08/10/2026
WOW! We just received another 5 star review. Thank you Joe. Your review means the world to Joanne and Me.
We had our wedding at Graystone in the middle of July, and I can honestly say it exceeded our expectations. The weather was beautiful, the gardens were incredible, and once everything was set up, the venue looked even better than we imagined.
From our first phone call, we had a great experience. We were focused on finding out the price, but the owner wanted to first explain everything included, how the venue worked, the setup, food, and what we could expect. Once we got the price, it made complete sense. It wasn't "cheap," but it was very reasonable for everything included. Most importantly, there weren't hidden surprises or constant upsells. We chose to upgrade a few things ourselves, but those were our decisions.
One thing I HIGHLY recommend is their son Jamie for videography. We came from about four hours away in Metro Detroit, and finding a videographer locally or someone willing to travel was difficult and expensive. Some quotes were almost double Jamie's price. Since Jamie was already going to be there and knew the venue, it was a no brainer.
Looking back, the video was one of the best decisions we made. So much happens during your wedding that you either miss or don't remember. Jamie captured those moments and gave us something we'll have forever. He was accommodating, easy to work with, and added so much to the overall experience. Definitely talk to him before looking elsewhere.
The food was another HUGE highlight. At the tasting they had probably 10 to 12 different items to try. We chose prime rib, chicken marsala, pasta, mashed potatoes, green beans and appetizers. Everything was amazing. Our guests were RAVING about the meatballs, and the pretzels were to die for.
We also added the hot dog cart for later in the night. GET THE HOT DOG CART. It's a must!
The tasting was also a chance to meet the crew, choose tablecloth colors and go through details. My advice is to stay on top of the planning schedule and deadlines they give you. They are busy during wedding season, but once wedding day arrived, everything was taken care of.
That was probably the biggest surprise for us. The wedding day service felt like white glove concierge service. She kept everything on schedule, helped us and our guests throughout the night, handled things behind the scenes, and even had surprises our guests were still talking about afterward.
We literally showed up, went to our rooms, got dressed, and everything else was handled. We weren't running around checking tables, worrying about food, coordinating people or trying to manage the night ourselves. We were actually able to enjoy our wedding.
We had roughly 65 guests and there was plenty of room. The gardens, fountains, outdoor areas and fire area were beautiful. Multiple guests told us afterward that it was one of the nicest wedding venues they had ever been to.
We stayed in downtown Traverse City, roughly 40 minutes away, while some guests stayed closer to Honor. We used the Magic Shuttle Bus for transportation. This was completely separate from Graystone, but it worked well. It was pricey at around $1,800 per shuttle, so with a smaller wedding I would also look into smaller transportation options.
One important tip: alcohol is NOT allowed on the property during rehearsal, including the parking lot. Graystone clearly communicated this to us. Unfortunately, some guests didn't understand or respect the rule and one even left a negative review afterward. Make sure your rehearsal guests know the rule beforehand. It's their property, their rule, and we completely understood it.
Overall, I would recommend Graystone without hesitation. Beautiful venue, incredible gardens, excellent food, reasonable pricing, no major surprises and amazing wedding day service.
Part of me wishes we could have another wedding just so we could experience that day again. It really was that magical.
If you book Graystone, stay on top of your planning schedule, get the hot dog cart, and absolutely talk to Jamie about videography. You'll be glad you did.
Call now to connect with business.
