Top 5 Urban Venues in Grand Rapids (Downtown)
You’re getting Married in Grand Rapids, Michigan; your ideal location is downtown, walkable to bars for the after party and of course, relatively close to your hotel room blocks. You’re looking for an urban venue; exposed brick, in the city, historic architecture. You’ve come to the right place!
Planning a wedding can be tough - there are so many options when it comes to venues and especially if you’re from out of town, can be hard to walkthrough each venue space.
We’re going to give you our top 5 urban venues - for weddings (or any event, both big and small) in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan.
New Vintage Place
889 Broadway Ave NW, Grand Rapids
We love, love, love New Vintage Place because it is so spacious, has an adorable bridal suite for the bride and her bridesmaids to get ready in (with a tinted window overlooking the ceremony space!), has separate rooms for your ceremony, reception AND cocktail hour (room turnover WHO?!), has enough space to seat up to 700 guests (yes, seven hun-dred), soaring ceilings, ample parking for guests and so much more! NVP even has an outdoor courtyard in the middle of the building off of the reception hall for your guests to enjoy from fresh air.
The first time I stepped into New Vintage Place, my jaw dropped. First and foremost - the ceilings! I knew these guests would not feel cramped in the space. The walls are floor to ceiling exposed brick and each area; reception, ceremony and cocktail hour were so roomy. The reception hall even had a dance floor in the middle of the room- perfect for cake cutting, speeches and first dances! Your photographer can get some of the best shots. The only downside is there a lots of stairs but they do have an elevator accessible for those who need it. All-in-all, I absolutely loved the layout. I’ve been to enough venues to know a great space from a magnificent space and NVP is truly magnificent.
The Cheney Place
1600 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids
The Cheney Place used to be an old warehouse and this venue does NOT disappoint. Lots of exposed brick, high ceilings, TONS of natural light, several stories, accessible bathrooms, gorgeous built-in bar in the reception space and did I mention the natural light!?
The Cheney Place has three stories: the main level houses your ceremony and reception space. There are also bathrooms and a groom’s room for getting ready. The second story is where you can find an adorable bridal room and the rest of the second story is filled with high ceilings, a bar, bathrooms and large gathering room with tons of vintage seating. The spacious floorplan is decorated to the nines - nothing extra needed in this space as far as decor goes. There’s even a THIRD floor for more bridal portraits and as previously mentioned; the natural light is incredible!
What makes The Cheney Place even more unique is that you have the ability to rent furniture in-house so you don’t have to worry about deliveries or set-up. They have so many unique furniture options you can add on which is perfect for a seating area in the reception hall for guests to gather or statement seating at your sweetheart table. The Cheney Place is definitely one of our favorites!
The Harris Building
111 Division Ave S, Grand Rapids
The Harris Building has incredibly high ceilings, lots of space for your guests, several options for layout, lots of exposed brick, accessible bathrooms for guests, an enormous bridal loft suite (with bathrooms!), a very accessible built-in bar right off of the reception space and a lovely gathering area for cocktail hour for a smooth transition from ceremony to reception.
With its location being downtown, The Harris Building even offers complimentary valet parking which makes it that much easier on your guests. This venue is walkable from most hotels downtown as well as so many GR activities for the day time or a long weekend in town. There’s no way you and your guests won’t feel incredibly comfortable in this space.
Downtown Market Grand Rapids
435 Ionia Ave. SW, Grand Rapids
If you’ve never been to the Downtown Market, we highly recommend paying a visit, if not, booking your wedding venue here. On the main floor, you will find the market hall filled with restaurants, shops, and baked goods (an excellent space for guests to explore prior to your event or during cocktail hour). When you head upstairs, you will be blown away by the foliage that fills the greenhouse. Not much you need to add as far as decor goes! On the second level, you will also find a large banquet room as well as a garden house for a more intimate gathering.
The Downtown Market has ample parking for your guests with the option for revalidated parking vouchers and each rentable space is unique in their own way. Check out their website for virtual tours of the different reception options and see which fit is best for your vision!
The Goei Center
818 Butterworth SW, Grand Rapids
Located on the historic West Side of the city is The Goei Center- previously home to a furniture factory! This venue is unique in so many ways but my favorite part is the Koi Pond and a separate fountain creating such a serene space.
There are several options for an indoor ceremony and a large reception space that holds up to 400 guests! Other bonuses are ample parking for your guests, a beautiful (and spacious) bridal suite, wheelchair accessible, an exceptionally large bar with an option for a custom monogram projected above the bar, and did I mention how spacious this venue is?! Each room is lined with beautiful brick walls and a very urban feel.
The Goei Center is located downtown so it is conveniently close to nightlife and hotel accommodations (and very Uber accessible) so your guests won’t have to worry about getting home after your celebration ends.
But wait, there’s more! A second ceremony and reception space for smaller celebrations shares a building with The Goei Center - this space is called The Kindel Room. More beautiful brick walls, large spacious room - multiple options for ceremony and reception layouts, a large bridal suite and adjacent grooms suite and a large bar. This space is filled with plenty of natural light that makes for absolutely stunning photos.
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