Local businesses in Michiana joining the pop-up wedding trend

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BERRIEN COUNTY, Mi. -- Since big weddings aren’t possible during the pandemic, some businesses in Michiana are turning to pop-up weddings. It’s a new option for couples looking to tie the knot during the pandemic.

Both Fernwood Botanical Garden in Niles, Michigan and Get Hitched Indiana are getting on the trend. 

Fernwood Botanical Garden is teeming with wedding vendors to give couples a quick way to get married with minimal planning, 

  “I was able to coordinate with a lot of other popular vendors in our area that help organize this. We had the downtime, but I saw the solution and found great people to build a team,” said Heidi Tuthill, the Fernwood Botanical Garden Rental Facilities and Visitor Coordinator.  

After seeing the stress couples were under in re-planning their wedding, Tuthill came up with an idea to hold a small wedding ceremony for couples who want to get married soon. Couples have the option to choose from two outdoor venues; the Green and the Boxwood Garden. They can pick between three dates and times: July 18, August 1 and September 26 at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

The wedding package costs $1,800 and includes an officiant, 30 minutes ceremony, one-hour photoshoot at the garden, music, and floral arraignments.

 “They need to bring themselves, dressed and ready to go and the rings. And other than that we’ve got it taken care of. There’s no reception involved in this, we’ll give you some cake to take home to celebrate or if you choose, you can enjoy it out here in the garden,” Tuthill said, 

Fernwood Botanical Garden is limiting guests count off Michigan’s current mandate for social gatherings indoors, just in case of weather becomes an issue, organizers can move the ceremony inside.

If you want more information or want to book a pop-up ceremony with Fernwood, email them at [email protected] or call 269-965-6491.

A fairly new business is also joining the trend with a free pop-up elopement event in Downtown South Bend. Get Hitched Indiana started in June with the idea of making it easy for couples to get married.

 
"The idea of the pop-up elopement is we’ve never heard of it before. It sounded like fun and it just sounds like a great way to help the community in a weird kind of sort of way to give back,” Mary Gibson, owner of Get Hitched Indiana said. 

Gibson said they just want to help get people married, especially when the pandemic has ruined a lot of couple’s plans. The event will take place at 209 Michigan Street, where there will be several officiants on site

All they ask is that you bring a legal valid married license, a willing partner and a photo ID

“We’ll just get them married. It doesn’t cost anything. We want to make it as easy as possible for couples to get married. So, we’ve set a date and time. July 11 or 7/11. How lucky is that day,” Gibson said. 

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