Detroit Yacht Club Reviews

The DYC was incredible and we couldn't have picked a better venue for our wedding, it is truly a beautiful building, we barely needed any decorations! Lena was very kind and helped everything run super smoothly, and the food was also amazing!

My dream was to get married in Detroit and Belle Isle was always my happy place. So, when we found DYC as a potential venue for our wedding day, I was hopeful it would be a good fit. I was dazzled by the venue space and fell in love. It ended up being the best backdrop for our wedding. We rented the Trophy room to get ready and regroup during the day. The guests were very impressed with the building, the history, the beautiful view of the water, skyline and sunset. The catering manager was professional, communicative and we received a great quality of service and value. And the Food! Everyone loved the food! Servers and bartenders also took good care of our guests.

Getting married at the DYC was one of our very best wedding decisions. We knew we wanted to get married in the city of Detroit and saw several venues, but the Yacht Club stood out for several reasons. The pricing was fair and everything was up front with service fees/gratuities etc. which is hugely helpful when budgeting. We worked with Samantha who was awesome- easy to communicate with and very responsive to emails. And every staff member we encountered during the wedding was awesome. The space is also incredibly beautiful, we loved being able to have the ceremony and reception in the same room. It was a perfect size for our 175 person wedding. The veranda for cocktail hour and cigars was perfect too- it ended up raining during our reception but everything is covered so we could still enjoy the outdoors, which is super helpful when trying to plan around Michigan’s sometimes unpredictable weather. I cannot recommend the DYC enough!

My husband and I loved everything about get married at DYC. The staff was so attentive, especially Samantha, whose customer service skills are really unparalleled. All aspects of our wedding there were executed flawlessly by staff, down to the smallest details. The food was AMAZING. Pricing is very fair and they do not nickel and dime you, which was our biggest complaint during venue shopping. The space is so grand and beautiful and timeless. Samantha, Sarah and Chef Nicolai went outside the box to accommodate our special requests and make sure we were happy. If Samantha was annoyed with how type A we were during the planning process, she never showed it. We will cherish our memories there forever. Thank you so much DYC!

Our wedding at the DYC was fantastic. Sam (Catering Sales) and Sarah (Banquet Director) were very helpful in the lead up to and on the day of our event. The staff was helpful and attentive as well. The food was delicious. I was so impressed filets and chicken were cooked perfectly for our group of 100 people. The Fountain Room is a beautiful space and was set perfect for our day. Sara even had staff help adjust tables after seeing the room to make sure people did not feel crowded. We were checked on through the event to make sure things were going well. Fantastic experience for our wedding.

Working with the DYC for our wedding was an excellent experience - Samantha was incredibly professional, responsive, flexible, and did everything she could to make our wedding visions come to life! The serving staff was also very professional and did a great job during the event as well. The venue is incredibly unique and gorgeous, the veranda makes the whole evening even more unforgettable, and the setting on the river is just beautiful. 10/10 would recommend having your wedding here!

Sam at the Detroit Yacht Club us absolutely the best…very organized pays attention to detail and delivers a perfect day! The food and drinks were amazing and the venue accommodated special requests and knocked it out of the park! The building is beautiful and they are so easy to work with! Sam is your girl if you’re looking for the perfect day!

We cannot say enough amazing things about the Detroit Yacht Club! They made all our wedding dreams come true! Samantha was fantastic to work with from start to finish. She was very attentive and accommodating throughout the planning process. The venue itself is absolutely beautiful with the historic ballroom and the covered veranda overlooking the river and the perfectly manicured grounds. Our guests raved about the food! Many said it was the best food they have ever had at a wedding! We were so pleased with everything the DYC had to offer and would recommend it to anyone looking for the perfect wedding venue!

I can’t complain about anything really. The only thing I didn’t care for was that they only took cash. So I couldn’t charge anything (venue, food, alcohol). The price was great but cash was difficult. I sent payments through my “bill pay” on my bank app. I was extremely happy with everything.

While the DYC was near the top of our price range, it was nothing short of a perfect place for our wedding! I didn't want to work with too many vendors, and having the catering, bar, tables/chairs, linen, and more done through them helped.
Everyone I have spoken with who attended our wedding RAVED about how kind and attentive the staff was.
The beautiful, well cared for, antique building with an amazing staff was a perfect setting for our wedding.

My husband and I held our reception at the Detroit Yacht Club on December 14, 2018 and could not recommend hosting your reception there more! The ballroom was stunning decked out in twinkle lights and garland (see photos attached taken by Erin Hannum, our photographer), and the the filets were cooked to perfection! Collette was wonderful to work with and made sure every detail was taken care of. We were so happy we chose the DYC as our reception venue!

