The Cheney Place Wedding Venue in West Michigan
Located near the Grand River, The Cheney Place Grand Rapids is a wedding venue set in an old warehouse not far from the downtown area. With an industrial feel, this venue has touches of eclectic and vintage design throughout. As a Southeast Michigan wedding photographer who’s worked 70+ weddings, I’ve had the privilege of traveling across both Michigan and the Midwest to work at beautiful venues with amazing couples. You might be surprised to learn that I actually work in Grand Rapids quite a bit even though I’m from Southeast Michigan. I’m familiar with Grand Rapids since I often work in the area and am excited to showcase a real wedding day at The Cheney Place.
Heading into another year of wedding photography, I believe in a wedding photography experience rooted in authenticity and connection. You want wedding images that are true to you and your day: ones showcasing the spontaneous hugs, the laughs as you & guests collectively sing “Love Story”, the choked up tears as you read your vows. All moments you’ll want to remember. I provide couples with a gallery that’ll tell the story of your day while you relax and feel fully present in each moment.
The first step in wedding planning is selecting a venue to host your celebration, and it all starts at The Cheney Place in Grand Rapids. Located in West Michigan, you’ll be near the bustling life of the city. If you’re looking for a venue that is industrial in style with touches of color then The Cheney Place in Grand Rapids is the perfect venue for you.
About The Cheney Place Grand Rapids
The Cheney Place in Grand Rapids Michigan offers an exclusive wedding experience. With no other weddings hosted on site during your celebration, you don’t have to be nervous about running into another wedding party. You’ll be booking the entire property when planning your wedding day.
This building was converted into a wedding venue & warehouse to hold all of its wedding decor. With 3 different floors to use, couples will be able to host their entire wedding day inside without a worry about weather. This venue is unique in that the venue team allows you to use their decor. While venues almost always offer tables and chairs, The Cheney Place goes a step further. You can pick and choose from their decor and furniture to design your dream wedding. This includes items like gold chandeliers, collections of vintage inspired couches, and lots and lots of plants. It’s truly unique in design and will leave you with stunning wedding photos (which you can connect with me here about), impressed guests, and an experience truly rooted in preserving your love.
It’s important to note that celebrations at The Cheney Place in Grand Rapids will take place across multiple levels. For handicapped guests an elevator is available to take them to the appropriate floor with the assistance of the venue staff. This elevator is a manual lift, so only venue staff can operate. Celebrations will span 2 floors (Floors 1 & 2) one right below the other and stairs are available as well!
Prep in the Getting Ready Suite
There are two prep areas at The Cheney Place. The first is located on the first floor near the main celebration space. Adorned with a chandelier, television, and lockers for storage, this space is a bit on the smaller side. The groomsmen I worked with for this day consisted of 7, including the groom, and the space was quite tight for all of them. This space is great for accommodating smaller parties or as a sitting area in between moments of the day. For the group I worked with, we actually went up to the third floor which is home to The Cheney Place’s decor. Half of that space has been cleared out for couples and their parties to do photos up there.
The second getting ready space is located on the second floor. Adorned with mirrors, furniture, and chandeliers, this space is a bit bigger and ideal for those in need of hair and makeup services with the amount of plugs and space.
Ceremony and Reception Spaces at The Cheney Place Grand Rapids
Wedding celebrations at The Cheney Place can accommodate up to 300 guests. If you’re interested in learning more about the photo side of working at this venue, you can check out my wedding services here or check my availability here.
Ceremony Space
With ample space on the first floor, your onsite ceremony will be held here. With plenty of space to fit your guests, you’ll be married under a ceiling filled with gold chandeliers. The Cheney Place has pews available to place as ceremony seating with other various backdrops available for your ceremony.
The wedding day I worked at this venue had an offsite church for the ceremony portion of the day. This is a popular option, especially for those wanting a church ceremony!
Reception Area
In the exact same space as the ceremony area, The Cheney Place in Grand Rapids has the space to accommodate a reception of 300 guests. Starting with a cocktail hour, guests will actually move upstairs after the ceremony to the second floor and be able to grab a drink and socialize. While cocktail hour is happening, the venue coordination team will prep for the formal reception by moving tables and chairs into their proper place back on the first floor. Moving into the dinner and more formal parts of the reception, you’ll go back downstairs and spend the rest of the evening here!
