Kelmscott Chapel

05/02/2024

On May 1st we celebrate May Day. It's a tradition that has been passed down through generations and if you have never heard of it, maybe you and your family could start doing it too!

You gather a bouquet of picked flowers, assemble them into your own handmade basket (or you can purchase one) and leave it on people's door k***s, knock and yell "Happy May Day!". It's a beautiful tradition to start and a wonderful way to celebrate the beginning of spring and all the blossoming plants coming back to life. 🌷🧺🪻

04/21/2024

Congratulations to Randy and Kelly! It was a pleasure coordinating their wedding day and watching these two get married. 💒🔔

04/21/2024

Congratulations to Randy and Kelly! The chilly weather outside didn't stop this happy couple from having a beautiful wedding day yesterday. 💒🔔

01/09/2024

We have witnessed countless weddings, so it was surprising that the last one of 2023 and the first one of 2024 both brought tears to my eyes! Both weddings were aesthetically beautiful, but most importantly, it was the immense love that radiated from both couples and the wonderfully kind and supportive families that surrounded them that made it truly moving. Congratulations to Sam & Hannah Talbot and to Jonathan & Laura Beaumont. May your love continue to burn bright!

08/26/2023

As I've been picking up small tree limbs and debris from the yard my heart and mind are on the families hit by the tornado this week in the Webberville and Williamston area. I've had a false sense of security most my life regarding tornados, perhaps, because I've always lived in town and we rarely experience them. Silly really, because 114 years ago the house that we live in today and our chapel were either damaged or destroyed by a tornado.

The original St. Agnes church in Fowlerville was built in the 1880's and on May 15th, 1909, a tornado ripped through town, or cyclone as it was referred to then, destroying the church, the grain elevator, and damaging several homes and businesses. Parishioners were quick to rebuild (a couple of blocks from the original location) and construction began that fall. St. Agnes reopened in the spring of 1911, almost two years to the exact date of it's destruction. Worship continued in the new church until the 1970's, when a larger one was built for the growing congregation, allowing the 1911 structure to be sold into private ownership and for it to eventually become Kelmscott Chapel today.

Returning to the events of this week, I hope that we can find a way to assist the Dietz family of Williamston who lost all of their centennial barns, owned by the family for several generations. As someone who comes from a long line of farmers and as an owner of two historic buildings, I sympathize for the devastation they must be experiencing. I'm hoping that organizations like Michigan Barn Preservation Network or National BarnAlliance could be of some help. If anyone else has some ideas to support them, please share.

If you would like further information on the Dietz farm, please read the article below.
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2023/08/24/reported-tornado-heavy-storm-rip-through-lansing-area/70675549007/

06/21/2023

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Machado! It was a beautiful summer wedding at Kelmscott Chapel this past weekend and we are wishing the lovely couple a lifetime of happiness.

If you are looking for a place to hold your wedding, event or simply need a weekend getaway at our Airbnb, please feel free to contact us!

03/29/2023

The weekend before last was quite eventful at Kelmscott Chapel! We hosted a murder mystery performance put on by Fowlerville Community Theatre Friday and Saturday evening (Death by Dessert). Then, with the help of the wonderful cast and their family, we quickly flipped the sanctuary and event space back to normal and held a memorial service on Sunday. The support and love from our community warms our hearts! Being able to do such events makes us so happy. This was our second theatre performance held at our site and both shows sold out!



Thank you all so much. If you are ever looking for a place to hold an event, tie the knot, or need a weekend getaway at our Airbnb - please contact us!

02/03/2023

We are proudly hosting another play next month! We love supporting our local theatre groups and community. If you missed out on this show last month, now is your chance to see it! Be prepared for lots of laughs and a fun night out. You can purchase tickets online through the link provided below. See you all next month :)

https://search.seatyourself.biz/webstore/accounts/fowlervilletheatre/buy-tix

11/11/2022

Prepping Kelmscott Chapel Airbnb for our guests is very important. We want anyone who walks through our doors to feel instantly at home and cozy. We love this place and absolutely love sharing it with others!

We have been away for a while but we had been busy working on phase 3 of our construction project in the sanctuary (photos to come later). We recently opened our Airbnb doors again, after our daughter Breanna got married in September at Kelmscott Chapel. We can't wait to share our renovation project before and after photos with you! Stay tuned!

