Victoria Wedding Chapel & Garden…read more Great place. This is my second time here. Very professional service. Not the best but good enough. Great outside wedding area by the lake if you get married in the warm season. Highly recommended

Beautiful location. Disappointing experience…read more The grounds are gorgeous--10/10. Unfortunately, a beautiful location does not make up for a lack of thoughtfulness, cultural awareness, or respect for the ceremony itself. Our ceremony was spiritual and deeply meaningful to us. Every element was chosen for a sacred reason connected to our culture and ancestors, and we followed the venue's instructions by submitting our music selections in advance. During our ceremony, they were rushing so much to keep everything moving that they played my groom's entrance song while the minister was walking out. This was not the correct moment for that song and should have began once the minister was in place so that the moment wasn't shared. But they were RUSHING. Later, during our sand ceremony, our Officiant was performing a traditional ancestral reading. This was a sacred moment that did not require background music. Then, completely out of nowhere, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" started playing. We had never selected this song, and it was not part of our ceremony or a song we would ever even choose for our wedding. It completely disrupted the ancestral reading, forcing our Officiant to speak over the music to finish. When I asked why it happened afterward (via text), I was texted and told, "I noticed nothing was planned for that moment," and that "I liked to have something playing softly in the background." Her personal preference is not a reason to insert a song into someone else's wedding ceremony, especially when we had already submitted our selections. I do not believe there was malicious intent, and she did apologize. However, the decision was incredibly presumptuous and showed a lack of awareness about the significance of what was happening. This was our wedding. Our ceremony. I still cannot understand how someone could look at a deeply meaningful ancestral ritual and think, "You know what would make this better? A random Hawaiian ukulele-style song that I think is great." Apology or not, that was an epic display of ignorance. She heard silence and thought, "I know what this needs. A song I like!" Unbelievable. Unfortunately, this felt like part of a larger issue, an assembly-line approach to weddings. We were the fifth and final wedding of the day, and there was a noticeable urgency to keep everything moving. The rush energy made everyone so uncomfortable. Before our allotted ceremony time had even ended (it wasn't even close), the owner began collecting our things. This lady is literally in our wedding pictures grabbing our things up. Our ancestral broom was picked up to "help" us, and I had to take it back because again that action was out of step with our cultural practices. I wanted her to Relax so bad. The Rushing was insane.Communication was another frustration. We were initially told we would have a rehearsal, then told something different after signing the contract. I happened to have recorded the original conversation because we were taking so many notes while choosing a venue, so there was no ambiguity about what had been said. It was just a sales tactic. Every conversation seemed to start over with each new person.My advice: do not confuse the tour with the actual client experience. The tour is phenomenal, and they know how to sell the package. You step into the garden, the music starts, the scenery is beautiful, and suddenly you are imagining your wedding. It worked on me--I signed up on the spot. But remember, it is a sales pitch. Once you sign, you are one of the couples moving through the system. Read everything and ask questions.Going over your allotted time costs $400 per 15 minutes. They are upfront about that ridiculous fee, so I knew about it beforehand. Still, $400 for 15 minutes should literally be criminal. We dod nit go over, but it is worth mentioning.I also strongly recommend skipping the optional sand ceremony supplies. I assumed the design would be etched or professionally printed onto the glass. Instead, it is a piece of paper scotch taped inside the vase, with the sand ending up behind the paper. For an additional $45, the quality cheap. Bring your own.Unfortunately, good intentions do not automatically equal the ideal experience. At some point, the business model seems to take over, and weddings become schedules, packages, upsells, time slots, policies, and couples moving through a system. Did I say Rushing enough. If you want a beautiful backdrop, this place is worth considering. If you want a personalized experience where your cultural traditions, sacred rituals, and individual ceremony choices are treated with attentiveness and reverence, I would think very carefully before booking here. I walked away with a beautiful venue, some good memories, and a brand-new understanding of audacity. I still enjoyed my wedding and the breathtaking location. Just don't assume the beauty comes with the same level of care for the meaning behind your wedding. It's business.

We had our wedding here in September and would highly recommend it. The property is beyond…read morebeautiful and has so many great spots for pictures. It is so well taken care of by the owners and it shows! Mirela and George went above and beyond to make our day special and exactly how we wanted it. They are both so genuinely kind, and you can tell they are passionate about what they do. George was our officiant and did a perfect job. He met with us beforehand and went over the ceremony with us a few times leading up to the wedding to make sure it was exactly what we wanted. Our day was truly perfect and ran so smoothly, thanks to them and their amazing assistant Grace. I cannot recommend the Historic Blum Barn enough!!

Added more pics to original review. Can't speak highly enough about this property and the owners…read more They are wonderful and care for you and your guests like you are a part of their family. Beautiful property. Extra special care and attention to details. Work with you to make your special day one of a kind. Excellent communication with vendors. Reasonably priced. Please consider them for your special event. You will not be disappointed!

Venue was nice. New owners/management very rude and too pushy.read more

From the owner: Laurel Chapel is a beautiful wedding chapel equipped with a state-of-the-art sound and video…read moreproduction system, the chapel can comfortably seat up to 100 guests. The bride and groom will enjoy their own private dressing rooms. Our spacious bridal suite includes a make-up dresser, sofas and full wall sized mirrors. A covered carport leads to a gorgeous garden area complete with a pond, bridge, fountains and gazebo providing an exquisite photo opportunity. The chapel is available for all religious and civil services including baptisms, vow renewals and other special events. If you desire either a small intimate, private ceremony or a larger gathering, our beautifully decorated chapel is sure to please. Our well orchestrated wedding ceremonies are performed by ordained ministers with impressive personalities and years of experience. Our ministers are non-denominational, licensed by the State of Michigan, and perform both religious and non-religious services.

