The Homestead

food services, and both had some dishes that were quite dry. Additionally, I had some communication problems with the event planning staff.

rrive they can park their cars and relax. The beach is beautiful and perfect for sunset pictures and there are plenty of pools and hot tubs on property. Due to the weather, my wedding ended up being inside at Camp Firefly, but it was beautiful and the guests loved it. The food was also amazing and many of our guests complimented us on the food as well. Leading up to my wedding, I did experience a bit of stress with the planning of my wedding though. However, this was not the fault of my event planner. Currently, there are only two event planners for all of the weddings at the Homestead, making it nearly impossible to get the customer service that most brides expect leading up to your wedding. The turn over in event planners sounds like it may be a reoccurring issue which leads to issues with maintaining resort planning knowledge --meaning many questions were unable to be answered throughout the planning process. This caused confusion, frustration, and sometimes hidden fees to be discovered. Any bride that is considering the Homestead should just be aware that the planning process will be a bit frustrating, but it will end up being a beautiful wedding and worth it for your guests. Also, the salon on property is wonderful and so are the ladies that work there. They did an amazing job on my hair and makeup as well as for my wedding party. I highly recommend using them on the day of your wedding.

shall made everything flawless and I did not have to worry about a single thing. All our guests had a great time as well.

ing and catering makes for seamless planning. However, our good luck stopped there. We planned and coordinated our wedding details, timeline, and catering with Lynzie. She was very helpful and patient as we exchanged hundreds of emails over the course of a year and a half. However, The Homestead assigned a different coordinator for our day of needs, and Lynzie was not responsible for anything on our actual wedding day. I had heard great things about their experienced coordinator, Barb, who was assigned to our wedding day. I had sent pictures and written descriptions of our wedding layout and décor. When I arrived the navy overlays I provided were misplaced, tables were set incorrectly and some were out of place. Barb even told me I had not provided enough table covers and that my instructions were unclear (2 things you don’t tell a bride on her wedding day…) With guests outside enjoying cocktail hour, there was not much time to rectify her mistake. She and the team placed half of the table clothes correctly and the night went on. The food was great; however they had changed the fish recipe without warning and we were served a fish we had not approved as a meal option. When we went to clean up the next day, we had to call the staff to meet us. A third coordinator, whom we had never met, arrived very late and was unmotivated and generally unpleasant to work with. My parents and I packed everything ourselves with no help from The Homestead staff. The Homestead never returned our escort card holders, our cake topper, or our guest book (my parents had to return to the site and get the cake themselves, and the guestbook was later mailed to us after leaving a voicemail with the staff whom never returned our calls, the escort card holders were never returned and presumably thrown away) Last but not least, they’re lodging department could use a class on customer service. First and foremost, be warned that their check in time is 4pm, no exceptions. If you ask, they will suggest you either book your room for the night before or get ready in their public locker room (even if you are the mother of the groom). Our first issue came when we were promised that my 93-year-old grandmother would be in the room next to her daughter, this was even confirmed twice throughout the year. Upon check in my grandmother was not next to her daughter, in fact they were in completely different buildings. There was no compromise or attempt to rectify this. Secondly a guest was placed in a room with a faulty key. Instead of moving this guest, she was asked to call housekeeping anytime she wanted to enter her room, including past midnight following our wedding reception. Again, there was no compromise or attempt to rectify this situation for our guest. This property has been capitalizing on its location for years. I had heard rumors of its service degrading over the years, and unfortunately it is all true. You’ve been warned.

awe once they rode the chairlift up and looked across Lake Michigan. The food was to die for and they saved me and my husband some appetizers for us to much on before dinner. I would highly recommend this venue to anyone they have areas to accommodate all sizes or weddings on their property.

dding and it was PERFECT! We had a rehearsal dinner at CQs BBQ, the food was SO delicious! Our bartender, Liz, was just so lovely! We had a beach ceremony. Audrey was our day of coordinator-her demeanor was so easy going it helped calm me immensely. Our reception dinner was at Nonna’s and the food was the most amazing spread-we had a made to order menu that was over the top. We also included a farewell breakfast, again at Nonna’s and the spread was just UNBELIEVABLE! Everything from an omelet station and mimosas to lunch service. Just incredible. Once again, we had had the privilege of Liz as our bartender. Also, the ladies had manis and pedis done the day before the wedding at LilyJade-Erica and Nicole made us all feel comfy and beautiful at the salon. Last but certainly not least: JESSICA made my hair look so AMAZING!

ximum of 35 guests) which happened to be on the beach overlooking the Manitou islands and Sleeping Bear Point. The reception was upstairs at Nonna's Loft. Our guests loved the ceremony venue and loved the food at Nonna's. Lynzie was an excellent Wedding Sales Associate and Day-Of Coordinator. If you're thinking about having your wedding at The Homestead, do it!

ty. Lynzie, our sales rep/day-of coordinator, is one of the sweetest, most organized, on top of her stuff-kinda-person. She immediately got the vibe we were going for on our big day and not only helped make it happen, but anticipated our needs before we even knew we needed anything. Erica, Jess, and the rest of the LilyJade salon staff were also awesome and so easy to work with. The food was great, the drinks were flowing, the ceremony was gorgeous despite a liiittle rain, and our guests couldn't stop telling us that it was one of the best weddings they're ever been to. Recommend 100%!

njoy each moment of our special day. The icing on the cake was the magnificent setting on Lake Michigan and the beautifully manicured grounds of the Homestead - the perfect venue for any wedding event.

made sure our day went as smooth as possible. My bridesmaids and I got ready at the Lily Jade salon at the Homestead and once again, we were pampered from the moment we walked in. I would highly recommend the Homestead for a wedding venue to anyone who is considering it. You will not regret it!!!!

