The Wedding Story of Hailey and Dustin Drost

We love how sweet it is when parents play matchmaker. When Hailey met her future father-in-law at the restaurant she worked at part-time, she almost didn't give her number to him when he insisted she would be a great match for his son. But, something drove her to do so (and good thing she did!). Dustin called the very next day and, astonishingly, discovered Hailey lived only five miles down the road. The following day, Hailey went on what she describes as her “last first date, ever.”

While on a special trip to Marco Island, Florida with Dustin and his parents, Dustin suggested they dress up and take pictures at sunset. When a lagoon blocking the beach’s entrance almost foiled his engagement plans, he quickly whisked Hailey back to their beachside condo before the sun went down. “A moment later, I was distracted and turned around to see Dustin on his knees, tears already in his eyes, asking me to be his best friend forever. It was definitely a moment I will remember forever.” Hailey says.

 

Having a year and a half to plan the wedding, Hailey followed everyone’s advice and tried to enjoy each step of the planning process. She says, “It was a truly enjoyable experience for me. We tried to check the largest items off the list first, then focused on the details.”

Hailey was sure about one thing. She wanted to include her man in the planning process. “Allowing Dustin to help with the process ensured we both got a say in everything,” she says. “I think involving him made it a much more enjoyable experience as well.” While Pinterest was a major influence (as it is for many brides!), Hailey also drew some great inspo from their love of nature.

From the Greek Isles of Santorini to the mountain tops of the Rockies, Hailey struggled to settle on a destination that would match her wedding vision. Finally deciding on their native home of Northern Michigan as the ideal location, the couple set their sights on finding the perfect non-traditional setting that would suit their tastes. With the help of Dustin’s dad, they were able to secure a gorgeous private estate.
 

Hailey says, “It was a private estate with expansive views of the Lake Charlevoix shoreline. Its flower gardens and landscape were breathtaking. Its winding stream that went through the house and poured into a waterfall flowing into Lake Charlevoix was stunning. It was truly everything I could have ever wanted in a venue.”

Feeling it was important to use local resources as best they could, a majority of their remaining vendors came from their home towns and the surrounding areas.
 

 

Hailey found her one-of-a-kind, beloved gown from Becker’s Bridal, the very place where both her mom and her aunt bought their dresses. While the location seemed somewhat misleading because of the surrounding farm fields, Hailey was completely impressed with the “thousands and thousands of dresses three stories high" she discovered when she arrived. Among the stunning picks, she found ‘the one’ on display in the store’s window. A bonus? She was able to talk the store into a lower price, too!
 

 

A few things made Hailey and Dustin’s nuptials extra special for them—a small, intimate ceremony, having their dog, Ruger, as the ring bearer and a “bridal party boat ride” around Lake Charlevoix using a boat borrowed from friends. When describing the ceremony, Hailey says, “The setup allowed for all of the guests to be on the other side of the brook overlooking the platform we were on. We had my parents, Dustin's parents, as well as the bridal party all on the platform cantilevered over the creek, surrounded by trees, ferns and flowers. It felt like something out of a fairytale.”
 

“I think we may have taken the D.I.Y. wedding to a whole new level,” Hailey jokes. “Living in Northern Michigan, we were somewhat limited as far as wedding rentals,” she says. “We really had no choice but to get very creative. The tables were custom-made by my father. He cut the trees down and milled the logs into boards on his saw mill. Dustin and I, with the help of family, sanded them down and stained them to complement the theme of the wedding. We also made the dance floor ourselves. It took several months to complete the process, but the end product was well worth it.” Other unique touches included an impressive collection of 1800s flatware borrowed from family friends that went “seamlessly” with all the mismatched vintage plates lovingly collected by Hailey’s mother and grandmother over a year and a half. Hailey’s mother also designed and hand-painted the various signs, and the couple used their own furniture (graciously carried to the site by the groom and groomsmen) to create intimate spaces for guests to sit and gather.
 

A natural backdrop layered with a soft yet eclectic look and feel truly guided the colors and florals behind this wedding. “The flowers were a combination of what my friends and family had grown in their gardens and wild flowers and plants we picked the day before the wedding,” Hailey says. “We had two car loads bursting at the seams with flowers, branches, bushes, and any other greenery we thought would look beautiful.” The bouquets and boutonnieres were made by Drost Landscapes and plant specialist, Linda Zulski.
 

Bringing the right florals and decor elements together was truly a family affair. “My parents and Dustin’s parents, along with several workers from Drost Landscapes, planted several flower bed areas with a variety of plants that complemented the wedding theme,” Hailey explains. “The day of the wedding, my friends and family managed to orchestrate all the flowers and greenery in such a way that it felt like you had stepped straight into a fairytale. We also used several antlers and European mounts from my father's collection of hunts over the years. We loved the balance of ruggedness and elegance they brought.

For the place settings, my mother cut tree branches into four-inch sections, carved a flat area out in the center and wrote the guest's name down. My grandmothers also participated by making tiny jars of homemade jam from locally picked berries for a guest favor. We also had a fireworks display after dark that was a surprise for Dustin and I. It was spectacular and we had boats come to watch from the lake. There were a few other pieces that we borrowed from friends and family to bring everything together.”
 

 

What We Love

Hailey says, “I looked to the Internet for a fair amount of tools and inspiration. I had no idea what was a good wedding resource, where to go for advice, inspiration, or ideas. WeddingDay Magazine was very much a one-stop shop. It was a struggle to find information that I could relate to, and that was available to me in the area of Northern Michigan. Many publications focused on weddings across the country that had no similarities to our wedding. It was refreshing having a publication dedicated to where we live. The budget breakdown tool was the most all-inclusive budget guide I had come across.”
 

 

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