Photographing Weddings from Mackinac Island to Grand Rapids and all of Northern Michigan makes this a beautiful career.  Smiling faces and happy hearts  motivates my artistic talents. The weather was very kind to us and the summer lasted tell October.  The pictures in this set are “Destination Weddings on Mackinac Island” at  the Grand Hotel, Mission Point Resort, Island House, Inn at Stonecliffe, Little Stone Church and St. Anne’s Church.

Danielle & Andrew 8-15-10 Mackinac Island, MI

Christine & Brandan  7-31-10 Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, MI

Danielle &  Andrew 8-15-10  Mission Point Resort, Mackinac Island, MI

Kristin & Steve 8-14-10 Mission Point Resort, Mackinac Island, MI

Stacy & Craig  7-25-10  Mission Point Resort, Mackinac Island, MI

Melissa & Joe 6-23-10 St. Anne’s  Church, Mackinac Island, Mi

Megan & Young 8-27-10 Island House,  Mackinac Island, MI

Tami & Eric  7-11-10  Grand Hotel. Mackinac Island, MI

Additionally, my Gallery on Mackinac Island was surprisingly busy and many potential brides stopped in and I had the opportunity to view my work up-front and personal. I really enjoyed the opportunity. It was a banner year for me totaling (33) Weddings, (5) Wedding Engagements, three of which were surprises, I really enjoy the surprise engagements, (4) Family Reunions, (2)  Graduation parties, and (2) Conferences, including the “Pure Michigan Governors Conference” held at the Grand Hotel last May. I have been commissioned again to photograph the 2011 conference in Kalamazoo in March. I will highlight that later in the blog.

Begin your lives together surrounded by romance.

The fact that you arrive on Mackinac Island by boat or plane starts your Wedding day in a special way.

Mackinac Island is forever romantic.  This is a landscape characterized by high limestone bluffs, beautiful bodies of great lakes water, vibrant forests, flower gardens, turtles, and mystical geological formations.  Elegant hotels, fine restaurants, and even horse and buggy transportation  further enhance this romantic atmosphere. It’s not surprising that the classic romance “Somewhere in Time” was filmed on Mackinac Island.  Begin your lives together on Mackinac Island, a place where, according to the Ojibwa and Odawa  Indian Tribes, “Life first began”.  Your Destination Wedding is waiting for you on Mackinac Island at the “Grand Hotel”.

Facts About Grand Hotel.

• At 660 feet, Grand Hotel’s Front Porch is the world’s largest, and is visible as you approach the Island from Lake Huron.
• No motorized vehicles are allowed on Michigan’s Mackinac Island. All transportation is provided by horse and carriage or bicycle.
• Mackinac Island is accessible only by ferry boat or plane.
• More than 130,000 overnight guests stay at Grand Hotel each season.
• The 5,000,000th guest in Grand Hotel history checked in on June 26, 2006.
• While more than 1 million people visit Mackinac Island each year, the Island has only 600 year-round residents.
• It takes 500,000 gallons of water to fill Grand Hotel’s swimming pool, which was named for actress Esther Williams when she starred in the 1947 movie, This Time for Keeps, shot at Grand Hotel.
• The 1980 film Somewhere in Time, starring Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour and Christopher Plummer, was filmed on location at Grand Hotel. The movie now has a huge following and fan club that meets yearly at Grand Hotel in late October.
• There are more than 500 horses on Mackinac Island.
• Five U.S. Presidents have visited Grand Hotel: Presidents Clinton, Bush, Ford, Kennedy and Truman.
• Grand Hotel’s kitchen staff of more than 100 people prepares and serves as many as 4,000 meals per day.
• During the 2008 season, Grand Hotel used 83,000 pounds of prime rib, 23,500 pounds of ham, 83,500 pounds of potatoes, 23,000 pounds of carrots, 14,000 pounds of strawberries and 6,500 pounds of pecans.
• More than 50,000 Grand Pecan Balls, the Hotel’s most popular dessert, are consumed each season.
• The Grand’s famous Front Porch flowers include 2,500 geraniums in 260 planting boxes with seven tons of potting soil.
• Grand Hotel uses 5,200 geraniums, its trademark flower, in all its flower beds combined.
• One ton of bulbs are planted in the fall, including 25,000 tulips and 15,000 daffodils.
• More than 125,000 bedding plants (annuals) are used to create the many gardens on Grand Hotel grounds.

