Rehearsal Dinner

First United Methodist Church

Wedding Ceremony

DoubleTree by Hilton Bay City - Riverfront

Reception

Our Wedding

Airports 

The most natural airports to consider are MBS or DTW. Saginaw and Bay City are served by TriCity Airport, also know as MBS (Midland, Bay City, Saginaw) International Airport. Both Delta (from Detroit) and United (from Chicago) fly into MBS. Less expensive airfare and more frequent/direct flights are typically available into Detroit (DTW), although this would also add about a 2 hour drive to Saginaw (where the wedding is) or 2.5 hour drive to Bay City (where the reception is). Often the best driving route from DTW airport to Saginaw/Bay City is to head west on I-94 to Ann Arbor, then go north on US 23 which merges with I-75 just south of Flint, taking I-75/US 23 the rest of the way. Traffic is lighter earlier in the day on Friday before Michiganders start heading north to their weekend retreats. More details below. MBS Airport is served by a complimentary shuttle to the Doubletree Hotel.

Getting to the Church

For those who are driving directly to the church from the south, come up US-23 and take the I-675 exit toward downtown Saginaw. go 3.5 miles on I-675 to exit 3 for M-58/ Davenport Avenue toward Michigan Avenue. From the exit, go west 3.8 miles (Davenport Avenue merges into State Steet). Turn left (south) at the traffic light for Center Road (Walgreens is on the corner where you turn). Go south 2 miles. At the traffic light, turn left (east) onto M-46, Gratiot Road. In only 0.2 miles, the church will be on the left just past the shopping strip and Edgewood Assisted Living facility. The entrance to the church parking lots is just past Edgewood. If you go past the Saginaw Country Club and underneath a pedestrian bridge, then you will have gone too far on Gratiot and should turn around. If you are going to the church from the Doubletree Hotel in Bay City, it is about a 30 minute drive to the church. The easiest route is to exit the hotel and just beyond the parking garage turn right on M-25 W and cross the adjacent bridge over the river. Stay on M-25 until S. Euclid Avenue, M-13. Turn left (south) on S. Euclid, go 1.2 miles and turn right (west) on M-84 which becomes Bay Rd. in Saginaw. Turn right (west) onto Tittabawasee Rd (major intersection) and continue 2 miles to traffic light at Center Road. Turn left (south) and go south about 4.5 miles. At the traffic light, turn left (east) onto M-46, Gratiot Road. In 0.2 miles, the church will be on the left just past the shopping strip and Edgewood Assisted Living facility. The entrance to the church is just past Edgewood Assisted Living. The church has front and rear parking lots. Church parking: The church has a one way entrance and a one way exit, but it is possible (due to repaving) that only one of these will be open, in which case it will handle traffic in both directions. The front lot is the closest to the sanctuary (where our wedding will be) and will be open for parking, but it probably will not have enough spaces for everyone. Ordinarily there is also a back parking lot, but that might not be available due to repaving or would have a rough surface if the repaving is only partially done. There is also overflow parking available next door at Edgewood Assisted Living Center at 4850 Gratiot Road (about one city block walk from the church). It would help if a few people who do not have mobility issues park either at Edgewood or the back side of the church to leave the spaces in the front for those who need them. Accessibility: The church has handicapped parking near the accessible front door, which is the closest entrance to the sanctuary. Wheelchairs and walkers are available inside the front entrance, on the right. There is parking available both in the front and back of the church. There is a family/handicapped restroom just to the right when facing the sanctuary.

GETTING TO THE RECEPTION FROM THE CHURCH

It is about a 30 minute drive (according to Google Maps) between the church and the reception location, namely the Doubletree Hotel in Bay City. We allowed plenty of time after the wedding for everyone to drive to Bay City and for people to check in to the Doubletree Hotel (which has a 4 pm check-in) if needed, before the reception begins at 5pm.

