Aurora Cellars Winery & Wedding Venue

ff was super helpful in getting us ready the months ahead of time. The grounds are spectacular and our guests were all blown away.a

ince she was able to find a last minute caterer (5 days out from the wedding) when our previous one no showed his wedding the weekend before ours. Their wine is incredible as is the farm house that is included in the venue cost. We loved our day on this beautiful venue with so many beautiful people.

- I’ve been planning my wedding for two years, and they were SO helpful and kind during the entire process. I seriously couldn’t recommend this venue any more! Thanks for everything (:

great and I felt totally calm going into my day knowing that we had great support from them. Not to mention, the wine and willow tree were spectacular! I cannot recommend this venue enough and I re-live our wedding day here 10x over if I could. Thank you to the whole Aurora team!

and more. Kristi and Missy both communicated so well, and were always readily available to answer any of my millions of questions. If you want beautiful pictures, a great event staff, delicious wine, and a great "bang for your buck" (you literally can stay on the property in the farmhouse), then get married at Aurora Cellars! Thank you again, Kristi and Missy!

got to know Kristi and her team during this time. From our first venue visit to our wedding day, the staff at Aurora were nothing short of amazing! They always answered our questioned promptly, communicated well, and made us feel special. Kristi was exceptional throughout the whole process and was ALWAYS on top of it! We were SO glad we booked at Aurora Cellars. It's a beautiful venue and it was amazing to have the venue for the entire weekend. I would highly recommend booking- you won't regret it!.

kend, Aurora has been nothing short of magic. Kristi and Missy are ALL STARS and a true dream to work with. They are so thoughtful, professional, communicative, authentic, and all around happy people that I wanted to include in my wedding. Staying at the Farmhouse and Cottage over our wedding weekend with all my closest friends was not just a highlight of my and my husband's life, but everyone involved. I cannot say thank you enough to Aurora, our wedding was absolutely perfect.

e smaller side because we really loved the vibe there. We had an amazing experience! We had the max guest count (110) and they made everything look so fabulous, it was exactly everything I had pictured when I was planning. Our event coordinator, Ava, was SO sweet and VERY accommodating I told her how I wanted all the decor set up and I was blown away when I arrived to the reception. It definitely exceeded my expectation. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a wedding venue. ALSO THE WINE IS INCREDIBLE!

nd start our life together. Somehow, along the way, I found myself enthralled with Aurora Cellars and can confidently say they were the best choice. Sure, on paper they have it all: delicious wine, a STUNNING venue (I mean come on, have you seen the willow tree), lawn games, farmhouse on-site, the list goes on and on. All that aside, a big reason why I will always look back on the planning process and wedding day with such fondness is due to the overwhelming hospitality and flexibility of Kristi and her team. My wife and I had our first wedding scheduled for June 2020 which was obviously impacted by COVID. Kristi was so incredibly compassionate throughout the process and helped us reschedule our wedding for 2021. Even then, knowing my wife and I still wanted to be married in June, she allowed us to host a tiny ceremony under the tree with our immediate family. Words cannot describe how clear it is that she loves her job and wants each and every couple to feel so special. Through every step, Kristi and her team were there to talk, listen, give advice, and guide us through what could have been a very very stressful ordeal. They took so much weight off of our shoulders and I will be forever grateful that we got to have such a perfect wedding at Aurora...twice! Don’t believe me that it could be THAT good? Call them and see for yourself :)

ep of the way. She was quick to respond and provided multiple rescheduling dates. They were beyond amazing by allowing us to use our original date to elope at the venue, and even get ready in the farmhouse. Again they were AMAZING by setting up chairs for our guests and reaching out throughout the process. We have our second wedding coming up at Aurora and once again the staff has been incredible. I would get married here again and again if possible.

g ready crew, and so convenient to stay at. The tent is beautiful and very spacious. My husband and I can not say enough good things about Kristi and her team! They are so helpful and always prompt with answers to our questions. We highly recommend. You will not be disappointed!

