Engaged? Consider the Big House for Your Wedding Plans
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.
December 23rd, 2010 at 8:50 AM ^
Hopefully Brian and his lucky bride can host the first wedding at the big house. Cool.
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:03 AM ^
And we are all invited. Might break the record for wedding attendance than Guinness would screw us.
December 23rd, 2010 at 5:13 PM ^
I'll deliever a drunken toast
December 24th, 2010 at 9:55 PM ^
I'll only get married there if I get use of the PA announcer:
"Thank you for being a part of the largest audience watching a wedding anywhere in America today."
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.
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:18 AM ^
Also, feel free to contact a lifelong Michigan Man to film your wedding!!
/shameless plug
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:37 AM ^
that would be sweet. Maybe a slow-mo reply of the kiss. Have an official throw a flag if it goes on too long. The possibilities are endless. Have the ring delivered by that skydiver, with Cupid wings on ...
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:40 AM ^
I could arrange that for the right price.
Mad props to the woman that wears a winged veil.
December 23rd, 2010 at 12:52 PM ^
Why? I would be so psyched if they crashed my wedding...
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.
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.
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:45 AM ^
I just emailed this link to my buddy that just got engaged. It's funny, we were just joking about this very thing last week. I told him I didn't think the big house hosts those sort of things.
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:46 AM ^
You are a lucky man. Going to show this to my fiancee, but I doubt she would go for it, since she is an SEC grad.
December 23rd, 2010 at 12:07 PM ^
My god, it's brilliant! I never liked flowers to begin with, maybe I could just carry a football around. HEISMAN POSE BRIDAL PARTY PICTURE! BOOM.
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.
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:05 AM ^
i'm trying to envision the conversation i'd have with my future mother-in-law to convince her on that one.
"Church is church. The Big House is my Temple."
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:09 AM ^
will booze be allowed?
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:15 AM ^
receptions are at a local frat house of your choosing, so there will be plenty of booze!
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:13 AM ^
For some reason I think Brian should have his wedding at center ice at Yost with Red officiating.
December 23rd, 2010 at 12:10 PM ^
And then they should ride the zambonis and throw shoes instead of bouquets!
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.
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:42 AM ^
You run through it on the Big House Big Heart run. It is pretty inspiring, though -- if that doesn't give you a kick at the end, nothing will.
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:43 AM ^
sacred in my opinion.
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:01 AM ^
between running out of that tunnel when the stadium is full vs. when its empty. Besides, the lucky couple needs to be reminded to have "Hard Edge" on their wedding day.
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:14 AM ^
"hold the rope"
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.
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:33 AM ^
WHOA! Good luck! And an early congratulations to you if it goes as hoped!
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:33 AM ^
...to you.
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:37 AM ^
One of the greatest moments in life! Let us know how it goes.
December 23rd, 2010 at 2:11 PM ^
But I'm sure she will. Crime Reporter is a good guy. I've seen worse on here who have managed to get married (*COUGH* mirror *COUGH*)
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:41 AM ^
in the wedding plans. The only acceptable answer to any question ( wedding related or otherwise) from now on till eternity is "Yes Dear".
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:45 AM ^
And I'm OK with it.
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:46 AM ^
And beware - hesitation is not necessarily a bad sign.
She may just be really surprised and not know what to say at first.
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:50 AM ^
that's awesome man. congratulations! best of luck! maybe you can at least convince her to go maize and blue on the wedding colors. i just noticed yesterday that the wedding in "I Love You, Man" has those colors.
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:50 AM ^
Make it happen, man. Make it happen.
I imagine, in about three to four years, we're going to see our first "OT: Will You Marry Me?" thread. And it will be glorious.
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:00 AM ^
Best part of your wedding day...when it's over.
That is the single most stressful event I have experienced yet in my life. Worse than the birth of children or when they had surgery. Worse than anything because so many people are involved and you want it to be perfect...for her.
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:02 AM ^
Congrats man! Nervous yet?
December 23rd, 2010 at 12:57 PM ^
I just read Crime Reporter's post and got nervous for him. So intense.
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.
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:11 AM ^
...a cool story, bro. I like your style.
December 23rd, 2010 at 12:24 PM ^
ND 2003 is possibly my favorite game ever. Love the story, Michgoblue.
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:49 AM ^
Holy crap one of my favorite posters. Congratulations man, I'll be pulling for you today.
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.
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:15 AM ^
You brought up an awesome memory. Rushing the field after OSU in 1997 (I was also a senior) was probably one of the most exciting moments of my life.
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:29 AM ^
I grabbed a handful of grass from the field and had it in a baggie for years after I graduated. Good times!
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:40 AM ^
I can do you one better. I actually still have the baggie of grass that I took from the field. It is sitting in an extra freezer in my garage. Awesome!
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:55 AM ^
That is outstanding!