Carrie Bradshaw started a movement.
Updated Feb 10, 202310 Michigan Historic Wedding Venues We Love
Make a little history of your own at one of these notable spots.
Cobblestone Farm
2781 Packard Road, Ann Arbor; (734) 794-6230; A2Gov.org/cobblestone
Get married on the lawn outside the rustic, oak-frame barn at Cobblestone Farm. The grounds include the barn and a beautiful stone farmhouse built in 1845. After the ceremony, stay outside for cocktails, and set up games like bocce or croquet for everyone to play before dinner. Then move inside; the barn can fit up to 170 guests for a seated dinner and dancing. If your party is bigger than that, you can seat 220 on the main floor and move the dance floor up to the loft (it's also a great backup space for the ceremony if it rains). Bring in any vendors you like, just one tiny rule: beer and wine only -- no hard alcohol.
Dimnent Memorial Chapel at Hope College
277 College Avenue, Holland; (616) 395-7222; Hope.edu
Couples reserve this chapel a year in advance (and weddings are held only during academic holidays and summer break), but the breathtaking space is well worth the wait. Completed in 1929, the two-level Dimnent Memorial Chapel boasts stained-glass windows, a long center aisle and American Gothic architecture and can fit more than 1,000 guests. Check out the Maas Center or the Haworth Inn & Conference Center if you want to stay on campus for the reception. Both ballroom-style venues are just a short walk away.
The English Inn
677 South Michigan Road, Eaton Rapids; (517) 663-2500; EnglishInn.com
This Tudor Revival mansion was built in 1927 for Irving Jacob Reuter (the general manager and president of Oldsmobile) and his wife. Decades later, the grounds exude the same romantic country charm the couple originally envisioned. Exchange vows beneath the pergola along the Grand River. Party inside the Inn with 50 guests. Or take advantage of Medovue Hall, the Inn's latest addition, where you can fit up to 200 guests. Work with their in-house caterer to plan your menu.
The Felt Estate
6597 138th Avenue, Holland; (616) 335-3050; FeltMansion.org
This spot was once the summer home of inventor Dorr E. Felt. His fast-math gadget (the very first office processing machine) made him rich and allowed him to build this mega home in 1928. Today, the estate's many rooms and levels make a stunning spot for a wedding. Exchange your vows in the Water Garden, then move inside (200 people max). Or seat guests beneath a tent on the lawn (where seating space is practically unlimited) for the ceremony and use the house as the lounge area. Bonus: You can get 25 percent off if you hold your event between January 2 and March 31.
The Fox Theatre
2211 Woodward Avenue, Detroit; (313) 471-3333; OlympiaEntertainment.com
If you have a taste for the dramatic, get married at the Fox Theatre. The ornate (it has a Hindu-Siamese-Byzantine style to it) movie palace was built in 1928 and designed by famed architect C. Howard Crane. Today, it's the largest continually operating theater in the country. Fill up the Grand Lobby, the Foyer and the Loge with up to 450 guests. Work with the theater to come up with a menu.
Grand Hotel
286 Grand Avenue, Mackinac Island; (906) 847-3331; GrandHotel.com
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When Mackinac Island first became a summer getaway destination in 1886, vacationers had limited lodging -- until the Grand Hotel opened the next year. Today, you can wed in the hotel's Tea Garden or its 660-foot-long porch, which fits up to 150 chairs. It's covered, so you can stay outside even if it drizzles. Have a 300-person reception in the Theatre. Or for a smaller affair, fit 25 guests in the Pontiac Room, a half-moon room that has windows on all sides and a private porch. Another plus: There is a full-service salon and flower shop right in the hotel.
The Grand Ledge Opera House
121 South Bridge Street, Grand Ledge; (517) 627-1443; GLOperaHouse.com
Built in 1884, this space was a roller skating rink first, then an opera house for traveling vaudeville and now a romantic wedding hall. The Victorian-style façade is still intact, but the interior has been modernized (including the installation of air conditioning -- yay!). The Terrace Level overlooking the Grand River is a really popular spot for ceremonies. For the reception, seat up to 240 guests in the Grand Hall (a double stairway lit by three chandeliers decorates the hall). Or have a more intimate party of 140 on the Terrace Level, where you'll also have access to the patio, gardens and gazebo. Your caterer will need to be approved if not on the preferred list.
Pine Knob
5580 Waldon Road, Clarkston; (248) 625 -0700; PineKnobMansion.com
Choose between two charming venue locations -- The Mansion and The Carriage House -- at Pine Knob. The Mansion, which sits on the highest natural point in Southeastern Michigan, was designed and built for Colonel Sidney Dunn Waldon (the vice president of Cadillac Motor Company) after he bought the land in 1927, and the Carriage House was constructed for the ground's caretaker and his family. The outdoor pavilion at the Carriage House makes for a lovely ceremony spot or dance floor while a meal for up to 280 people can be served inside. Use the in-house caterer, but bring in other vendors you like.
W.K. Kellogg Manor House & Gardens
3700 East Gull Lake Drive, Hickory Corners; (269) 671-5117; KBS.MSU.edu
The Pagoda Garden at the W.K. Kellogg Manor House & Gardens (the former estate of the Kellogg company founder) extends onto gorgeous Gull Lake. Head to the Reflection Pool Garden for cocktails before moving to the Manor House, where tables can be set on the porch, terrace and indoors to fit 120 guests. Or have the entire reception outside beneath a tent. The food is catered in-house and lodging options include two cozy cabins.
The Wildlife Interpretive Gallery in the Detroit Zoo
8450 West 10 Mile Road, Royal Oak; (248) 541-5717; DetroitZoo.org
Say "I do" in the Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden (until 8 p.m. only). Then move the party to the Wildlife Interpretive Gallery in the zoo's oldest building. Originally a bird house, it's now a sought-after Royal Oak venue. The 10,000-square-foot gallery fits 150 guests for dinner with room for a dance floor. Round tables and white chairs are included, but you're free to order from another vendor. Work with the on-site catering team to plan your menu.
