Low Budget Ceremony and Reception Venues-Grand Rapids

Re: Low Budget Ceremony and Reception Venues-Grand Rapids

• barbara1312 member

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  Hi MIchelle, Congratulations on your engagement.
  
  Have you looked in to the Grandville Banquet Center?   My niece had her wedding there a few years ago and got a great off season discount.  (I think it was Jan, Feb. March discount.)  They had a limited bar (beer and wine) to cut costs.
  
  Also, try St George Banquet Center downtown.  They hold quite a few people - my daughter went to a wedding there last year and said it was very nice.  I'm not sure whether that fits into your budget or not. 
  
  Brann's Banquet Center on South Division is pretty reasonable. Their site says they hold 300 guests.  And their catering has gotten good reviews here in the past.  Definitely check them out. 
  
  Also,  check out the WAVE room at Celebration Cinemas.  I just took a look at their site, and they have a winter special that sounds pretty reasonable.  We went to a wedding there a few years ago, and I thought it was a lot of fun.  I didn't see on the site how many they hold, but if I remember, it looked like a big room.
  
  Check around for a VFW hall that will hold that many.  The one in Rockford is pretty new, but I'm not sure how many it will hold.
  
  I don't have much help about whether or not to get a place that does it all, or rent a room and get your own catering and bar.  We did the former for both daughters' weddings, and liked having everything taken care of.  But I'm not all that organized. 
  
  Good luck with your planning. 

  

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• LandV

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  Congrats on your engagement!
  
  I was a little in the same boat as you because we have a low (self paid) budget as well, and we needed to catering in our own food. Is generally much less expensive to cater in your own food than to find a place that does it all. The food will sometimes taste better because all a caterer focuses on is the actual food and not all the other details.
  
  That said, look at using some lovely barn/reception places around West Michigan.
  There is one in Zealand, Ravena (I know they have a chapel too!), and Greenville (I think). They often are inside in case it rains, set up to be lovely for receptions, and offer some great photo ops.
  
  We couldn't chose one of these because we're getting married in late November this year, but it's a great spring, fall option.
  
  Our reception hall is called, La Hacienda on 28th St. and Berlingame. It's beautiful, fits 180 people (not 300 sadly).
  
  The community center in Grand Haven is also a good choice for the budget friendly bride.
  
  Another catering option that I haven't seen recommended on here, but I built their website, is www.carolescateringco.com. Their prices are very far and she does excellent work. She also owns the wealthy street station on Wealthy.
  
  Happy Planning!
  
  Feel free to Private Message me if you need any other tips, I feel like I've scoured the internet for deals.

  

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• mreid178

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  Barbara-
  Thank you for the tips they are very helpful.  The Branns Conference/Wedding Center is a new idea.  I looked them up today on line and they are on the list to investigate into more. 
  
  Thanks again!!
  Michelle

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• mreid178

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  LandV-
  Thank you for the advice and tips as well.  If we end up finding a place that we can caterer in I will defintely look into the website you provided. We are actually looking at a farm like place to have a ceremony at so thank you for that.  I'll keep you posted and I am sure I will have more questions:)
  
  Thank you,
  Michelle

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• clarimonchiz

  

  September 2011 edited December 2011

  Hi, and congrats on your engagement 

  
  

  have you looked at St.Adalberts reception hall. its over on wilson avenue and 90th it is a little far but its at a really good price and you can cater & bring your choice of alcohol. and it runs for like 800-900. Most of the times its cheaper to cater your own food. i get married in October and we are having our wedding at the Rod&Gun club in holland. theyre price is also very good the hall is 850. and again you can cater and alcohol is on you. 

  
  

  my fiance and i had looked all over the place and fund no better better choices then those two money wise. were having about 300-350 guest. we looked at other places and just with food we were going to spend over 10,000.!!! now after looking for places and caters i think we will spend about 2,000 with hall,food,and alcohol!!!!

  
  

  keep them in mind.

  
  

  good luck planning you wedding.

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• pltsou

  

  July 2012

  Try St. Cecila music center. Their small room is ~$300 and large room is $1000. Very classy and pretty.
  Another place is applause event planning. Their downtown venue is $1000 plus food,right off the river. Their 28th street venue is free. Just pay for the food.
  Blythefield country club is nice, too, but you have to use their cater.
  Another route is getting married at Kuyper college or Calvin's prince conference center. Both very nice venue. Not sure about the price, but they don't allow alcohol on campus, so that's up to you (save some major money and good excuse not to offer it to your guests).
  GVSU also have several nice venue, try those places first.
  To save money, I'd highly recommend a lunch wedding rather than a dinner wedding. Bigger bang for your buck. That's what I did. We had it at the Amway and kept it close to $7000 for $120 people and that is with expensive wine, a bar, cocktail hour before the wedding and 22% service fee and 6% tax. The menu is A LOT CHEAPER for lunch!!! and your guests tends to drink a lot less. I'd also recommend not having a dance floor nor a DJ, rather, give yourself time to just walk around and talk to your guests and catch up. But that's totally up to you. 

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• shelbyalyssa3

  

  January 2013

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_michigan-grand-rapids_low-budget-ceremony-reception-venues-grand-rapids?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:95Discussion:2c1c9fc2-2aa4-430c-b093-d8818ae6c588Post:a84fdbe8-a549-42ca-bc59-60842b10ae31">Re: Low Budget Ceremony and Reception Venues-Grand Rapids</a>:
  [QUOTE]Hi, and congrats on your engagement  have you looked at St.Adalberts reception hall. its over on wilson avenue and 90th it is a little far but its at a really good price and you can cater & bring your choice of alcohol. and it runs for like 800-900. Most of the times its cheaper to cater your own food. i get married in October and we are having our wedding at the Rod&Gun club in holland. theyre price is also very good the hall is 850. and again you can cater and alcohol is on you.  my fiance and i had looked all over the place and fund no better better choices then those two money wise. were having about 300-350 guest. we looked at other places and just with food we were going to spend over 10,000.!!! now after looking for places and caters i think we will spend about 2,000 with hall,food,and alcohol!!!! keep them in mind. good luck planning you wedding.
  Posted by clarimonchiz[/QUOTE]<div>
  </div><div>Hi!  I am getting married in Grand Rapids, and I was very exciting when I read how much you spent total on the hall and food!!  I was wondering who your caterer was?? We will have about 225 guests, we think!  THank you!! 
  
  </div>

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