Megan Blakely and Rob Payne arrived Up North the Wednesday before their wedding, leaving time for a wine tasting mini-getaway in the Leelanau wine country before they tied the knot at Frog Pond Village, nestled in the Interlochen woods on Ellis Lake.
An intimate ceremony for just immediate family began at 5 p.m. Saturday in the Bullfrog Chapel. The open-air chapel’s aisle was lined with ferns, and the guests enjoyed the shade and the summer breeze from the woods.
While the rest of the guests arrived for the cocktail hour with butler-passed hors d’oeuvres created by Grandview Catering, Rob and Megan slipped down to Ellis Lake for photos. Both of the fathers gave a meaningful toast, and then dinner was served in a chandelier-lit Northwoods ballroom bedecked in deep pink and lush green orchids. Guests took a break out in the night air at the candlelit bar, surrounded by twinkling lights and Frog Pond’s outdoor water fountains.
Frog Pond Village’s co-owner and onsite florist, Karen Jackson-Snyder, created tone-on-tone bouquets with black baccara roses and cymbidium orchids, and calla lily corsages for the mothers. For a fresh twist, Jackson-Snyder grew wheatgrass on top of a thin slice of bark and used it as a nest for place cards.
Megan’s dress is Nicole Miller; the bridesmaid dresses are from Belle of the Ball Bridal in Rockford and the men’s tan suits are from Men’s Wearhouse in Grand Rapids. Megan’s aunt from her hometown of Big Rapids made and drove up the wedding cake for the wedding day. Custom napkins were a classy touch during the cocktail hour. Dinner was catered by Grandview Catering in Traverse City.
For dramatically chic centerpieces, Frog Pond’s Karen Jackson-Snyder nestled branches in tall vases filled with limes, then tied on beaded crystals and orchids. Every guest found a prettily wrapped chocolate “P” at their place. A giant champagne bottle and a metallic pen stood in for the old-fashioned guest book.
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Photography: Coreene Smith, Tavla Studio, 231-715-6814
Venue: Frog Pond Village, Interlochen, 231-357-9128
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I recently held my small wedding (35guests) at Frog Pond Village and was extremely disappointed. If it had not been for the good nature of my guests the day would have been ruined easily. Karen and her husband, the owners, were so unorganized with my small wedding; I can’t imagine the 200+ guest wedding that was simultaneously happening being a success either. A few things to keep in mind if planning a wedding at FPV: they gave my wedding cake to another wedding, they didn’t have umbrellas or towels to wipe chairs after the 10 minute shower, my guests have to move the cake and gift table out of the rain, my girlfriend had to open the bar and get things going during the delay, Karen was nowhere to be found. Karen also made herself visible (in a black velour jogging suit) in every photograph of my wedding party and myself walking down the isle. These are only a few of the problems that occurred on our wedding day at FPV; lucky for my husband and I we had very good-natured guests and excellent caterers (Grand View Catering) who stepped up. I warn you not to have your wedding at Frog Pond Village; the location is nice but not enough to make up for the terrible owners.