azing willow tree (Winslow) on one end of the lot and a sprawling vineyard on the other end. In the past two weeks since our wedding, we have received nothing but amazing reviews from all of family, friends, and guests. Kristi and the Aurora team are super accommodating and are available extremely quickly to address any questions/concerns. We can not recommend this venue enough. Love it. Get married here, you will not regret it. PS: I do see a negative review just prior to this one. Quick FYI...everything regarding catering, service, decor, transport, and any other issues/items are not the responsibility of Aurora Cellars. That would be on individual outside vendors. That is unfortunate that happened, sorry you had that experience.

ff present, those that were, were not friendly. When the evening was over no one from Aurora were present. The road to the venue was terrible. There were big holes and dips in the dirt road. I have been to other wedding locations and comparing them this was a disappointment for the cost and lack of representation of their business.

ing. This place is one of the most beautiful places I have seen and I am so glad we were able to celebrate such an amazing day. I cannot thank the team enough and the willow is breathtaking in my own opinion. Also, it doesn't hurt the wine is delicious :)

they have ever been to." I may be biased, but I agree :). Not only was the wedding day perfect, but Kristi and her team were extremely accommodating, kind, and supportive throughout the whole wedding process. Emails were answered within 24 hours of sending, questions were answered, and we thought through possible scenarios together - especially when planning a wedding during COVID. It felt great to have a partner to lean on! I questioned a lot of things in the 2+ years in planning my wedding during a pandemic, but having my special day at Aurora was one of the few things I never questioned.

I would recommend booking this venue just because of her! This is coming from a Covid bride too! The venue is amazing, the farmhouse where the bride can stay is absolutely gorgeous, and their wine is hands down the best in the area - and I'm from TC so I've been to almost all the wineries! You will not regret booking them!

ld not be the case if it wasn't for Kristi and her amazing team throughout the planning process. We booked Aurora as our wedding venue almost a year prior to our 2020 date. As you can imagine, planning a wedding during a global pandemic is extremely stressful. From the second we booked with them, through planning during the COVID-19 crisis and into wedding weekend, Kristi was calm, kind, and went above and beyond. It was clear that she has dealt with many brides before, but obviously, nobody has dealt with a global pandemic like this. She remained professional, gracious, and patient and did what it took in order to make sure we STILL had our dream wedding. They followed CDC guidelines, spoke to all of our vendors to ensure everyone was safe and comfortable and were creative with the set up since it wasn't exactly as we planned. She also reminded us that because of the unique scenario, if it did not feel like our dream wedding, we had other options! I know MANY other COVID-19 brides and their venues were not as easy to work with as Aurora. THANK YOU to this team - we are so grateful for you and cannot wait to come back.

eam at AurorA is, hands down, one of the best I've worked with. They are professional, prompt, gracious, and so much fun - especially Kristi, the events and venue manager. We (fox & fern events) regulary describe her as "queen Kristi" or "an actual earth angel" in the office because she is truly the best. She cares so much about what she does and strives to make your experience the best it can be. We typically have 3-5 weddings a year that we plan at AurorA and if I had my way we would be there every weekend. Another big thing I love about AurorA: The value. Their price point includes SO MUCH and everything included is excellent quality and actual items that our couples are excited to use (IE a HUGE wine credit, farm tables, a tent that they powerwash before each wedding, beautiful lighting, and a full weekend stay in their beautiful farm house just to name a portion of whats included). This review is long overdue, but do yourself a favor and reach out to Kristi about booking your day at AurorA (and do so asap because they book up QUICKLY!)

ts near NYC. My fiancé is from Texas and less than two months before our wedding, Texas had a huge surge in covid cases, becoming one of the most high risk states in the country. In an effort to protect our guests, northern Michigan, and the Aurora/ vendor’s staff, we knew there was no choice but to cancel our plans. Aurora gave us one choice: re-book our event at their next available weekend: late summer of 2022. We have been engaged for over 2 years and are ready to start our family, so waiting another 2 years wasn’t a reasonable option. Given the circumstances, we hoped for a partial refund-we would’ve been happy with less than half of what we’ve paid. Aurora proved to be incredibly difficult and unsupportive of our decision for safety. The owner and manager are greedy and arrogant and I hope our story prevents another couple from working with a business that values money over health.

