Tag: castle wedding

What to Know About Linens

Written by Karrie Mueller on May 1, 2018. Posted in Ask the Coordinators, Blog, Decor Ideas, Table Design, Wedding Decor, Wedding Tips & Trends, Weddings. No Comments on What to Know About Linens

(This blog was written in 2018. In-house specialty linen rentals are no longer available. Contact a Team Member for vendor recommendations.)

Don’t forget about linens!

Let’s talk about linens because they are an important part of your wedding day. They not only protect your guests and furniture from stains and spills, but they also act as decorative elements that help bring your overall look together.

If you have a few selections in mind, but want to match them with dress fabric or centerpiece flowers before placing an order, we can have physical fabric swatches mailed directly to you. We also have swatches available at Castle Farms, which you can look over during a meeting with a Venue Coordinator.

When you have a few selections in mind, contact the Castle Farms Venue Coordinators and we can put together a linen proposal with pricing. The information we will need is your desired selections (we can do multiple proposals, if you have a few linens in mind and want to see how they compare), and estimated guest/table count. We will also need to know what size linen you are looking for (floor length, overlay, runner, etc). If you are unsure of what size you would like, or want pricing information on different options, we can run proposals with different size combinations as well.

Once you have decided on your linen style, size and quantity, we will submit a formal order with our supplier which will lock in the pricing and we add the order to your account. Your linen order count can still change throughout your planning, as you begin getting RSVP’s and determining all of the tables you will need. A final quantity order will be needed 2 weeks prior to your wedding, and payment for the rental balance will be due 1 week prior to your wedding.

As a reminder, Castle Farms provides with your reservation white floor-length linens and white overlays on round guest tables, and white overlays with white table skirting on side tables such as the head table, gift table, and seating card table. You then have numerous options to add specialty linens! Gather ideas and inspiration, and reach out to our Venue Coordinators to help plan through the available choices!

East Garden Room Remodel – 2018

Written by Karrie Mueller on March 14, 2018. Posted in Blog, General, News, Weddings. No Comments on East Garden Room Remodel – 2018

The East Garden Room redesign was inspired by beautiful glass chandeliers that were added to the room in 2016. Excited to freshen the space, Linda Mueller, Castle Owner, sketched her design ideas to mimic that of a wedding cake.

White on white, light and airy, classic and elegant. Enclosing the ceiling created a romantic feel to the room and the trellis details bring in hints of the nearby gardens.

Mirroring its neighboring sister hall, the West Garden Room, the East Garden Room reflects its own character making this newly refinished space a favorite for private events.

Winter Wedding Castle Farms Michigan Kelsie Mae Photography

Tips for Planning Your Michigan Winter Wedding

Written by Karrie Mueller on October 5, 2017. Posted in Blog, Weddings.

Winter is an often overlooked season…

but it is an excellent time to schedule a wedding! Here at Castle Farms, we adore our winter weddings. Couples enjoy the beautiful and non-traditional winter landscapes, and nothing goes better with any color scheme than winter white! Overall wedding costs also tend to be less expensive in the winter, and it is easier for many guests to attend since schedules are less hectic than in the spring and summer months.

Often we find brides want to have winter weddings, but feel intimidated because they tend to have a slightly different vibe to them, and there is less info out there on how to make them shine. So, in that light, here are our best tips for making sure your winter wedding is all you dreamed of:

1) Plan ahead: Because of the hustle and bustle of the winter season, it is very good to plan ahead so people can make sure they have your wedding on their calendars. We often find couples have luck when putting their wedding date close to an official holiday when people will already have time off (like several days after Christmas, but before the New Year, or Thanksgiving weekend).

2) Rethink your décor: Because of the entirely different beauty that winter offers, it is a good idea to rethink the traditional wedding décor. Take advantage of being able to use candles, rich romantic swags and lighting, deep colors, in season flowers such as poinsettias, and thicker more textured fabrics like velvets. We’ve even seen brides use Christmas lights as part of their winter wedding decorating, and it has looked absolutely beautiful.

3) Enjoy winter food choices: One of our favorite things about winter weddings is the abundance of amazing food choices that can be part of the reception offering. Hot drinks, such as hot chocolate or fresh cider (Michigan’s own is the best). Savory and unique food such as fondues, soups, and fresh, warm bread. Many guests even break away from the traditional wedding cake and offer Christmas cookies and other holiday treats for dessert.