To go from the church to the reception, you will want to exit the church with a right turn (onto M-46, Gratiot Rd), go a short distance to the first traffic light, and turn right (north) on Center Road. Go north on Center Rd 5.7 miles to Tittabawasee Rd, turn right (east) at the traffic light and go 2 miles to traffic light at Bay Road (M-84). Turn left, following M-84 north to S. Euclid Avenue (M-13) and turn left (north) onto S. Euclid. Go north for 1.2 miles to W. Thomas Street (M-25) and turn right (east).&nbsp;Go 1.3 miles on W. Thomas Street (crossing the Saginaw River) and you will see the Doubletree Hotel on your left. Once over the bridge, turn left (north) on M-84 North. The Comfort Inn will be on your left. Go 2 blocks and turn left into the Doubletree. Parking: There is a big parking lot near the lobby of the Doubletree and also a parking deck on the other side of the hotel. People attending the reception may park in either one. If you prefer to have as short as possible a walk from parking to the reception, the parking deck is closer to Ballroom A/B where the reception will be.

Getting Here

Lisa Adams

Aubrey Dugger

Edith Wun

David Dugger

Tricia’s cousin (or more accurately "daughter of first cousin")

Elizabeth Wendi Schulz

Tricia’s cousin (or more accurately "son of first cousin")

Darian Galastri-Small

Wedding Party

The reception will be held at the Doubletree Hotel by Hilton, Bay City Riverfront. There is a block of rooms at this hotel being held for our group. The wedding room rate is available for reservations until June 13th. The rooms are available at the group rate for Friday and/or Saturday nights. Half of the rooms in the block are river view (at the higher price) and half are city view (at the lower price). All of the rooms at this hotel have a microwave and small refrigerator. The hotel provides a complimentary shuttle to and from MBS Airport. There are many restaurants within walking distance of the hotel, including one at the hotel with a nice river view. You may need to call the hotel to get the special rate and ask for the Hersh/Dugger wedding block.

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Bay City - Riverfront

Other hotels within walking/short driving distance include a Comfort Inn and a Marriott Courtyard (the "Uptown Bay City" location). Alternatively, there are also hotels in Saginaw at the I-675 exit for Tittabawasee Rd (e.g. Sheraton Four Points, Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn, Springhill and Townplace Suites).

Saginaw River with park area along both shores — view from the Doubletree Hotel.

Hotel/Reception Location

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR AN  INTERACTIVE MAP OF THE HOTEL AREA

PEDESTRIAN SOCIAL DISTRICT

Live music, bars and and restaurants can be found just two blocks away at the intersection of Saginaw Street and Center Avenue. This area is blocked from cars and provides both indoor or outdoor enjoyment.

Wenonah Park, next to the Doubletree, along the river

This 6.1-acre park is centered on an amphitheater and is used primarily for arts performances at the World Friendship Shell. It is decorated with a large oval sculpture and water fountain that can be seen down the length of Center Avenue. It also includes children play equipment, pictured below, just steps from the Doubletree parking lot.

Children's Playground Equipment is steps away.

World Friendship Shell is a pleasant walking distance along the river in Wenonah Park.

Delta College Planetarium

Delta College Planetarium, next door to the Doubletree Hotel, is worth visiting if the doors are open. <a href="https://www.delta.edu/planetarium/visit.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">More details click here.</a>

Scheduled Weekend Hours:Friday, 10am – 3:30pmSaturday, 1 – 5pmSunday,&nbsp;Closed

Bay Antique Center

The <a href="https://bayantiquectr.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bay Antique Center</a> is known for its variety of merchandise and the friendly knowledgeable dealers that offer it.&nbsp;

