Saturday October 30, 2021
Leelanau, MI, USA
Travel
Getting In
Traverse City Airport (TVC) is closest to Leland and has a decent number of flights from other major hubs.
Alternatively, Grand Rapids (GRR), Lansing (LAN) and Detroit (DTW) offer more flights and are about a 3-4 hour drive from Leelenau
Getting Around
Leland is a 40 minute journey from the airport, while Suttons Bay is about 30. Traverse City Airport has many rental companies, and you'll almost definitely want a car. We'll provide a list of attendees so you can reach out and carpool. While it is possible to Lyft from the airport, you'll need to pre-schedule a ride back if you choose to go that route.
Click the link to use our spreadsheet to find/offer rides to and from TVC!
Book your hotel/airbnb ASAP!
Fall Colors is one of the busiest times in Leelenau, and Leland is also not a big town. Please make your arrangements as soon as possible!
While our ceremony is in Suttons Bay at Starry Night Barn, you may want to book your accommodations in Leland. Other wedding activities will be happening in Leland and we will have a complimentary shuttle running from Leland center & the Whaleback Inn to Starry Night Barn before the ceremony and after the reception.
Lodges & hotels in Leland
Complimentary Shuttle - Leland to Starry Night Barn
Oct 10
2:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Complimentary shuttle busses will be running from Leland, the Whaleback hotel, and the casino to Starry Night Barn before the ceremony (specifics to follow) and after the reception (starting again around 9pm)
Room Block: Leelenau Sands Casino & Lodge
The casino is a short 2-minute jaunt from Starry Night, it has traditional hotel rooms and lots of parking. Great for close and quick access! Ask for the Kearney / Croom block when you reserve.
Find A Place to Stay! (Note: While our wedding is in Suttons Bay, we encourage you to stay in Leland.)
Suggested Stay:
Fri, October 29 - Sun, October 31
100 E River St, Leland, MI 49654, USA
Things to do
There's plenty of time Saturday morning to check out Leelanau. Here's some ideas for how to spend your time:
- Visit Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (Recommend Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive)
- Bike around the lake or down the TART trail. Bike rentals are available from Suttons Bay
- Hike one of the nearby Conservancy properties (hikes 1-2 miles at Whaleback, Clay Cliffs, Houdek Dunes)
- Shop around; there's lots of small galleries or Michigan stores to check out. Glen Arbor also has "Cherry Republic" with dozens of things featuring the peninsula's famous fruit
- Wine (or cider) tour; it's not Napa, but there are nearly 30 wineries around the peninsula and a few distilleries and breweries
- Checkout Fishtown and try some smoked whitefish. Or go charter fishing from Leland, (schedule ahead) get up early and get out on Lake Michigan
Where to Eat
Because it's late in the season (and staffing is hard to find) it can be tricky to plan meals in the area, so reserve ahead or just be ready to drive a bit:
- Each town has a grocery store, but it might close earlier (6pm?) so make sure to grab food and snacks early. The stores will also have some pre-prepared stuff like pizzas as as last option.
- If you are vegetarian, most restaurants have one or zero options, so you may have to just ask what they can do for you. The grocery stores all have tofu and beyond burgers/meats, just ask to find it!
Breakfast:
- Suttons Bay: Mundos and 45th Parallel (both Saturdays only)
- Leland, go to Trish's Dishes (Sat only, opens 9 am, so not for the early risers!)
- Leland, the Coffee Company may be open and have food, but is currently understaffed and closed
- Northport: New Bohemian Cafe
Lunch:
- Leland, Trish's Dishes is a great option.
- Lake Leelanau NJ's Grocery has pre-prepared Indian food
- Toward Traverse City: Farm Club (world class, true farm to table, good for vegetarian and recently featured in Bon Appetit! Plus brewery).
World Class Dinners:
- Leland: The Riverside Inn
- Glen Arbor: Blu or La Becasse
- Suttons Bay: Martha's Leelanau Table or Wren
- Lake Leelanau Nittolo's Seafood and Social (three course - prix fixe)
Other Lunches and Dinners:
- Leland: Leland Lodge, or The Cove (if open)
- Lake Leelanau: Nittolo's Pizza
- Suttons Bay: Several
- Northport: Pub and Grill has Bowling
Schedule
Friday, October 29, 2021
Welcome drinks and mingling
8:15 PM to 9:30 PM
If you're staying in town, stop by and say hello and grab a drink! We'll be in the back of the Leland Lodge at the Wine bar.
Saturday, October 30, 2021
Arrival Shuttle Bus
2:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Shuttle buses leave from Leland center & the Whaleback Inn and go straight to Starry Night Barn (SNB). SNB has very limited parking so please do not drive if you do not have to!
