Welcome to The Boardwalk

Host your ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, and dancefloor all in one secluded riverfront location.

Southwest Michigan Waterfront Wedding Event Venue Garden Pavilion Forest Lounge Outdoor Indoor

Getting Ready

Grooms Room at the Forest Lounge The Boardwalk Waterfront Wedding and Event Venue on the St Joseph River in Southwest Michigan

On your wedding day, the venue opens at 9am. Your Boardwalk team will have all of your furniture and linens set. You have exclusive access to the full property, and decorating and setup can begin.

Bride Ready Room - Studio Dome

Brides and bridesmaids have private use of this standalone space overlooking the ceremony meadow. With vintage furnishings and modern amenities, the studio offers a relaxing space for hair and makeup. Enjoy the pampering while the details unfold.

Groom Room - Forest Cabin Lounge

Tucked into the north woods, grooms and groomsmen have their own dedicated space to get ready. Our log cabin groom room has everything the guys need to get ready in the morning. This private building offers a secluded space to relax and put the finishing touches on your suit and tie for the big day.

Guests Arrive

Parking and Dropping Off

Staff parking attendants direct traffic and greet guests as they arrive. Guests can be dropped off by the marquee entrance before parking in the main lot, with additional angled parking spaces along Diller Rd. There is a loading ramp available for vendors, and special parking considerations can be made for wedding party and family, vendors, and large vehicles. Inquire about the Hotel Shuttle service package for guest convenience.

Welcome Marquee

Our staff Host will greet your guests as they arrive at our welcome marquee and grand entrance. This space is an opportunity to welcome guests; design a welcome experience best suited to your style for friends and family.

Ceremony

The Meadow - Riverfront Ceremony Site

The grassy meadow is the perfect backdrop for a riverfront wedding ceremony. Our staff will setup your chairs, arch, and podium. You can decorate with your own style.

We also provide the speakers and wireless microphones which are integrated into the venue-wide audio system, so all of the guests will be able to hear loud and clear.

Cocktail Hour

Curated Spaces

Guests make their way over to the Courtyard and Boardwalk as our staff transitions the ceremony space to lawn games (bean-bag toss, giant Jenga, bocce ball, and others).

Music plays on the ambient speaker system throughout the venue, while guests eat, drink and enjoy the private beach, courtyard, boardwalk, hanging gardens and indoor air-conditioned lodge.

Vintage Vignettes

The Boardwalk provides lounge vignettes in several locations around the venue. Selections are always expanding and changing. Our staff will carefully curate and place vignettes around the venue on your behalf.

Thoughtful Lighting

The magic of The Boardwalk are the details in place that make your wedding come alive.

Vintage glass chandeliers hang from the towering riverside oaks. Large goose feather chandeliers in the air-conditioned banquet hall shift hues and change colors.

Reception

Outdoor Garden Pavilion

Guests are seated in our new 50’x75’ garden pavilion, rain or shine, May-October. With seating for up to 250 guests, we provide the tables, chairs, white tablecloths and other reception furniture necessities. The floor is a hardscape stone, the sides are removable, and the tall forest to the West provides ample shade in the late afternoon.

During dinner, ambient music plays on the speakers, part of the venue-wide audio system, with speeches and announcements loud and clear. Add your own style and centerpieces to create a theme and palate all your own.

Indoor Banquet Hall

For receptions up to 120 guests, our indoor heated and air-conditioned banquet hall is available to host your reception dinner. The 4’ feather chandeliers and pendant lights creates a soft and dynamic atmosphere, with speakers and projectors available.

All off-season (Nov-April) events are hosted in the banquet hall. During peak-season outdoor events, the banquet hall is available as air-conditioned relief, custom installations, and rainy-day backup locations for ceremony, cocktail hour, and dancefloor.

Dancefloor

After dinner and speeches, it’s time for the dance party. Host it on the courtyard under the stars, as a pattern of glow bricks light up. Your DJ or Live Band has ample power, wifi, and a 40’x40’ stone courtyard to keep the party going all night. Mist curtains surround the dancefloor for those hot summer nights.

Music from the dancefloor is integrated into the venue-wide audio system. Throughout the night, the music and MC announcements are heard everywhere, from the bar to the reception pavilion, in a seamless and balanced audio experience.

At sunset, our staff lights the bonfire on the beach, along with the glass-top propane fire table on the boardwalk.

Vendors

Some venues are just an empty rented space, but a wedding at The Boardwalk is so much more. The magic of The Boardwalk is the dedicated team of people who love what we do and stop at nothing to make sure every last detail of your wedding is effortlessly executed to perfection. Our in-house team works seamlessly with our outside vendors to coordinate timing, setup, and flow so that you and your guests can relax and enjoy your celebration while we handle all of the details behind the scenes.

Catering

Starting in 2025 The Boardwalk is proud to announce an exclusive partnership with Chef Alex Gandia and Gandia’s Catering. An event at The Boardwalk would not be complete without the care and dedication that Chef Alex and his team bring to the table. Alex is an ACF-Certified Executive Chef and specializes in private events and farm-to-table offerings. Each menu is custom designed for every event and displayed with intricate detail to create a culinary experience that your guests will be talking about for years to come. After you book your date at The Boardwalk you can schedule a consultation to get to know Alex and create your menus, your appetizers, and your late night snacks. Everything is cooked and plated and displayed and delivered with care and precision that only a top chef can provide.

Bar Services

The Boardwalk works with several 3rd party bar service providers for custom bar packages, creative bar trailers and displays, and indoor / outdoor bar setup specialties. Your venue coordinator will introduce you to our preferred vendors for quotes and help you with customizations to fit the size and needs of our venue and your guests.

DJ / Live Band / Entertainment

There are no two parties alike, and everyone has their own style. We have worked with DJs, string quartets, acoustic sets, and live bands of every shape and size. There are plenty of stand-out performances, and some acts to avoid. Your venue coordinator can get to know your style and help recommend a professional experience that matches your energy and keeps the dancefloor going all night. We are proud to have one of the best performers in the region right at our doorstep with DJ Witz as a fixture at The Boardwalk. There’s no better dancefloor than our outdoor courtyard under the stars, and we can’t wait to party all night with you!

Photography, Floral, Hair and Makeup, Cakes, etc…

We have extensive experience with everything you need from photobooths and bounce-houses to beer trucks and fireworks. Your venue coordinator will get to know your style and introduce you to any vendors that you’re still looking for to make every part of your wedding experience perfect here at The Boardwalk.