Matrimony at the Manor

At this estate in Oakland County, you can have the serenity of the countryside, not too far from home.
Photo by Jenna Gamrat


For couples looking for a country estate-style wedding in metro Detroit, The Adams Manor — a recently renovated English Tudor-style manor with nearly 40 acres of land in Oakland Township — may be the perfect match.

The 1932 home was first owned by Frederick and Agnes (Abele) Darden, who used the manor to host events from the 1930s to the 1950s, attracting people from nearby communities such as Birmingham and Lake Orion. Current owners Allie and Todd Detwiler, formerly of New York City, bought the property in 2021 and have returned the property to how “it was intended when it was built,” says Todd Detwiler.

Near the Bald Mountain Creek reserve and hidden away from Adams Road by a quarter-mile driveway that takes visitors through the luscious trees surrounding the property, wildlife is constantly roaming the yard, including white-tailed deer, foxes, and ducks. As guests make their way toward the upper garden area at the front of the home, they’ll find concrete stairs that lead to an open, 2,200 square foot hardscape area the Detwilers created by leveling and filling the space with concrete to accommodate tents, tables, and more.

The Adams Manor owners transformed a game room into a groom suite equipped with a pool table and plenty of seating. // Photo by Chrystin Melanie Photography

The hardscape leads guests towards several arched entrances underneath the 75-foot stone veranda, where couples can hold wedding ceremonies, and into a ballroom that was formerly an indoor pool. By the end of August, the space should be flooded with light, with newly stained and polished wood floors, sound systems, and a custom-built bar and ballroom doors. “Because of the age of the home, everything had to be custom made and built for the space,” Todd Detwiler says.

If a couple would prefer to take advantage of the property’s beautiful landscape, there’s also space cleared out in the woods where smaller wedding ceremonies can be held. “It’s beautiful, … especially in the summertime when everything’s golden,” Detwiler says.

The groom suite is located on the lower level and, like the bridal suite, overlooks the venue. // Photo courtesy of Adams Manor

Like the first homeowners, the Detwilers also live in the manor, using the grounds to host ceremonies and other outdoor events, while designated spaces inside, like the bridal and groom suites, are available to those who book an event, with a maximum capacity of 200 people.

The bridal suite was created by tearing down the wall dividing the servants’ quarters, transforming them into one large area with two sections: a space to lounge and an area — designed with marble-top vanities and gilded mirrors — to glamour up for the wedding. The game room on the lower level became the groom suite, which includes a pool table, leather couch, and fireplace.

The Adams Manor sits on nearly 40 acres of land and is surrounded by greenery and wildlife. // Photo by Coldwater Studio Photography

The Detwilers are also doing their best to allow guests to thoroughly enjoy the manor. “We want to make it a pretty exclusive experience — we want to maybe do one [event] a month,” he says, adding that clients have the option to bring items in and take photos a few weeks before the wedding. “I think giving people more time to enjoy it, and to get things right; it’s really appreciated.”