TC Venues optimistic for 2021 weddings, corporate events, despite ongoing restrictions

Many weddings and corporate events had to be canceled in the heat of the pandemic last year. Now the venues are hoping the restrictions will be lifted in 2021.

“We are ready and excited for the future,” said Krystal Fluette, Village Ambassador for Kirkbride Hall in Traverse City.

Fluette says it’s hard to see brides being forced to postpone their weddings:

“As you know, 2020 was a challenge for everyone.”

This year the ballroom is starting to book again with the vaccine and a drop in COVID-19 cases.

Fluette says: “We saw tons of inquiries, we are getting a lot of inquiries for late summer and fall of 2021.”

Fluette said last year they needed to adapt quickly to COVID-19 restrictions. So this year they decided to build an outdoor pavilion for weddings.

“We basically have to set up different outdoor venues to be precise, as we don’t want people to be able to cancel or reschedule. That’s why we’re giving them this option for outdoors, ”says Fluette.

Interest in the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa is also growing, but current restrictions still only allow gatherings of 25 people for events.

Katie Leonard, Sales Director at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, says, “The mood has definitely changed. Customers and their attendees are ready to gather. We’re just waiting for these restrictions to be lifted. “

According to TC Tourism, every sixth job in the region depends on tourism. If restrictions don’t ease soon, the organization believes the region could lose millions of dollars again this year.

President and CEO Trevor Tkach says, “We know we can do it safely. We want to prove to the world that we want to keep this business here in northern Michigan. So we’re optimistic that it will happen this summer.”

Tkach says northern Michigan still offers beautiful scenery for outdoor events:

“Nothing has changed here in northern Michigan, it’s still a beautiful place. Nature draws a lot of people here and nature is always open. ”