Here’s where to host a beautiful, unique wedding in metro Detroit

Detroit and the surrounding area have a variety of options when it comes to hosting a wedding, from beautiful theatres and gardens to incredible hotels and museums.

If you’re still looking for a venue, below you’ll find some of the more unique venues in metro Detroit, and great hotels to host a wedding and stay onsite.

Photos: The Roostertail, The Inn at St. Johns, and The Detroit Foundation Hotel (@greenhollyphoto)

Unique Venues in Detroit

Gem Theatre – 333 Madison Ave. in Detroit

The Gem Theatre is located near Ford Field and Comerica Park near the District Detroit and offers a beautiful, unique venue for a wedding.

The historic theatre was built in 1903 and in 1997, it made a five-block journey through Detroit due to the construction of Comerica Park. It set the Guinness World Record for the heaviest building ever moved on wheels.

They have two locations for ceremonies – both involving theatre stages, and a great area for the reception.

Weddings at the Gem can be all-inclusive with plated dinner service or a buffet, premium bar, parking, tables, chairs, and more. It has a capacity of up to 275.

Learn more about weddings with the Gem Theatre wedding packet.

The Whiskey Factory – 1000 Maple St. in Detroit

Detroit City Distillery uses The Whiskey Factory for its main distillery, so a wedding here will have an incredible rustic feel surrounded by bourbon aging in those charred oak barrels.

The Whiskey Factory has 7,000 square feet of space and can set up to 200 guests for a wedding or 250 guests strolling.

At the back of The Whiskey Factory is an original Detroit vintage bar that’s nearly 100 years old, and weddings here can get a spirits package that can go along with your wedding with Detroit City Distillery spirits.

You can even add on a whiskey tasting experience for your wedding.

Photos by @mrsceraxoxo, @erinschmidtphoto, @frankiephotomi

The Roostertail – 100 Marquette Dr. in Detroit

A wedding at The Roostertail will have beautiful views of Downtown Detroit and the Detroit River, as the building is located on the riverfront.

You can have two outdoor ceremony sites, making it a great spot to have a wedding in the summer, with well-lit self-parking and an option for valet.

There are more than seven acres of water frontage and three multi-level glass-enclosed rooms with an outdoor deck and patio. Plus, they have famous water fountains that shoot water 40 feet in the air.

With your wedding, you’ll get lighting, set-up and take down, a champagne toast, options for centerpieces, and much more.

Detroit Institute of Arts – 5200 Woodward Ave. in Detroit

The DIA is one of the premier art museums in the world and offers a variety of spaces for a wedding, the best of which is the Walter B. Ford Great Hall.

That spot is next to the Woodward Ave. entrance and next to the famous Rivera Court. It has a capacity of 300 seated or 500 strolling, and they have an in-house caterer that can have a customizable menu.

Cliff Bell’s – 2030 Park Ave. in Detroit

Cliff Bell’s has a long history in Detroit. It was renovated in 2005 and reopened in 2006 after closing in 1985, hosting live performances weekly with a focus on jazz. Inside, you’ll get a historic jazz club feels, and it’s a great place to host an event.

The club has 3,000 square feet of venue space with house sound equipment and stage lighting. They also offer live entertainment services at an additional cost.

The Madison – 1555 Broadway in Detroit

Bedrock Detroit’s The Madison has two great spots for a wedding!

The Rooftop offers a great backdrop of Downtown Detroit outside day or night, and it has a bar and dance floor, with a covered catering kitchen. It’s perfect for a large but intimate ceremony hosting up to 180 people for a strolling reception.

If you want to be inside, The Loft at The Madison can host 180 strolling or 150 banquet and is a modern gathering space.

The Madison Theatre was built in 1917 and was purchased by Dan Gilbert in 2011, then transformed into what it is today.

Ford Piquette Plant – 461 Piquette in Detroit

The Ford Piquette Plant is the birthplace of the Ford Model T and was built in 1904 as Ford’s first purpose-built factory.

