From the breathtaking views, delicious food, and wooded grounds, Stonecliffe exceeded our expectations. When we asked couples what they would do differently at their wedding, they always responded: a destination wedding and a smaller guest coun...t. We tried to follow that advice and have NO regrets. It was the perfect crowd (50 people). Find other ways to honor that extended family, like a shower. Having a “destination” like Mackinac is a great default to keep your list on the lower side so you can truly enjoy yourself. This day is about you two, so make sure your priorities are met!
If you can’t decide where to have your ceremony, I’d recommend the front lawn to keep the bridge and portico a surprise. We were originally in the grotto and 2 hours before the ceremony, with the rain, we switched to the front lawn to have the mansion as our background. We purchased 60 black and white umbrellas from Home Depot (only $4 each!) to be outdoors, and as soon as we got off the carriages, it stopped raining! Stonecliffe’s layout was perfect for our wedding, as it allowed all of us to have enough room to not feel on top of one another, all while enjoying the grounds. I strongly recommend taking advantage of the entire property and get the portico. This allows you to take time with your guests, get photos, eat and drink.
Becky Miller was wonderful to work with. She was quick to respond to emails, phone calls, and edits of agendas/docs. Becky worked with our vendors to quickly coordinate our last-minute change of plans. She also helped offset the costs when we had changes with COVID – we were able to roll our shoulders back knowing that we weren’t losing $ from unforeseen circumstances. Becky’s professionalism may come off as a bit dismissive, as she is very concise with her answers, but realize (as I had to!) she is coordinating multiple weddings A WEEK and for her to keep all this straight is a triumph. She worked tirelessly our entire day and was so helpful with making us feel like everything was taken care of, especially our unique requests. I am grateful to have had her on the property helping us during the rehearsal and the entire wedding day.
We wanted to have a vegetarian-heavy wedding and eliminate factory-farming ingredients – Stonecliffe did NOT disappoint. The hors d'oeuvres were SO good. We had spring rolls, bruschetta, goat cheese filos, and strawberry crostinis. Everyone loved them. We also had an open bar and a champagne bar that was a table on the portico with flowers. For the reception, we had the Stonecliffe salad and a choice of the whitefish, mushroom ravioli, or a vegan entrée. The ravioli was incredible. I ate my entire plate of it! Strongly recommend, even if you are on the fence about mushrooms (my husband took some off my plate!). We had a dessert bar and our cake by Annie’s. While very good, there was a lot of desserts for 50 people, so most went to waste. We tried to take as much as we could, but a lot got thrown! Be sure to limit splurging on sweets, as a lot of people are full and dancing + drinking will have begun. If you are the bride, BE SURE to make time for food! Don’t be the bride that didn’t eat at her wedding, because the food was delicious.
We are so incredibly grateful to have had our wedding at the Inn at Stonecliffe. It is worth every penny and will be a night you and your guests will never forget!