What happens if it rains?

The minute you reserve your wedding date, I order “white puffy clouds, with blue sky, light winds off the water and 70 to 75 degrees.” Once in a while, my weather order gets lost, or it isn’t completely filled, and parts of it get backorder.  My supplier gets a lot of requests every day, and sometimes He just can’t get to all of the weather ones.

It doesn’t matter though, it’s your wedding day, and that makes the day perfect, not the weather.

In our two decades of doing weddings, we haven’t had to move or delay the wedding ceremony because of rain more than a dozen times.

But don’t worry because I always have a backup plan in place.

No matter what the weather is, your wedding ceremony will be special and memorable.

http:www.weather.com/activities/events/weddings

Search zipcode 49781 or St. Ignace, click on Mouthly to review average highs and lows.

Where do I get out Marriage License from and how long is it good for?

If you live in the State of Michigan, contact your local County Clerk’s Office they issue your Marriage License.  I can not marry the two of you without a valid marriage license.

It normally takes 3 days to get, and the ceremony has to take place within 30 days, or the license is invalid.

If you live outside of the State of Michigan, you get your Marriage License from the County Clerks Office in Mackinac County, where we are located.   Phone:   (906) 643-7300

Ask for the County Clerk’s Office they will be accommodating.

Can we come and see the place before our wedding day?

Of Course, You Can!  However, you have to schedule an appointment.  I won’t be very friendly if you stop by unannounced.  I don’t want anyone to interrupt any of our ceremonies.   Normally, we can schedule a time on short notice but not always.  Thanks for understanding.

Can our children be in the ceremony?

Yes, couples include their children in various ways depending on the age of the children.

However, we do not allow children to stay in the room with you.  If you are going to have your children staying with you, our overnight packages are unavailable.  You will have to stay at one of the many local hotels within 8 miles of us.

 

Can our children stay in the room overnight with us?

Unfortunately, the rooms we reserve for our wedding couples only have one bed in them.  Plus, our rooms are not set up for children.  If you are going to have your children staying with you, our overnight packages are unavailable options for you.  You should reserve one of our wedding packages without an overnight stay.  I can help you find a place to stay in one of the many local hotels within eight (8) miles of us.

 

Can I have my own photographer?

Yes, you can hire your own photographer.  Pictures taken by us are included in all of our wedding packages.  But we do not claim to be Professional Photographers.  I can provide you with a list of Photographers who have been to our place at one time or another if you want professional pictures.  We do not endorse any of these photographers, nor do we know what their prices are.

Can our guests stay overnight on the property?

Your guests may be able to rent one of the rooms on our property through Airbnb if one is available.  However, if your guests stay on the property, it is with a complete understanding of the Airbnb rules.  Receptions are not allowed because of the liability involved.

Yes, you can see the Mackinac Bridge from a variety of places along our waterfront including from our private pier.

Yes, there is a place for you both to get dressed before the ceremony, if you are not staying with us.

How do I hold a date and time for my wedding ceremony?

My friend, bookkeeper, and partner, Mr. Richard M. Selzum, won’t let us hold a wedding date and time for you without first receiving a $200.00 non-refundable deposit. 

You can make your non-refundable deposit and payments with a credit card on this website https://elopeupnorth.com/make-a-payment/

After you have confirmed with us that your date and time are available —  click on the “Make Your Deposit & Save Your Date” button in the menu and follow the instructions.  I will confirm that we received your deposit by email.

If you prefer to send a check, that’s okay. Call me and tell me what date and time you want. I’ll have you mail the check to us along with some other information about contacting the two of you.

Fifty percent (50%) of the balance due is 90 days before your ceremony date. The balance is due 30 days before your wedding date. You can pay any amount at any time to reduce your balance. You must pay the balance 30 days before your ceremony date. If we do not receive the 90-day payment or the balance 30 days before your wedding date, we reserve the right to cancel your reservation and rebook it. If you cancel your wedding for any reason or do not pay the remaining balances timely, all deposits and payments made to that point are non-refundable.

 

Can we bring our own officiant?

Yes, if you have someone special that the two of you want to perform your wedding ceremony instead of me, that is okay.  However, the price remains the same.

Can we have our Dog or Dogs in our ceremony?

Yes, we love dogs.  We do several weddings every year with dogs in them.  Of course, the dog or dogs have to be on a leash at all times.  Someone has to be prepared to pick up after the dog or dogs.

But, we do not allow dogs to stay overnight on the property, so if your dog or dogs are in your ceremony, you will have to stay at one of the dog-friendly hotels in the area.  I can give you the name of a few that are close by.

What does the room look like that we will be staying in?

We have four guest cottages on our property, with nine private master bedroom-type rooms spread between the four cottages.  We never know which of our rooms we are putting our couple in until the week of the wedding.

We intentionally do not have TVs or internet because we want you to be enjoying each other.  There are so many things to see and do in the Straits of Mackinac.  I can help point you in the right direction for new adventures together, even if it is nothing more than sitting together by the waterfront or under one of the gazebos.

This is an example of what our rooms look like.  Each room is unique and has its own personality.

Just a simple FYI; there aren't any predetermined traditions here. You can have the ceremony you want.

Yes, You can have the ceremony you want, as long as you and your guests behave and it is legal.

Can we have more guests than the number of guests allowed in our wedding package?

You can add as many guests as you like to our Mr. & Mrs. Right or our Whole Kit & Caboodle wedding package.  There is an additional charge of $25 per guest.  So, if you added ten (10) extra guests to your wedding package, the extra cost would be 10 X $25 = $250.   We do not allow guests to be added to our Soulmates wedding package.

Can we change our wedding date without losing our deposit?

Yes and No.  We understand that stuff happens sometimes. So, if you need to change your wedding date and time without losing your deposit, we would expect some reasonable notice so that we have time to rebook the date and time.  Also, you have to give us the new date and time you wish to change to.  That date and time have to be available.  The new date has to be in the same year as the original date.  We will not move a reservation from one year to the next without an additional deposit for that year—you with lose your original deposit if you move your wedding date from one year to the next.  So, Yes you can move your wedding to an available date in the same year. No, you can’t move your wedding date to the next year without losing your deposit.

Can we write our own vows?

Yes, you can write personal vows that you want to say to each other.  However, you cannot rewrite what I say.  You allowed to ask for certain ideas to be included in your ceremony.  

How much is the gratuity?

That is completely up to you.  We are providing you with a service, and you are the judge of whether we gave you received poor, good, great, or excellent service, compared to what you were expecting.  In general, Gratuities should always reflect your satisfaction with the service provider.  The origin of the word “tips” comes from the acronym “To insure proper service.”