t two years planning her wedding and chose this venue. When Covid hit, we were extremely nervous, but hopeful as the wedding was planned for Labor Day weekend and we hoped that things would clear up by then. Unfortunately a resurgence in July, particularly in Texas where her fiancés family is from, made us realize that we could not in good conscience hold the wedding and put so many people, including the employees of Aurora Cellars, at risk. We decided to cancel on July 20th. The owner of Aurora stated that there was absolutely no way he was going to give any money back. We asked if they would at least refund what their expenses would have been And keep their normal profit margin, but they said no, this was their chance to increase their profit, at the expense of a struggling young couple. They offered to have my daughter put her life on hold for two years and book again in late 2022. Better yet, they offered her a credit to use at the winery. They could buy $10,000 of wine! Does a young couple really need $10,000 of wine, or would giving them back a small amount of cash to go toward another wedding make more sense? The owner of this venue lacks any sense of common decency and compassion. His only interest is money, and if he can make more of it using a global pandemic as a reason to screw people, he certain will.

efore our date and changed to Aurora cellars to be outdoor. They handled everything for us, zoom video chats, they were so organized. We brought all our decor the day before and they put it all up for us, and also handled all the florals for the tables at the reception. The tree - the setting was mind-blowing. Can't imagine having our wedding anywhere else.

constant contact and support with the Aurora Cellars team. They were able to assist in creating our dream wedding day while also giving us great recommendations for all other vendors needed. Cannot imagine getting married anywhere else, and trust me when I say, you will not be disappointed with anything if you decide to pick Aurora Cellars.

romantic! It was definitely one of the main parts of this venue that sold me. The big lush willow tree in front of the pond is breathtaking - I still get chills every time I see it! It was such an intimate and naturally beautiful place to say our vows and I do’s. The reception tent is such a lovely setting for a large outdoor gathering. The bistro lighting and chandeliers are charming touches to enhance this outdoor space. Watching all our guests enjoying dinner together at the big beautiful farm tables decorated with floral was a wonderful thing to see. The farmhouse is amazing! This was another big part about the venue that sold me. The farmhouse was built in 1875 so it has a lot of unique history and character. It has been beautifully renovated to become this perfect mix of old world charm with modern day design. There are three wonderful gathering spaces in the farmhouse – the dining room, kitchen and living room, all of which are beautifully decorated. There are three big beautiful bedrooms upstairs that have plenty of closet space, extra pillows, blankets, towels, etc. I loved the unique butler’s pantry - it was the perfect place to store all our extra wedding décor. There are also two very nice bathrooms in the farmhouse (one upstairs and one downstairs) and each one has a shower. The best part about the farmhouse is that it is included in the venue price for you to stay in from Thursday – Sunday! I could not find another venue in Michigan that offered a deal as great as this! Having the farmhouse, ceremony site and reception site all next to each other made everything so convenient and easy! All our wedding planning and communication with Aurora Cellars was handled through the Events Manager – Kristi Brown. Our experience with Kristi was so wonderful from beginning to end. She made us feel like part of the Aurora Cellars family ever since our first meeting with her back in December of 2018. She is so friendly, professional, fun, trustworthy, knowledgeable and resourceful. She really helped us in the beginning by giving us great vendor, lodging, and transportation recommendations. We had great communication with her every step of the way and she always responded in a timely manner. I really appreciated Kristi’s optimism, positive outlook and flexibility especially during the last few months leading up to our wedding in the midst of the COVID pandemic. Kristi and the Aurora Cellar's team were so amazing helping us plan our wedding safely. She stayed up to date on the COVID restrictions, made sure the venue was following all the precautions and ensured that we all still had a great time celebrating! I want to give a huge thank you to Kristi and the rest of the Aurora Cellars Team! You all are the best and we couldn't have had a better wedding! Last but not least I just want to say that Aurora Cellars has amazing wine! Our favorite sparkling wine is the Serata Demi-Sec. Our favorite white wines are the Pinot Gris, Luminous and Late Harvest Vignoles. Our favorite red wines are the Cabernet Franc, Radiance, Blaufränkisch and Rosso. If you are interested in getting married at a winery in northern Michigan this is the one to do it at!

