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Gandy Dancer
Gandy Dancer
Exterior
Exterior
Outdoor shot
Outdoor shot
Wedding reception
Wedding reception
Indoor vibes
Indoor vibes
Dancing
Dancing
Table setting
Table setting
Lounge
Lounge
Setting
Setting
Ambiance
Ambiance
Gathering
Gathering
Food to serve
Food to serve
Healthy
Healthy
Newlyweds
Newlyweds

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Reception area

About

Gandy Dancer is an elegant restaurant and wedding venue located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The venue is settled in the beautifully restored 1886 Michigan Central Depot. It is not only an architectural landmark but a delicious restaurant known for creative meal preparations. The facility’s historic and sophisticated atmosphere will create a grand setting for your special day.

Facilities and Capacity
The historic building has five different event spaces that can be used to host a variety of wedding events. Couples may host everything from their engagement party and bridal shower to their wedding ceremony and reception at the Gandy Dancer. The restaurant can accommodate up to 130 guests and has both indoor and outdoor settings available. For additional convenience, They provide on-site parking, valet services, and wheelchair accessibility.

Services Offered
When you choose to have your wedding at the Gandy Dancer, you gain access to their event planner. You can work closely with them to ensure your day runs smoothly and is up to your standards. On the day of your wedding, staff will clean up at the end of the night so you and your loved ones can relax. The property provides you with the following event items chairs, dance floor, tables, and other rentals.

Cuisine
The chefs will create delicious food choices for your big day that you and your guests will love. Their catering services include servers, a wedding cake, cake-cutting service, and other dessert options. Bartenders at the Gandy Dancer are able to pour a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages at an open bar as well as a champagne toast. Food and beverage items offered include barware, china, flatware, glassware, and linens.

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

No

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

$500

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

$500

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Chairs
China
Clean Up
Event Planning
Flatware
Glassware
Linens
Parking
Tables

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Cake Cutting
Dessert
Server(s)
Wedding Cake

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$17

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

Bartender(s)
Champagne Toast
House Liquor
House Wine
Limited Bar
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

5

Describe your venue:

Historic Building
Restaurant

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Covered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party

What event services do you offer?

Clean Up
Event Planner
Event Rentals

What event items are available?

Chairs
Dance Floor
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Valet
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

May
June
July
August
September
October

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
March
April
November
December

Reviews of Gandy Dancer

Write a review
Write a review
Gandy Dancer - 1
Gandy Dancer - 2
Gandy Dancer - 3
K
Kristen Sent on 07/10/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Gandy Dancer was the perfect reception venue

We are so happy that we chose the Gandy Dancer courtyard for our wedding reception venue. Kristina made all of the planning straightforward, was extremely accommodating, and was such a pleasure to work with. All of the food at our cocktail hour and dinner was incredible and blew our guests away. We’re still getting compliments weeks later! We ended up having around 75 guests and felt that the courtyard was a great size for our needs, including the entry tables, dinner tables, bar, DJ stand, and dance floor. The courtyard is also a beautiful location that didn’t need a lot of decorations to feel elegant. A train went by twice during the evening and we cheered each time. The Gandy Dancer staff were wonderful and attentive, and helped make sure that our night went smoothly. Thank you for a fantastic evening for us and all of our guests!
C
Chelsea Sent on 07/02/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Wedding Reception

Absolutely amazing! Everything was perfect. The staff was so wonderful and helpful. Kristina the head coordinator for weddings was terrific. She made everything go so smoothly. The food was delicious and proportioned well. My husband and I had the wedding of our dreams. I wish we could do it all over again. :) thanks Gandy Dancer for a dream come true wedding!
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Patricia Sent on 10/15/2016
5 out of 5 rating
The Gandy Dancer was a perfect place to have our reception. We had so many guests describe our wedding reception as "magical" and "beautiful" and we think the ambiance at the Gandy Dancer definitely aided in making our wedding day unforgettable. The food was INCREDIBLE! The majority of our guests traveled a long way to be with us during this special time, and we wanted to make sure that they received an excellent meal. The Gandy Dancer definitely delivered. The staff was unbelievably accommodating. From Joy the bartender to countless waiters and waitresses, we were so impressed with their hospitality and good humor. Last, but certainly not least, Kristina Spurlock was invaluable in making our day memorable. Before the big day, she was always quick to respond with my millions of questions, and she was more than accommodating with my requests and wishes. On the big day, Many times during the night she assured me not to worry, and I definitely didn't need to because she did an excellent job. She went above and beyond to ensure that all of the guests, and especially my husband and I, had everything we needed and that this day was everything we hoped it would be. We are already planning to go back for our one year anniversary!
A
Andrea Sent on 09/29/2016
5 out of 5 rating
We loved this venue! Such a great place to have our wedding reception. We couldn't have been happier!
Laura
Laura Sent on 06/27/2016
5 out of 5 rating
My husband and I were so happy with our experience at the Gandy Dancer! After searching for weeks trying to find a venue that would accommodate our wishes (having an intimate dinner only without all the typical wedding hoopla (DJ, dancing, cake cutting, bouquet throw, etc.)) we finally decided on having our dinner in the Wolverine Room at this amazing historical landmark that went with our literary/book theme perfectly!

Kristina, the events coordinator, was so helpful from the moment we toured the facility to the end of our wedding dinner. She answered all of our questions promptly, thoroughly, and guided us through both the process and journey.

