The Rust Belt Market
About This Vendor
Offering a Unique & Memorable Event Space Rental!
Located in the heart of Downtown Ferndale, MI, The Rust Belt Market is a versatile wedding venue ideal for creative couples who want to marry in the Detroit metropolitan area. As a hybrid marketplace, and vibrant event venue, it is home to dozens of small local businesses, a full-service bar, and the most charming event space. A suburban gem within driving distance of the Motor City’s thriving downtown, this venue provides a distinctive backdrop for once-in-a-lifetime events. You and your guests are sure to fall in love with its vintage-meets-vogue aesthetic and stellar amenities. The Rust Belt Market encourages people to come together to celebrate culture, art, and romance. As such, the property can set the scene for every stage of your big day. The Main Event Space is a comfortable setting that possesses 4,000 square feet of space for dining and dancing, and boasts a wide variety of artful amenities. Dimmable overhead lighting, rustic walls, twinkle lights, and intriguing furniture are just a few of its many eye-catching features. You are also welcome to use the Stage, a stylish space, complete with a sound system, projector, and macrame tapestry decorations. The 1,000 square-foot adjacent bar area is also included in your venue rental and includes premium finishes and additional bar stool seating. Capable of hosting up to 160 guests in a seated capacity, The Rust Belt Market is committed to making your wedding a celebration that you and your guests will never forget. In addition to its event space, the venue has other facilities such as restrooms, a prep kitchen, self-serve coatroom and a luxury wedding suite, The Green Room. Special events can take place on any evening of the week, year-round. Our venue rental rates also include the use of our premium in-house farm tables & chairs, making wedding planning a convenient one-stop-shop, for an overall stress-free experience!
Amenities + Details
Ceremony Area
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Covered Outdoors Space
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Business Attributes
Woman-owned Business
Guest Capacity
Up to 150
Settings
Industrial & Warehouse
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks, Planning, Rentals & Equipment
Pricing for The Rust Belt Market
Browse The Rust Belt Market's pricing PDF for sample services and estimates.
Curious to learn more?
The Rust Belt Market Reviews
4.6 out of 5.0
30 reviews
5 Star
77%
4 Star
14%
3 Star
3%
2 Star
3%
1 Star
3%
The Rust Belt is amazing venue and we are so happy we chose them for our wedding. They had everything we were looking for. Everyone was so nice and helpful during this whole process. The tables are beautiful and were exactly what we imagined. E...
verything went smooth and I couldn't ask for a better experience. Thank you so much!!
If you are looking for wonderful space and willing to step outside the traditional "wedding box" then this is a place high on my list to refer!
The space is so unique but on top of that, the staff is super friendly and amazing. I can't wait t...
o have another wedding here again!
The space was exactly what we were looking for! They were great to work with and the bartenders were amazing! Thank you so much for helping to make our day so much fun!
Any questions?
Beautiful venue! We really leaned into the succulent and wood theme and it ended up beautiful. We had our dance floor in front of the stage and even moved onto the stage throughout the night. My groom was able to be at the cocktail hour and lov...
ed having the opportunity to greet all of our guests. Christina was also very helpful the entire time we were setting up through the cocktail hour. She was able to set the expectations of her schedule and ended up being a huge help the entire time that she was available. Pro tip- we had a ball being able to walk down the street with our friends to continue celebrating at a Ferndale bar.
The space was EVERYTHING and MORE! I don't know where to start, but Christina was very attentive with any questions I had. I didn't see her the day of, but Michael at the bar was there and we LOVE him!!! Everyone raved about the good drinks and...
the beauty of the space! We are minimalist, and I wanted a touch of sparkle..Rust Belt was ALL that and more. I need to figure out another event to have just to use the space :)
The Rust Belt Market was an absolutely amazing venue! It's so beautifully decorated, which is also extremely convenient for decorating purposes. Tables and chairs were easy to order and everything was handled for us. The bar was also very easy ...
as well. The one thing to be aware of is that the venue has public meter parking. We were able to pay for spots for our guests in advance but definitely something to consider. All in all, everything was beautiful and the staff and event manager were lovely to work with. Highly recommend!
