Inn at Bay Harbor Weddings
If you follow me on Instagram, by now you know about my love affair with Inn at Bay Harbor weddings. As a Northern Michigan photographer, I have had lovely experiences at most Northern Michigan wedding venues, but there’s something about my love affair with Lake Michigan that just really makes me feel at home when I’m shooting weddings at The Inn at Bay Harbor, it just has everything I personally would want in a wedding day!
Having your entire wedding day take place in the same location is SO relaxing. You wake up in a beautiful, bright cottage right on the lake, and go outside for a walk along the shoreline. You and your bridesmaids start getting ready for the wedding while your partner, friends, and family are in other rooms nearby. Hair and makeup arrives and things start to get real. Your wedding outfit is hanging in the doorway and you are so excited to put it on. Your photographer arrives for finishing touches and then its time to walk down the aisle! Everyone is already seated at the ceremony which you can see from your room so you walk our the door and head down the sidewalk to marry your best friend. After the ceremony you get to hug and kiss your favorite people in the world while they sip cocktails on the shores of Lake Michigan. You’re having portraits taken with your family, your wedding party, and your new spouse and you just cant believe the beauty surrounding you. Everything feels relaxed and so so special. After portraits are finished, you join cocktail hour for a bit before you move inside to the beautiful ballroom for dinner.
Portrait options at the Inn at Bay Harbor are endless! Another reason Inn at Bay Harbor weddings are so special is because there are so many beautiful options for portraits right on the grounds. Check out a few of my favorite moments captured all within walking distance. (keep scrolling after the photos for more goodness.)
One of my favorite parts of weddings at the Inn at Bay Harbor is the evening time and how relaxed and happy everyone feels. After dinner, some guests head down to the water to sit by the fire or watch the sunset, some head out to the dance floor, and some head to the dessert table. There’s just something for everyone!
There’s just something about weddings that take place here, the guests are a bit calmer, the couple is a bit more relaxed, and everyone seems to be on cloud nine!
For more on weddings at the Inn at Bay Harbor, click here!
Bay Harbor Yacht Club Weddings
Another absolutely stunning Northern Michigan wedding venue hosting Bay Harbor weddings is the Bay Harbor Yacht Club. It’s a private club, so you will need someone to sponsor you, but it really can’t be beat! Especially if you are hosting a larger wedding with many people. They have the most glorious ballroom with room for as many guests as you want and they have ample space if you want to bring in a big band to perform at your wedding.
There is a beautiful and spacious outdoor deck space overlooking Lake Michigan that is decorated with garden lights and cocktail tables; it is the perfect space for cocktail hour and for guest to get outside to watch the sun go down after dinner.
Portrait options for Bay Harbor Yacht Club weddings are lovely! The docks make such a great spot for evening portraits and you’re so close to downtown Petoskey and the Bay Harbor Village, where you can get such a great assortment of portraits, if you want lots of options. I also love the almost all-inclusive feel of BHYC, so most of my couples aim to stay on the grounds for the entirety of their day.
Here is a look at some of my favorite shots from Bay Harbor Yacht Club weddings! This gorgeous wedding was planned by the bride herself with help from the crew at BHYC. Florals by Monarch, cake by Simply Sweet by Jessica.
To check out some other favorite Northern Michigan wedding venues, click here!