laxing on our wedding day because I knew things were under control. The staff at The Homestead were so prepared with every detail of our day that things moved flawlessly. The food and drink service was fantastic – so quick and friendly. It’s like they anticipated everything we would need and would have it to us before we could ask for it. Our guests loved The Homestead, too. They raved about both the resort and our wedding. So many people thanked us for inviting them because it provided them with a weekend getaway at such a beautiful place. I highly recommend this venue!!!

ly complaint is that our wedding was during the hottest part of the summer and the lodge was BLAZING hot!! We asked the wedding coordinator from The Homestead to turn the air conditioning up and we were told that she had to have permission first but she would see what she could do. It remained hot the entire reception. Other than that detail everything went off without a hitch. I would also like to point out that my husband's aunt was stung by a bee between the wedding and reception and a staff member was nice enough to find Calamine lotion and a band aid for her, as well as hunting down her shoe. Way above and beyond in our eyes and we appreciated that so much!! Obviously the price is a little steep but to have your ceremony and reception site, food, and staff all included, we were more than willing to pay for the convenience of it all. And in our eyes having our wedding in such a beautiful area is priceless!

Stunning atmosphere, amazing staff and relaxing and peaceful place to spend the weekend. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for an amazing up north wedding on Lake Michigan!! This just blew us away! :)

actual day and during the rehearsal. He was able to keep us all as focused as we could be and keep everything running smoothly. I didn't have to worry about anything because they had it all together!!

n find time to eat well on your wedding weekend. +rewards program for using The Homestead, points to stay for 1 year anniversary. + Wedding coordinators are awesome and super detailed and response time is FAST. +Totally worth the drive and the wait to have our wedding here and for our guest, everyone loved it too. =)

eautiful, we are still dealing with the aftermath of the mistakes made by the Homestead staff. HOMESTEAD STAFF STOLE FROM US: Multiple Homestead staff stole wedding cards with cash and checks in them during our reception. The Homestead will not reimburse the money that was stolen and has stopped responding to our inquiries over several weeks regarding the incident. They have fired a few suspected employees. OVERCHARGED OVER $5000: Our bill arrived two weeks before our wedding and I was shocked to see the total. In the 28 page bill, they had not applied a deposit of $4386 and they added our bill incorrectly, overcharging us $1000. Our coordinator admitted the error and sent me a new bill that was still incorrect. OVERCHARGED $1000 AGAIN: The new bill was still $1000 too much. They fixed it. BILL SENT TO STRANGER: The Homestead sent our bill to a former customer. FOOD PRICES: Price increases on food from 2015 to 2016 resulted in over a $1000 increase in cost that we were not expecting. When you book the homestead you do not lock in prices for food and beverage. AIR CONDITIONING DID NOT WORK AT RECEPTION: It was 90 degrees. The AC wasn’t working and the Homestead did not have fans. A Homestead employee complained about our guests who were upset about not having AC and that she had to ask the maintenance guy come in on a Saturday. (He didn’t fix the AC.) Meanwhile I was standing there with drenched hair and a sweat-soaked dress. The Homestead did give us a credit after we pursued compensation. AC DID NOT WORK IN ROOMS: The night before the wedding, the AC stopped working at Stony Brook. It was not fixed until the next day. The Homestead did give a small credit. POOR HORS D'OEUVRES: The veggie plate only had zucchini strips, large broccoli, some celery, and cherry tomatoes. The Homestead did credit us. SAD SALADS: We paid a large sum for tossed salads with veggies for our guests at the welcome dinner and at our reception and received salads that were basically lettuce with some onions on them. The Homestead did give a credit. SPRINKLERS: My brother and sister-in-law were drenched with sprinklers on barely lit paths after the reception ended. TARDY DRINK BILL: A few days after our wedding we were told we were receiving a credit for our drink deposit, but they would not tell us how much. It took almost two weeks. POOR ACCOMMODATIONS: The accommodations at the Homestead are drastically overpriced. If you have read other reviews, you will see that others agree. The rooms are outdated and disappointing for the cost. There was trash and dirty laundry in the halls all day. The homestead will claim that you are paying for the location and the view. Many of our guests voiced concerns over the quality of the rooms, the cost, and the staff. WILL NOT RETURN ITEMS FROM RECEPTION: The Homestead lost our cake knife and has not returned our cake plate nor our cake server and they will not return our messages.

nprofessional, careless staff (wedding sales, day of coordinators). Stay on top of them, keep records of everything, and prepare yourself for stress that they inflict. Do not fall under the impression that because you're paying a lot of money that they "take care of everything". We dealt with people not showing up for our meetings, clerical errors, being called the wrong names, over-charging, and computer/email/phone problems they blamed on "the storm" that took place almost a year prior.

carefully planned and she was always available at any time. Truly a pleasure to work with her. She was there everyday for us through the planning, the ceremony and the reception. Simply amazing. Our day of coordinator Connar McLeod was a dream to work with. She took charge of our vendors and the day of the wedding was so seamless and perfect. There was no stress, I repeat NO STRESS. My wife and I just had to show up and enjoy ourselves. You cannot put a price on that. The Homestead facility had our guests raving. The majestic views atop Bay Mountain, the waterfall and babbling brook of the Mountain Flowers Lodge provided a setting of a fairytale wedding. It was truly a magical day. Our guests are still talking about how friendly the entire staff was and how accommodating they were to special requests. Some special unique features included: a chairlift ride for our guests and the wedding party to the ceremony site. The "Closest to the Pin" challenge added an element of fun for all of our guests. We cannot recommend the Homestead Resort enough. If you desire a fairytale wedding, the Homestead and its staff will make that dream come true.

edding, to the clean up, they went above and beyond to make this the event of my lifetime. I had no stress or worries, and was fully able to enjoy my time with my new husband and our guests. Lynzie was there for an entire year, helping us with everything and always answering questions. Connar took charge of our vendors, and helped us the entire week of our wedding. She even got on her knees to help us wrap up extra flowers the morning after. Even the wait staff took care of us and our guests so fantastically. Especially Hillary. She anticipated everything we could ever need or want, and had it delivered to our table before we even asked. Our guests have been raving about their time at the resort. Most wished they could have stayed longer. We can't thank everyone at The Homestead enough. If you are looking for a perfect wedding in Northern Michigan, look no further than The Homestead Resort.

