Best Shooting Event Area Grand Rapids Near Me

Marissa Kosten: I hosted my baby shower here and it was absolutely beautiful. Accommodates a great amount of people and includes all the props and furniture.

Savanah Kosten: We had our baby shower at West End GR in March and had an amazing experience with Kurt and Phrene. This space is the perfect DIY space with freedom of creativity. We loved all of the furniture included in the rental. Tables and linens included are a huge plus and being able to rent chairs right from the space saved so much time. This space would be perfect for showers, small gatherings, or intimate weddings. With all of the details inside the space we hardly had to decorate for our shower. I will recommend West End GR to everyone I know looking to have a party/gathering!

Rebekah - RJDesigns DeHamer: We were so excited to check out this new space, but sadly I will not be hosting an event at this establish again… it was our first experience here & I’ve been in the event industry myself for 22 year… Not only was the load in area cumbersome, hard to locate (for guests) challenging to navigate through & time consuming (using the freight elevator for each & every load) the individual (Kurt) who I spoke to about our concerns, was extremely rude as well! He offered no solutions to our misfortunes! Upon my arrival, the temperature in the room / event space was 79°degrees… by the time we left, it was 88° and for an early August event, with the temperature outside being 87°, this made for quite an uncomfortable evening! If you’re charging a room rental fee, you need to be sure that your guests are happy and satisfied, that you have running water, lights, a comfortable temperature in the room, amongst many other things… When asked what could be done to rectify the situation (or regarding a partial refund), he was extremely rude in stating “well that will never happen!” ~ Please be aware that this is an extremely old industrial building, with lots of corks and a challenging owner to work with, should any problems arise… Cool vintage vibe, but personally I would look elsewhere. Proceed with caution ⚠️

Laurie Markle: Very interesting old building . It has the wonderful vintage chic feel and look . They are some very nice old / antique furnishings and lights.The old fashioned freight elevator was a delight but not sure if people under 40 would know how to use it . I would suggest posting instructions out of it on the main floor entrance.

mackenzie rousse: Extremely disappointed with West End GR and their lack of decency in regards to their renters.I booked West End GR for my baby shower back in March! With all of the COVID restrictions at every other location, it was hard to find a place that would meet my needs and make my time before the baby got here slightly easier. So, finding West End was a blessing! Or so I though. Sadly, 1 week before my baby shower I was diagnosed with preeclampsia, pretty severely and was induced on 5/5 with a “supposed to be shower date” on 5/9. Literally 4 days prior to the date of my shower, which was sad in itself as we were EXTREMELY unprepared for the birth of our first baby. While in the hospital bed, I had a family member reach out to Phrene and Kurt to reschedule JUST SO I HAD A DATE incase a later baby shower could occur and we could possibly bring the baby! I thought it was a good plan! This plan worked and they were nice enough to just get me a different date of 6/27.While having preeclampsia was scary in itself and I shouldn’t have even been thinking about my baby showered that time, I couldn’t help it as we had NOTHING prepared for having our baby 1+ month early. Sure enough, our baby came out at 3lbs and had medical issues that checked her into the NICU for quite some time. And having a preemie is nothing short of terrifying in itself, where she warranted all of our attention and money for hospital bills as I’m sure you can imagine. So, safe to say a baby shower just didn’t end up in our cards anymore.When explaining our situation to Phrene and Kurt and asking for a refund (we reached out mid-end of May, plenty of time for them to fill the space on 6/27), they simply said they could not give a refund as they held 2 dates for me but they “hope I understand “ and “hope we are doing okay.” I understand that there is a contract, that people need to keep their businesses running and that $$ is important during these times, but I will NEVER understand the lack of decency as a human when a family is going through something so unexpected, ESPECIALLY during these times. For being a “family owned business,” I had higher expectations. Furthermore, when I messaged them about how disappointed I truly was, they STILL didn’t have the decency to send one final email back. Just took my $$ and left it at that.If you’ll are like me and expect MORE than just a venue, but you are also understanding that you are paying for the owner and people behind the scenes, then I 100% wouldn’t recommend West End GR. What a beautiful space, but sadly, they don’t seem to really care about the people as they may say they do. It was a very difficult time for my family and I and there will ALWAYS be exceptions in life, which I feel this was one of them. What a truly disappointing and unfortunate way to figure this one out about West End. I’d keep searching if you’re looking for sincere people/businesses to give your money to.