1886 Popularity of Mackinac Island grows as a summer getaway, but accommodations are limited. The Michigan Central Railroad, Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad, and Detroit and Cleveland Steamship Navigation Company form the Mackinac Island Hotel Company. Land upon which Grand Hotel will stand is purchased and construction begins.

1887 Grand Hotel opens. The hotel is billed as a summer retreat for vacationers who arrive by lake steamer from Chicago, Erie, Montreal, Detroit, and by rail from across the continent.

1890s Grand Hotel’s Front Porch – longest in the world – becomes the principal meeting place for all of Mackinac Island, as well as a promenade for the elderly and a “Flirtation Walk” for island romantics. Grand Hotel Manager James “The Comet” Hayes invites an agent of Edison Phonograph to conduct regular demonstrations of the new invention.

1895 Mark Twain lectures in the Grand Hotel Casino. Admission: $1.

1897 The West Wing is added to the hotel.

Turn of the Century The automobile finds its way onto the island. Grand Hotel supports an island-wide ban. A law is soon passed, but is not strictly enforced until the 1930s.

1919 Hotel rates are $6 a day per person.

1933 W. Stewart Woodfill, hired as a desk clerk in 1919, purchases the hotel and becomes sole owner.

1935 Grand Hotel adds a radio salon, where patrons could listen to Jack Benny and other popular programs.

1946 This Time For Keeps starring Jimmy Durante and Esther Williams is filmed on the island and at Grand Hotel.

1951 R.D. (Dan) Musser joins the hotel staff.

1957 Michigan Historical Association selects Grand Hotel as a State Historical Building.

1960 Woodfill appoints Dan Musser, who joined the hotel staff in 1951, president of Grand Hotel.

1976 Musser and wife Amelia begin the redesign of the hotel’s interior and exterior with the help of architect Richard Bos and decorator Carleton Varney.

1979 The Mussers purchase Grand Hotel.

1980 Somewhere In Time, filmed at Grand Hotel and starring Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour, and Christopher Plummer is released.

1987 The Cupola Bar is added, the Woodfill Conference Center is completed and The Jewel golf course is renovated.

1989 R.D. (Dan) Musser III is named president of Grand Hotel.

1989 The East Wing is added to the hotel.

1989 The U.S. Department of Interior designates Grand Hotel a National Historic Landmark.

1994 The new Woods nine opens, combining with the original Grand nine to comprise The Jewel, Grand Hotel’s 18-hole golf course.

1995 Astor’s Hair Salon and Rebecca’s are added.

1996 Margaret’s Garden and The Audubon Wine Bar open.

1997 Oil Paintings by Marlee, featuring original oil paintings by local artist Marlee Brown, is added to the variety of shops at Grand Hotel.

1998 Five new Named Rooms in honor of former First Ladies, Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, and Barbara Bush are added to the West End of the Hotel. Two new two-bedroom suites, the Grand and the Carleton Varney, are also added to the west end.

1999 Grand Hotel & Co., Fine Jewelry is added to the variety of shops. Thirteen guest rooms are added to the West Wing of the Hotel, bringing the total to 343.

2000 A new golf pro shop is added. The Vanderbilt Suite is added. Three electric boilers are added making water heating more efficient and environmentally friendly. Construction began on the Millennium Wing, a 300 seat addition to the Main Dining Room and 42 new guest rooms. This is the largest addition since the original construction of the hotel. The Millennium Wing will be completed in time for the 2001 season.

2001 The Millennium Wing opens on the east end of the hotel featuring 42 new guest rooms, The Grand Pavilion – a 3,600 square-foot private meeting room and dining room, restrooms for the dining room, and new guest and service elevators.