Plus, who doesn't want to take a chairlift to their cermony site!!

ndeniably beautiful (but most anything waterfront in northern Michigan is). We quickly decided we were settled and requested a contract for our review. After repetitive requests for a contract (over the span of a month) I began to feel leery about the venue, "if I was being ignored already how would they treat me once they had a deposit." I went above our consultant and emailed her boss that I was looking for a contract and felt as though the consultant wasn't adequately providing the information I requested. A week later I received an email that our consultant had left and that she would expedite getting a contract to me. The expedited process like every other request for a contract was a joke. After 2 weeks I was told that I could not have the beach wedding I was promised was feasible (a deal breaker for me). I am truly disgusted, at the time and money we spent to look at this venue. I am appalled at both the consultant and her boss' inability to do their job in a timely manner. My warning to anyone considering this venue is: 1. I began researching online reviews and found cleanliness issues with the property and the rooms. I am very glad I am not putting my guests in mold filled rooms (take a look at yelp). 2. I am not the only person who has received this lack luster (to put it kindly) customer service. I'm astonished that they are so neglectful to people that want to pay them money. There are other reviews on this site with similar experiences. 3. We have found a wonderful new venue in Traverse City where people return my communications in 24-48 hours or sooner. Don't settle on dealing with people that don't care about their job much less your special day. There are much better options in the Traverse City area. STAY AWAY!!!! (Note: I had over 25+ email reminders/phone calls in the 2 month span I was dealing with this venue. Our new venue was booked within 2 weeks with 8 emails (2 of which being contract related)).

he past 10 months had left the resort for other opportunities. The director of Group Sales, Barb Ellis, stepped up to the plate and was able to calm all of my nerves and make sure all my expectations were met and exceeded. She went above and beyond to make sure that all the promises that were made were executed. I got married on top of Bay Mountain and the reception followed in The Mountain Flowers Lodge. Barb and Lennox were there every step of the way to assure we had the perfect day and constantly checked in on me and my husband and made sure everything was going well and to see what else they could do to create the best experience for us and our guests. Dinner, Bar, Late Night Snack and S'mores all went according to the timeline and schedule I set and without a hitch. It was the most perfect day!!! I just wish the DJ was allowed to play past 11pm, as none of my guests were ready to leave the party!

oking forward to going back every year to make many more memories here!

k, as do we. A word of advice, trust your wedding coordinator to handle all the details. They know the best florists, bakers, photographers... These ladies will not let you down! Elizabeth (our coordinator), navigated us through the whole process. Above and beyond.... wow.

and if not The Homestead offers a shuttle around the resort. Plus they have some of the most beautiful views. Our wedding day went extremely smooth and I could not have asked for a better day. It was brisk outside (october) the views were amazing, bonfire smelled great and kept our guest warm while waiting at the mountain top. Riding the chairlift with my dad to meet my fiancé was so special. I could see my fiancé standing at the altar before he could get a good look at me. Instant tears for me. My husband noticed no one ever said no to us. From the front desk staff, wedding staff, maintenance, to the cleaning staff. If they didn’t know the answer they would ask. We had rented a mini van to haul all of our wedding stuff up and we ended up having a slow leak in one of the tires. The maintenance crew allowed us to use their air every morning to top off the tire. We would have had a flat tire to deal with if they did allow us to use the air. My mom and aunt were trying to find mums for the cocktail hour center pieces. They couldn’t find them anywhere. The banquet manager some how managed to find mums and allowed us to use them. That is just a few examples of their kindness and professionalism. The banquet/ bar staff were very friendly, professional and efficient. One of the ladies held mine and my husbands plate while walking through the buffet. That made me feel very special and thankful because i'm not the most graceful person and may have ended up with a wedding dress full of food. Most of our guest made a weekend out of our wedding so it was nice walking around the resort running into guests of our wedding. All of our friends and family had a great time. My all most 90 year grandma had the time of her life dancing with everyone. Everyone loved the food, resort, wineries near by and views and activities on site or nearby. We defiantly plan to vist The Homestead Resort every year.

ning a wedding at The Homestead. Any time I had a question or a concern I would email Elizabeth Curlew (our wedding coordinator) and she would respond asap (I'm sure I emailed her a bajillion times). First, you can not overlook how gorgeous the property is. Everything is so well maintained, you could not ask for a better venue. We had our ceremony and reception at the Camp Firefly venue, it was gorgeous! I love how secluded it felt, it was like we had the whole property to ourselves. Anything you can dream of The Homestead staff will make possible. We had a fall wedding and it had also been a dream of mine to have mini donuts and cider at our fall wedding, Elizabeth made it happen. I wanted to set up my ceremony completely different that they normally do, Elizabeth made that happen. And it wasn't just Elizabeth (who I can not stop singing her praises) it was everyone else. My guests loved how our bartender remembered their exact drink order and how friendly everyone was. You can tell they take pride in what they do. You are not just another wedding to them. If you are looking to get married in Northern Michigan, no need to look any further than The Homestead! My husband and I can not wait to go back up and visit!

