may arise prior to your wedding day. Us event professionals are taught to expect the unexpected but throwing a wrench in the plan is never a good idea.

Being Transparent with Your Guests

Guests come to weddings expecting the works: ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing. That part is simple. However, if you’re cocktail hour doesn’t include light appetizers, maybe include that somewhere with your invitation. Hungry guests=angry guests. Some guests may not expect an outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour and might want to apply a little SPF beforehand. After all, they are coming to celebrate you! Treat them well and make sure they’re content on your big day.

Your wedding is about the two of you have the best day of your lives. You’ve worked hard as a couple to get to that point. Ultimately, keep in mind that your vendors are working as a team to make sure you two have the wedding day of your dreams. Your guests love you and want to see you as happy as can be. If you follow this wedding etiquette, everyone and everything will run smoothly the day of your wedding!

Royal Reservations

Written by Karrie Mueller on August 2, 2021. Posted in Blog, Wedding Tips & Trends. No Comments on Royal Reservations

Castle Farms is so beautiful, so unique, and so HUGE! Choosing just one of the four ceremony-and-reception options for your event can be difficult. With that in mind…did you know you can book the entire property? For either one day or a whole weekend, the Castle can be completely YOURS!

Picture it: a rehearsal dinner in the King’s Great Hall, your ceremony in the King’s Grand Courtyard, cocktail hour in the Queen’s Courtyard, a reception in the Knight’s Castle, a post-wedding brunch in the East Garden Room… The possibilities truly set you up to host a one-of-a-kind, completely exclusive event! This all goes without mentioning the luxuries that Northern Michigan and Charlevoix the Beautiful have to offer all of your guests for a weekend getaway.

Castle Farms is equipped to handle up to four weddings in one day. If privacy matters to you, or you don’t want to limit yourselves to the locations and timelines the Castle typically offers, but you’re still in love with the Castle and its stunning property, a Royal Reservation is what you require.

Royal Reservations range from $20,000 to $40,000 for one-day options. This includes everything a typical reservation includes: a Venue Coordinator, an Assistant Venue Coordinator, linens, chairs, and tables (and more too). This reservation also allows you and your party to arrive and get ready at whatever time is convenient for you, and a flexible timeline that allows for a ceremony as early as 3:00 pm with our latest end and departure times of 12:00 am and 1:00 am. Interested in hosting a strolling garden cocktail hour? Why not!? How about hosting your ceremony in a never-before-used garden? Not to mention, no limitations on the incredible on-site photo ops!

For a 3-day weekend (or whatever three-day stretch you may be interested in), Royal Reservations start at $75,000. There are so many perks that come with having the Castle to yourself for an entire weekend. Other than being able to host your rehearsal dinner, wedding, and post-wedding brunch all in one location, you are almost guaranteed to have set decorating availabilities the day before, and time to pack your belongings the next day. This package is truly meant for the most lavish and exclusive of couples.

Fun Ways to Ask for an RSVP

Written by Karrie Mueller on July 20, 2021. Posted in Blog, Wedding Tips & Trends. No Comments on Fun Ways to Ask for an RSVP

Oh, RSVPs. How tedious, yet completely necessary you are. Not only do you need them in order to confirm a guest count, but they’re helpful when developing a seating chart and potentially blocking hotel rooms.

Invitations are meant to be sent eight weeks before the wedding. When you send your invitations, be sure to give specific instructions on how to RSVP. Can it be done through your website? Does it need to be returned via mail? Will it include a choice of a meal? With that being said, be sure to include a clear deadline, and include postage for RSVPs that need to be mailed back. There’s nothing more inconvenient than late RSVPs, especially right when you thought you had your final guest count set.

Whether you’re accepting RSVPs via mail or online, here are some creative ways for your guests to respond!

Funny Multiple-Choice Responses

Let your guests have a little bit of fun when replying to your RSVP. Consider some snarky multiple-choice responses for your guests to choose from. For example:

Will be attending because…

_____ Open bar? How could I say no?

_____ Can’t miss some classic Smith family dancing.

_____ I heard Grandma will be there, and she’s a gem!

Other:

Will not be attending because…

_____ Can’t miss the Lions game!

_____ Spending some time with the not-as-fun side of the family.

_____ Love disgusts me and I’m lame!

Other:

Don’t forget to leave a blank space so that guests can leave funny or serious responses of their own!

Respond with a Piece of Fabric

If you’re looking for a unique, yet sentimental way for guests to respond to your RSVP, have them send their response with a piece of fabric. This fabric can be used to be made into a quilt to keep in your home throughout your marriage, or even a unique piece of art!

Respond with a Recipe

Much like the fabric, have guests respond with a recipe to fill a cookbook for your new life as newlyweds. Have an empty recipe card for guests to have the option to fill with their favorite recipes they like to cook with their spouse or entertain guests with.

Fill in a Song Request

This one is a classic. Make your DJ’s job easy by providing a list of song requests that are sure to get every guest on the dance floor at least once! No one likes a wedding where they can’t recognize a single song. Make sure everyone’s taste is heard at the reception and ask for a song they’d like to hear at your wedding!

Create a Mad Lib

If you’re looking for some corny responses regarding your RSVP, consider creating your own Mad Lib. Try something like this out:

I, (name) ___________, am (adjective) ___________ to (Accept/Decline) ___________ the invitation to your wedding. I’m so (adjective) ___________ for you two and can’t wait to see what the future (verb) ___________.

Have fun with it and share your favorite responses on your wedding website!

These fun, creative ways to get your guests to RSVP may lead them to be more inclined to respond on time. They can have fun with their response, while you enjoy whatever kinds of responses you receive and get your final headcounts to your vendors on time!

What to Know About Your Marriage License

Written by Karrie Mueller on July 15, 2021. Posted in Blog, Wedding Tips & Trends. No Comments on What to Know About Your Marriage License

The big day’s come, you’ve walked down the aisle, you’ve said “I do,” now what? Time to party? Not quite. Make your marriage official by signing your marriage license!

It’s always a good idea to sign your marriage license right after the ceremony. You just said your vows, you have your officiant and witnesses on hand, jump on getting that formality over with before heading into pictures or cocktail hour as newlyweds.

Marriage does not simply begin with a kiss. Your marriage license is a legal document that you must submit to be recognized as a married couple. You can start the process by applying in person at your county clerk’s office about 30 days before the wedding. Be sure not to show up empty-handed. Bring documentation for both you and your partner. This could be a birth certificate, social security card, driver’s license, etc. Here in Michigan, there is a three-day waiting period, after filing, before you can pick up your marriage license. Once you’ve got it in hand, don’t forget to pack it up and bring it with you to your wedding!

Before signing, there are a few very important details that a lot of couples overlook.

Signing in the right color. Check with your county clerk on what color is required for your license. Here in Charlevoix, the color is black. Yours may be different! Sometimes, it’s blue. Always double-check before putting down your John Hancock.
Look up the correct county/township you’re getting married in. Not the one you live in, the one where you get married. This can be confusing right after the ceremony and warrant some frantic googling after the fact. Be sure to look your marriage license over before your wedding and make sure you have all the correct information. If you’re getting married at Castle Farms, you’re to put: Charlevoix County or Marion Township, whatever’s required.
If you’re changing your name, sign your marriage license with your new last name. This is exciting! The first official time you’re signing that fancy new name of yours.

Is one or both of you from out-of-state? If you are both residents of another state, you will have to apply for a marriage license through Charlevoix County. If one of you lives in Michigan, you will have to apply for the license within the county you or your future spouse live in.

With all that said and done, you should have everything you need to make your marriage official. Hey Alexa, cue Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours!