jen & maurice
See you here!
IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT DAY!
Getting Here
FLYING
The best way to Ann Arbor from out of town is through Detroit Metro Airport (DTW), which is about 25 minutes by car straight east of Ann Arbor. You'll want to rent a car, since cabs are pretty expensive, and the wedding is another 20 minutes west of Ann Arbor. Here are directions from DTW to the heart of Ann Arbor, and then on to Jack's farm, to give an idea of where you are going. You'll of course want to customize this based on where you are staying (see below for suggestions!).
DRIVING
Ann Arbor sits right on I-94, so is easily accessible by car from Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. Coming from points west, just use your favorite directions app or web site and follow I-94 into town. There can be a fair amount of construction on State Street, so take exit 175 Ann Arbor-Saline Road, which turns into Main Street on into town. From points east, you can take the Ohio Turnpike (I-80) to 23 North until it hits I-94. Those coming from the south, just follow 23 North all the way up. If you are lucky enough to be coming from the UP or northern Michigan, you know where you are and don't need our advice :-)
LODGING
There are a number of hotel chains in the Ann Arbor area. We suggest a few south, near the State Street exit off of I-94, including Hilton Garden Inn, Kensington Court, Residence Inn, Sheraton, and the Holiday Inn and Suites. All of these are bookable via hotels.com or your favorite hotels web site. There is also a Holiday Inn Express just west of town (on the way to Jack's Farm), and also a few rooms left in the B&Bs around town if you like something a little more off the path. Check out the Stone Chalet, or other offerings on bedandbreakfast.com. There are also a variety of great options on airbnb. Please give us a shout if you would like help or advice on anything at all--we know our town well and are more than happy to assist.
A few tips--Ypsilanti is farther away than it looks, so we recommend staying in Ann Arbor itself--closer to the West Side is better for being close to everything (that is where we live), and near to downtown, where there is lots of great food, shopping, and fun.
Gifts
We love the fact that you're coming to celebrate with us, or are with us in spirit if you can't make it! And we would love for you to share your gifts of music or poetry or laughter during the evening (see below in the Music section).
If you feel like gifting the traditional way, we are registered at
Downtown Home and Garden [map]
734.662.8122
A wonderful little local store in downtown Ann Arbor. Here is a photo stream of items we are registered for (though
really we love just about everything there)--just give them a call or stop by, they know us and are happy to hold gifts
there for us to pick up, if you would rather not carry them around.
Everyday Wines [map]
734.827.9463
Our favorite wine store, we shop here all the time. These ladies know their wine and
are always ready with a great recommendation.
734.665.5651
A wonderful local nursery-- They don't really have a registry, but we'd love a fruit tree (peach or cherry) to plant
at the house!
The Other Option
Home renovation: It's not super romantic, but it will keep our feet warm in the Michigan
winter, and we will think of you every step we take! We bought a house earlier this
year on the beautiful Old West Side of Ann Arbor, and while it is lovely, it could still
use a little love. If you would like to contribute a little happy to our home:
If you have a PayPal account, you can go here and make a transfer to either one of
us by using our gmail address or mobile number.
If you use Gmail, you can make a transfer by just sending us an email
(to either of our gmail addresses).
And there's always the old fashioned paper way...
Music
Oh yes, there will be music! To start things off we'll have an hour of Shapenote Singing (Sacred Harp) in the Barn, a tradition in Maurice's family. If you have not experienced Shapenote singing, it's a fantastic tradition you can hear more about here , and the barn should make an excellent venue. After dinner, our good friend Dave Boutette and his band will take the stage - an amazing crew of talented musicians who are going to put on quite the swinging show.
In between sets by the band, you will get your turn -- if you have a song, a joke, a poem, or a funky dance you'd like to share with us, we invite you to come up on stage and do so! If you indicate you're interested on the RSVP, we'll be in touch to tell you what it will be like, let you decide if you want to commit, and give you a place in the order of the evening.
To close out the entertainment portion of the evening, we will have a community jam session--bring your instrument, percussive kitchen implement, or just your voice and play along as we raise the roof with "Walking With Spring" (lyrics and tabs are here!), led by Jen's band, the Broken Spokes.
DRESS
It is August and it will be hot! This is not a formal affair (not even the groom will be wearing a full suit!)--think dressy-casual and you will be fine.
Cool Stuff to Do in Ann Arbor
Check back here before you head to Ann Arbor--we will add some of the local not-to-miss fun and great places for breakfast that make us love our little town!