Aug 29 2008
Question Du Jour: Help A Detroit Bride Out?
Hey Michiganders,
DIY Bride Amanda needs some help scoping out a venue…
Hi There,
You mentioned that you have a lot of Michigan brides checking out this site, so
I thought I’d ask my most difficult, stressful and time-consuming question. Is
there any one out there who can help me find my ideal wedding site in Metro
Detroit? I live out of state now, but I’m from Troy and my family still lives
there. Here’s our holy grail: a beautiful place with good indoor and outdoor
options for the ceremony (reception can be indoor only) that is an appropriate
size for 150 people. This place will preferably have some flexibility in the
kind of stuff you can do (like bring your own booze, buy extra hours, etc), will
not be a golf club or hall, and will not be a wedding factory.
If we were doing it where we live now, we know of converted barns, large art
galleries and an Arboretum that would fit the bill, but since we don’t live in
Detroit anymore, we’re having a difficult time coming up with the sort of place
we really want.
Oh yes, last caveats, preferably a place that has no insane rules (like no red
wine or no food inside) and will be “nice” enough for mom and dad who are very
kindly footing the majority of the bill. It will be a civil ceremony and we’d
like to do both in the same place, near Detroit (not Ann Arbor).
If anyone has any suggestions, I would be insanely grateful.Amanda
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My best friend got married in Detroit. Her wedding was in a church, but the reception was on a large 2 story boat on the river, which was beautiful and fun. The boat wasn’t very pretty at first, but they decorated it simply and it ended up being an awesome venue. It was very stable, had a bar and a dance floor, and they were able to bring their own booze, which saved a lot of money. The only issue was that you have to cross into Canada to board the boat, so let guests know to bring proper ID. The couple went out to some little island with pretty fountains etc. to take pictures – that might be a good outside place for a ceremony, but I don’t know the details. The boat was a unique and fun option, and I’d definitely recommend it. They had about 150 people, too.
Hi Amanda!
We had nearly identical requirements to yours! We ended up booking with the Environmental Discovery Center @ Indian Springs Metro Park in White Lake (Clarkston). There’s a few great options for an outdoor ceremony (we chose the Oak Circle under some GORGEOUS old trees), and the 2nd floor of the Environmental Discovery Center is all windows, cathedral ceilings, overlooking a pond and out into the woods. It’s breathtaking. Plus, they have a big underwater glass dome in the pond that your guests can check out! Other people may suggest Addison Oaks, but they’ve got a 250 person minimum for Saturday nights… otherwise, that’s beautiful, too!
Anyhow, have your parents go and visit the Environmetal Discovery Center and ask for Tammra
There are so many great venues in the Detroit area! You are lucky to be married here (okay, I am a bit biased!). If you check out the Ann Arbor area, there is Cobblestone and many locations on the U of M campus. For other areas, there is the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, Grosse Point War Memorial, Pine Knob Mansion & Carriage House (one of my favorites), The Henry Ford House and the Henry Ford Museum/Greefield Villiage. There are too many more to list, but I hope this helps a little. If you have any other questions about locations, feel free to send me a message! Good luck with your search, whatever you decide will be beautiful!
I just saw that you said no Ann Arbor. Sorry!
I can list a million more if you’d like though. Good luck!
Hi Amanda,
I too am a Michigan bride on the hunt for a detroit venue. Your guest is a little smaller than mine so you have a few more options than I do. I would recommend taking a look at the
-Grosse Pointe War Memorial
-Belle Isle Anna Whitcomb Conservatory, Casino Building and/or Scott Memorial Fountain
-Roostertail
If I can think of any others, I’ll be sure to comment again.
I am a born and raised Michigander and live in the area today. May you consider looking in Novi or the Milford area for your wedding. There are alot of beautiful churches and halls both for indoor and outdoor. Bakers in Milford is a hall that is pretty flexible. May you also try Cranbrooke and Kirk in the Hill located in West Bloomfield and Bloomfield Hills. Good Luck!
i grew up in michigan and haven’t lived there in 11 years, but i always used to love hanging out/picnicing in the cranbrook arboretum, academy of art, and insitute of science grounds…..i don’t know if they do weddings, but i’d guess they do. you might also want to check out greenfield village and the henry ford musuem….