y Mountain but, because of rain, was moved inside. The staff did a wonderful job setting up our ceremony indoors. Our reception was held at the Mountain Flowers Lodge which turned out absolutely beautiful as well. The room is so unique and required little decorating. They staff took care of every detail of the room and it turned out perfect. The food was amazing! We received so many compliments from our guests. Very happy we chose the Homestead and would love to return for vacation in the future!

ation with us the entire time. The resort was gorgeous, well-maintained and everyone from housekeeping to the management staff were friendly and helpful. Each and every person that assisted us on our Wedding Day at The Homestead provided us with a lifetime of memories. We not only built memories, but friendships with the staff there. We cannot wait for many more trips and a limetime of memories! Jennifer & Brian Garvas Cleveland, OH

Curlew was our coordinator and I can't stress enough how awesome she was. Everything was organized and planned from day 1. She made planning our wedding from a different state effortless and stress free. The packet they send you is a little daunting, but it makes the day of flawless. We had a small wedding (around 30 guests) on the beach followed by a reception dinner at Nonna's. The staff and Nonna's was professional and the food was amazing. Even my husband was impressed. We both highly recommend this venue for your wedding. Big or small they will make your day perfect. The only reason I gave a 4 star rating on the service was because a couple of our guests reported poor service at the pool area/bar over a couple of days. But as far as the wedding day it couldn't have been more perfect!

o tell us that our wedding was THE BEST wedding they've ever been to. Things we LOVED about The Homestead: 1. The service - The Homestead staff dedicated to our wedding were awesome and super responsive to emails and calls and willing to accommodate. (even the shuttle driver was super cool!) 2. The ceremony location (just pray for sunshine!) 3. The chair lift experience 4. 'Closest to the Pin' challenge during cocktail hour (hitting a golf ball off the mountain to hole 7) 5. The food was delicious! There really isn't one complaint I have about our wedding venue - I would absolutely choose that place again if I had to do it all over again.

ry step of the process. Everything went smoothly, from the tasting to the welcome BBQ to the main event! We had our wedding at the top of Bay Mountain and our reception at Mountain Flowers Lodge, and our guests thoroughly enjoyed both of these beautiful locations. The food and drinks were excellent (and we're serious foodies). The service was unbeatable- during the reception dinner our head table had a designated server who was wonderful and attentive. Little details throughout the day helped to make everything calm and joyful instead of stressful. We had complete confidence in the team and felt that all of the minor issues that inevitably arise during a big event were handled expertly and gracefully by the staff. We never had to worry about a thing. We can't recommend The Homestead highly enough. Your guests will love the their getaway at the resort, and you will love the tranquil environment and professional planning and event execution. We can't wait to return for future anniversaries at the resort! PS- Cavanaugh's has the best sandwiches we have ever tasted. Our groomsmen all got one the day of the wedding.

I was on the hunt for the perfect venue that would allow us to have the skiing vibe without having to be married in the dead of winter. We looked at a few large ski resorts in northern Michigan but once we arrived at the top of Bay Mountain on our initial meeting with the Homestead we knew that we had found the place we wanted to say I DO. The view overlooking Bay Mountain was just stunning and paired with the fact that our guests would ride the chairlift up the hill to our ceremony couldn't have been any more perfect for us. We chose Camp Firefly for our reception space to accommodate our smaller guest count and so that we would have a more intimate, family feeling for our day. Camp Firefly was equally as gorgeous with all of the flowers and the brooks intertwining throughout the grounds. Leading up to the day, I kept telling my husband that I wish I could have been with each one of our guests as they experienced the beauty of the Homestead for the first time. The road to our storybook day couldn't have gone smoother. Elizabeth our coordinator was on top of everything and was so quick to respond to my many questions regarding making our day just perfect. I had many details and decor elements that I wanted incorporated throughout our day. I kept asking her if I could help with the setup so I could make sure that my vision was properly executed and she kept assuring me that she could handle it. I'll be honest I was very nervous that the decor would turn out how I imagined but when I walked into Camp Firefly for the first time it was absolutely GORGEOUS!! Besides, executing my vision flawlessly, Elizabeth's hard working demeanor was evident from our well organized rehearsal and rehearsal dinner at Beppi's to the exceptional service at the reception. She and the rest of the Homestead staff was very attentive to the needs of myself and my husband as well as the needs of our guests. Elizabeth was on top of every detail and took care of every single hiccup immediately and with the utmost professionalism. I would highly recommend The Homestead, Elizabeth Curlew and the rest of the Homestead staff to anyone looking for a venue for their "storybook wedding". The amazing customer service and the stunning views will surely not disappoint. I would also recommend taking advantage of all that the Glen Arbor and Leelanau Peninsula area offers. We did an organized wine tour (with a shuttle bus) the day before the wedding and a canoe/kayak trip on the Crystal River the day after the wedding. It was wonderful being able to spend the extra time with our many out-of-town guests while allowing them to experience the beauty of area. We cannot wait to visit the Homestead again and hopefully we will be making it a family vacation destination down the road.

us and accommodated all of our needs. In addition, Guest services provided exceptional work in making the reservation process seamless for our guests. The guest accommodation offered for my family was an absolutely perfect fit for our needs. We wanted a place for the bridal party to get ready together that would be relaxing and spacious, and “Home 14” on Loggers Run provided just that. The ceremony was held a-top Bay Mountain which was absolutely gorgeous. The guests took advantage of the breath taking views for photo opportunities before and after the ceremony, and still talk about how unique and awesome getting to ride the chair lift up to the top of the Mountain was. The reception, held at Mountain Flowers Lodge, was everything we were looking for. From the great wooded beams and fireplace, to the beautiful waterfall backdrop and patio, we couldn’t have dreamt anything better. We will always treasure the memories made that weekend at the Homestead and will forever have a place to return to where we can remember the love we felt for each other on our Wedding Day.