Weddings at the Piquette Plant are held right on the museum floor, so you’ll be surrounded by antique vehicles and another museum.

The plant hosts ceremonies and receptions and can host up to 300 guests on the museum’s third floor and 100 people on the museum’s main floor.

Photo by @tbfloral, @swankyfineartweddings

Waterview Lofts at Port Detroit – 130 Atwater St. in Detroit

The Waterview Lofts is another beautiful spot along the heart of the Detroit River for your wedding. Located between Hart Plaza and the Renaissance Center, the spot is also right near Downtown Detroit.

Weddings can utilize both floors of the space, with a ceremony and reception area that can seat more than 200 guests, and you can choose from a strolling meal or plated dinner service.

The location also has partnerships with florists, bakeries, photographers and more to help you plan your wedding, and you.

Hotels in Detroit

Shinola Hotel – 1400 Woodward Ave. in Detroit

One of the newer hotels in Downtown Detroit, the Shinola Hotel has two event spaces that can host weddings.

The Birdy Room features vaulted ceilings and has a sunroom-style space with a private garden. It can host up to 160 guests for standing receptions and seating for 70 guests.

Bixby Hall is their larger venue with chandeliers, a marble fireplace, and more and can host 100-180 people for a wedding.

You can also work with NoHo Hospitality Group and Chef Andrew Carmellini to come up with a menu for your wedding.

Photo by @sgsims_

Westin Book Cadillac – 1114 Washington Blvd. in Detroit

The Westin Book Cadillac is one of the most historic hotels in Detroit. It has several different rooms for your wedding that can host up to 600 people in the largest room.

You’ll work with a Westin wedding specialist to plan everything you want, and their ballrooms are styled from the 1920s for that historic feel.

Detroit Foundation Hotel – 250 W. Larned St. in Detroit

The Detroit Foundation Hotel is inside an old Detroit firehouse near Huntington Place.

The fifth-floor event space has beautiful views of the Downtown Detroit skyline and an outdoor terrace with a light installation.

It’s perfect for an intimate wedding with an 80-guest maximum for plated dinner and dance floor, or 120 guests maximum with a strolling dinner.

Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center – 400 Renaissance Dr. in Detroit

The Renaissance Center is one of the most iconic buildings in Detroit and offers a beautiful spot to get married. You can work with a Marriott wedding planner to give your wedding everything you wanted.

The hotel features 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, so you can make room for whomever you want to join you on your special day.

It’s also a spot to host a shower and rehearsal dinner, and their catering team can come up with a customized menu for your wedding.

Photo by @glitz_glamdecor

Unique Venues in Metro Detroit

The Henry Ford – 20900 Oakwood Blvd. in Dearborn

The Henry Ford is one of the most iconic museums in the United States and has a variety of different spots to get married.

There’s a spot inside the actual museum with weddings after the museum closes. You can host up to 600 people in four different areas and a wedding there includes museum admission.

You can also go back and time and get married in Greenfield Village at four different spots to get married. You can also add a horse-drawn carriage and your guests can take a spin on the historic carousel.

Finally, there’s the Lovett Hall ballroom which can host up to 300 guests. It’s the same spot where Henry Ford hosted some of his biggest events.

The War Memorial – 32 Lake Shore Dr. in Grosse Pointe Farms

On the shores of Lake St. Clair in Grosse Pointe Farms is The War Memorial, located on the historic grounds of the Alger Estate, an Italian Renaissance-style home that was built in 1910.

There’s a ballroom for your wedding with beautiful lakefront views, and you can host wedding ceremonies and receptions there.

Because of the mission of The War Memorial, you do have to have a family member, living or deceased, who has served or is currently serving in the military.

Meadow Brook Hall – 350 Estate Dr. in Rochester

If you ever wanted to get married at a mansion, then Meadow Brook Hall is just for you. The historic home built by Matilda Dodge Wilson between 1926-1929, the mansion offers a beautiful backdrop to any wedding.

