8 True Love Stories in Michigan’s Little Bavaria

Frankenmuth is, without a doubt, an enchanting place that brings out the romance in all of us.

Read along to see how love has bloomed in Michigan's Little Bavaria!

1.) “Where I asked the love of my life to be mine forever”

“In August of 2010, I had known my now-wife since we first met the previous June in 2009. All the things were coming together for me to realize after 20 years of searching for the right person who was true, loving and held onto traditional values…I had finally found the one. I had gone through the customary blessings of her parents and told mine that I had the ring and how I would go about my proposal. My wife’s maiden name of Bolz is of German origin while my last name Balk is Dutch. She had told me that Frankenmuth was a favorite place to visit with her family especially Bronner’s with her love of Christmas. I had enjoyed my previous visits there although it had been some years since my last visit. I decided that if I were to propose to her it should be in a place such as Frankenmuth that held some special meaning to each of us for several reasons.

The trick was how to make the weekend trip to Frankenmuth not seem too romantic and obvious to her for a possible proposal. I took a look at a brochure of upcoming events and saw that the Auto Fest Sept 11-12 was coming up. Perfect, I can turn my love of classic cars into a sort of cover and main reason for me wanting to go and of course for her it would be Bronner’s and the usual Frankenmuth sights and shops she enjoys. It was easy to convince her to go with all that was being offered.

A full weekend of fun together just us in a place we both were familiar with and enjoy. I had planned it all out well. We drove up from Milan, MI about a hour and half trip. We arrived in Frankenmuth and stopped at Bronner’s then on further to see hundreds of classic hot rods cruising the town. We checked out the cars and went into the shops. My wife’s parents wedding Anniversary is on 9/11 so I thought maybe today might be good to propose once the time felt right. Later however it became cloudy and rainy. Things turned gloomy. It was also a National day to reflect on the tragic events of 9/11 2001 only 9 years later. No I cannot pop the question today it just didn’t feel like the right moment. Tomorrow, I will find the right time and place to ask her.

My wife had had hopes that I was going to ask her soon hinting kiddingly about getting a ring at times before but she was pretty sure I didn’t have a ring yet. At the hotel I surprised her with…a box…she thought maybe…it was a box of chocolates. Oh. She still appreciated them. The next day Sunday the 12th was a much nicer and sunny day. This is it. We went to the River Place Shops then my wife mentioned she wanted to go to the Cheese Haus. I thought to myself no no I have to ask her before we go there. We both love the Cheese Haus but she can’t have a bag of cheese in her hand when I propose that would be…well too cheesy. We started walking from the River Place shops across the Main Street Bridge.

"I pinpointed my spot. It’s now or never."

I had her hand but a sort of yanked her over the first outlook over the Bavarian Belle Riverboat. I told her what she had meant to me up to this moment and went down on one knee, pulled out the ring. Her reaction was of surprise and a big smile. Not the typical hand over mouth overwhelming motion. Her sunglasses were on but I presume she had “happy eyes” we were caught up in the moment. I had made my proposal and she didn’t say…yes or no. She didn’t say anything because we kissed and she was soooo happy I took that for her acceptance. I think she was just really overwhelmed and surprised that I had actually asked her.

We took some photos and continued across the bridge. She continued to beam. A little later we went into the museum down the street to check it out but my wife was still caught up in the moment and has told me several times since then that even this past week on a trip to Frankenmuth she wants to go back into the museum to see everything because she couldn’t take it all in and missed it the first time. A memorable weekend for sure and each time we go back I am reminded of that time.

A good thing I chose Frankenmuth to propose because we can revisit the exact outlook over the River where I asked the love of my life to be mine forever. We were married just under a year later in July of 2011 four days before my birthday.”

– Jason B, Milan, MI

2.) “The time that the beginning of our lives together started.”

“Jeff proposed to me the weekend closest to July 4th in Frankenmuth, MI. Little did I know, I was making it hard on him when I asked if we could take the shuttle into town so I wouldn’t have to walk far in heels and hearing that we couldn’t make reservations at Prost, I figured I didn’t need to be ready by 6:00pm.

As we walked outside the Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn Lodge, Jeff wanted to take a picture under the “Sommer Garten” sign. We saw who looked to be a professional photographer taking pictures so Jeff quickly asked her if she could take one of us with his phone. I should have known then that something was up since he’s usually so hesitant to be the one to ask others to take pictures of us.