eppi's Wedding: Top of Bay Mountain, Mountain Flowers Lodge. Here are a few observations from a parent's prespective: In talking with family and relatives the following was said repeatedly: • In making reservations – staff was very helpful and friendly. • Venue and Hotel grounds were beautiful – top of hill breath taking. • Welcome Party – Beppi’s venue was perfect! We loved the new décor, fireplaces, smore’s and the suggestion of pizza at the end was a great idea. Food was good, especially the chicken! All guests that attended the party really liked the idea of a casual get together the day before the wedding. Bride & Groom both felt it really allowed them to enjoy the wedding day without feeling rushed to greet everyone.I would highly recommend this to other wedding parties. • Reception food – was perfect – steaks were cooked to perfection, mushroom tart was delicious. Everyone was really impressed with how the food was served - a great effort was made to serve all food at each table at the same time. We know this took a lot of coordination and I want to make sure that you know that the little details were noticed and commented on. Guests were really impressed. We also used the Spa located on property- they did an amazing job as well. Brooke and Stephanie were very helpful with set-up and made sure that all of the “little problems” were quickly taken care of. They also offered great suggestions and really helped in making sure everything ran smoothly. Barb and Brooke did a wonderful job coordinating festivities. It was a wonderful weekend!

kept and you can't beat the fact that it is in the heart of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, it was gorgeous. We had such an awesome weekend up north! Every single person we talked to at resort was helpful and friendly. We didn't have a single bad experience with any of the staff. They were so helpful to us and also to our guests. We primarily worked with Barb and Mackenzie in group sales and I can't say enough good things about either of them. They made the planning and the wedding weekend run smoothly. Any question I had was answered quickly no matter how many questions I had :) I never had an issue getting in touch with them, which is really nice when working on planning a wedding. The overall cost was more than we had anticipated but it was worth it. We got everything we wanted and more. They did pretty much everything for us. I loved being able to look around on our wedding day and see that my vision of what our wedding was going to look like had been realized. It was absolutely beautiful. We had our wedding at Camp Firefly and loved the location. Our block of rooms was located at Stoney Brook Lodge, which is the most convenient for that location and those specific rooms are very, very nice. The rooms were all clean and seemed new. Our guests were very happy with their accommodations. If you are having guests come from out of town and they would rather not spend that much money on a room I would have a back up plan for some less expensive accommodations, however, you do get what you pay for! We feel very fortunate to have had our dream wedding and are so glad we have such a friendly and gorgeous place to return to every year. I would definitely recommend The Homestead to future brides.

om and I put together for over a year. They made sure we were taken care of. All of our guests loved this place and I can tell you this....we will be back for every anniversary and I know our guests will visit again. Hats off to the Homestead! This is the most beautiful resort location in Northern Michigan with an amazing staff. The venue suited us as a couple and they made our wedding so special. Special thanks to Barb, Mackenzie, Sandy, Sallie, Wellington, and Erika! Great Team!

omestead provided, there are equally as many frustrations we encountered throughout the wedding planning process and wedding day. The Homestead is a beautiful resort, the scenic views and venues are fantastic and breathtaking. The site fees seemed to be worth the high prices. The chair lift was another fantastic feature. Our guests loved riding the lift up to our ceremony site. The Homestead menu was wonderful and we were very pleased with the way the food tasted at the rehearsal dinner and wedding. Our guests that used the Homestead spa had wonderful things to say regarding the services they received. The wedding planning process is not very intimate, at times we felt rushed and unimportant. The Homestead is an expensive place to have a destination wedding and one would assume when you spend that much money, service is of the utmost importance and perfection is expected for your special day. The bar service throughout cocktail hour on the top of bay mountain was unorganized and lacked adequate supplies. I would not recommend booking additional activities through the Homestead (like golf) for your guests. We booked a golf outing and our guests paid individually (which was organized ahead of time) and the Homestead is attempting to double charge us for the group. So, overall it was an amazing day for us but I question if it was worth all the money.

ny at the top of Bay Mountain--priceless! The ride up to the top via either the ski chairlift or golf cart transportation added an element of uniqueness. The sound system was concert quality. A cocktail party at the mountain top gave guests added views of not only Lake Michigan but Glen Lake as well. The reception at the Mountain Flowers Lodge at the base of the mountain was elegant. The "my pleasure" service of the staff was appreciated by all. The food was tasty and nicely presented. A Welcome Barbecue for all of the guests which we hosted the evening before the wedding was held at Camp Firefly on The Homestead grounds. This location, also a venue for smaller weddings, was charming, casual and fun. The staff served quality beverages and the barbecue menu was delicious and it did not compete with the more formal menu of the wedding. Our guests continue to rave about the wedding at The Homestead! We wholeheartedly give The Homestead, its service staff and attentive administrative staff a 5-star rating. For anyone who is planning large events we especially remind wedding clients to keep a watchful eye on details (our very slight discrepancies in the bill and inaccurate number of seats/place settings at the wedding were all resolved quickly. Although seemingly minor we felt them important enough to mention to anyone who is planning events here or anywhere else for that matter.)

