Marcos and Alyssa’s wedding at the Perry Hotel in Petoskey, MI was sheer perfection! The Perry Hotel was such a wonderful Petoskey wedding venue for them, and they absolutely loved having their wedding day there. If you’re not familiar with Northern Michigan history, The Perry Hotel is a local landmark here in Northern Michigan, it’s known for its gorgeous views of Little Traverse Bay and Petoskey’s “Million Dollar Sunset” as well as being a destination for Michigan’s own Ernest Hemingway. One of my favorite things about The Perry is its signature pineapple theme (I might love pineapples just a teeny, tiny bit! 🤷‍♀️ lol ). Much of their artwork and decorations have a pineapple motif (peep some gorgeous pineapple wallpaper that you might not notice unless you look very closely). All of these things are just a few of the many things that drew Alyssa and Marcos to this gorgeous venue! They just fell in love with the architecture, the art, and the history of this place.

 

Alyssa and Marcos

Both Alyssa and Marcos are so sweet and the kind of people you instantly want to be best friends with, so I loved getting to capture all of their gorgeous wedding day memories! One of the things that caught my attention was just how laid back and willing they were to go with the flow! I love it when my clients are just able to sit back, relax and trust that I’m going to make sure they will remember their wedding day forever.

 

Getting Ready For The Wedding

Alyssa and her bridesmaids got ready for the day at her parents’ lake house. This location was special to her because this is also where we shot their engagement session (and where she and Marcos got engaged)! We captured most of the getting-ready photos at the lake house, but Alyssa also wanted some shots of her and her bridesmaids down by the lake. So, we took a short trip down to the water’s edge near their garden for those photos and they turned out so good!

The Perry Hotel: An Ideal Petoskey Wedding Venue

After everyone was ready, we all got on a shuttle bus to go to The Hotel Perry. I met everyone there and we set up for Alyssa and Marcos’ first look. We chose a place overlooking the bay. It was a really nice, cloudy day which made for great, even lighting to take pictures in.

The first look was definitely my favorite part of the day! As soon as Alyssa and Marcos saw each other, they both broke out in huge smiles while both simultaneously started crying 😍 You could really tell how much they cared for each other just by the way they looked at and cared for each other in this moment. I love getting to catch moments like this on camera! 😩

After their first look we did a few quick portraits and sent them inside to cool off, since it was getting more humid as time passed.

The Porch From The Grand Hotel

After they were able to cool off some, I  took Alyssa aside for a few bridal portraits on the porch, and some shots outside The Perry Hotel. She absolutely loved that porch and wanted pictures there because it reminded her of one of her favorite places – the Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island. The green carpet on The Perry Hotel’s porch reminded her of the porch at the Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island. They loved the Grand Hotel and the cool history behind it. The movie, Somewhere In Time, starring Christopher Reeves, was shot there and having that reminder of that piece of history in their own wedding was something she was really excited about!

Once we finished up her gorgeous bridal photos – we took photos with the Bridesmaids and Groomsmen in the rose garden!

Once we were done out there, we all went inside to cool off again and start prepping for the ceremony. Since by this point it was starting to rain, I spent my time capturing detail shots of the little things that brought the whole wedding together.

A Rainy Day Wedding

In many cultures, a rainy wedding represents the washing off of old problems and a fresh start. So, this lucky portent was a wonderful way to start the ceremony, and the Petoskey wedding venue had them covered (literally)! Alyssa and Marcos were married under a clear tent in the Perry Hotel courtyard and rose garden area. The ceremony took place in front of the famous pineapple water fountain there. It was totally gorgeous!

After the ceremony, the guests were whisked away to cocktail hour while we finished up family formals and more wedding portraits before we went right into reception.

The Little Details

One of the best details at the reception and stood out above all the other items was a beautiful miniature model of a gorgeous tea house! This model was made by her father for Alyssa, because she loves tea houses. She even had her bridal shower as a formal and proper tea party – precious china and all! This scale model was centered on the dessert table and was certainly unforgettable!

As the reception started, I was able to capture the first dances, which were all so special! When Marcos had his Mother-Son dance, he had prepared a traditional dance to have with his mother. It was absolutely spectacular and stood out as one of the highlights of the reception!

Reception Fun

Once the dances were complete, they cut the cake. They only had a small cake to do the traditional cake cutting, because the main dessert at the event were macarons! It was so unique and something I’ll never forget about this wedding. Alyssa and Marcos love them, and even had a macaron tower on display for guests to choose which colors and flavors they wanted!

The reception events ended with dinner and speeches before everyone spent the rest of the evening dancing the night away! The speeches were so heart-warming and moving. You could just see how much their friends and family love them and care for them!

Alyssa and Marcos – Congratulations to both of you! Even the random rain couldn’t put a damper on this oh-so-sweet day. From beginning to end, it was completely magical! I can’t wait to see where your married life brings you. Thank you so much for allowing me to capture your one-of-a-kind wedding!

-Love, Mandie

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Vendors:
Venue: Stafford’s Perry Hotel | Website
Photography: Mandie Forbes | Website
Florals: Monarch Garden & Floral | Website
Hair & Makeup: Vogue Salon & Spa | Website
Desserts: The Bow Tie Baker | Website
Catering: Stafford’s Perry Hotel | Website
DJ: Sound Productions Entertainment | Website

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Mandie Forbes of Mandie Forbes Photography is a wedding and portrait photographer and videographer from Northern Michigan. She’s been featured in Tacari Weddings, Wedding Day Magazine, WeddingWire and The Knot. If you’re looking for a photographer who’s got the perfect places for a Petoskey wedding venue, contact me!

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