She told us that she was a nature photographer and was going around town that night taking random photos but asked us if we could walk down near the water so she could get some photos of us for what I thought was for a local magazine. As she was snapping photos, I felt Jeff start to walk away (and me starting to fall since my heels were sinking into the grass). I turned over my right shoulder and saw him kneeling to one knee with a box in his hands. He told me he loved me and asked if I would marry him and become his wife. Of course I said yes!

After he stood up, we struggled to put the ring on my finger since we were both shaking. We then took a few more photos with the ring on and the river and bridge in the background followed by a celebratory dinner at Prost Wine Bar. Jeff outdid himself by making sure it was captured by a professional along with putting a lot of thought into the perfect spot to propose.

"Frankenmuth will now be more than just a fun vacation getaway for us. It will be a place where we can look back and remember the time that the beginning of our lives together started.”

– Elizabeth S, Cincinnati, OH

3.) “Little did I know that he was looking for the perfect place to POP the question”

“Me and my now Husband Tom got engaged in Frankenmuth on March 12, 2016. What I thought was a simple last minute weekend vacation with my boyfriend to get away from the stresses of our crazy work week turned into one of the best weekends of my life! Apparently he had already bought a ring and had asked my parents if it was alright if he proposed.

We spent the day walking around Frankenmuth taking in all the sites and sounds, visited all the shops, ate dinner at the Bavarian Inn Restaurant and just relaxed and enjoyed each others’ company. Little did I know that he was looking for the perfect place to POP the question!

After about an hour of walking around late in the evening we went down to where they load the boat for the river tour and sat down to just enjoy the peace and quiet when he got down on one knee and asked me if I would marry him… of course I said YES! After I was able to compose myself we walked over and took a carriage ride which was just the cherry on top of an already great day.”

– Brittany J, St. Clair Shores, MI

4.) “Frankenmuth has always been so special to me”

“The love of my life proposed to me on 11-10-17. Growing up in Millington, Frankenmuth has always been so special to me. I brought Dalton to Frankenmuth on one of our first dates for Auto Fest 2014. He proposed to me on the Covered Bridge that goes over the Cass River at dusk! It was so beautiful.”– Shantel L, Adrian, MI

5.) “Couldn’t have been more perfect!"

“We were married on the rooftop of the Frankenmuth Brewery and then had a beautiful reception in the banquet room of the Brewery. Couldn’t have been more perfect. We love Frankenmuth!”

– Heather L, Farmington, MI

6.) “People nearby started clapping for us!”

“My now-husband took me to Frankenmuth for his birthday in 2011. We wandered around Frankenmuth River Place Shops, and I didn’t know that he was working on Proposal Plan B because he wanted to propose on The Bavarian Belle Riverboat, but it wasn’t running that day due to high water! So he took me along the river and we took some pictures and he finally said, ‘This has been a great trip, but the only thing that would make it better is if you would be my bride.’ Of course, I said yes! People nearby started clapping for us! Later we went to the Frankenmuth Brewery where they gave as a beautiful dessert to commemorate”

– Andrea R.

7.) “He got down on one knee”

“My husbands family and I spend the last weekend in February in Frankenmuth, a little tradition we started awhile back. Well in 2015 we drove up and after checking into the hotel we went over to Bronner’s because my (now) mother in law said she wanted to go look around. After walking off on our own my husband and I met back up with his family. He brought me over to a tree telling me he wanted to get some ornaments, he pointed to an ornament for me to look at and while I was looking he got down on one knee. I read the ornament and it took me 30 seconds to put what the ornament said together. And when I turned he was down on one need with my engagement ring.”

– Melissa S., Sterling Heights, MI

8.) “Frankenmuth is a place both of us love”

“February 2016 my now husband proposed at the River Place Shops. This past September we were married at the Rose Garden and had dinner at Zehnder’s with family. We enjoyed a carriage ride after the ceremony through the town. Frankenmuth is a place both of us love and it holds a special place in our hearts with all of the memories created there.”

– Linda C.K.

Are you looking to plan a romantic trip to Frankenmuth with the one you love? Planning a proposal or even your wedding? We are here to help! Call us today at 800-FUN-TOWN for more ideas and tips on how to make your trip to Frankenmuth special and memorable. Be sure to use #Frankenmuth whenever you post your photos! You never know, you could be in one of our posts!