This venue was PERFECT and fit our wedding vibe so well. From the start Christina was so responsive to any questions and easy to work with to plan our big day. We had our ceremony and reception here and received so many compliments about the de...
cor and set up. We could not of asked for a more beautiful day and were so happy with how everything turned out. Thank you so much!!!
The Rust Belt is a great venue! Christina, the events manager, is super easy to work with. It's already beautiful inside, and the alcove is basically an included photo booth. The staff is friendly, and the market gives guests something to do/t...
alk about. Parking is iffy, so make sure you inform guests of where public parking is, and call the city to make sure there aren't any events going in your weekend. It's the perfect venue for a rustic wedding in the city.
We had our wedding at Rust Belt and everything was absolutely perfect. We had 130 people seated and had plenty of room left for a dance floor and food stations. Christina was so responsive and helpful during the organizing and the day of. The v...
enue is obviously beautiful and comes fully decorated so that will take a lot off your plate. All the guests loved being able to walk around the market with a cocktail before they closed and we got so many compliments on the venue. Can not recommend enough!
They were great! Everything was beautiful and they’re always adding new and creative things to their venue! I recommend them to everyone I know! It is such a unique place to get married! The bar is awesome and everyone is so friendly!
Response from the Vendor on 10/21/2018
Hey Stephanie, Thank you! We had just an amazing time with you and your guests. Your tables were beautiful!
This place is amazing. It’s so different from a traditional wedding hall. You don’t need to decorate much because the space is already decorated greatly. Christina was always there to answer any questions I had. They have a ton of liquor option...
s and different bar packages and they even do just wine and beer or a cash bar.
Parking is annoying but we used Detroit bus company to shuttle people back to their cars at the church down the road.
The red velvet chair was the perfect back ground for our photo booth.
The venue is unique, really quirky and fun! Our guests could not stop complimenting us on the choice! Really a great space!
However... Parking is bad. There is a lot and street parking, all charge to park, but some guests had to park a few b...
locks away. On a weekend, it can be quite a challenge. We had a few complaints from our guests. Also, not good for older or disabled guests.
While the venue is great, the event manager is not much help. The portal for services and payments is confusing, as were most of the communication we received. Nothing is included, you will be nickle and dimed for everything. You must supply everything, including staff to work your event, except for the bar. The bar is very expensive. If you decide to book this spot, you must be vigilant about deadlines for payments, booking all the staff and vendors that you will need. RBM doesn’t do any of this.
Response from the Vendor on 08/02/2018
Thanks for leaving us feedback as it always helps future clients when booking our space! We are located in the heart of Downtown Ferndale and parking is public. Our Preferred Vendors page lists Star Trax, a local company that offers valet and s...
huttle services. You could have also made payment accommodations through the City of Ferndale, an option that is discussed in every venue tour. I take pride in my attentiveness to clients’ correspondence and was responsive to your emails past midnight the day prior to your daughter’s wedding. I even spent the entire morning securing service staff and answering calls from both you and your daughter. One of the most important points we stress when utilizing a food truck instead of a catering company is the fact that your event must still be serviced by a professional company. In our policies, website and all correspondence, we outline what catering is responsible for. I made sure to explain in email correspondence every aspect surrounding this, including table service, water service and water-service glassware, and catering refuse policies. For these reasons, we do not feature food trucks on our Preferred Vendors list. I’m glad we were able to provide and help out with many last minute details. Myself, our Bar Manager and Owner even offered assistance with your slideshow. Overall, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and your event turned out beautiful. We wish you nothing but the best in this new chapter of your lives!
