"True love stories never have endings."
-Richard Bach
Photo by Matte Photography
About the Company
Established in 2019, Up North Events is a wedding planning company in Northern Michigan. We work with all kinds of couples who have one thing in common: they want their wedding day to be meaningful, genuine, relaxed, and FUN. We like to discover the small details that make your celebration unique to you - little bits of your family history, special cultural traditions, and other personal touches. We believe in true love with open hearts and open minds.
We place a lot of emphasis on continued learning in the industry, always doing research, watching webinars, and attending networking events. Every other year, we join wedding professionals in Las Vegas for the Wedding MBA convention. We always return with renewed excitement and all kinds of information on trends, technology, management, and more to apply to the business and improve our client experience.
Although based in Charlevoix, we are happy to travel for weddings all over Northern Michigan. We are in love with this beautiful region, which provides some of the most stunning backdrops for celebrations, and has a certain essence that makes it very special both to those who visit and to those who call it home. We strive to help you capture that "Up North" worry-free spirit on your wedding day. We can't wait to hear what getting married Up North means to you.
Photo by A13 Creative
Jenna Koeller, Owner
As the owner and lead wedding planner of Up North Events, I get to combine my knowledge of business management with my passion for weddings. I received a Bachelor's degree from Grand Valley State University, where I majored in hospitality, tourism, and events. I also have a minor in business and an interior design background. I began my career coordinating weddings at Castle Farms in Charlevoix and have experience coordinating over 100 weddings at venues all over Northern Michigan.
Moving Up North was one of the best decisions I ever made. I love everything about Northern Michigan! Each town has its own character and so much to explore. My family lives on a beautiful property in the tiniest village outside of Charlevoix, and we enjoy occasional trips to our off-grid cabin in the countryside of Harbor Springs. I have a super supportive husband, three little kids, two dogs, and nine laying ducks!
I am passionate about the environment and health and wellness. I love shopping at farmers markets and thrifting, and see these as some of the best ways to reduce my carbon footprint. In my free time, I enjoy reading, going for walks, attending area events, visiting local eateries, and watching movies with my family. My newest hobby is gardening and it absolutely thrills me to grow my own food and flowers. I'm a chocolate and wine lover. Oh, and I'm obsessed with wedding cakes!
Shelby Thrush, Wedding Coordinator
This is my third season with Up North Events. Prior to joining the team in 2021, I spent 10 years in education as a Teaching Assistant. I had pursued a career in events early on, and had been in and out of the event and hospitality industry since college. My prior experience includes setting up for special events at a conference center and interning for Art Reach of Mid Michigan. I graduated from Central Michigan University in 2013, with a major in Commercial Recreation and minors in Event Management and Hospitality Administration.
I had a dream of one day getting back into the world of events and am so thankful that goal has been fulfilled! I have always had a love for weddings. Getting to be involved with our couples' plans for their big day and seeing the behind-the-scenes plans come to life is nothing short of wonderful.
I moved to Northern Michigan with my husband 11 years ago from Mt. Pleasant, kicking and screaming, but now I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. I can't think of a better place to raise our kids. I'm a HUGE flower lover, passionate about photography, and eat chocolate and ice cream like they're going out of style.
Shelby was amazing. My whole bridal party complemented her on how hard she worked!!!
Photo by Matte Photography
Working with Up North Events
We like to get to know you and chat about what brought you together and what brings you to Northern Michigan for your wedding. We are super friendly, but also very professional. We have a specific process for each of our packages and will guide you every step of the way.
Most of the couples we work with are downstate or out-of-state, so a lot of meetings happen over the phone or virtually. When couples are in town, we like to meet in a nearby park or coffee shop. You can expect a relaxed and down-to-earth feel during meetings. We are very organized, take notes like crazy, and ask a lot of questions to make sure nothing falls through the cracks.
On your wedding day, we are focused and our attention to detail really shines. We typically have one coordinator and one assistant at each wedding, and may have additional support staff depending on the complexity of your event. We prefer to remain behind-the-scenes while directing your vendor team and pulling everything together, making the event look effortless from the guest perspective.
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Cover photo by Matte Photography