05/04/2022

Jessy Jax Photography posted this adorable video today and I just had to share! So much love with this couple, thank you for choosing Kelmscott Chapel, Mr. and Mrs. Wadsworth!

02/14/2022

We are celebrating Valentine's Day with photos from the wedding we hosted over the weekend. Dan & Lorrie are a wonderful couple, here with their eight beautiful daughters and one very handsome son. Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Lock! ❤️ We are so happy for you all!!

Photo credits: Haddy Ingles - Creative Exposure Photography
https://creativeexposurephotographymi.mypixieset.com/

01/31/2022

We were featured on The Detroit News too, plus so many more! Thank you to all of the news outlets that have shared our special place!

Now called Kelmscott Chapel and Concert Hall, the building’s long history has entered a new chapter.

01/23/2022

Look what was front page news today! Thanks for the very nice article and photos Jennifer and Gillis with Livingston Daily.

The Thumudo family of Fowlerville has done extensive renovations to the former church and are renting a one-of-a-kind Airbnb. https://www.livingstondaily.com/story/news/local/community/fowlerville/2022/01/23/fowlerville-church-kelmscott-chapel-and-concert-hall-renovations-airbnb/6596275001/

01/14/2022

Estate sale at Kelmscott Chapel! Lots of vintage tools, toys, collectible pop bottles, antiques and other housewares!

Sale starts Friday, Jan 14th through Sunday, Jan 16th. Doors open at 9am. We hope to see you here!

12/18/2021

Perfect day for a wedding at Kelmscott Chapel! ❄️ ❄️ ❄️

11/20/2021

Tonight is the last of three sold out shows at the chapel! Who knew that our very own Bre Thumudo was an emerging actress? It's been a great experience for everyone!

11/11/2021

Today we celebrated the marriage of Colin and Mackenzie Wadsworth! It was truly a beautiful ceremony, we shed tears, shared laughs and Kenz got the fairytale love story she has always dreamt of.

She even managed to get a peek at her soon to be husband's "First Look", when her brother came down the sidewalk in a dress as a surprise to Colin! 👰❤️

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Wadsworth!

09/04/2021

It's all about the guest experience here at Kelmscott - right down to origami folds for your toilet paper!

04/04/2021

Hoppy Easter from Kelmscott Chapel to you!! We are so happy to have our event space renovated and host gatherings like this. Have a wonderful day and enjoy this sunshine! 😊 🐣🌻

03/22/2021

It's been a busy couple of months, but we've made the best out of the pandemic closure at the chapel! The renovation of our hall was competed for our first micro wedding and reception this weekend. Check out the transformation. I'm so excited we have been able to restore some of the original architectural features of the church!

02/12/2021

We are in middle of some exciting renovations at the chapel and I've just discovered my second crazy connection to my job at the Capitol this week! Ok, here it goes - the first owner of the chapel who converted it to a residence added discarded or "oops" headstones around the building. A preservationist at heart, I'm trying to reveal as much of the original architecture as we can. That means this fireplace had to be dealt with. When we pulled back the carpet I saw that the ceramic tile was sitting on a marble slab. My gut told me this could be a headstone that a previous owner had tiled over. Sure enough - it was! Meet Betsey Loree, pioneer wife of Livingston County. Her husband, Joseph, received a land grant of 160 acres in 1832. Now imagine this - you live in a log cabin with your husband, six small children, and along comes another settler from New York who also has his sister and brother-in-law in tow. The Loree's take in these three adults while they build their log cabin. It just so happens that the guest brother-in-law will become a Governor of Michigan 22 years later. That Governor will end up having his portrait painted by my friend and colleague, Joshua Adam Risner , 160 years later! So to sum it up - Governor Kinsley Bingham briefly lived with the lady who's headstone ended up in my chapel as a hearth stone. 😲

02/04/2021

Kelmscott Chapel is ringing in the New Year with positive vibes and newly renovated reception space, available starting April 1st.

We are all looking forward to spring, flowers in bloom and celebrating couples tying the knot at our beautiful chapel and event area! We have availability for weddings this year and a lovely Airbnb for weddings or weekend getaway. 🌼💒

(Photos coming soon of the renovations! Give this post a share and like our page to stay posted on our updates 🙂)