We are incredibly happy we chose the Rust Belt for our wedding. Although we only went to two spaces prior to choosing the moment we walked into the RB - we knew it was the one. Everything is so unique and gives off a special feel. Our guests we...
re WOWed and couldn't say enough about the space. I felt Christina was really easy to work with and responded to any questions I had, also their website has all the information you could need which is really helpful (stressful brides tend to forget things and it's great to have a place to reference :)). The Rust Belt is a top choice for events and we are so glad we chose them for ours!
We had the most amazing experience working with Rust Belt Market. Christina was very responsive to any questions. The list of preferred vendors made planning easy. Our guest had a great time and the venue results in so many cool pictures and mo...
ments. I highly recommend the Rust Belt Market.
WE LOVE THE RUST BELT!!!! Our guests were absolutely wowed with the space- it is SO UNIQUE. We love the staff, they were available when we needed them, super knowledgeable and FUN to work with! The whole process was so simple, so laid back, and...
that was really important to us. I am not very good at decorating a space- so the fact that we did not have to do anything at all to make the space look incredible was a huge bonus for us. I really cannot say enough good things about our experience from beginning to end!
We hosted our company holiday party at the Rust Belt in December. It was an awesome experience! Our guests loved the venue and enjoyed being able to use the Rusty Bucks to shop. Christina did a fantastic job helping us plan our event. She was e...
xtremely patient with us and all of our questions and requests. All of the staff were excellent. Many of our employees have asked me if we can have more events there in the future. We will definitely consider it! Highly recommend this venue to anyone looking for an affordable, fun space for their party. My only regret is forgetting my camera at home and not being able to get more photos.
Although our reception was absolutely beautiful, I would NOT recommend them due to some of their staff. Their wedding coordinator shows little to no compassion for a stressed out bride. They don’t bend on any rules (wouldn’t let us get into the...
space even 15 minutes early without charging us, wouldn’t let us use the empty closet or the empty fridge to store a few things for the people helping us setup without charging us, etc). They never seemed to checked on us unless they needed payment and if we would email them questions we felt like we were bothering her.
Also, the owner promised us something, admitted he promised us something, and still did not deliver on his promise because he didn’t want to upset his wife. I still can’t believe it.
In addition, they make you provide your own water. Your guest cannot go to the bar and ask for a water, you have to provide your own water stations or bottles, it’s a hassle and cost you even more money. Lastly, you have to do a deep clean in the space before you leave or you’ll get charged.
Oh yeah, and the bartenders traded our Cupcakes that we were saving in the back for pizza from our food truck #NotCool Aside from this they were really great and our guest enjoyed them.
I could keep going on them but this post is already long enough, lol. 🙂
Our review of The Rust Belt Market is mixed.
Based on the location of the venue itself, the beauty of the decor, the unique vibe that we were looking for, and the overall feel and aesthetic of the event space / market space, my husband and I a...
re BEYOND happy. The Rust Belt Market fit our style and our desires perfectly, and we got so many compliments on what a great place it is. Based on just The Rust Belt Market, this review would be 5/5 stars!
Unfortunately, the staff, and particularly the event manager, left MUCH to be desired. The event manager we dealt with was WONDERFUL when we went to first check out RBM, but as soon as we booked, she became non-existent. Her emails were curt and confusing, and often implied that we should not have emailed her with any questions in the first place, since answers could all be found in the waivers (of which there are many, that are hard to find, and are vague). She never once called to check in, or ask even ask how she could help to make our day better. Even on our day itself, she didn't check in with me once, congratulate me and my fiance, or make any attempt, to quite simply, be nice.
It's a beautiful location, and it was the best venue for us and our wedding, but if you're going to book here, be prepared to feel very unimportant and bothersome to the staff.
Response from the Vendor on 11/30/2017
Hey Kayla,
Thanks for leaving us a review, we appreciate any and all feedback regarding our events as we take our client relationships very seriously. First, we are so glad to hear you and your guests enjoyed the location since every detail of...
the space has been put together by the owners and our staff themselves. We are always pleased to share it with others!