4) Dress accordingly: This might be the most important tip for enjoying a beautiful and comfortable winter wedding. Make sure bride and bridesmaids have ample and classy coverings, such as wraps, scarves and dress jackets. When possible, avoiding strapless or spaghetti strap dresses is also advised. Make sure you let your guests know the expected weather as well.

Winter weddings are unique and simply beautiful. Don’t miss out on enjoying this wonderful time of year for your wedding with these simple tips.

Ask the Coordinators- Draping

Written by Karrie Mueller on September 1, 2016. Posted in Ask the Coordinators, Blog, Decor Ideas, How-To, Real Castle Wedding, Wedding Decor, Wedding Vendors, Weddings. No Comments on Ask the Coordinators- Draping

Laura H. asks: “I am interested in draping fabric in my reception room. How can this be done?”

Sarah says: “Draping has definitely gained in popularity in the wedding world! While our reception rooms are stunning on their own, we have seen draping being added in several different ways. Some couples choose to highlight certain areas in the reception with backdrops, such as behind the head table or around the cake display. Other couples have had ceiling draping throughout their entire reception room.

“One option that we see most often that works very well is focusing on the dance floor area of the reception spaces, as that falls in the center of all of our full size rooms. It brings in that look that draping creates, but is also reasonable for cost and time restraints since it is a smaller area to focus on. We have seen colored fabric, white tulle, and even lights hung to highlight the dance floor.

“A professional draping company is always a good idea when looking into elaborate draping. They will have the proper equipment and fabric to create the right look. No nailing, drilling, or adhesive can be used on the Castle walls or ceilings, so professional companies come in with items such as clamps, wires and poles to put up the fabric. These companies can often do several different types of draping, whether it is full-scale ceiling draping or smaller backdrops. Our Preferred draping company is Sweet Seats; they have done draping several times here at the Castle. They work within the available times due to our event schedule, as any company will need to do, and are able to create many different looks.

“If a professional draping company is not hired, there are a few options available to couples. For any draping that requires a ladder under 10’ tall, the couple is able to do on their own. The Castle coordinators have measurements for each room to be able to estimate the amount of fabric that will be needed, and we can discuss what is possible based on the different reception rooms. If a ladder over 10’ tall is required, the couple does need to hire their Castle coordinator to do the decorating, which is $50 per man hour. Again, no nailing, drilling or adhesive is allowed on the Castle walls or ceilings, so any hooks or hanging equipment will need to be provided by the couple, along with the fabric, whether the couple is handling the draping or hiring their coordinator. The Castle Farms coordinators are not professionals in draping or handling fabric, but we can discuss what we have done or seen, and what is possible based on each couples vision.”

Cheers! To Bar Menus

Written by Karrie Mueller on March 12, 2015. Posted in Blog, Decor Ideas, Wedding Vendors, Weddings.

Today we’re sharing a cute accessory to wedding décor that we see at Castle weddings every now and then: Bar menus! While not a necessity, bar menus are a fun addition and helpful to guests. They can list either all drinks available at the bar, or just specialty drinks. Bonus! Using bar menus gives you the opportunity to create fun and personal names for any drinks you’re serving. Do keep in mind that while shots can be a ‘go-to’ drink (with easy recipes and featuring fun names), shots typically aren’t allowed, depending on which bartending service you hire. No worries. It’s easy to convert a shot recipe into an ‘on-the-rocks’ drink with the same fun customization. Here are some photos of past bar menus we’ve seen to help you get inspired. P.S. We’re not responsible if your mouth starts to water and you want to try one of these delicious drinks!

A Real Wedding Feature: ‘Burch’ Wedding!

Written by Karrie Mueller on January 30, 2015. Posted in Blog, Decor Ideas, Real Castle Wedding, Table Design, Uncategorized, Wedding Decor.

As a fresh layer of snow falls on us today, we thought we’d think back to the warmer days of summer and feature this cute Castle wedding that took place at the end of June in the Knight’s Courtyard and Knight’s Castle. With the last name of Burch, Katelynn and Troy thought it only fitting to have a birch themed wedding! They cleverly incorporated birch tree branches into almost every aspect of their wedding: from seating card holders and table centerpieces to the cake and cupcake holder. The best part? Every decoration was hand cut and created by the bride, groom and their family! Take a look at these photos to see how crafty Katelynn and Troy were with their birch wedding decorations!