Jake is an outstanding employee, Jake was more then understanding when I had to cancel last min. I will be scheduling my next appointment with him soon. Jake also is working with a budget

I too had some experience with going through several coordinators, but the last month is worked solely with Collette and Maria. Collette was prompt and answered all my emails. Maria made sure my day ran smoothly. I can’t thank them enough for the superb job they did. The venue alone is beautiful and our food was delicious. Our guests complimented that the food was cooked perfectly. They even made special considerations for dietary issues, gluten free, nut allergies, and people on blood thinners. Our guests were so appreciative of this and felt very safe eating there. The venue it’s self was beautiful. Our guests enjoyed walking on the docks, taking in the view of the city. The venue was accommodating with us using a lot of our own decorations and let us store our decorations in a unused room after the event, for us to collect the next day. I highly recommended the DYC for a dream wedding venue.

My husband and I were married at the DYC last December and the venue couldn't have been more perfect! We wanted a venue that hit three important priorities... price range, historic significance, and winter wedding appropriate. The DYC hit all three of those things! Though it was not the first place we thought of in terms of affordability, once we committed to a 200 person wedding and started looking around at venues, the DYC was by far the best value in town (our price for 200 people included food, tables, linens, chairs, bar services, valet parking, entrance to Belle Isle, etc.). Even through a transition in the events staff, everyone was amazing to work with and didn't skip a beat! Our guests complimented us on the venue, the food, and the staff all night long. As for a winter wedding, we couldn't have asked for anything more beautiful than being on Belle Isle surrounded by winter flurries while the gorgeous fireplace in the ballroom kept us warm and cozy. Also, the winter decorations are beautiful and made our decorating work even simpler. If you are like us and want (or need) to keep everything at the base price, you will still be incredibly impressed and pleased with this venue. Of course, if you want to upgrade your event, you have endless options at the DYC. Many of our other vendors had worked at the DYC several times as well which we found helpful. I really can't say more about how perfect everything was thanks to the fabulous team at the DYC. Hot tip: we chose to use the DYC banquet chairs without chair covers and they were perfect. No reason whatsoever to rip your hair out stressing about the chairs when everyone really just wants to enjoy the evening with a happy bride and groom.

The Detroit Yacht Club is definitely a venue to wow your guests. Both banquet halls are gorgeous, and offer a beautiful backdrop for the reception with ample space for guests to spread out both during cocktail hour and after dinner. The food was delicious, and definitely impressed our guests. Everything went smoothly and the Detroit Yacht Club was very responsive to the constant questions I had during the planning process. You can't go wrong with the Detroit Yacht Club as a wedding venue.

I cannot rave about the DYC enough! If you have never been, it is definitely worth a visit if you are looking for a wedding venue...it is beautiful! The staff is also very helpful. We worked with Emily and she was AMAZING! She was so patient, helpful, and willing to do anything to make our day perfect! She worked with us from the time we booked to the time we left the venue on the night of our wedding. The food is great too (many guests told us it was the best wedding food they have had!). We are so glad that we chose the Detroit Yacht Club for our special day! Our guests had an amazing time and all of our photos taken here were breathtaking!

We had our ceremony and reception here! Our ceremony was outside in the "star light circle" and our reception was inside in the fountain room. Nikki and the staff were so amazing to work with and made our day amazing. Nikki helped us work through every bump in the road and even solved a last minute crisis the day before wedding. All of our guests LOVED the food and views this venue had to offer!

We had our ceremony and reception at DYC and there is absolutely no way possible that it could have been anymore beautiful. Emily was AMAZING from the very beginning right up till the very end. She certainly doesn't do her job just for a paycheck, She's a natural. We love you Emily!! We also miss you!! The DYC staff is so well trained and all so genuine. Everything was perfect from the food to the room to the workers. This is the ABSOLUTE best place in Detroit to have your wedding. They made my husband and I feel like family. Belle Isle is amazing this time of year. Our guests are still talking about how perfect everything was and how comfortable they all felt there. Thank You! Thank You!! Thank You!! We will be back to stay for our anniversary for many more years to come!
Dale & Jamie Webster 06/13/2015

My groom and I used the Detroit Yacht Club for our reception. Everything was beautiful and the managers there were very helpful. One thing to look out for is that the waiters were a little quick to clear the tables. Other than that, we had a ball and you can't beat that beautiful view! Also, the prices are very reasonable. We are talking about having my parents' 50th wedding anniversary there in two years.

