Why Winter Weddings Can Be So Wonderful
A picture-book wedding in the heart of Michigan winter
In 1924, the amazing anarchistic American artist, teacher, and writer Robert Henri authored a book that he called The Art Spirit. Essentially a collection of the lessons he taught in his classes, The Art Spirit, Henri’s writing had an outsized impact on my life, my thinking, and my philosophy, much like Brenda Ueland’s If You Want to Write, which I referenced in this newsletter a few weeks ago. Even if you never paint a picture in your life, The Art Spirit is absolutely worth reading. It’s loaded up with remarkable insights, all in the context of the way Henri taught his art classes.
I’ve marked one of my favorite quotes from the book on page 57 of my very well-underlined and heavily bookmarked copy:
The individual says, ‘My crowd doesn’t run that way.’ I say, don’t run with crowds.
On this, and many other things for that matter, I’m with Henri. We’ve made Zingerman’s what it is by often doing things in ways that are almost the opposite of what most everyone else does. The photographer and artist Man Ray, one of Henri’s students, wrote of his much-admired teacher: “He was against what most people were for, and for what most were against.”
In 1910, Henri painted one of his most famous pieces, a portrait of another well-known artist of the era, Eulabee Dix Becker. She was 32 and looking lovely in her white wedding dress. The piece is entitled Girl in Wedding Gown (Mrs. Eulabee Dix Becker). Dix married Alfred Leroy Becker, a New York City attorney, on the first day of winter, December 22.
Robert Henri was, appropriately to my eye, very focused on teaching his students to see the beauty that exists everywhere, especially in things that most people pass right by, to tune into the understanding that “the beauty of a work of art is in the work itself.” All of which is a long intro into an idea that has long intrigued me. The wonder of a winter wedding at Cornman Farms!
While I know spring and summer are the “season” for weddings, I’m with Robert Henri: Why run (or wed) with crowds? And look closely to come up with the beauty in places most people probably miss it. Winter weddings are not the norm, but they sure seem like an amazing option to consider. Tabitha Mason, co-managing partner of Cornman, calls winter weddings “Cornman’s best-kept secret.” Here’s why:
Our guests often say they wish they’d known sooner just how breathtaking a winter wedding at the farm can be. Winter weddings at Cornman Farms are naturally more intimate—no rush, no crowds. Just you, your closest loved ones, and a team dedicated to making every moment feel personal and warm. Whether you dream of a softly lit evening with live music, a snowy outdoor photo session, or a cozy fireside dinner, our spaces adapt to your vision. We’ll help you design a celebration that’s not just stunning, but deeply, uniquely yours.
Beautifully designed, expertly planned, and less costly of course than the summer wedding that everyone seems to want, the winter wedding sets you apart from everyone else in some wonderful ways. While the crowd is crowding the calendar to marry in summer, I’ll throw out a thought: Consider aligning with artists Robert Henri, Eulabee Dix Becker, and so many others who have gone their own way by getting married at a time of year they have the spotlight to themselves, where one stands high odds of having a “white wedding” in a whole ‘nother way, where it’s less costly for guests to travel, all set in the countryside of southeast Michigan, where, as Robert Henri wrote a hundred years ago, “Nature is there before you. … A special and particular vision is making itself clear.” A vision, perhaps, of a beautiful winter farm wedding.
Robert Henri used to say that “a good painting is a remarkable feat of organization.” And, I’ll suggest, the same is true here for the work of art that is a Cornman winter wedding. The staff’s detailed planning and deep care for clients earns raves from every direction. Add in a custom-designed cake from the Bakehouse’s Cake Studio, invite five or six dozen of your closest compatriots, drink hot toddies, and then toast with champagne. It sure sounds pretty special to me!
Speaking of special stuff, the Zoe Report recently billed Cornman Farms Best Winter Wedding Venue in the U.S. (a Readers’ Choice Award!). My Russian history background has me thinking about something remarkable for a winter wedding out of the pages of Russian literature, along with vodka toasts and a beautifully set table. But hey, it’s your wedding, not mine, so let your imagination run wild! The main check and balance is you and your spouse, so start thinking and let us know what creative ideas you come up with! As Robert Henri wrote in The Art Spirit, “The most beautiful art is the art which is freest from the demands of convention.” Which could, in this case, be your wedding sometime next winter! Skip the crowd and run (figuratively) over to Cornman Farms to talk about yours soon!
A winter wedding, your way