I've spent some time reviewing our correspondence to see where and how you felt I was "non-existent." I found that every email was responded to within hours, at most 24 hours after receiving. Service seemed to be our main topic as it's a huge concern of ours when restaurants cater wedding events. In multiple emails, I addressed all of your questions and communicated in detail what the company would be responsible for to ensure you and your guests had an enjoyable experience. We highly encourage our clients to hire professional catering companies and wedding coordinators as it makes your planning process and big day run very smoothly. While I am available for venue policy and payment related questions, I do not offer full service coordination. We also have all of our waivers (Catering, Set up and DJ) listed on our website for easy access and printing.
From what I see, at no time was I unavailable and I even sent an email out the week prior asking if you needed anything before the big day and never heard back from you.
Thanks again, your wedding was beautiful and we hope you and your guests had a memorable evening!
Beautiful, unique, and absolutely amazing venue. I fell in love with the place after first visit and knew it was where I wanted my wedding. Everyone at the venue was a huge help and I couldn’t of been happier with how my wedding turned out. Tha...
nk you Rust Belt Market!!
We can't say anything but GREAT THINGS!! They were awesome to work with. Before we booked, they let us come in and look around. We had to change somethings and they did it without a hassle. Any questions I had, they were fast to respond. The ni...
ght of our wedding they were there and helped get thing set for us to come in. We have had more complaints on how unquie and different our venue was. The Revel Bar that is in the venue was AMAZING!! The selection of beer and drinks was great. We are so happy that we decided to have our reception here!! Thank you for making our wedding so memorable!
I had booked our company's 30th Anniversary party at the Rust Belt and everyone was amazed at how eclectic and hip the venue was. The staff were all amazing and very quick with any and all services. Such a great experience all around. Would rec...
ommend the venue for parties and weddings!
Everything at The Rust Belt was 100% perfect. All of our guests were so pleased to be in such a unique, beautiful space. My experience with this venue was amazing, all my questions were answered, and I was able to make my wedding reception ever...
ything I wanted it to be. I have nothing but great memories (and photos) of our reception!
Could not be happier! The Rust Belt was easy to work with the entire way, even offering suggestions when I forgot to consider things. It was cheap and easy for a DIY wedding, and what you get with the room is well worth the price. We added very...
little to the room and it looked gorgeous. Our guests were treated to very strong drinks and a terrarium with poison dart frogs! The red couch is a photo booth locale with some class and character, and I think we truly gave our guests a wedding they won't forget. We really couldn't have had a better night, and a lot of that is owed to the venue itself.
We are SO happy we chose The Rust Belt Market as the venue for our wedding ceremony and reception! This event space and the people that own and run it were a perfect match for our own sensibilities - classy but still down-to-earth, fun and laid...
-back but still very professional. Christina (event manager), Chris and Tiffany (owners), Steve (table/chair rental) and our bartenders were all fantastic and very easy to work with. We really appreciated that the space is kind of pre-decorated and offers a lot of built-in amenities (like the bars, stage, A/V, lighting), but has so much more personality than a banquet hall. Our caterer and DJ were also recommendations from the Rust Belt and they were both complete home runs that totally complemented the whole vibe of the venue! If you're like us and want something different than a banquet hall experience, but also aren't interested in DIY-ing every single thing, the Rust Belt Market can't be beat!
Response from the Vendor on 06/11/2017
Thanks again Ken and Lizzy! It was a pleasure working with you guys and your special day was gorgeous!
The Rust Belt was an eclectic, fun and impressive venue. My husband and I had a blast and received many compliments on how cool the space was and perfect it suited our personality. Planning the wedding was smooth with quick responses from the c...
oordinator and her willingness to meet when the market was closed so my caterer could see what she had working with. The only hiccup is miscommunication between the coordinator and bartender regarding our paid extra hour of time. Unfortunately we lost out time and money because of this; however, it didn’t hinder our overall experience. I highly suggest this space, with the disclaimer to have your contract details handy the night-of, just in case!