Hi – We were married at the Pine Knob Mansion in Clarkston and it was wonderful… we had our ceremony out back at the Gazebo & then the reception inside (you can have dancing outside too, but it was July & HOT!). The Mansion has a max of 150 & it really leads to a very intimate-feeling wedding… the venue is so unique and unusual- definitely worth checking out! I have tons of pictures (of course!) – email me if you want to see any! (withflourish AT gmail DOT com)
My friend was married at Meadowbrook mansion in Rochester Hills. There is a golf course around the mansion, but it only adds to the beauty of the site. I know that there is a hall inside that could work for your ceremony, but it would be very warm in there in the middle of the summer; my friend opted to have her ceremony outside, and her reception in the tent behind the mansion.
Good luck!
Thank you all so much!! Some of those we’ve tried and couldn’t do for one reason or another, but for the most part you’ve given me some spectacular new places to check out.
I really appreciate your time and suggestions. I’m a total Michi-girl, but like I said, I haven’t lived there for a long time, so I appreciate your help in finding a wedding site in my home state!
I’m so sorry for the typo. Meadowbrook Mansion on Oakland University’s campus. It is very close to both Detroit and Troy and their prices were reasonable.
Congratulations,
I know of a wonderful place for you to have your ceremony. The Westin hotel of Southfield, MI. I have seen many weddings at this wonderful place, and there wedding packages are affordable.
God bless and Good luck!
Westin Hotel of Southfield
1500 Town Center
Soutfield, MI 48075
Phone: 248-827-4000 Fax: 248-827-1364
The Iriqous Club on Woodward is supposed to be nice!
Hey Amanda!
I am having the SAME dilemma right now! I would personally love an old Mansion or a charming barn and I am not really interested in the “wedding factory” golf courses/banquet halls.
One place we have found is the Howell Opera House. The Actual opera house is not renovated yet, but the main floor is and it is beautiful. Exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, high ceilings, and 1850’s windows. Sometimes it is used for an art gallery so they are not opposed to decorating/hanging things on the walls. Plus a major bonus… you can bring in your own alcohol!
I would love to find some more places like this to broaden my options… so I would love some more ideas too!
Thanks!
Longacre House in Farmington Hills is quite lovely – http://www.longacrehouse.org/
Hey Amanda and Cora!
I’m so glad I found this website! I too am a Detroit-born-and-bred bride to be married in June 2009. We currently live in NYC and have been looking remotely for a venue for about 5 months now! Our wedding is going to be Indian, so the venue we are looking for needs to be even more flexible than usual – meaning the groom will ride in on a horse, we will have 500+ guests, and the ceremony itself will require a sacred fire (open flame) for the priest to consider the wedding ‘official’. As you can imagine this has ruled out several options. The fire has ruled out any kind of museum, library, barn/farm with hay, etc., and the guest count has eliminated virtually every venue except for hotels. The wedding is actually 2 days long, so our first night will be at the Roostertail in Detroit (can accomodate 500) and our second night is still in question. I have checked everywhere in and around Dearborn (where we live) including Cobblestone Farms, Meadowbrook, apple orchards, Cranbrook, Henry Ford, Greenfield Village, etc. and cannot find a beautiful outdoor space that has a backup indoor rain option for that many guests. At this point, I am almost ready to give up and have the wedding indoor at hotel. Most in the Dearborn area have experience with Indian weddings and know everything we need and are very accomodating. If anyone has any other unique ideas, please do let me know. And if anyone wants my thoughts on the venues in the Southeastern Michigan area that I have scoped out, I would be happy to help. Thanks and good luck!
I am also looking for a kind of rustic place to hold a wedding. I would love to have it in a beautiful barn, but I can’t find one in my area. I live in Ann Arbor. My fiancee and I have looked at Ciccone vineyards up in traverse city, which is beautiful, but they ONLY allow wine at the reception…and only their wine! Not a lot of options left for the beer-drinkers! We also looked at Cobblestone farms but we weren’t that impressed with that location. It’s right on a busy road so it doesn’t exactly have the “rustic” feel. I think the Blue Dress Barn in Millburg looks beautiful, but it’s a little far for us…about 2 hours for us, 3 hours for most of our guests.
Does anyone have any other ideas, especially in Southeast Michigan??