The cocktail hour space is home to a bar, various seating, and cocktail style tables. Set behind the bar will be any tables needed for food.
My 3 Favorite Things About The Cheney Place Grand Rapids
Colorful & Eclectic Design Control
Getting married at this venue means you’ll have full design control over what furniture and decor items are used. You’ll have a selection of couches, chairs, sideboards, and various other elements to use for your day. Piecing together your own design will ensure its different than other couples using the venue and truly reflect your own style.
Nearby Portrait Locations
While there are several spots onsite to take some portraits there are even more spots throughout downtown Grand Rapids. My couple had decided to rent a party bus to visit various locations throughout the city before heading back to be a part of cocktail hour. With nearby murals, parks, and hotels you truly have your pick of versatile portrait locations!
Venue Coordination
Included in the costs for using the venue is a venue coordinator. A venue coordinator is separate from a wedding planner. The venue coordinator works specifically for the venue while a wedding planner works for you. Your venue coordinator at The Cheney Place will ensure your space is properly decorated and flipped in between ceremony and reception time.
The Cheney Place Cost
The cost of weddings at The Cheney Place Grand Rapids will fluctuate based on guest count and day of the week and season, but generally this venue starts services at $3,000. Even with that being the starting rate, I would suggest couples budget at least $10,000 to utilize additional services.
Included Amenities with Venue Rental
- 14+ Hours of Venue Access
- Day-of-Coordination
- Vendor Coordination
- A Warehouse of Decor
- Ceremony Seated Capacity: 225
- Ceremony Rehearsal
- Reception Seated Capacity: 300
- Choice of Ceremony/Reception Seating (Round + Long Tables)
- Dedicated Cocktail Hour Space
- Bridal Suite
- Groom’s Room
- Free Parking
- Early Arrival Options
- Liability Insurance
- Liquor Insurance
- Free Wedding/RSVP Website
Additional Services Offered for Extra Cost
- Table Linens
- Greenery (for Tables and Decor)
- Dinnerware
- Farm Style Tables
The Cheney Place Grand Rapids Venue Details
- Location: 6 minutes north of Downtown Grand Rapids
- Address: 1600 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
- Website: thecheneyplace.com
- Capacity: 300 guests
- Cost: starting around $3,000
- Available Amenities: access to property, getting ready suites, insurance, and more
Meet Your West Michigan Wedding Photographer
About Catie Eovaldi
Hi friend- as previously mentioned I’m a Southeast Michigan wedding photographer and I often travel to West Michigan for wedding days. The travel to West Michigan is something already included in my pricing and not something I charge extra for.
My favorite part of wedding photography is documenting a day as it naturally unfolds- the space throughout the day we leave for spontaneous moments is often where the magic happens. I don’t schedule tightly packed to the minute timelines, I leave room for spontaneity and emotions.
I specialize in digital and 35mm photography, documenting candid moments throughout the day while providing gentle guidance and structure to portraits. My mission is to always serve my couples as a friend and provide them with a gallery they’ll cherish for the rest of their lives.
The Cheney Place Grand Rapids Photography Services
My 2 most popular wedding photography services for this venue are my Full Day and Weekender Packages, but I also offer custom ones as well.
Full Day Package Includes
- 8 hours of Wedding Day Coverage
- Second Professional Photographer
- Film Photography (up to 2 rolls)
- Polaroid Mini-Album
- 24 hour Sneak Peeks
- 30 Day Gallery Delivery Turn Around
The Weekender Package Includes
- Engagement Session
- Rehearsal Dinner Coverage
- 10 hours of Wedding Day Coverage
- Second Professional Photographer
- Film Photography (up to 2 rolls)
- Polaroid Mini-Album
- 24 hour Sneak Peeks
- 30 Day Gallery Delivery Turn Around
- 10×10 Luxury Wedding Album
- Leather Envelope of Prints (5 8x1os & 5 5x7s)
Not convinced this is the right venue for you? That’s okay, check out this blog post on Michigan Wedding Venues for a list of my top 10!
