Bay Pointe Inn

wedding venue in shelbyville, michigan

Bay Pointe is the perfect all-in-one wedding venue, providing you with a great lakeside location for any kind of wedding you want to have, be it indoor or outdoor. If you’re dreaming up a classic, detailed and dreamy wedding, Bay Pointe is for you!

a brief history

features

ceremony & reception acommodations

cost considerations

Bay Pointe Inn is a dreamy wedding location that serves you lakeside moments that you’ll cherish forever. This resort sits on Gun Lake and is everything you’re looking for in a wedding venue. Its spacious, has a lodging facility, and has all the amenities you might need to make your day (or weekend) a remarkable one. Bay Pointe Inn promises you and your guests personalized services to suit your wedding taste. The venue is perfect for all wedding seasons, whether it be summer or spring. Its proximity to Grand Rapids is a plus. Check out my list of The Best Wedding Venues in Southwest Michigan to get inspired by more locations to have your wedding ceremony or reception.

A Brief History of Bay Pointe Inn

The property on which Bay Pointe now sits was purchased by Austin H. and Frankie Dwight in 1899. They moved from Chicago to enjoy the calmness of Gun Lake and immediately fell in love with it. They built their lovely home in 1902, popularly known as the “Dwight Villa”. The home was completed in 1906 and the Dwights began to throw parties, hosting many of Gun Lake’s performances.

When the Dwights passed away, the property lay fallow for about 30 years until Roy and Jackie Martin purchased it and renovated the lakeside area, turning it into an architectural masterpiece with great furnishings. They turned it into Bay Pointe restaurant in 1983, and it continued to flourish and host special events, weddings, and private meetings until 2003. They then sold it to Mike & Patti Powers. The Powers did a bit of reconstruction, turning it into a resort and wedding destination wonder, and reopened the restaurant in November 2004.

Features

The resort has continued to expand since 2004 and now Bay Pointe Inn covers 375 ft. acres of Gun Lake land, include a restaurant for lakefront dining, 39 hotel-like guest suites, and an indoor pool. The Boat House Villa and the very recent new Bay Pointe Woods compound has 10 private cottages and a modern conference center, among many other spectacular features. Bay Pointe hosts both indoor and outdoor weddings and special events. Bay Pointe Inn prides itself in its differentiated wedding venue locations all in one property; the Bay Pointes Wood Lawn, and the Bay Pointe Woods Ballroom.

Staff at Bay Pointe Inn will set up the chairs, tables and equipment, and décor rented from Bay Pointe but clients would need to get someone to do their special decorations. For food and drinks, they must be purchased from Bay Pointe. You can have them order any specials if you like.

Ceremony & Reception Acommodations

The Bay Pointe Woods Lawn is a great option for your outdoor wedding ceremony or reception. Meant to feel sophisticated and modern, its magnificent walkway and secret garden feel act as romantic background for exchanging your wedding vows or an elegant alternative for a reception. It can hold up to 300 guests for your ceremony, so whether you are imagining intimate or not, it’s a worthy option.

woods lawn

The Ballroom is perfectly designed to serve as a classic reception venue. It is modern with beautiful tall ceilings and wood flooring, rays of natural light splattering through its windows and sleek furnishings throughout the interior. It’s stocked with 2 bars, a fireplace, and has the capacity to host 300 guests. Surrounded by a wrap around porch it’s perfect for a cocktail hour and reception. The Ballroom can also come in three different configurations, depending on the size and style of your wedding; Woods Ballroom with 300 guest capacity, Laurel Ballroom with 200 guest capacity, and Sycamore Ballroom for 80 guest capacity.

the ballroom

For those of you dreaming up a weekend celebration, this is for you. Depending on your set up, BoatHouse Villa can host up to 90 guests for your ceremony and 100 for your reception and cocktail hour. The House is suited with 4 rooms and sleeps up to 15. It’s ideal as a weekend house for you and your closest 15 friends or family members.

the boathouse villa

Imagine lakeside elegance for this ceremony and reception site that Bay Pointe offers. This outdoor white-pillared space is perfect for your warm weathered wedding. It can seat up to 180 guests, not including its lawn perfect for guests to mingle and hang out during cocktail hour and the reception. All the rentals are included with this location, including your dance floor, so you and your guests can dance the night away with a perfect view of the sunset!

the lakefront pavilion

Cozy and intimate this ceremony and reception location is perfect for your small wedding or winter wedding. It’s suited for indoor bliss and can host up to 72 guests. Suited with a fireplace and a window and porch view of Gun Lake, it’s perfect for an intimate off-season wedding.

the fireside banquet room

Cost Considerations

The cost of the venue will depend on which rooms and locations you choose for your event. Typically, you can expect to spend around $10,000+. Costs include teardown of the wedding venue and décor that was rented and set up by Bay Pointe.

Other Considerations

Dogs are allowed into your wedding to take pictures with you. Decor cannot be hung on the walls and ceiling.

Depending on which ceremony and reception location you rent, you may have limited access to the lake front for photos. In the past, some clients have had access only from 12-1PM to take portraits in front of the lake, depending on the selected venue.

Boat slips are available for purchase if you’d like to rent a boat at all during your event at Bay Pointe!

Check out Lauren & Mo's wedding at Bay Pointe and get inspired!

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Lakeside or Bust

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I founded Illuminate Photo Co. on the belief that fewer is better: in work, in life, and definitely in weddings. By taking on a limited number of clients each year, I’m able to pour out my time, attention, and creative energy into making your big day as special and seamless as it can be. My personalized and relational approach to wedding photography means that I take the time to get to know you and yours on a more intimate level – because entrusting someone with documenting a very personal and emotional milestone can feel overwhelming, and rightfully so.

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I'm Jordyn –

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memory-maker, and joy-seeker

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I care deeply about capturing you and your love in an authentic light, making sure your photos reflect all of the best and truest parts of you.

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