Bridge Street Wedding Chapel Awards

It was a pleasure to review all the very positive feedback provided in numerous emails received by Chris and Mary Holmes, owners of Bridge Street Wedding Chapel, from very satisfied clients. Bridge Street Wedding Chapel deserves to be named Business of the Year by the Lansing Bridal Association. Here is why:

When I called these former clients, they were more than happy to talk about their experience with Bridge Street Wedding Chapel. Not one negative comment was made; in fact, they were excited to share their experience, each one unique.

Take, for instance, Beth Nelson. Her daughter was married on December 28th at the chapel. We all remember that week…ice storm, and power outages for days all over the City of Lansing and outlying areas. Beth’s daughter, Sara, lived in Arizona, and Beth being the stellar mom, worked with Mary and Chris to help make her daughter’s wedding day special. Between emails back and forth with her daughter and communicating back and forth with Mary and Chris things were coming together. Then the STORM hit! Many businesses were impacted, including the salon where the girls in the wedding party and the bride were to have their hair done. What to do now?? Leave it to Mary and Chris to provide the space in the Chapel for the girls to gather and have their hair and makeup done for the wedding! Bridge Street Wedding Chapel had electricity! They worked with their clients, understood the urgency, alleviated the stress, and provided what was needed to make the day come together without worry to the families and guests at the wedding.

Then there is Pat Fineis…In June, his son decided to tell his dad he was getting married …in August. A lot of scrambling and planning had to come together to make it happen so quickly. The son’s grandfather was scheduled to be the officiant of the ceremony. Unfortunately, he fell ill and had to be taken to the hospital…this was following the wedding rehearsal. Now what? It was too late to try to make arrangements for another officiant. The wedding was less than 24 hours away! But no worries. Mary Holmes stepped in as officiant on a moment’s notice and the wedding day continued as planned, thanks to Mary’s warm heart, caring and customer-serving attitude! In fact, Mary Holmes has stepped in on other occasions to take on the role of officiant.

The bottom line is, always expect the unexpected. Chris and Mary seem to be able to roll with the unexpected and smooth over the unexpected and keep the event moving along as if nothing happened.

Bridge Street Wedding Chapel has been in business since 2005…the building required a lot of work but certainly a diamond in the rough. In 2006, the doors were opened to the public and it has been non-stop ever since. The Chapel garners approximately 60 to 80 bookings each year.

As a family-owned business, the employees consist of Chris and Mary, and Chris’s son, Ryan. Between the three of them, they make wedding ceremony dreams come true. And then there is, Charles Hess, a 78-year-old gentleman who volunteers his time to maintain the landscaping, facility needs, and repairs and an all-around handyman at the Chapel.

The owners of Bridge Street Wedding Chapel deliver a totally genuine customer experience. They meet with their clients to learn what their vision is; they provide above-and-beyond service to their clients and will do anything needed to ensure the day goes smoothly. They also give their time to community efforts and let’s not forget that the Bridge Street Wedding Chapel has become an anchor for the City of Grand Ledge, drawing in many people who come to see the Chapel. Chris donated his own time as a photographer to the annual Polar Plunge. They donate their time to Special Olympics and Relay for Life, not to mention donations of money to local charities. The Bridge Street Wedding Chapel participates in the annual Grand Ledge Christmas tour and Victorian Days. The Chapel is decorated for Christmas and visitors come from all over to visit.

I believe another client, Jamie McKimmy, says it all in her statement “He was very reassuring and genuine in his interest to meet our needs for our special day. It was the easiest part of my wedding day. We came, we saw, we conquered, and then we left and went about our day…there was no micro-managing and they were not overbearing….Exceptional service and just genuine client care!”

For these reasons, I don’t believe an argument is necessary. I think it stands to reason that Chris and Mary Holmes are deserving of this award and will undoubtedly, continue to uphold the same quality of service, the above and beyond proactive customer service, and the relationships they take the time to build with their clients, whether provided the award or not. It is that innate nature of wanting to serve others that will always keep them on top and be sought after by clients.

This was a pleasure to work on and I hope that serious consideration is given to them for Business of the Year.