The Ridge at Verterra Vineyards

Rehearsal Dinner

Welcome Party

Wedding Day

Although we love your little ones, we have decided to make our wedding weekend an adults-only affair.

Our Wedding

Our story began on July 9th, 2023, a true modern-day romance moving from the virtual hallways of Hinge to an in-person meet up for ice cream. John melted ice cream (not hearts) that hot summer day, but conversation was easy and started a courtship through the Fall that earned him the nickname “Mr. Intentional” from the Castle family.A shared love of Taylor Swift, good meals, and John feigning interest in the Golden Bachelorette saw our connection grow, and by Thanksgiving, John was thankful to officially have Taylor as his girlfriend. The months that followed revealed an increasing easiness to life – not without troubles – but one that was always brightened and amplified thanks to having found each other. John even embraced and adopted Taylor’s first love, Phoebe, as his “dog-ter”… the rest, as they say, is history. After securing Mr. Castle’s blessing and months of careful and intentional planning, John asked Taylor to spend forever together on April 25th, 2025, eager to plan our big day and lives together!

Our Story

Photos

Amanda Castle Kolp

Hannah Castle

Emily Turjanica

Reanna Doll

Caroline Amalfitano

Emily Irwin

Molly Baldock

Mark Baldock

Harrison Swinney

Matt Rowe

Drew Royalty

Andrew Irwin

Josh Woeste

Jared Peterson

Henry Irwin

Eleanor Irwin

Wedding Party

Northport Point, Michigan

Welcome to our slice of Heaven! Northport Point located 45 minutes north of Traverse City Michigan, at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula. The Point was founded in 1899 and the Castle Family has spent summers here since 1901. Once at the Point, leave your car behind and jump in a golf cart to explore! The Point has a 9-hole golf course, tennis and pickleball courts, a beach (aptly named Sandy Beach), and so many places to enjoy the endless views! Morning walks, afternoon rounds of golf for Taylor, tanning on the dock, and a quick swim before seeing a gorgeous sunset over the water are some of our favorite things to do. The community is super friendly and it is the perfect place to set aside the world and enjoy yourself! We hope you enjoy one of our favorite places and everything it has to offer when you come to celebrate with us during this magical weekend!

About Our Location

The Point is surrounded by beautiful Lake Michigan, so make sure to bring your swim gear!- Bathing Suit- Beach Towel- Sunscreen- Sunglasses The Point has a 9-hole golf course and pickleball and tennis courts. There will not be equipment for rent, so make sure to bring yours with you!- Golf Clubs- Tennis Racket (tennis balls can be purchased at the pro shop)- Pickleball paddle and balls. The evenings in Northern Michigan can be quite chilly (yes, even in August)! Essentials include:- Jacket- Pants- Bug Spray Ladies- the Welcome Party and reception will both be outdoor events. Please be mindful when choosing your shoes. Sandals or block heels are recommended!

What to Pack

Friday-Grab and Go Breakfast 8:30am-10:30am on the Terrace of the Northport Point Clubhouse- Welcome Party 6pm-9pm at the Castle Cottage* Saturday- Grab and Go Breakfast 8:30am-10:30am on the Terrace of the Northport Point Clubhouse- Ceremony 4:30pm at Atwill Memorial Chapel- Cocktails, dinner, and dancing immediately following the ceremony at the Northport Point Clubhouse Sunday- Grab and Go Breakfast 8:30am-10:30am on the Terrace of the Northport Point Clubhouse *In the event of inclement weather, the Welcome Party will be moved to the Northport Point Clubhouse

Weekend Schedule

Lodging Arrangements

We are delighted to celebrate with you in Taylor’s favorite place! Northport Point is a private community nestled up on the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula, with limited hotel and lodging options in the surrounding area. To make the experience as seamless and enjoyable as possible, a number of long-time community members and Castle family friends have graciously offered their homes to accommodate our guests and allow for the focus to remain on a celebratory, relaxing, and logistics-free weekend on the Point. We have prearranged all accommodations for our guests and kindly ask that you plan to stay on site in the community arrangements we have reserved. Additional details regarding lodging specifics and arrival information will be shared upon RSVP, with an expected lodging cost of $550 per couple (or $275 per guest) to cover the cleaning fees and guest golf cart rentals for transportation around the community. These accommodations are available to our guests for Friday and Saturday nights of our wedding weekend. Please provide response on our RSVP page by May 15th to help us finalize arrangements. Please submit your lodging payment on Venmo to @Steven-W-Castle labeled as "T&amp;J Housing Reimbursement" by June 15th. We can’t wait to share this special place—and our special moment—with you!

Accommodations

The Point has its own 9-hole golf course. We have arranged for all guests to have member privileges during our wedding weekend. This means endless rounds of golf with no tee time required! If you would like to play, make sure to bring your clubs and appropriate golf apparel. Equipment will not be available to rent.

Golf

There are both pickleball courts and tennis courts available on the Point. If you would like to play, make sure to bring your racket/paddle and balls as equipment is not available to purchase or rent.

PIckleball and Tennis

Bring your bathing suits and towels! Northport Point is surrounded by Lake Michigan. There are many places to swim on the Point including at the cottage you may be staying at, Sandy Beach, and the Big Dock.

Swimming

Yummy Places to Eat and Drink NorthportLeelanau Farmers Market on Friday morningBarb's BakeryFingers CrossedNew Bohemian CafeNorthport Pub and GrilleThe Mitten Brewing CompanyOmenaKnot Just a BarSuttons Bay45th Parallel CafeMartha's Leelanau TableNorth Country Grill and PubStreetside GrilleHop Lot Brewing Co and Beer GardenTandem CidersBoone's Primetime PubLeland/FishtownVillage Cheese ShantyThe CoveThe Early Bird DinerThe Blue BirdLeland LodgeRiverside Inn **There are numerous wineries scattered around the area as well Retail Therapy NorthportThe Pennington CollectionPorcupineThe BoutiqueSuttons BayLima BeanHaystacksBahleBayside GalleryThe Painted BirdLelandHaystacksMolly'sTug Stuffand many more!Things to Do/SeeNorthportNorthport MarinaGrand Traverse LighthousePeterson Park (Lake Michigan sunsets)Leelanau State Park (Wooded hikes to sand dunes and Lake Michigan beach)Bowling at Northport Pub and GrillePeshawbestownLeelanau Sands CasinoSutton's BayMurdick's FudgeSuttons Bay MarinaLelandHistoric Fishtown MarinaPyramid PointSleep Bear Dunes (a bit further south)

Taylor + John

Taylor + John

Weekend Schedule