This wedding is 12 years in the making and we are so excited to share it with you. We chose to have our reception at michelle’s family’s cottage; a really sacred place that has housed many fun and loving memories with eachother and her family. We could think of no better place to gather and celebrate with our community.
Attire
Garden Party / Semi-formal
Think; outdoor, backyard, summer barbeque wedding. Suits or a khaki/blazer combo in lighter colors and materials, with or without a tie is likely appropriate. (Probably skip jeans or baseball hats.) Dresses or separates can be any length, and fun colors and prints are welcome. Sunset is at 9:10pm, and guests may want to bring a layer in case it gets chilly at night.
Stilleto heels are not advised on the grass, and guests planning to wear heels may want to bring an extra pair of shoes to dance in or for walking down the hill towards the lake.
Food & Drink
We will have assorted charcuterie and drinks available for guests upon arrival and during the cocktail hour that follows the ceremony.
Slows BBQ will be catering dinner at 6pm. They will provide a House Salad, Beef Brisket (GF/DF), Pulled Pork (GF/DF), Apple BBQ Pulled Chicken (GF/DF), Mac-n-cheese (contains gluten and dairy), Pit-smoked Beans (GF/DF), Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Coleslaw (contains eggs) and Cornbread (butter).
We will have a few different kegs of beer to choose from, as well as some wines, canned mixed drinks, pops and waters. If you would like something specific, feel free to bring your own!
Getting There
Coming from out of town?
Oakland County International Airport is closest to the cottage (20 milles). Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is a good option for guests interested in staying closer to Detroit. We also recommend looking into Amtrak routes from your area; The Wolverine line runs direct from Chicago to Pontiac. Taxis and rideshare will likely be able to take you to the cottage, but may be pricey and difficult to coordinate a return journey. We would be happy to coordinate pickups and dropoffs, just reach out to michelle (615.947.3497) or Vasilios (313.570.4062) if you would like a ride.
Driving in?
The cottage is located Northeast of downtown Lake Orion, on a peninsula surrounded by Indian Lake. GPS should route you no problem, most people will likely be coming in from Lapeer Road, and can take Indian Lake Road towards the party. (Note: There are a few different Grampian’s in the area, so be sure to enter “Grampian Court” )
We will have signs posted directing people towards parking and to the event property. Our main parking lot will be on Lakeview Drive at the communal beach (see the map below). Its about a 5 minute walk from the party location at 180 Grampian Court. We do also have some parking on-site for those who need it.
If you have any parking related questions related day-of, please reach out to Steve Brehmer at 313.820.3920 (call twice to bypass screening feature)
Lodging Options
We have a block of discounted rooms reserved at Spring Hill Suites off of Lapeer Road, but there are a variety of other hotel chains in the Pontiac area if you have a different chain you’d prefer. Local Bed & Breakfast options include The Locale in Lake Orion, Maple Cove Bed and Breakfast in Leonard, and Stags Leap Farm in Oxford. You are welcome to look into Airbnb or Vrbo rentals as well, but the majority in the area are larger vacation homes.
Addison Oaks Campground is a really lovely campground less than 5 miles from the cottage and a great option for out-of-town guests who enjoy camping. Family and friends are also welcome to camp on-site with us at the cottage as well. Feel free to reach out to michelle (615.947.3497) or Vasilios (313.570.4062) with any questions.
Accessibility
The event will primarily be held outdoors, with a tent set up in the yard of 180 Grampian Court that houses tables and chairs and the dancing area. The ground in this area is flat, but there is a steep hill on the other side of the property that leads down to the lake which may be difficult for some to navigate.
We will have trailer restrooms set up on the property, but the bathroom at Cindy and Jerry’s place nextdoor at 210 Grampian is also available for use. If you would like to chat with us about any other accomodations that we can help with, feel free to reach out to michelle (615.947.3497) or Vasilios (313.570.4062)
In order to respect the venue and protect sensitive guests, this will be a non-smoking event. If you absolutely must take a smoke break while visiting, we ask that you take a walk down the road to do so.
Things To Do
Visiting from out of town and making a weekend out of it? Here are our favorite recommendations for people who haven’t been to Detroit before::
Arts & Culture
The Detroit area is home to a ton of different museums, but our favorites to recommend are The Detroit Institute of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Cranbrook Art Museum, or The Henry Ford Museum. Other fun/beloved spots to check out include Hamtramck Disneyland, Dabls Mbad African Bead Museum, and The Heidelberg Project.
Food
Buddy’s Pizza is the original Detroit-style pizza, but our favorite is Amar’s Pizza. Lafayette Coney Island is a fan fave for coney dogs, and our favorite restraunt in Mexicantown is Xochimilco’s. If you are a fan of Middle Eastern food, our favorite is Malek Al-Kabob, but you really can’t go wrong with any of the Middle Eastern restraunts in the area.
Nature
Belle Isle State Park is a gem, and we love walking around The Detroit Riverwalk after grabbing a drink at Atwater Brewery.
FAQ
Can I bring my kids?
Please do! It’s completely up to you of course, but we love kids and they will be in good company. (If everyone who we invited is able to come, we will have 50 kids!)
Where are you registered?
You’re presence is present enough! Gifts are not expected or required, but if you would like to gift us something we are registered at Etsy and SoKind Registry (password is 6202026).