Alex Snoeyink: We had the West End for our intimate wedding reception and it was perfect! 45 people in this beautiful warehouse, everyone loved it. I highly recommend this space for an event!

Jessica Crapsey: Beautiful venue to host a bridal shower. The owners were quick to respond to emails and easy to work with.

morgan kollen: 2020 was a rough year for everyone. I know the wedding business took a hard hit, but all I can say is that they handled themselves well. We cancelled our date due to MI restrictions, and they reunfeded the deposit. I can only say great things about them, and how they took care of their clients during uncertain times.

Ms. S Scott: Great venue for small intimate wedding

Ashley Peterson: When my husband and I downsized our guest list from 120 to 20 guests due to COVID, we needed a new venue for our intimate wedding and reception. West End was available on our original wedding date so we decided to book it before even seeing it in person. It ended up being more beautiful than our original venue! If you are considering an intimate wedding ceremony and/or reception (less than 100), check out West End. You won't regret it!

Kelly McDermott: This place is a gem! I lucky enough to schedule my wedding ceremony at West End. My original wedding venue canceled due to COVID-19. Phrene and Kurt at West End saved the day! I was able to attend an open house where I met Phrene. She's was very kind and easygoing, which was something I needed!This space is beautiful, with the exposed brick, large windows for natural light, wood floors, and vintage furniture. Everything I wanted, it was do it yourself set up and tear down; most importantly, there were no hidden fees. I am so thankful to find this place and will continue to share my wonderful experience.

Jessica Comstock: Construction! Lots of Construction! Other then that it's a great place!

Erick Gerson: This place is amazing for hosting events I’m a make up artist and I not only love the space To host my make up classes.but I love the owner. she’s absolutely flexible, and super professional. I also love that it is very private place. So if you’re looking to have a cool party or host a class of Some sort this is the place to be.

Jocelyn Lebron: I can't wait to book my wedding here! The cutest venue ever & totally fits our budget. Owners are both so friendly & amazing people!!

Phil “PCWizzard” Chapin: Great venue, intimate and entertaining!

Lowell Anderson: Great concert

capital loop: Very nice!

Lisa Rudd: Very nice. Unique. Perfect for weddings!

Tony maniscalco: Not worth 60 bucks. 8 songs?

Jean Krzewski: Loved the venue and the food and beverage offerings for a recent wedding reception

Romey: Amazing venue for the Queen strings event.

Jessie Ripari: Such an interesting place! Very clean and what a nice venue for a wedding.

March81 Photography: This is a stunning location. As wedding photographers, we love the historic nature of this building, so much of the original details are still present. The big front windows, Tiffany stained glass and the front stair well are beautiful settings for photographing portraits. We look forward to being able to capture a wedding here again.

Vincent Thurman: The Lit was amazing to work with! They communicated really well. Their staff and team were amazing and so helpful! We loved the venue. They helped us work with vendors to resolve errors and ensured that our day was seamless! They are also inclusive and welcoming, which was very important to us! Also, shoutout to their bartender staff for being fun, big hearted, and so wonderful to our guests!

Brian Ramp: Great place to hold an event.

Savannah: Beautifully venue! Had my wedding here and it was everything and more. Perfect for a vintage lover. This place is so naturally aesthetic and pretty that minimal decor is needed. The staff was lovely as well.

Dave Frame: We had our wedding here and it was perfect. The location is already so beautiful, decorating was a breeze. The staff were very attentive and make quick work of the setting changes from the ceremony to the reception. The in-house sound was perfect. The ability to bring our own alcohol and bartender to their full service bar was a big money saver. All-in-all, it's hard to beat the value. 10/10 would wed here again.

Chikaome Imediegwu: Modern style.Decent interior.Not too large but can accommodate at least a hundred guests.

Natalie Smith: Venue is super beautiful and has so much to offer couples! If you are looking for old world charm this is the best in Grand Rapids!

Mark Takus: Awesome venue.

Terilyn Byle: Wonderful venue

Robert Ranney: Enchanting old building! Thoroughly enjoyed StageGR's presentation of Cinderella.

Jeffery Russell: The Lit is an amazing place, a virtual heirloom still functioning in a thriving, modern metropolis. Originally founded as The Women's Literary Society of Grand Rapids, the building is steeped in local history. It stands as a legacy of the matriarchs that created it and Grand Rapids first public library.Today The Lit functions as a hall that can easily facilitate 150 people. It's a great place for a wedding reception, which was my experience with the venue.

