Lake View Events In St. Joseph Michigan

We’re gearing up for our biggest wedding season yet at The Veranda! We only have 4 months until our first couple joins us for the wedding of their dreams.

Are you finalizing details for your big day? We’ve decided to put out some of The Veranda’s suggestions for planning at this stage (4-6 months out). Sometimes it helps to have the venue’s point of view on what works to make the day go smoothly.

Throughout this series of posts we’ll give our top 5 suggestions for a seamless event in Southwest Michigan. As always The Veranda would love to be your destination and wedding resource so contact us with questions!

Tip #1: Gather Guest Information Packages

A wedding in southwest Michigan is often a “destination wedding” for couples and their guests. Treat your guests to a packet of information on local accommodations and attractions. This area has so much to offer and your guests will appreciate the opportunity to take advantage of it.

You can include hotel accommodations, local restaurants, kids activities, etc. It will also be helpful to include specific information related to your wedding. For example, where to park, distance between ceremony location, reception location, and hotels. Will you be providing transportation? Put those details in the packet as well. The list can go on and on…

Depending on your time, budget, and contact information for your guests, you can make this a mailing incorporating your color palette, personal photos, etc. Or, simplify with an email including links to hotel booking pages, mapquest, and city websites.

Need ideas for specific information to include on gorgeous St. Joseph, MI? We’d love to share…

• Had a great SW MI vendor’s networking event last night – there is more and more attention being paid to SW Michigan as a destination! #fb #

Planning a wedding can be fun and exciting. It’s an opportunity to get those creative juices flowing. You buy all the wedding magazines and spend hours searching wedding websites to gather ideas that will bring that wonderful image in your head to fruition.  And chances are, even if you adopt a more hands off approach to wedding planning, you will still guide your planner toward a vision you have for the biggest party you will probably ever host.

Either way, once that planning process has begun, finding a location to match your vision can be difficult. This is the first point in which versatility is key. You need to search for a venue that is almost a blank slate; a venue that will allow you (or your planner) to come in and recreate the event stored in your head.

Are you imagining a casual beach themed wedding? Do you have a small black tie affair planned? Would you rather host an over-the-top soiree or an intimate event with a mediterranean feel?

No matter your vision, The Veranda @ The Whitcomb can be transformed to fit your style. We are your blank slate, ready to be impressed upon. You can choose to decorate with seashells and enjoy the sunset overlooking Lake Michigan. Make black and white your colors with minimal decor for the elegant formal affair. Choose custom lighting and a 16 piece band to keep your guests on their feet. Or, allow the architecture of The Veranda, along with ivy covered wrought iron railing, to give your wedding a truly European feel.

We have plenty of ideas to share and are more than willing to listen! Check out our website, www.StJoeBanquets.com, to experience even more Veranda versatility!

The forecast is for snow! As much as we can all expect it living in the Midwest, it still is a shock to our systems. So with the cold, grey weather making its four month assault on our moods, what better time to start planning that southwest Michigan beach wedding!

Close your eyes and let your mind wander….

Taking your vows with the Lake Michigan waves beating softly at the shore, the golden colors of the beach as your wedding theme, the ease of your guests strolling to The Veranda to dine and dance in the open air, and your first dance with the brilliance of a St. Joseph sunset as your spotlight…

With all the rushing of the holidays and the dreariness of winter, allow yourself some time to dream…

Then come to us to make it real.

Peak wedding season has wrapped up for 2009! We had an amazing summer here at The Veranda with a total of 17 beautiful sunset weddings. Thank you to all our newlyweds who shared their special day with us!

As we move into the 2010 season we’re excited to be hosting 20 weddings so far. Those summer Saturdays are filling up quickly! We have a lot of new ideas that we’re ready to share with our couples for the upcoming season.

If you are recently engaged and looking for a unique place to hold your reception we’d love to get you some information or show you around. We’re currently offering discounts for Friday and Sunday events to help those budget conscious couples have the wedding of their dreams!

Please check out our website, www.StJoeBanquets.com, for photos and keep checking back here for updated information, tips, and ideas!

• Gearing up for August – our first month with a wedding every weekend! #fb #

• Gearing up for 2 weddings this weekend, Friday AND Saturday – the brides are even working together on decor! #fb #

• 15 brides contacted us regarding their upcoming weddings….this week alone! #fb #

We are! We’ve got all of our new tables, chairs, cocktail tables, glassware and everything ready to go.

Our first reception on The Veranda is mid-May, a nice, intimate group of 66 guests. While we can hold 300 guests in The Veranda, having a smaller guest list allows a bride to stretch a budget to make the experience for her guests top-notch.

For this first wedding of the season, the wedding ceremony will also be held onsite in our Garden Patio. It should be a wonderful experience, as the guests will be seated facing Lake Michigan with a view of the pier and lighthouse.

• ALERT! John Maxwell Leadership Summit in St. Joseph, MI @ The Veranda. May 8th, 2009 Visit: http://digg.com/u11xrZ #