What Does Michigan Love Eating Most At Cookouts?

Summer is almost here, and people are gearing up for cookouts. From grilling in the backyard to enjoying barbecues at a park and tailgating cookouts. GreatLakesStakes.com used Google Trends to calculate what every state loves eating most at cookouts.

They gathered their data based on search history and found that wings, hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, and grilled chicken were the top five most popular cookout foods in the country. After completing the trends over the past five years (from April 1 to Sept. 1 each year), they were able to average out the results to get the top cookout foods for each state.

Their research determined that Michigan was one of the 19 states that found ribs as their favorite cookout main meal. Some of the other states who prefer ribs at a cookout include Alaska, California, and Tennessee.

When it comes to wings at a cookout, states such as Georgia, Massachusetts, and New York prefer them at cookouts. Five out of ten states are listed as those who love grilled chicken as their favorite cookout meat.

Almost twice as many states chose two more cookout staples, like hamburgers and hot dogs (10 states each). Michigan joined neighboring Wisconsin in choosing ribs as its go-to grilled meat.

See where all the states landed for their favorite cookout meal here.

Wedding season has begun. In general, wedding season extends from late spring and continues through early fall, with weddings peaking in June and September, per Brides.com. Most couples opt for Spring and early Fall weddings because temperatures are a bit more comfortable compared to the warmer or colder seasons.

When it comes to weddings, some people scope out venues that offer affordability, space for guests, or a place that practically decorates itself with a stunning backdrop. That's why many couples prefer getting married outdoors.  Whether it be a private estate, a public area like a beach, or your own backyard, some cities may be a better option for an outdoor wedding.

LawnLove.com compared 200 of the biggest U.S. cities based on eight categories to compile a list of the best cities for outdoor wedding venues. They looked at the quality of outdoor wedding venues, access to wedding planners, sunshine, and other metrics.

Several cities in Florida and California are at the top, with plenty of access to venues and wedding-related services. The best venue access for outdoor weddings includes Charleston, South Carolina at number one, followed by Savannah (number. 4), Honolulu (number 15), New Orleans (number 10), St. Louis (number 14), and Las Vegas (number 13).

The study found that some smaller cities and suburbs are not so great for nature-themed nuptials, such as Miramar, Florida (number 197), Newark, New Jersey (number 198), and North Las Vegas, Nevada (number 199). They said these cities generally lack venue access, high venue quality, accommodations, and wedding-look resources.

Overall, due to a lack of venues, wedding planners, bridal shops, and accommodations, among other resources, West Valley City, Utah finished at 200.

Check out the full list of the best cities for outdoor weddings here.

Here are the best and worst Michigan cities for outdoor weddings.

West Michigan has several options for an outdoor wedding. They ranked number 59 on the list. Grand Rapids also ranked high for venue quality according to the study.

Warren is low on the list with an overall ranking of 180. It actually tied for fewest outdoor wedding venues per 100,000 residents.

Ranking even lower than Warren at spot number 189 is Detroit. If you plan on looking for outdoor wedding venues in Detroit,  it ranked high for smallest share of budget-friendly outdoor wedding venues. According to WeddingRule.com, the average cost of a wedding in Detroit, Michigan is approximately $24,250.