There are vintage weddings, winter weddings, castle weddings, outdoor weddings and more at Meadow Brook.

They have more than a dozen gardens for your wedding, and indoor weddings take place in the beautiful Christopher Wren dining room.

Meadow Brook also has full-service catering for your wedding with great menus and delicious food.

Photo by @elle_curlz

Shepherd’s Hollow – 9085 Big Lake Rd. in Clarkston

Located in northern Oakland County, Shepherd’s Hollow will make you feel like you’re up north without having to drive out of metro Detroit.

There’s a beautiful fountain area for a wedding ceremony in the pine forest, with wraparound veranda with a glass house in the middle of the forest.

The venue holds up to 325 people and they also have a culinary and service team for your food and drinks at the wedding.

Photo by @rosyandshaun

Packard Proving Grounds – 49965 Van Dyke in Shelby Township

This is another spot with a historic automotive feel for your wedding. The Packard Proving Grounds historic site was established in 1927 and features multiple buildings designed by legendary Detroit architect Albert Kahn.

You can have an indoor or outdoor ceremony on the grounds, with receptions in The Repair Garage with seating for nearly 300 guests, or the Lodge Garage with seating for about 100 guests.

There are also 15 classic Packard cars that have been donated to the site that can be included in your wedding as either a display or used to make an entrance by driving in with a driver.

Waldenwoods – 2975 Old US-23 in Howell

This is another venue that will give you that up north feel right in metro Detroit. Waldenwoods is located in a wooded area next to a lake fed by a spring. It has two ceremony and reception sites – The Cromaine Hall and Lakeview Tented Venue.

Depending on what you want, you can get married with a beautiful backdrop of the lake, and then host your reception on the first floor of Cromaine Hall which can set up to 250 guests.

Waldenwoods also includes a lodge if you plan to stay, and a plated dinner, hors d’oeuvres, and a full bar selection.

Hotels in Metro Detroit

The Henry – Fairlane Plaza, 300 Town Center Dr. in Dearborn

The Henry offers elegant weddings just outside of Detroit with a beautiful ballroom that can be designed however you want it.

There are different spots where you can host it, including the Presidential Ballroom, Plaza Ballroom, and Gallery.

You will also work with the executive chef and team for a gourmet menu for the wedding that includes fresh, local foods, and the pastry chef I you want a dessert table.

The Townsend Hotel – 100 Townsend St. in Birmingham

The Townsend Hotel in Downtown Birmingham is a perfect place for a beautiful wedding at a beautiful hotel.

For your wedding, you’ll work with the executive chef and banquet chef for your menu, and they can also provide a customized wedding cake in whatever flavor you want.

There are also special services you can add for your wedding, including customized key cards, in-room massage services, gift bags, and more.

Also, for weddings with over 150 guests, the couple will get complimentarily use of the wedding suite for two nights.

The Inn at St. John’s – 44045 Five Mile Rd. in Plymouth

Located in Plymouth, The Inn at St. John’s offers multiple ceremony spaces. There is a chapel If you’re planning to have a Catholic ceremony, or two ballrooms an an Atrium.

The ballrooms can host up to 300 guests for dinner, while the atrium gives you that outdoor feel while inside and can set up to 180 guests.

Their wedding packages include a bar, hors d’oeuvres, champagne toast, coffee station, dinner service, and more.

Photo by @pennyralenephotography, @thefloweralley, @kerogersphotography, @itsjessalynn

Royal Park Hotel – 600. E. University Dr. in Rochester

The Royal Park Hotel is located in beautiful Downtown Rochester and is a great spot for a weddings.

There’s a Belgium Glass Conservatory that can seat 160 guests for a ceremony with a custom crystal chandelier overhead.

Then, the Royal Grand Ballroom can host up to 650 guests for a wedding celebration, or, the Park Pavilion will be great for an outdoor ceremony.

Photo by @lenashkreliandcompany