Niether Mother Nature, nor family dynamics, always cooperate in those goals, and yet the staff of The Homestead were diligent in preparing, persistent in follow-up, and most notably, successful in their efforts to make this a wonderful wedding experience. The "marriage-on-the-mountain" was beautiful. Family and friends reunited and made new freinds, And many discovered The Dunes and the beauties of Michigan for the first time.

ything. We didn't have a single worry from the time we arrived to after the wedding. And even though we were the first wedding of the season, the staff was very well trained and took great care of us. Barb was phenomenal, professional and always there to answer any questions you may have. Overall, we could not have planned a better weekend! It is beautiful place and outstanding staff, you will not regret having your wedding there!

irst scheduled time to come visit the resort with my fiance and parents. After emailing back and forth with Barb and setting up a time for a tour, we settled on a Sunday morning. After the 3.5 hr drive, upon arrival on the date we agreed on (per the email) Barb was not there and there was no one to show us around. She had written the appointment down for the wrong weekend. Instead, some poor receptionist had to give us a tour and wasn't really able to answer many of our questions. This should have been a warning sign, but the beautiful ceremony site on top of the mountain overlooking Lake Michigan and the chair lift ride had sold us. Barb is the worst communicator. Her emails are never clear, if she even bothers to respond to you at all. She ALWAYS responded to my father, though… We finally were "allowed" to come up to The Homestead for our tasting. So after we get there and had to wait for Barb, who is late for EVERYTHING we get to eat the food we selected. The apps they served us were still cold, meatball was frozen in the middle, pork was dry and the fish was grey and slimy. We politely expressed our concern and talked to the chef, who did not instill any more confidence. He told us the menu was new and he just hadn't had a chance to get a handle on the new items, and also that he didn't get there early enough to properly prep the food. I had to send my Banquet Event Order back 7 times. The first time I gave them a very organized, bulleted list of everything I needed changed, and they would fix 40% of the items listed every time I sent it back, with no explanation as to why they didn't do some of them. When we got up to drop off all of our décor the weekend of the wedding, a young girl came to meet us eventually and she was quite obviously hung over. Luckily, I had every tiny detail written down of how we wanted things set up, or who knows what would have happened. She also made the mistake of telling me the day before my wedding that the chair lift wasn't working. Then quickly goes, "oops, I wasn't supposed to tell you that." They also forgot to put out one of our kegs. We didn't realize until the end of the night, when my husband went to get me a beer and the bartender looked at him like I was crazy. The catering manager came up to us and asked us if we wanted to tap it now, but it was 20 minutes until the reception had to end. So no! Take it off the bill! My wedding was beautiful. And for the most part, the actual day went great. Like I said, a few minor things, but if you didn't plan it, you may not have known any better. But overall, they nickel and dime you for EVERYTHING because of the destination and because they can. I would not recommend getting married here, and I certainly will not take any of my clients here. You couldn't pay me to work with these people again.

l wedding they have ever been too! When meeting with the Homestead in the beginning stages of our wedding planning, we shared with them that the most important thing for us was that we got married outside, that the food was amazing, and that our guest who were all coming from great distances, were well taken care of. The Homestead staff did not just meet our expectations, but exceeded them. Our coordinator Brooke was available to us during our entire stay not just to my husband and I, but our parents and the wedding party as well. She along with the other staff managed the flow of the events so well, that it only provided us with a lot of freedom to really enjoy every bit of our day. Changes in our count kept coming up at the last second, and the Homestead staff were so great about it, when it was stressing us out to have to say...Oh we have another change. Can you accommodate it? We were completely WOWed with the extraordinary customer service we received. It's rather nerve racking when you are planning a destination wedding, and spending a lot of money, and not sure if it would all be worth it. My husband and I agreed that every penny we invested in our wedding and with the Homestead we felt was worth cent and would do it again! They really take a lot of pride, and are very intentional to make sure our day was a memorable. My recommendations for future couples: YES go with the Homestead! You will not be disappointed! Ladies...Go for the Lily Jade Salon for your hair and make-up! It was so worth it! They did an amazing job, and it was so conveniently located on the property, and helpful with my bridesmaids and I getting dressed there. I Totally recommend doing a bonfire for your guest the day before the wedding when they come in after they check in. OUR GUEST LOVED IT! It was a great way to socialize and mingle with everyone one Our wedding was on a Friday, we got up there Wednesday night, left on Sunday. I would recommend you do the same! Give your self time to enjoy the experience, be with your guest and soak it all in. We left for our honeymoon on Tuesday, and it was perfect, we really felt like we gave ourselves enough time for it all, versus racing out! We can't wait to go back and visit the Homestead again and relive all the wonderful memories that were created!

was very helpful in getting us organized and helping to make our experience at The Homestead very enjoyable. Our guests raved about the resort and how well the employees treated everyone. Our wedding went off very smoothly - the wedding team does a wonderful job at keeping a scheduled timeline and helping everyone understand where they should be. While we had a tight timeframe and schedule of events, I never felt rushed from one thing to another. They did a wonderful job at making us feel special on our wedding day. I cannot express how amazing it was to have our wedding on the top of the mountain overlooking the beautiful lake, reception at the Mountain Flowers Lodge, and have a place for our guests to spend the weekend. Most of our guests made a family vacation out of our wedding - we even made a whole weekend of events for our guests to extend the festivities. We included a welcome dinner the night before our wedding and an organized wine tasting tour (with shuttle bus included) for the day after. It was our mini up north destination wedding. The Homestead crew did a fantastic job of helping us organize all of our events and I never felt a bit of stress the whole weekend. My husband and I would both highly recommend the Homestead as an up north destination wedding.