The DYC is a beautiful place for a wedding. Emily B. is one of the wedding coordinators there, and she is amazing! Everyone was helpful, patient, and professional. Do not let the look of some parts of Belle Isle scare you. The DYC is a gem. Getting married in front of the grand fireplace made for great pictures.

Helpful tip-bring signs for your guests that direct them to the DYC. There are two ways to get there, and it can kind of be confusing to guests who have never been on the island.

The DYC was amazing - it had everything that my husband and I were looking for when we were shopping around for a reception venue - this included a balcony and Oberon on tap :) We were in the grand ballroom and it is just beautiful. Our guests were in awe and loved the atmosphere during our reception. Alix was amazing. She answered numerous questions, promptly responded to emails (even on her day off), and overall was a pleasure to work with.

Such a beautiful venue. The Detroit Yacht Club was something I dreamed of as a little girl, absolutely wonderful, unique and a terrific value. Carly was overly accomodating about everything! Anything we asked for, she made it happen. Our wedding has been the only wedding we've been to at the DYT, but I would LOVE to go back again soon.

Carly and her staff at the DYC is phenomenal!!! I couldn't imagine my wedding anywhere else! Everything was fantastic, the food, the service, everything! Thank you for making our special day so unforgettable!

Amazing location! From the minute I walked into the venue I knew I wanted to have my wedding there! The staff working my wedding was terrific as well :) All our family and friends even came up to my husband and I talking about how happy they were with the staff! The food can speak for itself, DELICIOUS! I would highly recommend this location!

We were very pleased with the Detroit Yacht Club. We held the ceremony & reception on July 31, 2011 at this venue. The staff was extremely professional and the food was wonderful. It was worth every penny we spent and the DYC is beautiful inside and out with may photo opportunities. If we had to do it all over again we would not hesitate to choose the DYC. Plus our guests are still talking about it!

P.S. It was very helpful to use vendors from their preferred vendor list

The DYC is an absolutely gorgeous venue and really created the perfect atmosphere for the day. There are two rooms, the Fountain Room and the Ballroom. We had ours in the ballroom, which is a large, open room with wood floors, white plaster walls, and dark wood frames. It was gorgeous. There are two women who I dealt with during the process, Julia and Jennifer (mostly Julia). They both answer emails quickly and are very helpful. Julia was there the day of as well as a head of ceremony guy.

Of course, the DYC does have some major drawbacks. The first one is that the there is no A/C in the Ballroom. Our wedding was in May on a day in the 70s and wasn't a problem. You are right on the water, have the large doors that catch a breeze outside, but I wouldn't chance it in July.

Then the setup of the Ballroom is a little different. You have the eating area and then the part past those archways is the dancing area. Outside is a veranda with tables and chairs. It was such a perfect evening that a lot of our guests spent a large part of the night outside, smoking cigars, watching the sunset, and enjoying the night instead of dancing. We had a good number on the dance floor, but the dance foor is so big, it can feel lonely. People kept coming up to me to tell me how the venue was gorgeous and how the night was perfect outside, so I didn't care. But if you want people dancing and not outside, be warned.

Also, we got married during Memorial Day Weekend. Right outside there was a pool party with jazz/blues music. We could actually hear it during the ceremony. I actually liked that; I got to hear music without paying for it. It calmed me down because I thought it was funny. However, I'm sure that would piss off a lot of people.

Finally, the food was excellent. We got a duel plate, with salmon, braised short rib, red skins potatoes, and veggies, and it was so much frickin' food. Huge. And delish. Again, I had a number of people coming up and saying how tender the meat was or how they never liked salmon before. Even weeks after, people are still saying it was the best food ever and how pretty the venue was.

All in all, I wouldn't change a thing. Love them, love the place.

The Detroit Yacht Club is one of those magical places that always says yes. "Can we have the wedding and the reception here?" "YES!" "Can we mix & match the duet entrees?" "YES!" We were simply amazed by the quality of service and attention to detail. Jennifer, one of the DYC's full time event coordinators, led us through the planning as the weeks went by. Also, she was there for the rehearsal and reception to make sure things went smoothly. It was basically like having our own wedding planner for no extra cost!

The food was also amazing--a wide variety of choices (both served and buffet), and of the best quality. As mentioned above, we were able to mix and match what we offered our guests, and tailor everything to our exact wishes.

Finally, the venue is simply amazing for photography. The building is gorgeous, and you can also have photos taken out front or by the boats on the back pier. If you're looking for an elegant, easy wedding, this is the place!

