he Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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Tuesday, September 4, 2012 - 5C
'I Do, Go Blue: The Big H
itself for weddings at the
. By LUCY PERKINS
Daily Arts Writer
OCT. 6, 2011 - Sometimes,
tressed students plodding slowly
:hrough the Diag with their back-
>acks bursting can't help but post-
>one studying a little longer to
tawk at the choreographed spec-
:acle of bridesmaids and bouquets,
groomsmen in tuxedos, the groom
md (of course) the tulle-frosted
sride posing together for wedding
>hotos.
Weddings are easy to spot sim-
>ly because they're a cherished,
hyped-up part of our culture. And
for many married couples, the day
h exchange vows and say"I do"
e most important day of their
ives. A wedding is the fruitful
:ulmination of months of plan-
ing: Picking a venue, the colors,
lowers, linens, bridesmaids and
troomsmen, the rings - there are
: ntless components that make
Wonies like this as beauti-
ful as they are. For couples who
>leed maize and blue, some of
hose decisions, such as the color
cheme and location, are obvious.
There's no place they would rather
get married than the University.
Big House wedding bells
This summer, the Athletic
Department announced the pos-
ibility of holding private events
n many of the athletic spaces
an campus. The most exciting of
hese locations is the football field,
where just weeks ago, the Wol-
rerines stole a victory from Notre
Dame in the final seconds of the
J 'versity's firstnightgame.
,It's more than just weddings
it the Big House," said Athletic
Director David Brandon. "It'sreal-
y taking these wonderful spaces
hat we've created.that rarely get
ised, and trying to put them to
work in such a way that people can
*y them."
Brandon played a crucial role in
he Athletic Department's recent
lecision to open the Big House
ind other athletic venues for pri-
rate events.
"There are a lot of people
who graduate from here who
ove this place and have an emo-
ional connection to it," Brandon
aid. "These spaces will often be
ppealing to people and give them
chance to connect with the Uni-
versity."
Although this option just
became a possibility.in late June,
there have already been several
bookings.
"Everyone that has had any-
thing in (the Big House) walks
away raving," said Katy Hepner,
special events coordinator for the
Athletic Department. "It exceeds
all expectation. And whenyouhave
the historicaltraditionofMichigan
football in the backdrop, we're set-
ting ourselves up for success."
Surrounded by 109,901 empty
bleacher seats and the memories
of cheering fans, the betrothed
can- exchange vows on the field
surrounded by bridesmaids,
groomsmen and their guests. On a
very hot and sunny July 7, the Big
House's first wedding took place
between Craig Koss and Betsy
Barrett-Koss on the so-yard line.
For a wedding in the Big House,
couples pay anywhere from $6,000
for an hour-long ceremony on the
field to a $9,000 rental fee for the
Jack Roth Stadium Club, a venue
meant to offer refreshments, pre-
mium seating and deluxe cuisine
for guests during football games.
Since the Athletic Depart-
ment's announcement, several
groups have booked events and
photo opportunities on the field
andatthe StadiumClub.Withfour
events in October, this opportu-
nity is quickly gaining popularity,
as Michigan Stadium hasa packed
schedule in the upcoming summer
months.
"Our winter months are a lit-
tle slower, but in June, July and
August, we're pretty busy with
weddings and some other corpo-
rate conference dinners," Hepner
said.
Ana Skidmore, the principle
event planner of TwoFoot Cre-
ative, an event planning company
in the Ann Arbor area, recently
booked her first wedding recep-
tion at the Stadium Club for next
year.
"Weddings in the Big House are
obviously for people who love the
UniversityofMichigan,"Skidmore
said. "The clients I have booked
for next year don't want to go
crazy over Michigan, but because
they're in the Stadium Club, there
will be a giant block 'M' staring at
everyone from the stadium. Obvi-
ously, they want Michigan to be a
part of the wedding, but not all of
the wedding."
From a planner's perspective,
Skidmore said there's a fine line
that's easy to cross when planning
themed weddings.
"You need to be careful not to go
overboard, because then it becomes
cheesy and it becomes a celebration
of Michigan and not the fact that
they're getting married."
But Skidmore also noted that
it's very easy to plan a themed
wedding with class. She suggested
warm mahogany seating and gold
or copper linensto subtly and tact-
fully tie in maize and blue to the
occasion.
When Skidmore was plan-
ning her own wedding in 2007,
she tried to get married in the Big
House. Her husband, a recruiter
for the football team at the time,
spoke to the department, but it
wasn't an option.
"We did get on the field for pic-
tures ... but that was the closest we
could get," Skidmore said. "I think
what they're trying to do now,
bringing the Michigan experience
to people who might never have
had it before, is really cool because
you might never get to be ina suite
or on the field at the Big House
unless you're invited to a wedding."