Hotel Area

Area Highlights: Bay City, Michigan Bay City is close to Lake Huron, specifically on Saginaw Bay, with various parks next to Lake Huron featuring wetlands and bird watching. The reception itself is right next to a park alongside the Saginaw River which feeds into Saginaw Bay. Bay City is known for its collection of antique stores and fairly vibrant downtown with quite a few restaurants and bars north a few blocks from the Doubletree. There are several interesting antique shops along Water Street about 4 blocks north of the hotel. A bit south of the Doubletree along the river is an area called Uptown with several upscale restaurants, a highly rated wine bar called Prost and a gourmet ice cream parlor. Saginaw, Michigan <a href="https://www.saginawzoo.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Saginaw Children's Zoo</a> is a relaxing place for family time. In addition to its child size animals, it features a children's train ride around the zoo and a carousel. <a href="Mid-Michigan Children&#39;s Museum" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mid-Michigan Children's Museum</a> features interactive exhibits with an emphasis on science. Midland Michigan <a href=" https://dowgardens.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dow Gardens</a>: 110 acres of beautiful gardens with 20,000 annual varieties. This is quite impressive and beautiful. Admission to Dow Gardens includes the Nation's longest <a href="https://www.gogreat.com/blog/explore-the-nations-longest-canopy-walk-inside-whiting-forest-of-dow-gardens-in-midland/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Canopy Tree Walk</a> <a href="https://cityofmidlandmi.gov/1672/The-Tridge" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Tridge</a>: Also nearby in Midland is a very unique 3-legged wooden footbridge where two rivers meet, called "The Tridge". There are walking paths, a dog park and a frisbee golf course near the Tridge. <a href="https://www.frankenmuth.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Frankenmuth, Michigan</a> A bit farther away to the south, but maybe a worthwhile stop on your way to Saginaw/Bay City. This small Bavarian style town is the home of interesting small shops, quite good German food, water parks, as well as the extensive <a href="https://www.bronners.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland</a> . Farther Afield In case you decide to spend extra days e.g. in the Detroit area or elsewhere in Michigan or the Midwest, some additional interesting places are: Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum (Dearborn, near Detroit), Detroit Institute of Arts (with famous Detroit Industry murals of Diego Rivera), Comerica Park (where Detroit Tigers play), Greektown (good food in downtown Detroit), and Ann Arbor (home of University of Michigan, also near Detroit airport). A bit farther away are: Cedar Point Amusement Park (Sandusky, Ohio, one of the very best roller coaster parks in the world), Traverse City (several hours drive but popular and includes the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore), and assorted towns along the shores of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. There are often better airfares mid-week, if you do decide to spend extra days in the area.

Tri-City Area Highlights

Please RSVP by June 10

Please click on the link below to RSVP:

You may email your reply to:

LJHERSH@GMAIL.COM

PLEASE INCLUDE EACH MEMBER OF YOUR GROUP IN YOUR RSVP. 

The RSVP form asks about things such as dietary restrictions.

RSVP Here

Wedding Gifts 

We are delighted to have friends and family share this happy occasion with us! Your presence at our wedding would be a wonderful gift to us. It is really not necessary to give us a wedding gift. We know that some of you want to get us a gift that will help us start our married life. If that’s the case, our suggestion is to give us a gift card and any suggestions you have for its use; see below for some local stores we like. This would be easier than transporting gifts from Saginaw/Bay City to Oregon. This would also help ensure that gifts do not arrive and sit on our front porch while we are still traveling in connection to our wedding. Alternatively, we would be delighted if you chose to make a donation in our honor to the charity you care most about.

