Needing wedding venue in Lansing for fall 2013

Re: Needing wedding venue in Lansing for fall 2013

• gailpete member

  

  July 2012

  Welcome to the boards.  Can you tell us a liitle more about what you are looking for?  When you say fall are you thinking September or November?  How many people, approximate budget?  All of that will help us narrow things down for you.

  Report0 Reply
• anicoleg member

  

  July 2012

  September/October time frame. As far as budget for the ceremony/reception I'd like to keep it under $2500 if at all possible and there will be close to 200-250 attending

  Report0 Reply
• kmmssg mod

  

  July 2012

  As a 3 time MOB I want to encourage you to consider cutting your guest list significantly.  Your reception is about 60% (sometimes more of  your budget).  That is for food, drink, tables, linens, dishes, food, decorations, favors, etc.  60% of 2500.00 is 1500.00.  For a guest list of 200, that is 7.50 per person to cover all of those costs and that just isn't really doable.  Since you are having people travel, you really need to provide a meal for them.

  
  

  We found Ottawa Street Catering to be really affordable and the food was quite delicious.  They even took my SIL's family pasta sauce recipe (SERIOUS Italian's here) to create a dish for the buffet.  They were very accomodating and very reasonable.  I want to say for our last daughter's wedding 3 years ago we were talking about 15.00 ish per person and we did the appetizers ourselves.

  
  

  Can you and FI rethink your guest list and get it down significantly?

  Report0 Reply
• gailpete member

  

  July 2012

  kmmssg is right about the guest list size.  You need to really look and see if you can cut your guest list or increase your budget.
  
  Also keep in mind the Michigan State home football schedule when looking at September/October dates.  Even if you aren't right in East Lansing, hotel and venue availability will be severely limited, particularly for that many people.
  
  You may want to consider that wherever you choose for the ceremony, have a backup indoor location.  Last year the fall was beautiful, but the year before every weekend was chilly and/or rainy.

  Report0 Reply
• kmmssg mod

  

  July 2012

  Also, keep in mind than an outdoor ceremony can be more expensive than an indoor because you need to rent chairs, provide bathroom facilities, decorations, etc.  Just want you to keep your options open here.

  Report0 Reply
• nlfeguer

  

  July 2012

  Both ladies have really good ideas for things to keep in mind.  We planned our wedding date almost 2 years out...didn't even consider the MSU football schedule.  Our wedding happened to fall on MSU v. U of M at MSU!!!!  Everything worked out b.c I figured it out soon enough to reserve some rooms, but that could have been terrible if I hadn't.  Also, traffic was bad, but it was really no biggie.
  
  I loved working with Brookshire Inn.  They do have an outdoor venue and they were very affordable for the reception (the best and nicest that I found).  However, I cannot see any way that you can possibly have that many people for that little amount of money without making the food yourselves.  We went for the cheapest option we could (for dinner, lunch would have been cheaper) and still spent around $5500 for about 165 guests (this did include beer and wine though...maybe take off 800 for that, as well as apps...probably another few hundred).
  
  There was a golf course in Dewitt that we looked at that could possibly get your price way down, but I don't think it'll hold that many people and it wasn't the nicest place I'd found.  I can't remember the name, but search for Dewitt golf courses and banquet rooms.
  
  Another thought would be to find like an VFW or some other similar type hall where you can bring your own food.  Maybe then you'd keep the cost where you want it.

  

  Report0 Reply
• anicoleg member

  

  August 2012

  Hi everyone! Thanks for all the comments! We decided to have our wedding on November 16, 2013. It's in Lansing, so we also are now planning on having an indoor wedding/reception. I talked to my MIL and my mom and we cut out guest size down to 150. So any NEW ideas for venues would be great!

  Report0 Reply
• anicoleg member

  

  August 2012

  Also, I believe we found our reception site! We are choosing the Grand Ledge Country Club. I don't believe there is anywhere to have a ceremony however, so if anyone had any NEW ideas for ceremony sites that'd be awesome! We plan on it being a short ceremony (approx 30 mins) I have a bridal party of 3 & he has his best man and 2 other groomsmen and we are writing our own vows. So we're going to TRY to have an outdoor wedding near the venue, but as a backup, we'd like some options of a nice, inexpensive place for an indoor ceremony as well!

  Report0 Reply
• asnyder20

  

  August 2012

  You should check out the Ledges Playhouse. An old barn that has been transformed into many things but most recently as a theater. (Which means you'd have dressing rooms.  ) It's a bit rustic and I'm not sure what their rental poilcy is. (http://www.overtheledge.org/plan-about-ledges-playhouse.html) Plenty of Parking.

  
  

  It's 10 minutes from GLCC and people could stop in downtown Grand Ledge to occupy their time if you're planning on doing pictures between the ceremony and reception. (http://www.lansingcitypulse.com/lansing/archives/030730/gl/smalltown.html)

   It's also situated right in the middle of Fitzgerald park. (http://www.overtheledge.org/plan-location-and-parking.html)

  
  

  There's also City Island Park and the GL Opera House. Check out pictures from Oak Park where the "Grand Ledges" actually are, not sure if you have room out there for 150  people or not. 

  
  

  Report0 Reply
• jr732629 member

  

  September 2012

  country creek hall is a nice place

  Report0 Reply