Outdoor Lake Venue in Michigan for SMALL wedding

nikkichris18

Hello! We are planning a September 28, 2013 wedding in MI and really want to get married outdoors, preferably on the water because fall in MI is so beautiful! However we are planning a fairly small wedding. Max 75 people, more likely around 50 and I can't seem to find an outdoor lake venue that allows for such small numbers. Any suggestions????

binnie1

you might want to try one of the Metro Parks - I believe Stoney Creek has lakeside spots for weddings.

empowder

A couple of suggestions. 

In northern Michgian, have you tried Staffords in Petoskey?  They have the Perry Hotel and the Bay View Inn.  I'm not sure what their lower limits are.  But the LIttle Traverse Bay area is gorgeous and very charming.

Still on the west coast of Michigan, but farther south, Whitehall has a couple of locations that are pretty cool and often overlooked.
Michillinda Beach Lodge had their interior redone a few years ago.  You are on a bluff overlooking the lake.  The veiws can be pretty awesome. 
http://michillindalodge.com/weddings.shtml

Also in the Whiltehall area, is Lakeside Inn.  It's a bit older and on an inland lake, but it's a mile from Lake Michigan.  White Lake actually feeds into Lake Michigan here.  I was MOH in a wedding here last year.   They actually got married at a lighthouse on Lake Michigan and hired a trolley to transport guests between the ceremony and reception.  It was absolutely gorgeous.  Beach pictures and pictures at the lighthouse.
http://www.lakesideinn.net/weddings/ceremonyandreception.shtml

Good luck with the planning!

Sue-n-Kevin

I guess a lot depends on where in Michigan you specifically want this. We are surrounded by 4 of the 5 great lakes, then there is Lake St Clair (not a great lake but near Detroit)

Are you choosing Michigan because you or your fiance has family here? If so, we'd need to know the general geographic area. From the southern border of Michigan near Ohio or Indiana to the upper part of the lower peninsula is a 5 hr drive..........from the airport near Detroit it's 4 hrs. From Detroit to the western "coast" (ie Lake Michigan) is a 3 hr drive. What I am trying to say is it's a big state, and it would help to know if you have family somewhere to take into consideration, or it's a destination wedding and everyone is travelling. If it's the latter, you will probably want something near southeast Michigan (Detroit area), nearer the largest airport. There's 3200 miles of coastline near lakes, which means more specifics would help. Only Alaska has a longer coastline.

This is a great board with very friendly ladies, and we'd love to help.

nikkichris18

Hi there. My fiance and I are both originally from Mi. I'm from the Detroit area, he's from Northern MI and we met in Kalamazoo. So we have friends and family all over but the majority would be in southwest and detroit are. I'm not opposed to northern michigan, because it's beautiful, but it would be the farthest away. 

Sue-n-Kevin

nikkichris18, thanks for the clarification. It sounds like you have a date selected already. Based on the prior 3 years, you may or may not have lovely foliage. We've had VERY weird weather during the winter/spring/summer, which affects optimum fall foliage season. Also, keep in mind, the bigger the lake, the more wind.  

Blossom Heath Park in St Clair Shores is really nice. Link here:  
http://www.scsparksrec.net/parksrec/parks/blossom.htm

For your reception there is Blossom Heath Inn: http://www.oakmanagement.com/BlossomHeathInn.aspx

I know people who have had events at Barrister House, link here:
 http://www.barristerhouse.com/

There is also Lakeland Manor:
http://www.lakelandmanor.com/
 

Here is the Metro Park, which is farther north along Lake St Clair:
http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/lake-st-clair-metropark-harrison-township/0aa571e58812c42d.html

There are pics here: http://www.bellapictures.com/venueMontage/index.php?venue=metrobeach

Here is Stoney Creek Metropark (smaller lake)
http://www.metroparks.com/activities/index.aspx?Name=Weddings+#

nikkichris18

Thanks so much for the suggestions. Yes, we have a tentative date and I remember MI weather well! Lol. We want to get married in the fall but had to select a date that was a bye week for UofM Football. The funniest part it, at MY insistence, not his!

WalkersFurMama

Bay Pointe Inn isn't far from Kalamazoo and is beautiful. They also have a honeymoon suite for you and your FH for the wedding night as well as rooms for your guests. 

http://www.baypointeinn.com/weddings/