The DYC is the perfect place for a summer evening wedding. The grand ballroom with the wrap-around veranda really has a guest-friendly layout. People can be inside or out- and it still feels like one big party. I love the pricing at the DYC. Everything is included- even tax and gratuity, in the per head price. So all you have to to is multiply by the number of guests and you've got your number- no last minute add ons or surprises. We got married on a friday and saved a TON of money. The food was outstanding. We both cleaned our plates and received many rave reviews from our guests. We had a dual entree on chicken princess and michigan whitefish and I would recommend both! As far as room set-up goes, we had a lot of special instructions and the DYC followed most of them to a "T." The room looked exactly how I'd envisioned it and they helped us take our guests back in time to "old detroit."

We hosted our wedding reception at the DYC in May 2015. All was truly a dream come true... thanks to the beautiful, historic venue, excellent service, delicious food, and strong drinks! The DYC offered a unique reception option in Downtown Detroit without the worry of weather ruining our waterfront wedding dreams. Our 200 guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the covered, open-air veranda... so much so that the DYC staff had to work extra hard to rally them into the ballroom for dinner. Guests walked the docks, checked out the large yachts, and enjoyed views of the city skyline while smoking cigars on the patio. Dinner was delicious... and we are still getting comments on it! We served grilled chicken with a parmesan bacon cream sauce, garlic/lemon whitefish, and a mushroom stack (vegetarian/gluten free). I was surprised when my plate had 2 full chicken breasts on it! As many learned, the gregarious bartenders were not stingy with drinks either -- which was much appreciated by my guests who danced the night away. The DYC was also very flexible... allowing us to bring in cookies for dessert and our own appetizers (Cape Cod potato chips from where we got engaged). With regard to pricing, we found the DYC to be an excellent value!! They allowed us to remove/add things to packages as to best serve our needs/budget. Although the large ballroom is not air conditioned, the temp was perfect. It was a mid-70 degree May day. The large doors on the riverside were open through dinner/dancing. The venue required very little decorations - further keeping costs down. Lastly, Crystal, the banquet director we worked with, was truly a dear! She is professional with a calming demeanor! I highly recommend the DYC! and Belle Isle itself is also quite beautiful/cleaned up with the State of Michigan taking over now.

This is an extraordinarily beautiful place to have your wedding. The staff took such great care of us... everyone from the wedding coordinator to the bartenders to the waitstaff were so accommodating and professional. Could not have been better. Food is very good as well.

The location was beautiful and required minimal decorations. The staff that helped was also very accommodating. I met the chef and was able to have an entirely different meal than everyone else at the wedding (I like to eat healthy). The woman incharge of our wedding was wonderful, she made computerized drawings of how the room could be set up, she was always available on the phone, and was there during the reception to make sure everything ran smoothly. They also had a man who walked me through the cake cutting, and when to do such and such that I didn't have to worry about anything.

The Detroit Yacht Club was the perfect venue for our reception. We chose the DYC because it held great sentimental value for me and its location on the Detroit River is stunning.

Our coordinator was Kasia and she truly went above and beyond in helping make our day perfect. She was so responsive, friendly, and patient with all the questions we had from day 1. I never felt like I was bothering her. Our reception was in the beautiful fountain room and the food was fantastic.

We were able to stay in the Gar Wood suite, which is right next to the ballroom and it made getting ready so easy. We had 9 bridesmaids, my mom, two photographers, 2 makeup artists and 2 hair stylists and there was enough room for everyone.

We cannot recommend the DYC enough!

From the very beginning, our experience with the Detroit Yacht Club was amazing! It was easy to book our tour of the venue, and everyone who works in the catering department is incredibly friendly, fun and easy going. We worked with Nikki, she was like a friend who happened to be helping you plan your day. Communication was easy and clear and they were very supportive of any changes we needed to make or questions we had. The food is AMAZING! We had a really fun time at our tasting and everything, including wine, was very good. Two weeks before our wedding we found out Nikki had taken a new job and would not be at our wedding, you can imagine this was a shock to us. Her right hand, Emily, took over and not a detail was missed. Emily slipped right in, she had all our information and was just as friendly and helpful. The day of, we walked into our reception and before I could even blink, Emily and her staff were at the door with champagne and snacks for the wedding party as we got ready for our grand entrance. The rest of the night, I barely saw them - they were really behind the scenes and let the guests enjoy the night. The wait staff is incredibly polite and professional. The operation at the DYC is flawless, the venue is beautiful and the people who work there really care about you.