Below is contact info for some nice local stores in Eugene, Oregon which have things we could really use in our new house and yard (a kitchen store and two stores with very useful outdoor items, as we spend much of our spare time in the kitchen and in the yard). Gift certificates or gifts from Pepperberries Kitchen Store (phone number 541-485-6922, address 2538 Willakenzie Rd. Eugene, OR 97401).&nbsp;Our pans are all pretty worn out, so we could use an assortment of new pans as well as some other kitchen items.&nbsp;We could pool together gift certificates for some larger items such as a Le Creuset Dutch oven and also could use some smaller items.&nbsp;Pepperberries is a local store with a wide assortment of really high quality pots and pans (brands like Lodge, Le Creuset and Heritage Steel) and all sorts of other very useful kitchenware.&nbsp;They are happy both to sell gift certificates and to conduct a gift registry for us over the phone. We have given them a list of some specific items we could use. Warning: Do not buy a gift certificate from their web site, as we were recently alerted by the store that there is a web site not operated by Pepperberries that purports to be selling gift certificates to Pepperberries which are not valid; you’d need to call them at 541-485-6922 or stop by in person to buy a gift certificate. Gift certificates for Redwood Northwest (phone number 541-434-2166, address 4977 W. 11th Ave, Eugene, OR 97402).&nbsp;We could use up to about 8 of their 2 foot straight leg benches ($59 apiece) to use around our back yard and inside our house.&nbsp;Another large item that could also be very nice in our yard would be their 4 foot wide glide bench with back and arms ($222) to put in the corner of our back yard near our apple tree. We have been assured they still carry their 2 foot straight leg benches even though they don’t show these on their web page. The 2 foot straight leg benches are quite versatile and nice looking — they could be useful as end tables or foot rests or additional seating.&nbsp;Redwood is remarkably durable, good for the very rainy Pacific Northwest. Gift certificates for Jerry’s Home Improvement Center (phone number 541-689-1911, address 2600 OR-99, Eugene, OR 97402) which we could use e.g. to get some pretty outdoor ceramic pots for growing flowers and vegetables in our back yard. Jerry’s also has a nice selection of lamps and overhead lighting (something our house could use more of as well as some updating of what is already there). They also have all sorts of other practical things (quite similar to a Home Depot, but with higher quality in our opinion on things like the ceramic pots and lighting). Another idea could be gift certificates for Wineries near Eugene in the Willamette Valley (many of which have free live music and excellent pinot noir and other wines as well — pinot noir is the local specialty). Some that we like are Bennett Vineyards (541-998-3336), Lavelle Vineyards (541-935-9406), and King Estate (541-685-5189). King Estate purportedly had the best restaurant in the area and has a lovely view, though for the moment they seem to have scaled back on food. We go to Bennett Vineyards pretty regularly in the summer for their live music and really nice wine with a pleasant, laid-back atmosphere. It also could be fun to try new places.

Wedding Gifts

Q: What kind of weather should we anticipate? A: Actually, should be pretty pleasant! The latest forecasts (as of Wednesday July 10th) call for high of 86 degrees and mostly sunny with a stray shower or thunderstorm possible. July Weather in Saginaw&nbsp;Michigan according to weatherspark.com: Daily high temperatures are around 81°F, rarely falling below&nbsp;72°F&nbsp;or exceeding&nbsp;90°F.Daily low temperatures are around 61°F, rarely falling below&nbsp;51°F&nbsp;or exceeding&nbsp;71°F. On&nbsp;July 19, the&nbsp;hottest day&nbsp;of the year, temperatures in Saginaw typically range from&nbsp;62°F&nbsp;to&nbsp;82°F, and in case you wondered, on&nbsp;January 29, the&nbsp;coldest day&nbsp;of the year, the highs range from&nbsp;17°F&nbsp;to&nbsp;30°F. Unlike in Oregon, it does sometimes rain in the summer. We have our fingers crossed for nice weather! Q: How late will the reception go? A: We will have music and dancing until 11pm. Q: What is the dress code for the wedding and reception? A: Semi-formal (tie optional) Q; What are some good restaurants near the Doubletree Hotel? A: There are quite a few options within walking distance, easy to find e.g. on google maps. If you want to drive a bit farther, here are a couple more ideas in Bay City: for dinner a good place is Latitude 43, and for lunch (good large sandwiches with a view) there is Wannigan’s Eatery and Pub. Q: What accessibility provisions are there at the church? A: The church has handicapped parking spots near the front door. The door is equipped with a push button release. This is the closest entrance to the sanctuary, where the wedding will be. Wheelchairs and walkers are available just inside the front entrance, on the right side. There is a family/handicapped restroom just to the right of the sanctuary. There is also quite a bit of seating just outside the sanctuary, e.g. in case people want to sit and visit with each other after the wedding ceremony. Q: How will you handle special dietary needs at the reception? A: When you RSVP, there is a place to indicate dietary restrictions. This will allow us to alert you in advance to dishes you should avoid on the buffet or to order a special meal for you as needed.

Patricia & Daniel

Patricia & Daniel

P&D

Wedding Ceremony

Reception