Something maize, something
blue
Many University alums have
approached Skidmore with the
desire to incorporate Michigan
into their ceremony, even if they're
not in the Big House.
"A lot of people use 'The Victors'
as their grand entrance, or instead
Ley said.
Best proposed to Ley last Janu-
ary at the State Theater, where
they went on their first date the
year before.
"The problem was that the State
only shows two movies at a time,"
Best said. "We went to see 'Black
Swan' because the alternative
was 'Blue Valentine' ... which ends
in divorce. So even though it's a
depressing movie we still went,
and I proposed afterwards."
After Ley said "yes" and the
wedding planning began, it wasn't
long before they picked a venue.
The couple is getting married in
the Pendleton Room of the Michi-
gan Union and will host the recep-
tion in the Union's Ballroom. Ley
recognized that a big advantage of
a historical location like the Union
is the level of school spirit already
associated with it.
"Having it in the Union will
automatically make our wedding
kind of themed because of its loca-
tion - we won't need tacky things
like blue and yellow balloons to
incorporate Michigan," Ley said.
According to Ley, almost every-
thing in the wedding and reception
will be white, but the 200 guests
will still see a few hints of maize
and blue from the University.
The couple has tastefully
slipped maize and blue into dis-
tinct components of the day. At
the reception, The Victors will be
played, there will be a maize and
blue ball pit in the kids' area, and
a specialty maize and blue cock-
tail - a blue drtkk with a lemon
garnish - will be offered to adult
guests.
Other touches feature a three-
ouse unveil's
University
tiered cake that will showcase the just means so much to both of us.
couple's time together. The lower Without having us both go here,
two tiers will feature Best and none of this would be happening."
Ley's heritage, using flags from A maize and blue color scheme
Ecuador and Germany. The high- and yellow flower arrangements
est tier will have a Michigan flag. revolve heavily around their con-
For Best and Ley, the Union is nection to the University and the
a logical location for the theme marching band. One of Cassel's
of their wedding because of its ideas for table. centerpieces uses
significance to the University, old marching band music like
but it holds financial appeal as "The Victors," "Let's Go Blue," and
well. According to Ley, the couple "Fanfare" as table numbers.
would have considered getting Besides the bride and groom,
married in the Big House, but the majority of the wedding party
the cost to rent the available ven- is closely tied to the University as
ues was too extravagant for their well.
given budget. "All of my bridesmaids were
"The Union is only, like, $2,000 with me in the marching band,"
for the rental of both rooms, and Cassel said.
you get some rental discounts if Surprisingly, Cassel and Igoe's
you're a student," Ley said. participation in marching band is
On another side of the Diag, the one of the reasons that Cassel and
Michigan Leagueis also an afford- Igoe chose not to get married in
able University venue for a Michi- the Big House.
gan-themed wedding. "The thing is, because we've
* Ann Cassel, a 2011 graduate of gotten to do so much in the Big
the University and bride-to-be, House, we've already made impor-
will marry 2010 alum and col- tant memories there," Cassel said.
lege sweetheart Brian Igoe at the Memories might be the biggest
League this May. Both French part of what make weddings so
horns in the Michigan Marching majestic. Despite unending weeks
Band, the couple met and began of preparation to create a bride's
dating when Cassel was a fresh- (or groom's) dreams of the per-
man. feet day, vows will be exchanged,
According to Cassel, while the cake will be eaten, and the last
on a date after her graduation, guests will leave. What lasts and
Igoe took her on a detour to the will be remembered are two peo-
Bell Tower, where he proposed. ple who have a profound connec-
Because the University has been tion to one another.
such a large part of their relation- For Best and Ley, Cassel and
ship, it will be a prominent part of Igoe and many other couples,
their wedding ceremony as well. experiencing these moments at
"It was our way of life for the the University, a place that keeps
last four or five years," Cassel said the memories of so many people,
about their time at the University. can only heighten an already won-
"We're huge football fans and it derful occasion.
For a good tim(
come to the
*Library
September 2nd, 4-6 PM
Shapiro Undergraduate Library A PARTY FOR YO
of table numbers (at the reception),
they'll choose places on campus,"
Skidmore said. "What happens is,
they went to school here, they met
here and they're both from dif-
ferent places, but they want to get
married here because that's whereeelpeoucveryoureducational expenses
The romance Skidmore h O
Te rmne Simr hQpy0UC described is exactly what hap-
pened to Chris Best and Katharina1817
Ley. Both Ph.D. students in the
University's department of indus-EMICHIGAN
trial and operational engineering, DATE
they are currently in the process
of planning their wedding, which
is set for May5, 2012. pAy TO THE
"We met here, soit makes sense poe opDOLRS
(to get married here). It's the only
place we've ever been together,"
On-amps ad of-tt~lUS mplyer ar alaylookin for qualified Wotk-Study and non-Wok-Study students.
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