The food was amazing, and we were so glad our guests could enjoy their meal. We received so many compliments on this portion of the evening; everyone seemed to appreciate the fact that it wasn't your typical "wedding food." In lieu of a cake, we were able to select desserts off of the restaurant menu. Additionally, my husband and I were able to stay within our price range due to the many selections and packages that are available.

Final jury: I would recommend Gandy Dancer to any engaged couple who is looking to have a twist on the traditional wedding ballroom reception!
U
User2369995 Sent on 10/15/2015
5 out of 5 rating
We had our wedding reception in the courtyard of the Gandy Dancer a couple weeks ago and I am still smiling ear to ear! :)
Despite the cold and rainy weather and the courtyard technically being outside, our reception was warm and cozy! The bistro lights added a free special touch to the decor. SOOO many of my guests commented on how much they loved the ambiance that the courtyard provided!
Kristina, the wedding/events coordinator at the Gandy Dancer, is absolutely fabulous! She is very flexible, so nice, and so helpful. I planned a submerged flower centerpiece, which required pebbles at the bottoms of the vases to hold the flowers down in the water. The pebbles I brought ended up not being heavy enough to hold down the flowers, so while helping a few of my family members set up the reception a few hours before the wedding, Kristina went out to the railroad tracks behind the restaurant to gather more rocks for the centerpieces! - WOW! She really went above and beyond there! Kristina was also very quick to respond to any random question I had for her all throughout my year of wedding-planning.

The food- oh my gosh! Delicious! Our guests raved! Not only about the filet mignon or mahi mahi, but the cake, too! Our cake (made by Lisa, Gandy's pastry chef) was honestly the best cake I've ever had.


We had a total of about 90 guests and it felt like the perfect amount of people for the space, just FYI.

I would definitely recommend you book your wedding reception here!



U
User7493880 Sent on 06/01/2015
5 out of 5 rating
Excellent service and food we all enjoyed our evening
U
User1963276 Sent on 12/10/2014
5 out of 5 rating
We had 100 people at our reception outside next to the wawater fountain this past August. The wait staff, servers, and wedding planner at The Gandy Dancer were 5 star the entire evening. It was worth the delicious choices for dinner, which included salad and bread, tea and coffee, and they even cut our cake for free. Did I mention the wedding planner was included as well? We also decided to pay extra to have an open premium bar all night, which was perfect IPA beer selections and wine. If we renew our vows and have another gathering, we wouldn't hesitate to use their services again. Excellent!
U
User1826358 Sent on 09/17/2014
5 out of 5 rating
Absolutely AMAZING!

My husband and I were so impressed with the Gandy Dancer team, ESPECIALLY Kristina! She was quick to respond to all of my questions and was willing to meet with me on multiple occasions to discuss the details of our day.

Our wedding reception at the Gandy Dancer was absolutely incredible. The staff was on point and the plates of all guests were served hot and at the same time. I can not tell you how many rave reviews I received on the food! And the CAKE! Our cake was designed to perfection by their pastry chef Bryant, he turned my inspiration image into a real life replica and it tasted phenomenal!

I would HIGHLY recommend this venue to future brides!
S
Samantha Sent on 09/15/2014
5 out of 5 rating
I cannot say enough good things about the Gandy Dancer and their coordinator, Kristina. Everything was AMAZING!! We had both our ceremony and reception at the Gandy Dancer and everything turned out perfectly. Our top priorities: great food, great service, room for up to 150, fun ambiance, close to the airport and activities for guests, and all at a reasonable price. The Gandy Dancer not only fit the bill, but they went above and beyond my expectations! People could not stop raving about the food and the service. We ended up having 110 guests, which left plenty of room for an aisle, the sweetheart table, the place card table, and room for guests to mingle. The fact that this building is practically the only building on the street provided such a magical, old world ambiance, and every couple hours when a train went by, guests got super excited. It was totally, totally awesome!

We also knew that we wanted a venue with a great coordinator, since we planned our wedding on our own, and I have so many good things to stay about Kristina, I could go on and on. From our first meeting, she was professional, communicative, and flexible - in two words: she rocks! I knew that everything would go so well, but everything turned out better than I could have imagined. Kristina and her staff helped with the setup of decor (which looked amazing) and when we made a couple changes to the timeline during the reception, she rolled with the punches and was super accommodating; she even helped keep me calm before I walked down the aisle. I would recommend the Gandy Dancer in a heartbeat!
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Awards

25
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner

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Professional Network & Endorsements

1 Endorsement
Party Pros Detroit Party Pros Detroit Wedding DJs

Beautiful venue and super easy to work with. Highly Recommended! Party Pros Detroit

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Gandy Dancer frequently asked questions

Gandy Dancer includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Chairs
  • China
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planning
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Linens
  • Parking
  • Tables
Gandy Dancer includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Cake Cutting
  • Dessert
  • Server(s)
  • Wedding Cake
The bar service starting price at Gandy Dancer includes:
  • Bartender(s)
  • Champagne Toast
  • House Liquor
  • House Wine
  • Limited Bar
  • Open Bar
  • Premium Liquor
  • Signature Drink
The space offered by Gandy Dancer for wedding events is known for:
  • Historic Building
  • Restaurant
Gandy Dancer offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Covered Outdoor
Gandy Dancer offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
Gandy Dancer offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planner
  • Event Rentals
Gandy Dancer offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Chairs
  • Dance Floor
  • Tables
Gandy Dancer is recommended by 98% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.9 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 5 in quality of service, 4.9 in flexibility, 4.9 in professionalism, 4.8 in average response time and 4.8 in value.
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