oughout the planning process. I also want to thank the entire staff at Lilly Jade salon - they did a phenomenal job with hair and makeup and really made the day-of prep fun and memorable for me and my wedding party. Guests continue to rave about what a wonderful, special weekend it was and we're thrilled by that. The Bay Mountain ceremony site is unmatched,everyone loved riding up in the ski lifts, and also exploring the property and the Peninsula. It was very fun to have all our guests staying together in the same place. Thanks again to the Homestead staff for a weekend we'll never forget! Cheers, Maddy and Anthony Philipp

stay here, as bride and groom, we loved the Stoneybrook Lodge and then for our wedding night we stayed at Little Belle and it was so beautiful. PROS Helpful staff Lillyjade Salon (LOVED the girls there!!!) Beautiful venues Gorgeous location Flexibility Lots of activities Food at the Cafe Manitou brunch Buttercream wedding cake CONS Quality and portion of the reception food Not enough bread with the salad

hey enjoyed our wedding because the resort is so relaxing and beautiful. There were a couple hiccups with vendors outside of The Homestead but the staff (especially Barb) made sure that I was ok, my guests were happy and things continued to run smoothly. The set up and tear down of all our decor could not have been easier. I met with Stephanie for about 10 minutes to tell her how I wanted everything set up. She took notes and it looked beautiful on our wedding day!

onths later I still have people telling me how beautiful it was and how much they enjoyed themselves. Emily Anderson (wedding/event planner) was with me every step of the way through the planning process and whatever I asked (and my mom asked) Emily was not only there to look into it, but to make it happen. Everything we wanted we had and Emily and the staff were the ones that made our wedding so easy and enjoyable! The food was fantastic ( all 130 guests agreed on that!) and the staff were amazing, kind and ready to help with whatever we needed. We planned a wedding weekend and had all our guests stay from Friday to Sunday with golf on saturday and a bon fire on saturday night. All of this was put together by Emily and the staff- it was so flawless and done with so much ease! All we had to do was say how many people were coming and what we needed to drink... and then enjoy :) The Homestead exceeded our expectations! Our family will be going back for years to come to enjoy the beauty and remember our phenomenal experience. We definitely had a budget and were able to come in right below that number. We were able to provide our guests with more than I expected and we had everything we wanted/needed for our wedding weekend! They provide you with many options so a plethora of budgets can be met without a problem :) In conclusion- The Homestead, its staff, location and natural beauty are what make it (in my opinion) an ideal place to have a wedding. What more could you ask for... Lake Michigan at its finest, wonderful people who want to make your dream come true and guests who can enjoy your special day AND the beauty of The Homestead!

s an amazing coordinator who never lost her calm and always made us feel special. All of the staff made us feel like ours was the only wedding they were doing, which isn't possible, but is a testament to how important they make you feel. And the location is breath taking in any season. The Homestead will always and forever remain special to me. I look forward to celebrating anniversaries there!

sts were delighted to ride a chairlift to the top- and our reception was at Mountain Flowers Lodge. Both sites exceeded our expectations! The resort staff were helpful, from Sally and the rest of the Lilyjade Salon staff who coordinated a bridesmaid spa day to Robin who was our wedding coordinator (who deserves an award for being kind and helpful to both me and my dad!). While no wedding is without glitches, ours were not visible thanks to the dedicated staff. Thank you for helping turn my wedding dreams into the most amazing day and week!

planning process to the day we arrived for our wedding, Barb Ellis and The Homestead team were always ready and willing to help. The service was impeccable all weekend long and both the ceremony and reception went off without a hitch. We got married on top of the mountain and our reception was in Mountain Flowers Lodge and we're still getting compliments on the sheer beauty of it all. The food was excellent and our guests have commented that it was the best wedding food they've ever had. The lodging is extremely convenient and every room we saw exceeded our expectations! It felt as if we were on vacation, but we knew everyone there! It was a really awesome experience. Plus, there's plenty to do on the resort and in Glen Arbor and Traverse City is only a short drive away. Our guests were never bored and really took advantage of "The Most Beautiful Place in America"! Me and my bridal party also used Lilyjade Salon the morning of our wedding and the girls there were SO nice and did SUCH a good job on our hair and makeup! The Homestead really is a one stop shop and if you're still trying to make up your mind, take it from the bride and just do it!!! You will not be disappointed!! It is WELL worth every penny!! :)

weekend out of the wedding and hosted and bonfire there the night before the wedding. No hassle weekend free of worry!

t otherwise! The food was also excellent... a lot better than I expected! I have to say though, that prior to the wedding, the staff was helpful, but didn't exactly offer additional information. I had to remind myself that they were in it to make money and not be my friend. There seemed to be a lot of hidden charges and things weren't exactly cheap to start with. They seemed to not like it that we didn't have a lot of guests staying there (we're from Leelanau County, so naturally, our guests wanted to stay at their homes!) It was not a "destination wedding" for us, but they kept pushing that. However, the location is perfect and we chose this venue because of the top of the mountain ceremony (we always wanted an outside ceremony) and because the reception was on site as well. If I were to do it over again, I would go with The Homestead. There are things there such as the chair lift and the cocktail hour on top of the mountain after the ceremony that certainly make it a very memorable wedding for everyone. I have had many guests say that it was the best wedding they have ever attended!

n we didn't see a champagne we wanted he found us one us one we loved that wasn't on the list with no issue. Even after the wedding our guests are asking for the name of the wine/champagne. The waitstaff were friendly and a joy to have working with us. I truely cannot say enough wonderful things about this place and the people who work there who helped me have the perfect wedding!

e service and quality was worth it. the food was wonderful. Our guest said they never had such good wedding food. and the staff was always there to help us. We have had so many people tell us it was the best wedding they had ever been to.

the manager of the spa there and get an appointment - nicest spa experience EVER! They opened the place up and totally catered it to our afternoon there. Lots of lovely places to visit and see near Glen Arbor, like the dunes. And, it's only 20 - 30 minutes from Traverse City which always has great shopping and sites to see that are open.

