Venue Review - The English Inn

A few weeks ago, I did a wedding at The English Inn.  I've been there before, a few years back, but I don't do too many events in Eaton Rapids (about 15 minutes south of Lansing).  The property is ideal for ceremonies and pictures.  Unfortunately, the weather was a little on the cold side when I was there.

The inside of the hall was beautifully decorated and the food was very good.

I don't really know of anything else in the Eaton Rapids area, but I wouldn't hesitate to check out The English Inn if you're looking to have a wedding in that area.

Venue Review - River Birch Lodge / Thomas' Catering

Looking for the perfect wedding?  You can't do better than the combination of River Birch Lodge and Thomas' Catering!

River Birch Lodge is located in Hartland, MI and is run by Laura & Greg Palmer.  Each weekend, they rent their 7 bedroom, 6.5 bathroom home (really it's a mansion) out to couples for weddings.  Nowhere, will you find a more scenic ceremony location as well as rustic elegance for the reception.  The location requires some flexibility on the part of the couple, but makes for a unique experience you can't find anywhere else.  One of the unique features is the ability to stay there overnight.  There's plenty of room for family members too!

http://riverbirchlodge.net/

Some of the pictures I am posting are from summer 2010 and some are from winter 2010, but NONE of these pictures can show you what an amazing place this is.  It has to be seen in person!

Be sure to check out their virtual tour for even better images: http://www.palmerestates.com/VRBrochure.html

I do several events here each year.  The last one I did in November was catered by Thomas' Catering.  The food was amazing from the soup shooters to the potato bar to the 3 choices of pasta and sauce that was individually prepared to order.  The catering staff is top notch and the food is five star.

http://thomasscatering.com

If you check out River Birch Lodge, be sure to tell Laura where you heard about them!

Venue Review - Howell Opera House / The Town Host

Last Friday I did a wedding reception at the Howell Opera House.  First of all, congratulations go out to Christine & Troy!

I've had the opportunity to work here on several locations and I appreciate the fact that it's only minutes from home, in downtown Howell.  It has a very historical feel and is large enough to accommodate about 150 people.  The front lobby serves as the cake, coffee and bar area.  While I've never been up to the actual opera house, I've been told it's great for wedding photos!

The Howell Opera House does not have their own catering staff and I've sampled food from several caterers at this location.  On this occasion, the catering was provided by The Town Host (Crystal Gardens off site catering).  As Crystal Gardens is a larger company, I see them quite often and the food is ALWAYS good.  The staff is very professional and efficient. Their menu must be very extensive because it's not too often that I have the same thing twice.  Some of their dishes are better than others, but none of it is bad.

All in all, it was a wonderful night for everyone and I'd recommend both the Howell Opera House and The Town Host to anyone inquiring about a venue or catering.  

http://www.theoperahouse.us/rentalinformation.html

http://www.crystalgardenslivingston.com

One of the things I do NOT like about The Town Host / Crystal Gardens is the way they recommend vendors.  Vendors must advertise with Crystal Gardens in one form or another to be one of their "preferred vendors".  This doesn't say much about whether the vendor is good or bad, but rather that they have paid for an endorsement.  ALWAYS ask vendors for references and if they are unwilling to provide them, look elsewhere!

It's all about the GREEN!

The St. Patrick's Day Tent Party at the Howell Bennigan's was a blast yesterday!  Nearly 350 people at it's peak, the combination of festively dressed guests, live band and music from The DJ Guy, made this one of the BEST St. Patrick's Day parties ever!

All throughout the day and night, the Ice Luge was a hit!

Everyone loves the Cupid Shuffle!

Still going pretty strong at 2 AM!

St. Patrick's Day 2011

Once in a while, clients ask me: "Can I come see you perform". While I don't think of it as a "performance", I don't allow clients to see me at other client's weddings.  It's inappropriate on many levels.  Any DJ that allows that sort of behavior is VERY unprofessional.

I do encourage those who want to see me in action to come to my weekly bar night at Bennigan's in Howell (or any other public event that I may do).  This is typically a younger crowd and the crowd dictates the type of music I play in a bar setting.  I also use a smaller sound system and very little lighting (it is a restaurant after all).

THIS Thursday is St. Patrick's Day and I'll have my full sound and lighting system in the (heated) beer tent from 12PM til 2AM.  There is a $3 cover charge and a live band from 7PM to 11PM.  If you are one of my clients or are or considering becoming one, please come see me and I will give you a special VIP PASS for $1 beers.

Hope you all have a great St. Patrick's Day!

Bennigan's St. Patrick's Day Tent Party 2010

A Gift For The Groomsmen...

Want to get your groomsmen a gift they'll love just as much as you do?  Get 'em a tie that doesn't suck!  Cyberoptix Tie Lab can create incredible ties in your choice of color and pattern.  They even offer discounts for wedding packages!

http://cyberoptix.com

Cyberoptix Tie Lab founder Bethany Shorb has applied her experience as a sculptor, couture, costume and graphic designer to transform a much maligned business necessity into a subversive object of desire with her witty hand printed neckwear.

And best of all, the ties are made in Detroit! So you can feel good about supporting a local business and get an awesome product at the same time!

I wouldn't support a business that I didn't believe in...
I personally own the "beer" tie!

Venue Focus... just the beginning!

Over the next few months I will be reviewing various halls and wedding locations.  I'll post pictures, give you tips about that venue, let you know about great photo opportunities, and even tell you who I think has the best food!  I do an average of 80 weddings a year so you can get some great info from a true expert.

I don't have any schedule to follow, so if you're curious about a particular venue, drop me an email and I'll be sure to give that one priority.