This is a cute chapel. We had approximately 120 wedding guests. Two wedding planners and a sound…read moretechnician helped with the event. There is a reception area downstairs but it wasn't available. The church had a back entrance that we could push a wheelchair through. I wasn't sure if the reception area had a ramp or way to accommodate a wheelchair. The parking lot is small but there was neighborhood parking.

My husband and I were married here a week ago today, and it was truly a dream come true…read more My husband and I had decided on a small romantic wedding with only immediate family present and our two closest friends present. Christine was absolutely wonderful. She was patient and answered all of my questions, she made the whole process so much easier for us. The pictures do not do her home justice, and I loved that we were able to customize every detail about our ceremony. With the lighting and beautiful stained glass windows we got a lot of beautiful photos as well. It still almost seems unreal. If you are looking for an intimate wedding, and just want to keep it simple and classy, this is absolutely the place to go!

From the owner: Make history at our historical Chapel in Jackson County, MI…read more Have your wedding or event somewhere unique and special.  Celebrations is in an old Victorian church, c.1879- with original stained glass windows, antique furniture and white silk flowers arrangements.  It's a one of a kind venue for that will create memories to last a lifetime for your special occasion.

Came for a family wedding in September…read more Tucked away within a neighborhood. Beautiful outside especially the grounds with flowers and landscaping. Inside is very bright but stark. What once was an auditorium held the reception and it was pretty with high ceilings but again lacked much character. A ton of white everywhere. So brides/grooms need to bring in a lot of lighting and decorations to make the place theirs. Food was amazing. Buffet style. Food was hot and plentiful. Bar tenders and staff were friendly and attentive. Made great drinks! Bathrooms were updated and clean. Small cramped parking lot that was tricky to navigate. Wasn't that clear where to enter or how to get to the ceremony in the patio area. Overall, enjoyed ourselves.

Just had my son and daughter in laws wedding there. We were so happy with how everything came out…read more The food, ambiance, grounds, flowers, and the interior was just beautiful for a sunny summer wedding! They are wonderful people to work with and we were all very happy! Lauren was so sweet, kind, and accommodating. She answered all of our questions and was always available. Thank you Holly Vault/Nova Room staff!

Every details from booking to the day of was seamless. Lisa, the owner, does an amazing job from…read moreordering the linens, floor layout, day of coordination etc. The church venue itself feels historical and charismatic yet very functional and updated. The women love getting ready the day of in the spacious Bridal suite

We just hosted our daughter's wedding at The Abbey this past summer. It was the third event we…read morehave had the pleasure of hosting at The Abbey. The venue is so full of history, character, and understated elegance that you almost don't need to decorate. We highly recommend this as a venue for an event your family or business is hosting. Lisa does a great job helping you plan and execute your dream event.

Love this spot and this couple! Due to Covid- our wedding venue got canceled 3 weeks before our…read morewedding and I went into a panic! This was one of the only options and they were willing to accommodate EVERYTHING. Chris and Mary were our photographers as well. Sweetest couple ever!! They made our wedding day spectacular despite all the negativity going on in this world. I would recommend them 100X over and over again and this location!

I can't say enough positive things about my experience here with Chris and Mary. The facility…read moreitself was stunningly beautiful, but what really makes this place amazing was Mary and her unwavering support. I could visibly see my bride and mothers shoulders relax after meeting Mary for the first time, a few weeks before the wedding. Mary had all sorts of supplies we could use (all for free) and really knew her stuff. During our rehearsal, Mary instructed everyone to come to her on the day of the wedding. Not me (the groom), not my mother, not the bride, but her. She played the QB and handled everything. Guys, and girls, in a world where couples getting married are nickled and dimed for every little thing, this place is the opposite. Never once did Mary say something like "Sure, we can do that for an extra fee". Everything was "Oh sure, here's what I have, what do you think?" You can tell both Chris and Mary really enjoy their work. I have nothing but glowing comments to say about them and their facility. I would recommend them a hundred times over if I could. Go with them and their facility, you won't regret it.

My mother and father decided to get married after 30 years of being together and they choose to get…read moremarried here at the Oakwood Chapel and we all couldn't be happier. Anne Marie was so sweet abs super helpful. She helped ease my moms nerves and Tom the preacher was amazing and light hearted and did a beautiful scripture. It is a very classic and timeless chapel that reminds me of growing up in my grandmas church. They have a ton of stuff to help with decorations and the basement, although we didn't use it for the reception bc there wasn't one, was gorgeous! Very very happy with it all!

Thank you so much to Oakwood Community Chapel for making our Wedding Day everything we had hoped…read morefor. We had to postpone our Wedding due to the pandemic which caused us to have to find a new venue. The minute I called Anne Marie she was ready to help. She helped us plan our new Wedding with only 2 months left till our day. She took our romantic, elegant vision we have had the past 2 years and made it come to life at her Chapel. What made our day even more special was that I got to say "I do" to my Groom in the same church my parents said "I do" 34 years ago and also the church I grew up going to with my parents and grandparents. We have been through so much with planning a wedding during a pandemic but the second we decided to change our Venue to Oakwood Chapel our anxiety and stress simply was gone because of the way we were treated by Anne Marie. Everything about our Wedding day was magical and would not have happened without Anne Marie and her team. We are forever grateful