2002 The Jacqueline Kennedy Suite is added to the variety of Named Rooms.

2003 The Masco Cottage, a four-bedroom cottage attached to the east end of the hotel is added. The deck area at the pool is expanded and a new large hot tub is added.

2004 The Grand Club at Grand Hotel is founded. The Grand Club is a vacation membership program allowing guests to prepay future stays at Grand Hotel at a discount.

2005 The Millennium Wing opens on March 1, the earliest Grand Hotel has been open in its 118-year history. The Jane Seymour Suite was created featuring furniture and linens from her Grand Hotel – Mackinac Island Collection, a line of home goods she created for Saks, Inc.

2006 The Gate House, a casual bar/restaurant just a short walk down Grand Hill is added to Grand Hotel’s offsite dining options. The 5,000,000th overnight guest in Grand Hotel history checks in on Monday, June 26.

2007 Air-conditioning is added to 170 guest rooms making Grand Hotel entirely air-conditioned. Grand Hotel celebrates its 120th birthday.

2008 For the first time in Grand Hotel history, regular selective dinner was served on the Front Porch during the summer season.

2009 Grand Hotel is certified as a Green Lodging Michigan Leader by the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth. The commitment to reducing Grand Hotel’s carbon footprint is an ongoing process that began in 2007 when a state-of-the-art air-conditioning system was installed that uses water for cooling guest rooms and is then used to heat the Esther Williams Swimming Pool. As part of our green initiative, we have established our “Green Team” that has members constantly looking for new and creative ways to benefit our planet.

For more information follow the link below.

http://www.grandhotel.com

]]> http://photosbyblair.com/blog/mackinac-island-weddings/grand-hotel-weddings/feed 0 http://photosbyblair.com/blog/mackinac-island-weddings/mackinac-island-wedding-venders-list http://photosbyblair.com/blog/mackinac-island-weddings/mackinac-island-wedding-venders-list#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:49:42 +0000 Photos http://photosbyblair.com/blog/?p=245

Mackinac Island Wedding Vendor List

Voted one of the top 10 Destination

Wedding Islands in the World.

]]> http://photosbyblair.com/blog/mackinac-island-weddings/mackinac-island-wedding-venders-list/feed 0 http://photosbyblair.com/blog/mackinac-island/mackinac-bridge http://photosbyblair.com/blog/mackinac-island/mackinac-bridge#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:48:16 +0000 Photos http://photosbyblair.com/blog/?p=95

Mackinac Bridge 2005

I have driven across the Mackinac Bridge 100′s of times and walked it once.

Once a year the Bridge is open for the Labor Day Walk.

The Mackinac Bridge is currently the third longest suspension bridge in the world. In 1998, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan became the longest with a total suspension of 12,826 feet. The Great Belt Bridge in Halsskov-Sprogoe, Denmark, which also opened in 1998, is the second longest suspension bridge in the world with a total suspension of 8,921 feet. The Mackinac Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere.

Some interesting facts:

Completed on 1957.

Total Length of Bridge….26,444 ft.  Close to 5 miles.

Total length Steel Superstructure…19,205 ft.

Length Suspension Bridge including Anchorages…8,614 ft.

Heights of main Towers above Water…552 ft.

Maximum Depth of Water at Midspan…295 ft.

Maximum Depth of Tower piers below Water…210 ft.

Height of roadway above Water at Midspan…199 ft.

Underclearance at Midspan for Ships…155 ft.

Total Length of Wire in main Cables…42,000 miles.

number Wires in each cable…12,580.

Weight of Cables…11,840 Tons.

Diameter of main Cables…24 1/2 inches.

Diameter of each Wire…0,196 inches.

All suspension bridges are designed to move to accommodate wind, change in temperature, and weight. It is possible that the deck at center span could move as much as 35 feet (east or west) due to high winds. This would only happen under severe wind conditions. The deck would not swing or “sway” but rather move slowly in one direction based on the force and direction of the wind. After the wind subsides, the weight of the vehicles crossing would slowly move it back into center position.