r wedding in a place that is not only special but reflects my favorite part of the area -- the beauty of Lake Michigan and Northern Michigan. The Homestead is perfectly positioned overlooking the lake, amidst the beautiful trees and nature. We knew a fall wedding would be gorgeous here and it was! Second, with all of our guests flying in from out of town, we wanted a place where all of the guests could not only stay on the same property but enjoy our wedding weekend as a vacation. Again The Homestead was superb. All of the accommodations, no matter the more economical or expensive were luxurious and top of the line. The property presented great options for our guests to enjoy their stay whether eating at the many restaurants, golfing, enjoying the spa, shopping, etc. MANY of our family and friends have said after getting there, they wished they had taken more time off to explore the resort and the area. When it came to our wedding again all I heard from our guests were rave reviews. My husband and I met on a ski trip, so the ski lift to the Top of the Mountain was a magical, fun experience and favorite for all. The Top of the Mountain view (where we did our wedding toast) was breathtaking, and Mountain Flowers Lodge was sensational in terms of the inside beauty of wood and stone and the fireplace and waterfall outside. It was classy yet comfortable and most importantly memorable for all. The only slight negative (disclaimer: our guests loved everything - this was just what I and those helping me experienced as the bride/planner) is that at times the staff was a little hard to work with. I understand they are very busy, but at times it was very hard to reach the wedding coordinator, we often felt incredibly rushed at our meetings and she sometimes seemed too busy with someone else's wedding. Each bride wants to feel their wedding is special and that the staff appreciates their business. In the end though, our wedding was beautiful and all of the actual wedding-day staff were wonderful from the ski-lift staff to the person who drove us to the beach for our pictures to the Banquet Manager, to the fill-in wedding coordinator (she was sensational!!!) and servers. One other minor disappointment: our tasting was much better than the actual night. We were hesitant to choose beef tenderloin because we were worried if it would be overcooked. However at the tasting every detail of the meal was over the top and we were assured it would be the exact same high-quality. We were even told our request for special vegetables (such as carrots with the stems on them; purple potatoes, etc.) would be honored. Instead the meat was overcooked and the veggies looked like a chopped medley from the frozen bag. Our disappointment wasn't with the actual meal but rather that we were promised a higher quality, made our choices accordingly and then were let down. HOWEVER the complimentary wedding cake was absolutely hands down the BEST wedding cake we ever tasted. And in the end although many of our guests commented on the "typical wedding food" (exactly what we wanted to avoid) the location, staff and venue made our wedding anything but typical. It made it a unique, memorable event we and our guests will remember forever.

tain. It was incredible. Our rehearsal was the first time seeing the view (due to winter activities) and it took our breath away. Our Our guests along with my husband and I loved riding the ski lift to and from the top of the mountain. It was thrilling for some and so romantic for us. The staff at The Homestead far exceeded our epectations. We told them what we would like and they made it happen. The day could not have been more perfect. The sun was shining but the clouds arrived just in time to make pictures really beautiful. The reception was held at Camp Firefly. It looked amazing and the staff did everything there. We did not have to do anything but show up! The food was incredible. Most everyone went back for more. The staff that assisted us at Camp Firefly even plated food for my Grandparents and served them before we could ask them to. Throughout the weekend every staff member seemed to know we were getting married and gave us well wishes. The Wedding Planning staff were so easy to work with and so very nice. It was like they took all our worries from us, handeled it and let us enjoy our day. It was an amazing experience. It was more than we had budgeted but it was so worth it. My husband and I are planning to return to the resort for our anniversary to enjoy and relive it all over again!

e were smitten. We booked an appointment with The Wedding Coordinator a few months later, and made the long drive (6 hours) to meet with her only to find her distracted and hard to work with. She was trying to rush our appointment and wouldn’t answer any of our questions, just gave us a packet and told us all of our answers would be in there. We should have just cut our losses then and searched for a new venue, but we loved the property too much and tried to make excuses for her behavior on that day. We decided to book our wedding there and only found the staff to be more difficult to work with. We met with the Wedding Coordinator a few additional times before the wedding, and every time we had to reiterate everything that we told her in the last meeting. She would forget our plans and our timelines and we would have to spend more time going over it with her. They were also not accommodating to our needs, making everything difficult for us to plan (not allowing us to bring in edible favors unless we bought them through them at an outrageous price), etc. When the wedding day came and they were un prepared, we were told many times before hand that they handled the timing of the event and made sure that everything went smoothly, however my father-in-law was running around trying to figure out when they began, and trying to locate any employee to get the thing started. Their staff was rude to our guests during our wedding, wouldn’t turn the heat down even though it felt miserable in there and my grandmother had to leave because she was feeling ill from the heat. We looked forward to having our wedding on the beautiful property, but we were left with a bad taste in our mouth, and honestly wouldn’t even go back there to vacation.

t was all worth it in the end, but the cost surprised us initially. We loved our experience and would definitely recommend The Homestead!

est of our lives!

s that there is an amazing team behind the scenes that know how to work out all the details so the only thing you have to think about is enjoying your day! Barb Ellis acted as our events coordinator and she did an amazing job keeping the timeline on track and all of the guests happy. Neil helped us with our food selections, and it was all fabulous! In fact, the beef tenderloin was so good, that we actually began to run out, but Neil and Barb had anticipated this, and had more tenderloin preped an ready to go before we ever ran out of the first round! The servers and bar staff were also incredibly kind and helpul. Many of our guests commented on this. They even saved an appetizer sampling for my husband and I when we missed cocktail hour due to a little extra picture time (our photographer couldn't get enough georgeous shots of us on the beach, with the hills and dunes in the background...too many beautiful backdrops to choose from!) Thanks to a beautiful location and an amazing staff headed up by Barb and Neil, our wedding day truly was the best day of our lives.