Mackinac Island is the truly "all natural" theme park of America. Limited to transportation of horse and buggy, bicycle or foot, surrounded by water, it has escaped the vast changes of time.
Its real Victorian image is preserved and enhanced by a small population of 500 permanent residents and scores of summer residents, maintaining bluff cottages in original state. Families, especially children, love their relatively new found "mobility", exploring the historic, natural beauty of Mackinac Island State Park, honored by National Geographic as one of the ten finest in America.
The calendar of events on Mackinac Island is highlighted by the Annual Lilac Festival, climaxed with one of the largest "All Horse Hitch" parades known. The American Bus Association has designated Mackinac Island's Lilac Festival as one of the nation's top 100 tourist attractions.
The residents are warm and friendly, even during the Island's brief but unique winter holiday and cross-country season. Prices are best in winter, spring, and fall, of course, but the enjoyment level never fails to put new perspective into the concept of relaxation.
When you step off of the Island Ferry Dock, you will be in a living Victorian village. Please cross streets on straight angles rather than diagonally and be aware of horses, bikes and people stepping off of carriages, enjoy the downtown hustle and bustle of the early 1800s but don't miss the beauty of the Island's interior and peaceful lakefront perimeter path. Once you've visited our beautiful Island, you will find that it is your Island, too. We look forward to your return many times in the future.
CEREMONY/RECEPTION DETAILS:
We have decided to take our parents, siblings, and grandparents to Mackinac Island with us to celebrate our marriage. My brother, Brandon, will be performing the ceremony and Josiah's brother-in-law, Cody, will be doing the music for the ceremony. Cody and Jessica (Josiah's sister) are flying all the way in from Sacramento, CA just to attend the wedding! We are beyond thrilled to have the support from our family during this special time. We chose Mackinac Island because I have always heard of how beautiful it was and I knew it would be halfway between my family in Louisville, and his family in North Dakota. Plus, it is the only place I know of that is not blazing hot in July! It should be in the 70s on our wedding day and breezy from being surrounded by water. We are renting a 15 passenger van and leaving on Wednesday, July 29th for the island. It is a 10 hour drive so we are splitting it up between two days. The rehearsal dinner is Thursday at 6:30pm, then the wedding is Friday, at 6:30pm. On Saturday, everyone will head home and we will be dropped off at the Detroit airport to go on our honeymoon! You'll have to ask Josiah for those details because the honeymoon is his domain...he's making ALL the plans :) We hope our extended family and friends in Louisville will be able to join us for a reception celebrating our marriage on September 4, 2009 at Wildwood Country Club. We will also be having a reception in North Dakota in October. Stay tuned for details.
