>Are you planning a small, intimate affair or a blow-out celebration with 350 of your closest friends and family?
Reception locations around Northern Michigan provide a variety of venues to set the right mood and ensure there's plenty of dancing room, too.
Ovation Hall inside the new Odawa Casino and Resort in Petoskey is one of a few locations in the area that can accommodate groups up to 600. The room is available for wedding receptions with more than 200 guests, said Suzanne Sipe, convention services supervisor.
"One of the perks is that it's obviously tied to the casino, and a lot of people like to have that option for their guests," said Sipe. "And it's one of the only facilities in this area that can hold that many people comfortably."
Also, she noted, "everything is new, and everything matches. We've got all our own tables, chairs, china, silver, linens."
At Odawa Hotel, formerly Victories, bookings are filling up quickly for the upcoming wedding season. Various size wedding parties can be accommodated at the hotel as several different rooms are available. Shuttle service to the casino and other area locations is a perk of booking at Odawa Hotel, Sipe added.
"The shuttle goes downtown and then people don't have to drive," she said. "A lot of times after the reception, the group will shuttle down to Papa Lou's or the casino for more fun, and that's nice."
Odawa resorts offer all food and beverage services on site. Banquet menus and a custom menu are available by the chefs for any event.
"There's a lot of excitement about the new (casino) facility in general, and for those larger groups, it's really a nice place," Sipe said. "It was built and designed in order to meet the needs of a variety of different types of groups. We can really do it right."

Another local establishment that has done things right for couples for many years is Stafford's Hospitality, which includes the Perry Hotel, Bay View Inn, Charlevoix Weathervane and The Pier in Harbor Springs.
Angie Whitener, sales manager for the Perry Hotel and Bay View Inn, said the Perry is an historic location for groups up to 220 inside the H.O. Rose Room. Outside, the Rose Garden Veranda is a stunning setting for weddings and receptions alike, accommodating 200.
"It's very popular because of the outdoor location and the view," said Whitener. "Our big selling point is the historic charm of the hotel, the downtown location and also the view. There's no better view of Little Traverse Bay anywhere in Petoskey than from the Rose dining room inside and the Veranda outside."
Intimate groups can be accommodated as well, with 50 to 60 guest-receptions comfortable under a tent on the Veranda. Inside, the Reycraft Room has been remodeled and is ideal for groups that size as well, Whitener noted.
Down the road at the Bay View Inn, historic charm and a lakeside setting make this another favorite reception locale. "You can literally walk right down to the water for pictures," Whitener said.
Up to 250 guests can be accommodated for receptions at the Bay View Inn. She suggested another popular idea is for couples to rent out the entire Inn for a wedding weekend. With 31 guest rooms and plentiful banquet space, "you own the inn for the weekend. It's your place, it's your family's inn, and it offers complete privacy."
Full menu and bar/beverage service is available at both locations, she added. The most preferred option is a sit-down dinner with several menu selections that include local favorites including morel mushrooms, dried cherries and whitefish.
Service is their specialty. "Our brides always come back to us and say, ‘We didn't have to worry about anything. You did everything.'"
Whitener added that reservations for receptions typically need to be made 12 to 18 months in advance for May-October nuptials.