The event space is beautiful, the bartenders provided great service. The owners and event manager are inexperienced and no one checked in with us the days/week prior to our wedding (including not returning messages we had with questions regardi...
ng our wedding day), no one checked in with us the day of our wedding, or even after to see how it went. Complete lack of customer service overall. You're forced to rent tables and chairs from the owner's father who isn't local, isn't helpful or flexible and is rather rude. Luckily it is a pretty and cool space otherwise not worth all the money!
Response from the Vendor on 11/07/2016
Hey Nicole,
Thanks for leaving us a review, every client's input helps us better our services for others. We always have on site staff during set up and event day who are readily available for our clients. While reviewing your correspondence, ...
I see that all questions were answered timely and in full detail by email, text and phone. Your request for a refund of 40 chairs two days after your wedding and after our staff had set them up for both your ceremony and reception layouts is against our policy. The tables and chairs are all on-site and was clearly communicated that they must be rented through us. We also accommodated your special bar requests for no extra charge. Your wedding day was beautiful--if you needed anything else prior, we were just a call away.
Tiffany and Chris Best are incredibly accommodating, approachable, and easy to work with! We booked with the Rust Belt and were happy to have found a venue that allows us to choose nearly all of our own vendors (tables/linens need to go through...
their vendor, all else are open), with a unique atmosphere!
The Rust Belt doesn't provide setup/teardown - this is a DYI situation (unless you hire people to do that) - which was perfect for us! It even worked out that we could come in on Friday to set up instead of Saturday morning, which was super helpful.
The weather on the day of our outdoor ceremony didn't just provide rain, but flooding - we had to quickly replan our ceremony for indoors - Chris helped us facilitate the new timing and talking with our vendors.
We rented out the bar area with small prep kitchen as well as the venue space, so our total was a little more than the flat rate.
Our guests loved having cocktail hour to mingle with the artists, and having a unique venue to enjoy after hours. We loved it, too.
I highly recommend if you're looking for a place that will allow you to plan your event your way. It's non-traditional, and that's why it was so perfect for us!
Response from the Vendor on 10/20/2015
Thank You! We love that all of our receptions have a different and unique personality!
The Rust Belt was amazing!!! The owners were so wonderful and all of the staff were really accomodating! The reception space was absolutely beautiful!!! I highly recommend this venue to anyone looking for event space!
Response from the Vendor on 10/20/2015
Thank you very much Natalie and Mike!
We have nothing but good things to say about the Rust Belt Market as a venue. During the booking process, Julie was very helpful and responsive. The staff was incredibly helpful and stepped in when we had a few unexpected developments during th...
e reception
We were not able to set up our reception until the morning of the wedding due to another event the day prior, however, when we arrived the tables and chairs were already available. Chris was there to open the doors for us and was available to provide us with a ladder, etc. that we needed to borrow.
During the reception, Hartley made himself available to ensure we had everything required, and assisted with our requests as needed. Two thumbs up for Hartley as a staff member.
If you are looking for a reception venue that you can make your own, this is it. I have an artistic side and really wanted to be able to provide my own decor, catering, photography etc. The Rust Belt was very open to this, and allowed us to bring our own personality to the space. We had rave reviews from all of our guests regarding the market, venue area, and staff.
5 stars to the Rust Belt! Thank you!
Response from the Vendor on 10/20/2015
Thank you Sarah!! Your decorations were so creative and beautiful!
The Rust Belt's center event space is an great multifunctional open space perfect for wedding ceremonies and receptions. It has a built in charm and DIY feel that will compliment any wedding style.
Rental of this space is still in its infanc...
y, but as time progresses, I can only imagine the space and the Rust Belt's services to improve and excel.
It was an honor to use their space.
Response from the Vendor on 10/20/2015
Thank you very much. We are constantly trying to improve our space!
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The Rust Belt Market