upon arrival for the wedding weekend. Many of our guests work full time and came in from out of state, so we wanted a spacious, private location with a tranquil & beautiful setting. It was also important to us for it to be family friendly and provide great food, drinks and service. Aurora Cellars checked all the boxes and more. Being that is a vineyard, the grounds are simply beautiful and the amenities that come with the property make it a desirable spot to host a party. There is plenty of parking, a lot of rolling meadows so the kids could run & play without parents having to worry about strangers, busy roads or water. They had a selection of simple & sweet table decorations to choose from & arranged in advance. They accommodated our request to bring in flower arrangements to decorate the tables & were flexible in allowing us to pick the vases up the following day. It gave us peace of mind to know that if the weather was rainy or too hot, we would have indoor space and A/C in the tasting room. They have several packages you can customize to tailor the event to your specific needs, including a variety of catering options and of course, a great selection of wines, all at a reasonable cost. Kristi, the events manager is cheerful, fun to work with & has built strong working relationships with the vendors in the area making the planning a breeze for us. She & her team are pros! They made everything easy & hassle-free. We were happy to find the staff had set up lawn games to keep the kids entertained so the adults could socialize. It is clear they have a lot of experience which made everything go smoothly. It was an amazing way to start our wedding weekend with close family and friends and we strongly recommend this venue to anyone looking for a memorable wedding or rehearsal dinner experience!

most romantic setting. The wedding team went above and beyond and I would count the entire staff as friends. I can’t say enough good things about this experience and our guests echo those thoughts.

ble experience from the moment we booked Aurora as our wedding venue in 2018 to the day of our wedding. Words that come to mind when trying to describe the venue at Aurora include magical, enchanting, unique, and unforgettable. Not to mention the great wine :) All are enjoyable, but the favorites were the sparkling Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc! Getting married under the willow tree, signing our marriage license in the vineyards, golden hour by the bonfire on the creek, and dancing the night away under the tent, made for an absolutely unforgettable and magical evening. I can’t imagine getting married anywhere else. I look forward to returning back and visiting Aurora Cellars each summer to walk through the vineyard and reminisce about our day. What made getting married at Aurora even more special was the farmhouse. There aren’t many venues where you can wake up there the morning of your wedding AND the morning after. It is also a beautiful spot to get ready with your bridal party before the wedding and take photos. Above all, the team at Aurora is like no other - with a special shout out the events manager, Kristi Brown. After booking the venue, we had a meeting with Kristi. In that meeting we asked what happens when there is inclement weather and her response was something along the lines of “your job is to enjoy the day” and that she and her team would be there to ensure that the day runs smoothly. What I didn't know when this comment was made was that Kristi and the team at Aurora would go above and beyond what would ever be expected to stay true to this promise. My husband and I unfortunately did have some inclement weather on our wedding day up until an hour before the ceremony. Thanks to the team at Aurora, everything on our wedding day went off without a hitch despite the thunderstorm and multiple inches of rain that we experienced throughout the day. Every seat for the ceremony was dry, we had a beautiful wedding under the willow tree, and there was no water to be seen inside the tent. Because of Kristi and the team at Aurora, we had the wedding ceremony and reception of our dreams. We can't say “thank you” enough :) Brian and I can’t wait to come back this summer for a glass of wine and to say hello! We love you, Aurora!

of more celebrations here next season. The backdrops are stunning, the staff is amazing and I don't think you can have a bad day at Aurora Cellars!

