WHAT!?
Jennifer Mesch & Scott Smallwood got married!

Go to our photo gallery to check it out.

WHERE?
The Last Frontier! The Copper Country! DA U.P.!!

Keweenaw Mountain Lodge
Copper Harbor, Michigan

Copper Harbor is the northern-most town in Michigan, at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula. This peninsula juts out into Lake Superior, which is the largest freshwater lake in the world. We love it there, and we hope you will too.

Accomodations
We have blocked off a number of cabins at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge for our guests. They are right on the grounds of Wedding Central. Cabins come in 1 and 2 bedroom sizes and there are 30+ of them. Each room has a queen and a twin bed. Each cabin has a couch/hide-a-bed in the living room and a fireplace stocked with wood.

They also have a small number of motel rooms which should be reserved for elderly/differently abled/very pregnant/etc. To reserve a cabin, leave a message and they will return your call. 888.MT LODGE (888.685.6343)

If you would prefer to camp, there are a couple of places, but we recommend Fort Wilkins State Park, Which is about 2 miles away from U.P. Wedding Central. It also has RV hook up and interesting history.

WHEN?
The weekend of May 20, 2006
May 19, 6 pm - Pasty Soiree
May 20, Day - Copper Country Cruising
May 20, 5 pm - Ceremony and Reception


The Pasty Soiree A very casual and social welcome dinner for all of our guests. Authentic Cornish pasties and authentic Old Milwaukee (and more) will be served at The Lodge for guests as they arrive Friday and our local friends. Keweenaw Mountain Lodge.

Copper Country Cruising - This is a term that Michigan Tech students use. This involves driving around to see the sights, usually with friends and family. We will supply a Top 20 list of things to see and do. If you can, we suggest taking a couple of extra days to explore the Keweenaw Peninsula if you have never been here before. It's a curious place for curious people.

Ceremony & Reception - Jack Magai, master choreographer will officiate the ceremony which will be on the grounds of The Lodge (weather permitting). Cocktails and dinner (semi-formal) will be followed by dancing with The Polka Kings from 7-11pm

After that, it's up to whoever is still standing; either more dancing to the music of Scott and friends, Zik's in Copper Harbor, some kind of midnight expedition, or all of the above.

Sunday - As people depart on Sunday, we will leave it up to the guests where they would prefer to have breakfast. The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge serves a brunch from 8-11 on Sunday which we will be at, but there are many excellent and quirky diners in the Keweenaw, many of which serve beautiful Finnish bakery and local fare. If you haven't tried pannukakku (Finnish pancake) or nisu French toast, this is a great way to do it.

HOW (do I get there)?
Copper Harbor is on the northern tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The nearest airports are Houghton County Memorial Airport in Hancock, MI [ CMX ] (about 46 miles south) and Marquette, MI [ MQT ] (about 150 miles south).

Please consider coordinating flights/car with others that you know, and book early. Chances are you'll be arriving on the same flght with others who are coming for the wedding.

From the airport:
Simply exit the airport, turn right onto US 41 North, and drive toward Copper Harbor. The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge will be on your right before you get to Copper Harbor. Copper Harbor is not the same as Copper Village or Copper City.

{UPDATE!!} There is a detour on 41 near Eagle Harbor. You will have to take it. This takes you to the last leg of M-26 along the northern edge of Lake Superior. It's a beautiful drive, and also takes about 20 minutes longer. Once in Copper Harbor, follow signs back to 41. You can access The Lodge even though there are Raod Closed signs there, too (a section of 41 washed out in the rain).

If you are driving-

From Downstate Michigan:
Head toward I-75 North to the Mackinac Bridge. Once you've crossed The Bridge, look for US 2 heading West. If you're low on gas, get it here. Head north on H42 to Germfask. Head West on US 28 aka "The Seeney Stretch". Look for the junction for US 41 North (in Marquette). It will be about 150 miles from that point. The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge is on the right before you get to Copper Harbor. Note: Follow detour update above.

From Chicago:
Head toward Milwaukee via I-94. Take this to I-43 North toward Green Bay. Take US 141 North around Green Bay to US 41 North. The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge is on the right before you get to Copper Harbor. Note: Follow updated detour directions above.

HOLY WAH! That's a long way up there!
Local Amenities and Other Info
Local forecast for Copper Harbor for the weekend: Highs in the low to mid 50's with a 30% chance of rain.

Your cell phone may not work in the Keweenaw, although a couple of carriers do function there. Consider bringing a calling card and relive the olden days of looking for a pay phone. There are phones at The Lodge, as well as wireless internet.

If you are concerned about being in an isolated location, have no fear. Copper Harbor itself is a small, somewhat touristy town and has a small grocery store and some quaint shops. Calumet is about 20 minutes away and is a larger town and was a mining boomtown. There is a hospital there. "Larger" grocery stores and restaurants can be found. The sister cities of Houghton and Hancock are about 45 minutes away. They have two universites between them, a hospital, grocery stores and downtown districts. There are larger, chain stores and chain restaurants (fast food and slow) which we won't personally promote, but they do exist, even in the Keweenaw.

There are tons of things to do in your spare time, most of which involve vantage points of Lake Superior, historic tours, mine locations and exploring the villages. We will provide a packet of information on things to do and see in the Keweenaw. For the same information only different (real different), please see our site at The*Knot.