This weekend marks the opening of Henry Ford Museum’s much-anticipated Driving America  – the world’s premier automotive exhibition.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that in private events planning we’ve been busy dreaming up ways to incorporate elements of the amazing 80,000-square-foot exhibition in creating special private events at the museum. So here’s a look at our top three fun spots for wedding parties using elements of Driving America …

We’re as eager to offer desserts in Lamy’s Diner as most visitors to the museum are to (at long last!) dine there. The diner is situated right off the Museum Plaza. This 1946 roadside eatery will be a great place to serve up some good old nostalgia with its Faygo float station and our celebrated Downtown Desserts (like Sanders Hot Fudge cream puffs).

Your guests can help themselves to this delicious candy display! (Photo by Angela Rampin)

The Car Court – right in the heart of the exhibit – will offer a quiet retreat for party guests. Comfortable couches and side tables create an intimate lounge setting that just happens to be surrounded by some of the world’s most significant automobiles and artifacts.

Many couples often prepare a video slideshow sharing their life and love story with guests. Now, with the oh-so-cool Drive-in Theater, there’s a perfect spot for wedding goers to take a seat and enjoy a trip down memory lane.

The state-of-the-art theater seats almost one hundred folks.

We’re just gearing up for all the exciting ways to celebrate love and weddings, Driving America-style. We can’t wait to work with future brides and grooms in creating more of the awesome memories that can only be made at The Henry Ford.

Christina Dodge is The Henry Ford’s social events manager and a member of the Association of Bridal Consultants.  She helps plan and bring to life the stunning weddings held at The Henry Ford.

Get your costumes ready – it’s time for Hallowe’en in Greenfield Village!

This spooky-but-not-scary event has become one of our most popular signature programs, and we can’t wait to open the Greenfield Village gates for you to collect treats along the festively-decorated path, which is lit by hundreds of hand-carved jack-o-lanterns!

If you’ve been following the Hallowe’en prep on Facebook or Twitter, you know that we have several new characters to meet during your visit; our on-site Studio – which designs and produces all of our period clothing and costumes for events like Hallowe’en and Holiday Nights – is excited to introduce them to you! You can find out more about how they’re made here, then keep an eye out at Hallowe’en in Greenfield Village and see if you can spot which ones are the newest additions to our spooktacular cast of characters!

Make sure to stop for some spooky storytelling as well – including Edgar Allan Poe’s creepy classic, The Tell-Tale Heart! (Side note: Did you know that we have one of Poe’s writing desks in our collections? You can see it in the Fully Furnished exhibit in Henry Ford Museum.)

And of course, make sure you stop by all of our treat stations for a little snack to enjoy as you wind through the path!

What is your favorite part about Halloween? Tell us in the comments box below!

We are following Emily and Ed, a New York City couple who will have their wedding and reception in Henry Ford Museum on September 17.  Over the past few weeks, they have shared their plans for the big day. This week, they walk us through their thoughts about the wedding ceremony.

Emily and Ed: The first thing we did when planning our ceremony was to determine who we wanted to marry us.  Because our families do not share the same religion and since neither of us currently practice a religion, we didn’t feel comfortable seeking a member of the clergy to perform the ceremony.  We briefly considered finding a judge, but thought this would be too impersonal.  We wanted the person to be meaningful to us.  After some consideration we asked our dear friend, and the person who introduced us, to become ordained online and share in this important moment in our lives. Fortunately, she agreed!

Once that was done, the really hard work began!  Our friend sent us a questionnaire which we answered separately which included questions about our first date, what we like best about each other, how our feelings have changed over time etc… She will use this information and weave in her own story about us.  What’s exciting is that we will hear this for the first time at our ceremony.  We will also be writing our own vows, which we are in the process of completing.

We are also inviting Ed’s father and Emily’s sister to participate. Ed’s father will be reading something he selects about marriage. Emily’s sister will explain the breaking of the glass.

Overall, our goal was to create a ceremony that was really personal and included people close to us.

When we talked, Emily noted that there would not be a guest program for the ceremony, in keeping with their eco-conscious lifestyle.  She also wrote: “The end of planning is near so we are in high gear… it’s super stressful of course, but so far so good!”

Sounds like a perfect beginning to a new life together!

Marie Stawasz, our intern in the Media & Film Relations department, recently learned a few ragtime dance steps to prepare you for this weekend’s big event in Greenfield Village, the Ragtime Street Fair, and Marketing intern Jacquelyn Piechotte compiled a fun video to show you, too! This dynamic event celebrates the food and fun of the era that defined ragtime music, a precursor to the jazz era. Whether the music sweeps you onto the dance floor, or the scent of freshly baked cherry crisp whisks you to the food tent, there are plenty of exciting things to enjoy this weekend at the Ragtime Street Fair!

“People can say what they like about rag-time. The Waltz is beautiful, the Tango is graceful, the Brazilian Maxixe is unique. One can sit quietly and listen with pleasure to them all; but when a good orchestra plays a ‘rag’ one has simply got to move.” – from Modern Dancing by Mr. & Mrs. Vernon Castle, 1914

As I walked up the main stairway of Lovett Hall into the Grand Ballroom, I could feel the pulse of dancing feet above. Nearly 50 members of The Henry Ford’s staff joined Nira Pullin, movement coach and musical theater choreographer at Wayne State University, for an evening of ragtime dance lessons in preparation for the fourth annual Ragtime Street Fair, held this weekend, July 24-25 in Greenfield Village.

Pullin taught them the basics of the most popular dance of ragtime – the One Step – so that they can teach our visitors as well during the event. This simple and popular dance requires each participant to take only one step to each count of the music, making it easy to stay in time with the tune.

Deemed as America’s original popular music, ragtime music can be described as having an uneven or ragged rhythm. Musicians such as Scott Joplin and Charles L. Johnson integrated European music with syncopated African and Latin American rhythms to create a unique sound that became popular in the 1890s and paved the way for music of the swing and rock & roll eras.

Now that you know your history, click on the link here to watch a video teaching the One Step – then join us this weekend at Ragtime Street Fair and show off your fancy footwork!

Thomas the Tank Engine chugs into Greenfield Village for 6 days of family fun and entertainment. Ride with Thomas around the Village and meet Sir Topham Hatt. Enjoy storytelling, live music, shopping and much, much more. Advance tickets are recommended. Time slots sell out quickly. Members of The Henry Ford receive discount tickets and an exclusive advanced opportunity to purchase tickets.

I am so excited.  Click here to purchase tickets today!

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