Engaged? Consider the Big House for Your Wedding Plans

Submitted by MGoShoe on

Looking for that special place to say, "I do"?  How about at midfield of Michigan Stadium after you and your wedding party enter through the tunnel and pass under The Banner? If this sounds like the perfect setting, Dave Brandon is thinking of you (H/T Mama #TeamLique):

Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon sees your special day in a very special maize and blue way. "We have fans and alums who would love to get married on the Block M," Brandon said of the famous logo at the 50-yard line of Michigan Stadium.

"Can't you see the wedding procession coming out of the tunnel, under the M Go Blue banner? You have folding chairs set up on the field, you get married on the Block M, and everyone comes up the tunnel, then up the elevators, and you've got all these spaces up here (in the suites). You could have a reception for hundreds of people up here."

Brandon plans to hire an individual who will market Michigan Stadium weddings and parties. That person will set the price for the special events.

"To families, individuals, corporations who would have an interest in using them for events that would be special," Brandon said. "This stadium is one of the assets we have. We have this beautiful structure that's being used predominantly seven days a year. If we can come up with occasional opportunities to host other events that will draw the attention of folks and will be interesting and fun and financially viable, we'd love to do it."

Are you a titan of industry who needs a venue for your next corporate event?

While he was CEO of Ann Arbor-based Domino's, Brandon said it was always a struggle to find a large enough and unique area to host events. He said the company often had to take functions to Detroit. "We think you could put on some interesting unique corporate events," Brandon said. "We are very open to that."

Are you a bigger hoops or hockey fan or maybe you've planned a Dec wedding?

Brandon said that once renovations to Crisler Arena and Yost Arena are completed, those facilities also will contain "a lot of really cool, interesting spaces" that could potentially host events.


Revenue stream, bitches, revenue stream.

might and main

December 23rd, 2010 at 9:01 AM ^

but I have to say I don't like the idea of the Banner being used during weddings.  I wouldn't make a federal case out of it, and I hate being a scrooge at this time of year, but to me the Banner belongs to football team and should only be used in their honor.  The rest of it though, good ideas.

Maybe they could design a new banner specifically for weddings.  "M Go Blue: all your kids are belong to us" or something.

Waters Demos

December 23rd, 2010 at 9:03 AM ^

Seems like this would appeal more to the groom than the bride. 

A lucky guy he would be if the bride endorsed this with enthusiasm.

Off the bat, he knows he made the right pick.  

michgoblue

December 23rd, 2010 at 9:47 AM ^

I just emailed this link to my wife. 

Background:  she did not attend Michigan, and when we met, she had ZERO interest in football.  She is now as insane of a fan as most on this site.

Her reply to my email:

"That is so awesome - we should renew our vows!  Rather than throwing the bouquet of flowers, maybe they will let me punt a football to the single women."

I married well.

CRex

December 23rd, 2010 at 10:05 AM ^

My fiancee was open to my plan of getting married at halftime during the tOSU game.  Band plays "Here Comes the Bride", quick ceremony and we walk off with "Hail To the Victors" playing.  Of course we'd have to avoid getting married until out 40s to have the cash to afford that kind of wedding I bet.  

I'd really liket to see more football games played in The Big House.  On a week Michigan is travelling I'd likely buy a ticket for say EMU vs someone (assuming it was done in Sept or Oct when the weather is nice).  Give me an excuse to tailgate and I'm down.  

DesHow21

December 23rd, 2010 at 9:20 AM ^

The tunnel and the banner are sacred. You get to do it, only if you "earn your wings". Some rich kid/old man having his 6th wedding with a 20yr old  who can afford to pay DB for an ostentatious wedding does NOT deserve that honor in my opinion.

Crime Reporter

December 23rd, 2010 at 9:31 AM ^

I am going to propose to my girlfriend later this morning.

But we will go the more traditional route with the ceremony. She does not understand my love/obsession of Michigan.

michgoblue

December 23rd, 2010 at 10:06 AM ^

You are consistently one of the more rational posters here.  If your gf hesitates, you should let her know that I said that - perhaps it will sway her in your favor. 

Seriously, though, congrats and good luck today. 

As for her not understanding your love / obsession of Michigan, I faced the same dilemma.  My wife went to a school in NY with almost no football program, and while she was a sports fan, she only liked hockey and baseball.

After our first year of marriage, part-way through the season, I got the dreaded "are you going to ruin every Saturday from September through November sitting home watching the Michigan games?" 

My initial answer - half joking - "are you going to ruin every Saturday from September through November complaining about it?"  Didn't go over well, but I digress.

So, after some though, I struck a deal with her - she would come with me out to a Michigan football game in AA (we live in NY).  In the weeks before the game, she would at least let me teach her the basics of football so that she would have some understanding of what was going on.  If, after attending the game, she didn't have some interest in spending every Saturday from September through November watching Michigan, I would agree to either Tivo some of the less important games (none) and watch them later or we could get a divorce (half kidding).

This occurred mid-way through the 2002 season.  So, she begrudgingly watched the last 3 games of the 2002 season with me, as I tried to explain the basics of football to her.  And, while she refused to admit it at the time, she started to develop a love for Michigan football.

Fast forward to the 2003 season.  I knew that this was my one chance to sell her on M football.  So, I made reservations at the Campus Inn (in my opinion, an awesome hotel), and sprung for awesome seats for the M-ND game.  We flew in on Friday afternoon, and I felt like a booster trying to sell a recruit to come to Michigan.  By Friday night, she conceded that AA was the most awesome town ever and that going to school here must have been amazing.

And so Saturday morning came.  The football gods were on my side - the weather was 75 and perfectly sunny.  After a morning walk around campus during which her awe of AA grew even more, we set out for "the walk" to the game down State.  As we approached the stadium, after walking with tens of thousands were chanting the Victors, geriatric alum wearing hats covered in pins, bongo man doing his thing, the parties at the houses on State and the MMB sharing its awesomeness my wife turned to me and said - "holy shit, this is the most awesome thing ever - I can't believe that you got to spend 4 years doing this - when we have a kid he is DEFINITELY going to Michigan."

I knew I had won.  The game day experience was so awesome that the game - a 38-0 trouncing of ND - was almost an afterthought.  From that day on, my wife was a die hard M fan. 

profitgoblue

December 23rd, 2010 at 9:35 AM ^

I'm not a fan of this idea.  When I was in school, it was damn near impossible to get onto the field at any time.  They always protected the field like it was Fort Knox and never allowed any other sports to use it (maybe because it was grass at the time?).  Getting onto the field in 1997 as a senior after the OSU win to complete an undefeated season is one of my favorite Michigan moments.  Now Brandon is going to open it up to paying customers?  I'm not a fan of this at all.