and joe keep saying we would relive this day over again and not change a thing! The venue is perfect and so beautiful and the wine is so good! If your indecisive on where you should get married look no further.. this is your place. I am so thankful for everything they did for us to make it such a seamless and beautiful wedding. I have gotten so many compliments from so many people saying this was the most beautiful and fun wedding they have been to, thank you so much aurora cellars for creating so many beautiful memories for us. We also rented out the beautiful cottage on the vineyard and loved it so much and are definitely talking about renting it out again next summer!!!

uick and easy communication, and the suggestions and assistance of Kristi. The space is so magical and our guests commented that it was the most beautiful setting they have ever attended a wedding at. The weather was looking especially rainy and cold for our day. I was feeling very upset and stressed, but Kristi and her team worked alongside our day of coordinator to create the perfect plan and back up plan. Thankfully, our day was perfectly sunny and warm...but it was so nice knowing we had a plan either way. In addition to the 3 bedroom farmhouse included in the wedding package , I absolutely recommend renting the vineyard cottage for the wedding party or wedding guests. It was such a cute space that was also conveniently located on the property. It was so nice to have my immediate family and the bridal party both stay on site for the weekend. Also, the wine was amazing! We are so happy with how everything turned out, and our wedding would have not been as perfect anywhere else

eded alone time before the big day, we were just completely blown away. The property is breathtaking - the vines, the lawn, the water. I wish I could just live in the farmhouse, so well-decorated and so fun to sit on the porch with a glass of their wine, listening to the frogs and relaxing. Our wedding day was absolutely perfect, and what a wonderful setting for the ceremony under the willow tree! We've had numerous people tell us that this was the best wedding venue they'd seen, many wanted to know how we found it, and some wanted to book it themselves. Then there's the staff, who were incredibly responsive and helpful all along the way. We had a truly amazing experience.

we will be back on our next trip to Traverse City! :)

edding for over a year, and Kristi was so incredibly helpful throughout the entire planning process. She is extremely knowledgeable and always quick to respond and come up with great ideas. If you are considering this as your venue, go with it. You will NOT be disappointed! Highly recommend.

thing we needed at the farm house and the venue itself was well prepared and ready for guests. The entire experience, from choosing the venue to picking out wine, was easy thanks to their amazing communication. I wish I could re live that weekend at Aurora over and over.

perience possible! She had a bottle of wine with a personalized note waiting for us in the farmhouse to start the weekend off . Kristi even went to her house to get a Kitchenaid mixer so that our wedding cake could be made at the farm house the day before the wedding. Everything Aurora includes with their venue we could not find anywhere else. We cannot recommend and praise them enough! They made our special day completely perfect!

h and met our every need. The staff also made sure everything was in tip top shape and was on top of everything from start to finish. And on top of that, we were able to stay in the beautiful farmhouse on the property, which was the perfect place to get ready with my bridal party. I could not have imagined a more beautiful and perfect place to get married and we cannot wait to come back to visit for our anniversary next year! I would recommend this venue to anyone looking to get married in Northern Michigan!

s been so well put together to include everything you need for your wedding and the farmhouse is such a wonderful bonus to the package. We loved everything about our day and can't thank the Aurora Cellars staff enough for all the help they provided throughout the planning process and right up to the day of.

is surrounded by vineyard, trees, and a beautiful little pond that you really don't need to spend much time or money on decorations for the ceremony/reception. Their remodeled farmhouse is amazing and was perfect for my family to stay in and my bridal party to get ready at. Their wine is also amazing! We're so happy with how our day turned out, it couldn't have been more perfect.

ony and making sure we were set up for success. It turned out to be rainy that day and they offered up indoor options as a plan B. In the end, the day was perfect and if I could do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing. Thank you Aurora Cellars for a great experience!

answer any questions we have, prove we made the right choice in selecting Aurora Cellars as our venue. It doesn't hurt the wine is amazing, too! It's not just a location to them, and it is quite apparent that they truly care about making our wedding day the best day possible. We are very much looking forward to 8/15/15 and highly recommend this location if you are looking into a romantic and charming winery in Northern Michigan! - Ashley & Gene