With a history of hospitality, Meadow Brook Hall is Michigan’s most beautiful wedding venue. The entire estate was built with an eye for entertaining, from its 16 lush gardens to the two-story Gothic-inspired Ballroom. This special blog series showcases the unique areas and entertaining spaces that have played host to breathtaking weddings and unforgettable celebrations across the years.
As the focal point of Meadow Brook’s East Gardens, the winged Colt Pegasus Fountain is one of the most iconic settings across the entire estate—and is today a favorite wedding ceremony location for brides, grooms and wedded couples.
It is a romantic choice, a space that speaks to beauty, poetry and the ageless allure of grand mythology. Meadow Brook—the Great Estate—is filled with 16 distinct gardens, each with their own aesthetic, from the historic Rose Garden with its long Pergola-lined colonnade and the Rock Garden dotted with craggy pops of color to the English Walled Garden bursting with summer blooms.
The Pegasus Garden is a showpiece of the estate and has been the setting for countless weddings, parties and soirees of all kinds throughout Meadow Brook’s history. Read on to learn more about this whimsical space.
Where History and Mythology Meet
Meadow Brook’s iconic Colt Pegasus Fountain is one of the most distinct elements of the estate. It is an octagonal-shaped pool filled with turquoise-colored Pewabic tile and star-shaped inset tiles that were designed by Italian-born Detroit artist Corrado Parducci—who created the intricate carved plaster ceiling in Meadow Brook’s Christopher Wren Dining Room.
The striking bronze sculpture was created in 1949 by Avard Fairbanks, an artist tied to the Dodge legacy. Fairbanks was commissioned by Walter P. Chrysler to design the ram logo that is still used today for the Dodge brand of automobiles.
The garden was installed in 1949 and utilized English landscape architect Arthur Davidson’s original 1928 landscape master plan for the estate. The Pegasus Fountain is located in the center of Meadow Brook’s East Gardens, which include the Breakfast Garden, Matilda Dodge Wilson’s beloved Rose Garden and the elegant Knot Garden.
The north niche contains another Avard Fairbanks piece—the bronze sculpture, Golden Fleece, 1940. The sculpture was donated to Meadow Brook by his family in 1999 and is a second statue in this area based on mythical tales.
Big Dreams from a Hackney Pony
It was commissioned by the Wilsons after they saw a smaller version at the Detroit Flower Show. One of their hackney ponies was used as the model for mighty Pegasus—the winged horse of Greek mythology.
Pegasus is a storied figure in Greek mythology. The winged horse sprang from the blood of the Gorgon Medusa as she was beheaded by the hero Perseus.
Pegasus bore another Greek hero, Bellerophon, in his fight with Chimera—and had many other adventures—until Bellerophon tried to ride Pegasus to heaven. Pegasus became a constellation and the servant of Zeus. He created the Hippocrene spring by striking his hoof upon the ground of Mount Helicon.
Pegasus’ story lives on in many ways—as an allegory of the soul’s immortality, as a symbol of poetic inspiration and as a beloved figure in countless books, films and popular culture. A mighty legacy for a humble hackney pony!
A Place of Enchantment
Meadow Brook Hall is home to many beautiful and scenic spaces, but few command the attention and inspire the imagination quite like the Pegasus Fountain. It is easy to feel transported in this space, at once in the heart of the estate while giving the visitor a surprising feeling of seclusion.
Meadow Brook’s Pegasus springs to life each winter as part of the Holidays at Meadow Brook. The Colt Pegasus statue dazzles with rings of dancing blue lights while the winged horse itself takes flight in a magical immersive projection-mapped art installation at the end of the Rose Garden during the outdoor light show, Winter Wonder Lights.
Originally surrounded by five beds of evergreens, the Pegasus Fountain has always been a favorite setting for weddings and special celebrations.
It was a place for gathering when Meadow Brook Hall was home to the Dodge and Wilson family in the 20th century. During large events, the family put outdoor tables and a dance floor in this area, covering them with tents in case of bad weather. Meadow Brook continues this tradition with the elegant white Garden Tent, just off the path.
Today, brides, grooms and spouses-to-be walk down the aisle of flagstone from the Breakfast Room to say their vows under the watchful eye of the Colt Pegasus. It’s an enchanting place, one that is sure to inspire wedding guests, tour guests and all those who wander its way.
Whether you’ve dreamed of a fairy tale wedding, an outdoor garden wedding or anything in between, Meadow Brook is sure to deliver the entertaining spaces, inspired cuisine and first-class service for an incredible wedding ceremony and reception. For more information about being married at Meadow Brook, contact our events team at mbhevent@oakland.edu.