Mackinac Bridge

If you are considering a Destination Wedding, Mackinac Island is one of the top 10 locations in the U.S., and the top three in Michigan.  I have had the pleasure of photographing over 400+ Weddings on Mackinac Island since 1997.  The venues are spectacular and the views are breathtaking.  As I look back at the last 13 years there is not one wedding that was uneventful.  The atmosphere and the anticipation from the brides make for a beautiful celebration.  It truly is a

“Somewhere in Time” destination.

Steven Blair, We just wanted to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for creating the most perfect wedding memories. Being out of state, we searched high and low for the best photographer for our wedding on Mackinac Island. We went to the wedding expo on the island, clicked through so many websites, and thumbed through a plethora of brochures. When we saw your site, we knew you were “our photographer.” We chose you because we could see the thought and the love shine through every picture that you took. Your passion for photography comes through each and every photo that you take. During the entire process (planning, and executing the photos), your demeanor, professionalism, and overall personality made you a pleasure to work with. Everyone who sees our wedding album comments how beautiful the pictures are and how they look like they could be stills from a movie. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

]]> http://photosbyblair.com/blog/mackinac-island-weddings/mackinac-island-weddings/feed 0 http://photosbyblair.com/blog/mackinac-island-weddings/welcome-to-my-blog http://photosbyblair.com/blog/mackinac-island-weddings/welcome-to-my-blog#comments Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:08:28 +0000 Photos http://photosbyblair.com/blog/?p=5 I moved to Northern Michigan in 1968, then to Traverse City  in 1977 which has been my home for over 30 years and spend most of my summers on Mackinac Island. The beauty of this area and the surroundings landscapes allow me to bring out my artistic talents in Freelance and Wedding Photography.

Twelve years ago a good friend, a seasoned photographer in his own right, offered me this suggestion. While viewing my photography he was amazed on the detailed, clean, artistic, but modern language that he experienced while viewing my compositions. “Your passion shows in every picture you shoot”. To entertain is a big part of a your event and celebration. I look for the challenge of the moment. The passion of people. The smiles that transpires from a celebration.

So I took his challenge and advice and have never looked back. He was right. I love the anticipation up to the event. I look forward to the day as it unfolds and the challenge of the lighting, the buildings, the venues, the landscapes the water, and the weather. This all adds caricature and depth to the photo shoot and the destination that the day brings. All the colors of the dresses, flowers, decor all adds to the moment and how the day flows. Photography is my music, the notes on the page. Life’s moments are a lot like magic, here one minute and gone the next. Capturing the memories and the magic of family and friends with the enduring beauty of a portrait.

One of life’s greatest pleasures is seeing the family together. Chances are your family will be gathering sometime soon. There’s no better time to create a family portrait that will capture the spirit of family for you to enjoy year round. Take this opportunity to capture this time in your family’s history and give your family a gift that will turn those special moments into memories they can hold on to forever. With creative attention to detail, I do provide your family with a quality portrait that will bring years of enjoyment.

Of all the decisions you will make in planning your wedding, the one that will be the most important to you when you look back on this most special of all days, is the photographer you choose to capture the beauty, romance, emotion, and joy of your wedding or event.

In years to come your photographs will be your most treasured heirloom, so don’t trust your priceless memories to just anyone.

I love the outdoors; hiking, kayaking, walking, camping, skiing, etc. in any season of the year.

I love my wife, my family, my friends. They have all helped me through the years to keep pushing the envelope with my passion of photography. I get up every morning with a smile on my face that a new day has dawned and a new challenge has arrived. Smile and be happy. Were only here on earth such a short time.

f you are seeking a photographer or photographers in Northern Michigan, Mackinaw, and the Traverse City Michigan region we can help make your wedding day memories a life time of enjoyment. Every photographer has a different style but some photographers have a passion to bring out the best artists’ backdrop that photography can offer. When you’re searching for photographers keep in mind the passion that the moment offers. This is what I will bring to your wedding day.

Steven Blair