Metro-Detroit location that allows off-site catering

mango360 · April 2012

I'm in search of a reception location that will allow us to bring our own catering in. Ideally, I'd like a space with indoor/outdoor options, like a large indoor space with a patio attached. I'm in love with the idea of having Slows BBQ cater, or some other BBQ caterer who would grill right on site. I'm having the hardest time finding ANY place that doesn't limit you to 1 ouitside catering option, or only onsite options, much less a place that pleases my picky taste visually as well as logistically in terms of the outside catering. Our guest list is between 100-130, and at this point I'm interested in hearing about locations in any price range since they seem to be few and far between as it is. I love the look of more rustic, historic locations, rather than formal, and the thing I notice first is lighting! Nothing turns me off to a location more than lack of windows :-)

We have looked in cobblestone farm, which I do like a lot, but we're hoping for something closer to Detroit. The plan as of right now is to do an afternoon wedding and luncheon, and then head downtown for an "afterparty" of sorts in the late evening.

Thanks for any input or ideas!

Felicity&Bri · April 2012

MMM love Slows! Sounds like a great idea, I love the "afterparty" plan too. The only thing I can think of is something like Kensington Metro Park, but there is no indoor option there. I'll keep thinking! Keep us posted

sopraffina · April 2012

Indian Springs would be perfect, but it's pretty far from Detroit. You have to use Kosch catering, which does barbecue, but I don't know if they do barbecue for weddings. Here are a few samples of weddings there that I have saved:

http://tinyurl.com/6rwk4pk

http://tinyurl.com/clll6ot

http://tinyurl.com/82noefg

http://tinyurl.com/7ucxeta

http://www.nicoleladonne.com/blog/?p=2371

Sue-n-Kevin · April 2012

Welcome to the Detroit board and congrats on your engagement.

This is a pretty frequent question these days. There is a "pinned" thread at the top of this board with the sites many brides have used, or are using.

Also, a few threads below is another, not sure if you read it. If you go here, there are tons of venues mentioned in downtown Detroit. This bride has done all the leg work, and there were places on here I'd never heard of.:

If you go to this link directly, it's all the venues:

http://bridgettesdetroitwedding.wordpress.com/detroit-vendor-details/

Also, our venue has indoor & outdoor options, and is historic, Greenmead Village in Livonia. They have an historic chapel and a banquet venue that both seat up to 100. You could probably set up the catering outdoors in a tent, but they also have a small caterer's kitchen, which you can use to keep foods warm & cold, just can't cook/prepare foods in it.It is at the intersection of 8 Mile Rd and Newburgh Rd, just east of I-275. You HAVE to bring in your own caterer, they don't supply any.

The grounds are lovely, we took our engagement pics there in October 2010, and all our outdoor pics there on our wedding day last August. My hubby was a Livonia resident when we booked it, and the rental for both the chapel and banquet facility was $1000, not sure what non-resident rate is now. There is an additional 10% fee based on the cost of your caterer's food only. You bring in your own alcohol (we got ours at Champane's Wine Cellars in Warren) and bartender. They supply the tables, chairs, and a dance floor, you bring in your own table covers, plates, utensils, decor. They also have tons of picnic tables that can be set up outdoors (you have to do the set up). You can rent a tent and have it set up next to the banquet venue, which we were going to do until our guest list dropped below 100.

If you go to my blog link below and click on "vendors" on the main page, the Greenmead info is there. Also, if you want to see pictures, you can go to the "Photo" link and see the wedding pictures from our day to get an idea of the gardens, photo ops, and what the chapel and banquet venue looks like indoors.

There is also another city park in Beverly Hills, on I believe 13 1/3 Mile just east of Southfield Rd, called the Beverly Hills Park. They have a huge outdoor pavilion wtih attached bathrooms, and you can bring in catering. I believe alcohol is allowed, and there are public bathrooms at one end of the pavilion. I attended a wedding ceremony there a few years ago. There is brick wall at each end of the pavilion, one has a fireplace, the other end is where the bathrooms are. They also have a separate gazebo.

Link here: http://www.villagebeverlyhills.com/pavilion.htm (no pics of the pavilion there however)

The park rules are here:http://www.villagebeverlyhills.com/rules.htm

Both of these parks (Greenmead and Beverly) are owned by the cities. You can drop by any time before they close at dark to see them in person.

hjewell29 · April 2012

Love Slows and I am also having an afternoon ceremony and reception with an "afterparty" later. I know the Scarab club allows off-site catering, but I don't think that location would cater to the size of your wedding. And I do think they have a little outdoor area. Anyway my best suggestion would be to ask Slows what locations they have been to cater wedding receptions. That would at least give you an idea of locations that would let them cater. Good luck!

mango360 · April 2012

thanks for the help everyone! I'm going to look into everyones suggestions!

Jessica

mango360 · April 2012

So after some digging I found a few picture of the Beverly Park and it looks fantastic!
Here is a link with pictures:
http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_michigan-detroit_photos-of-beverly-park-pavilion-bh_.0

SO much potential for that space! The only thing that worries me is that you can't book until April , so we wouldn't be able to have the location 100% settled until 3 months before the wedding.

Sue-n-Kevin · April 2012

Maybe call the offices this week to find out how late you can reserve, ie late in the summer. Maybe you can book a day early next spring and have the wedding in August? At least it would give you enough time to be certain. (Not sure if you have chosen June for any specific reason).

mango360 · April 2012

So I found this place:

Sylvan Lake Community Center
http://www.sylvanlake.org/index.php?page=/Calendars%20-%20Events%20and%20Community%20Center%20Rental/

and I'm totally in love. It is exactly what I'm looking for, and so budget friendly! Now the challenge is that it appears to only be available for residents of Sylvan Lake to rent

Sue-n-Kevin · April 2012

At the top of the page you linked to there is a "non-resident" application........the second page says no rentals to non-residents from Memorial Day to Labor day for Friday, Sat or Sun. Maybe try to schedule it for the Friday or Saturday a week before, or before, Memorial Day next day? They have a LOT of other rules as well. I paged through the calendar to next year, and those dates are open.

entropicbeauty · May 2012

The T-Plex in Detroit allows offsite catering. Not sure if they'll have any availability but it's definitely unique.

http://tplex.org/ (contact is Patricia Linklater)

Metro-Detroit location that allows off-site catering

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