Bay Mountain Proposal Site
Bay Mountain at The Homestead is a picturesque, romantic location with breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and islands, which is why it is such a popular summer wedding ceremony site. In the winter Bay Mountain only sees skiers and snowboarders; but on the first of February, when all the skiers were gone, Bay Mountain had some special visitors. A young couple hiked to the top of the bluff to take a break from a long day of driving. It was there that the young man, with a knit hat on his head and heavy boots on his feet, knelt down in the snow to propose to his sweetheart.
Nick Snyder of Grand Rapids, Michigan wanted to do something special when he proposed to his girlfriend, Jackie Jones, also from Grand Rapids, Michigan. He pondered his options for a few weeks. “Jackie and I take regular walks along the Grand River in Grand Rapids, should I propose there?” he asked himself. Snyder also considered proposing in Jones’ hometown of Menominee, Michigan, where they were visiting for a few days. He gave up on the idea because it was too risky proposing in a place he had never been before.
Snyder wanted to propose in a romantic spot in Leelanau County, somewhere with a view of Lake Michigan and the Manitou Islands. Snyder spent his summers in Leelanau since he was a young child. “My grandparents had a cottage getaway near Northport, so I grew up on the Lake Michigan beaches, sailed its waters and skied on its hillsides. It’s so beautiful.”
The Proposal
Both Pyramid Point and the Sleeping Bear Dunes were options Snyder also considered, but he did not have snowshoes that most certainly would be required to get to the lookouts. Also, hiding a bottle of wine and a bouquet of flowers in a backpack would be almost impossible. It was Snyder’s father that came up with the idea to propose at The Homestead.
The Homestead staff prepared a place at the top of Bay Mountain with a simple blanket, bottle of wine and a basket of tasty goodies. A small vase of Jones’ favorite flowers, sunflowers, graced the side of the basket. As they came up over the mountain, it was the flowers that Jones first saw. She openly expressed her confusion about why flowers would be on a mountaintop in winter. It only took a few seconds for her to spot the blanket and basket of treats.
The Happy Couple
Snyder did not waste any time proposing once they reached his destination. Jones laughed and cried as he put an emerald ring on her finger (green is her favorite color). Even though the air was brisk, the happy couple laughed as they sipped Cremant, a sparkling wine from L. Mawby and nibbled on hand-carved Raclette from the Leelanau Cheese Company.
Engagement Toast
Snyder and Jones didn’t stay long on the mountaintop because Snyder had a special dinner planned. The couple departed from their Michigan romantic getaway giddy and excited to talk over wedding plans on their way home to Grand Rapids. Little did they know the fate that awaited them as they drove into the Blizzard of 2011, but that’s another story…
The Homestead offers weddings for both small and large groups with the option of three ceremony sites and three reception sites. Engaged couples can mix and match sites to best meet their needs. In January, The Homestead was awarded the prestigious “Best of Weddings 2011 Pick” from The Knot.