Iceland: Has anyone had trouble trying to get their $500 deposit back?Update: finally we did receive our deposit, just took longer than the contract stated

Jessica Medemar (Jessie): It is one of the prettiest venues. Very polite people.

Deena Hoffmann: From the moment I first set my eyes on the Ballroom I knew my dream wedding was possible! I cannot even describe how gorgeous the venue is and how every little detail is so beautiful and elevated with the lighting options and color choices! The staff was incredible to work with. They made every bit of my dream come true and helped cater to all my wishes and needs. The whole planning process was quite easy and filled with no nonsense, I couldn’t be happier with how everything came together and worked out! I highly recommend the Mckay Ballroom to anyone wanting an elegant and stunning venue that people will never forget! It gives such a feeling of fanciness and glamour that makes you almost feel like royalty or at least as close as you can get in west Michigan. The ballroom really is something to behold! Also the bridal suite and rooftop room were so convenient and cool looking, just an additional element of wonder and ease. Overall a spectacular venue and wonderful staff! 11/10 would recommend

Christine Mehigh: Beautiful ballroom with centralized bandstand and dance floor. Very professional responsive staff. Large bar area, food was great, and was able to come in early to decorate. Very fair prices.

Glenn Freeman: An amazing venue. My cousin had his wedding reception here and it was a beautiful atmosphere. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. Having a parking garage right across the street also made it very easy for all guests to come and go.

Yeonhee Cho: I was married here a month ago in the middle of December. We booked the venue in a hurry in October and throughout the whole process, Ashley and Chandell were so helpful and accommodating for the short notices and other requests for Korean guests. The actual wedding day was as smooth as can be and I had such a wonderful day. The venue itself was gorgeous and the beautiful chandeliers and the lighting was all perfect. Thank you again Ashley and Chandell for making the wedding day so wonderful, as well as countless other staff who made it all possible!!

Jessica Braga: Such a beautiful venue!

Emily DeRitter: I just helped with a wedding here last night. Ashley, Chandell, and Daniel were all wonderful to work with. They went above and beyond what was required of them. I made a couple mistakes throughout the night that resulted in more work for them, but they never complained. Only served with a smile. The space is gorgeous. Ashley provided several lighting changes throughout that made some moments really special. Would highly recommend this venue is you are in search of a classy, downtown wedding.

Dj Lloyd: The manager Ashely at the McKay tower was extremely unprofessional with my best friend and his wife all they wanted was a good reception in a wedding and when we showed up we had to set everything up and she had no clue what was going on we had to walk her through everything but once everything was set up it was a nice place to do the wedding but when it came to clean up this event manager was extremely rude rushing everyone out the door screaming at The newlywed ride and groom and made a couple of in-laws cry. I would give no stars if possible but I figured the one star was good enough 100% would not recommend to get married at especially if Ashley the event manager is managing your wedding

Josie De: Historical, beautiful ballroom. Great food and helpful staff.

Amanda Chambers: Beautiful venue!

Ferris Johnson Jr: Beautiful room, to celebrate special moments in

Dan Szymanski: Excellent wedding venue with a wonderful staff. Made things run smoothly.

Wendy Lane: Gorgeous venue!!

Carol H: Niece had her wedding there. Beautiful banquet hall. Staff was very professional.

Travis Maynard: Went here for a wedding. Great looking venue and I think it used to be a bank. Cool little piece of history there.

Tours Around Michigan: #ToursAroundMichigan This 1915 bank is now a gorgeous ballroom with marble walls and a vault! Named after a political leader and mob-like boss, this iconic #GrandRapids building is now also haunted by him (among others). #CityTour #GhostTour #HistoryTour #GroupTours #ArchitectureTour

Paul White: Fantastic place to hold a function.

Brittany Griffes: Beautiful room. Great chandeliers

Rob Schneeberger: Had my wedding reception here. It was perfect! I would recommend highly to anyone!

Evelyn Jenkins: Lovely place for a wedding reception

M Brooks: Great experience. Instructors were very knowledgeable. Made you feel really comfortable and confident. Got my CPL certification there.

Sarah Bonzheim: I've done women's on target here, my kids participate in a couple youth programs they offer. It had prepped them for the 4H competions and state shoot competions! Great place, safety comes first then fun fun fun!

Jacob Hudenko: Very helpful staff!

Cameron Zwart: The Proud Home of the GVSU Rifle Club!