Shuttle 1
2:30pm Onsite at Whaleback Inn
2:45pm Depart Whaleback Inn
3:00pm Onsite at the Casino
3:10pm Depart the Casino
3:15pm Drop at Starry Night Barn
Shuttle 2
2:45pm Onsite at Falling Waters Lodge (parking lot)
3:00pm Depart Falling Waters Lodge
3:15pm Drop at Starry Night Barn
The Ceremony
3:30 PM to 4:00 PM
Enjoy Peter's wit as we (Charlie and Emily) join forces officially!
Post-Ceremony Cocktail Hour
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Enjoy the hidden ground level bar or the rest of Starry Night's grounds before sitting down to dinner!
The Reception
5:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Time for dinner, toasts, dancing, and all that fun!
Departure Shuttle Bus
9:00 PM to 11:45 PM
Schedule
9:00pm – both busses back onsite for any early departures
10:00pm – Wedding over - Busses rotate to all hotels
Last pick up at Starry Night Barn at 11:45pm
Last drop at lodging at Midnight
The After-Party
10:00 PM to 11:30 PM
Hang out at the lower barn lounge and unwind after a long party!
Sunday, October 31, 2021
Send off Coffee and Pastries
9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Stop by for a small pick me up before heading out for a return flight or another day on the Peninsula. It's not a "real" breakfast as Charlie would say, but we'll have some local pastries and snacks to help you recover from a big night
Q & A
For all our friends and family who have lots of questions, please check out our Q & A first!
Is there transportation being provided between reception and hotels?
Yes, we will have a shuttle running from Leland, the Casino, and the Whaleback Inn to Starry Night Barn.
Shuttle 1
2:30pm Onsite at Whaleback Inn
2:45pm Depart Whaleback Inn
3:00pm Onsite at the Casino
3:10pm Depart the Casino
3:15pm Drop at Starry Night Barn
Shuttle 2
2:45pm Onsite at Falling Waters Lodge
3:00pm Depart Falling Waters Lodge
3:15pm Drop at Starry Night Barn
Drop offs
9:00pm – both busses back onsite for any early departures
10:00pm – wedding over - Busses rotate to Hotels –
Last pick up at Starry Night Barn at 11:45pm
Last drop at lodging at Midnight
Where should I park?
There is somewhat limited parking at the venue so please use the shuttle bus to get to Starry Night Barn from Leland and back. If you're staying elsewhere like Traverse City or Suttons Bay, come on over!
What should I wear?
Fall in Northern Michigan is a beautiful but unpredictable time. So, while the dress code is formal, please first and foremost make sure that you will be comfortable both inside (in the barn with heaters) and outside (for the ceremony) by bringing layers! Temperatures can range from the 60s to the 30s so keep an eye out for the weather report while packing!
What kind of shoes should/shouldn't I wear?
Our ceremony will take place outside on a grassy field at Starry Night Barn. Please make sure that you wear shoes that you can walk in over grass, gravel, and on the floorboards of the barn.
What if I have a dietary restriction?
We will be serving the meal family style with entirely plant-based vegetarian options. Our caterer has any restrictions you noted on your RSVP and will accomodate.
Is the wedding indoors or outdoors?
Both! The ceremony will be outside but the reception (dinner, drinks, dancing) will be in the heated barn.
Will there be dancing?
Of course! We can't wait to get everyone on the dance floor!
What should/could I do between the ceremony and the reception?
Enjoy Starry Night Barn's grounds and hidden gems (like the ground floor bar). "Fun facts" (an Emily classic) will be sprinkled around so you can explore and hear Emily's best party talking points!
What time will the reception end?
The reception will end at 10pm but the party won't! We'll have a bus running till after 11 so if you want to stick around for a little while longer, join us in the lower barn.
Is there a gifts registry?
Yes. It's online here, or you can go off list! Please email us for our address.
How can I help the couple have the best time during their wedding day?
Meet each other, learn cool new things, and most importantly, have a ball! We love all of our different communities and we want you to connect with each other too!
I have a question not answered here; how do I contact you?
Email us! We are happy to answer your questions and may use them as inspiration for the next round of Q&A. Charlie.croom@gmail.com & eekearney@gmail.com
Registry
Hey wonderful humans! Thank you for celebrating this amazing moment with us. We are planning on buying our first house next year and we would love you to be a part of making that house a home. Everything on here is a cash gift because we will be buying the items when we have the space (our NYC apartment is crowded enough) but we still want to be able to think of our favorite people every day when we strain beans, fry tofu, scoop ice cream, or make a monster batch of chocolate chip cookies.
xoxox, Charlie and Emily
Direct Link: www.blueprintregistry.com/registry/emily-charlie-wedding-registry-10-10-2020