The DYC was our dream venue, and in order to make that happen, we decided to DIY a LOT of other elements. Luckily, the staff was fantastic to work with through the process and all of my constant questions. Emily was incredibly helpful. All of my emails were answered fully and in a timely manner. They were also very accommodating for pre-wedding meetings on site.

The ambiance can't be matched. We had our ceremony outdoors and chose the ballroom for our reception, and were so happy. The veranda was incredibly charming for cocktail hour.

The food was very good, especially the short rib (other guests claimed it was all amazing, and may have had access to better potatoes in a later batch!)

The night went smoothly, thanks to the great staff. They handled delays, guests, and other issues with stride.

I can't imagine having our wedding anywhere else.

Most beautiful location in the city! Crystal is absolutely AMAZING to work with. She made the entire contract process a breeze and my fiancé and I couldn't be more excited to have our special day at this venue!!

The Detroit Yacht Club is an amazing and beautiful location for a reception. All the planning up until the wedding was a breeze! Carly is an amazing person to work with at the Detroit Yacht Club and responds very quickly with any questions you may have (I asked question mainly through e-mail). The cost at the Detroit Yacht Club is pricey, but we were married on a Friday so the price included everything per person (meaning tax and gratuity). We had a smaller wedding of 120 people and were in the ballroom. We were worried that the room may seem empty because it was a large room, but the yacht club set up the room perfectly! The bar service was amazing, the food was to die for, and it is a very friendly atmosphere for a private club. I would HIGHLY recommend the DYC!!!!!!

We used the larger of the two ballrooms, the one without air conditioning and it was the right choice. It's such a lovely space, I would have put up with a little heat (reception was in August), but the ventillation was just fine. Jennifer McDonald and her staff did a great job for us - especially Irwin, the banquet captain. We were able to sample different entree choices months before the reception (all yummy, by the way). We even met the head chef, who answered all our questions and even agreed to make small changes for us. Great job DYC!

I had my wedding at the DYC and it was PERFECT. Carly was always very responsive to any of my questions or requests. The food was amazing -- I'm still getting comments on it from my guests. The venue itself is beautiful and my guests loved being able to walk out to the veranda and look at all the boats and river.
So glad I had my wedding here!

The staff at the Yacht Club was amazing and attentive to our every need. We worked with one staff member (Jennifer) almost exclusively and she was great. When the time came for our actual wedding ceremony, she told us that she was going home for the night and introduced us to the catering guy that was in charge for the night. But she stayed around for hours longer to ensure that everything was going perfectly.
The cost was relatively low for all of the services that we received and the room was stunning. People still talk about what a great wedding it was years later!

The venue is absolutely stunning, the food is awesome and the bartenders and waitstaff are great. Our vision was executed perfectly and everything ran very smoothly the day-of. We had three coordinators throughout the course of our wedding planning, so naturally we had concerns about miscommunication but things ran pretty seamlessly throughout the transition. The final planning meeting was quite long and we found ourselves having to repeat ourselves often at times, but aside from that we had a happy experience.

Communication with the staff was great. Our bartenders, servers, etc. for the day of were soooo amazing. The Garwood suite is a newly remodeled suite that I stayed in the night before and of my wedding and it added such a nice touch being able to go right upstairs after my wedding! Highly recommend this venue.

The DYC was a gorgeous space for our wedding. We had the large ballroom without air and while it was a humid day, it wasn't too bad inside. The air really did flow. The coordinators were amazing. Jennifer even helped steam my bridesmaids dresses. The location and views are awesome and my guests were amazed at how beautiful the DYC was. Almost forgot....the food was AWESOME. We had chicken and short ribs and the meat was super tender and flavorful!!!!

I did have a slight problem with a worker at the DYC trying to walk down the isle during the bridal processional!!! But I am going to blame his lack of judgement on him and NOT the DYC.

Our wedding at the DYC turned out beautiful last week! We are, overall, very happy with the venue and how everything turned out. The food had good reviews from our guests, the service during the reception was great, and the staff was quick to turn over the ceremony set to for the reception. They also worked with us to get local beers available for our guests. The reason I didn't give the DYC a 5 was the turnover of staff the year leading up to our wedding. We had three different contact people and each time a new person was hired, we had to go over all the details discussed again. Thankfully, the last person we worked with was Collette and she was excellent to work with and ensured not a detail was missed day of. She was quick to respond to all my emails and did all she could to meet our requests. Overall, a lovely place.

Had our wedding reception at the DYC in June of 2011. Food was great and the place was beautiful, but they screwed up some of the little things.

For instance, they had picture frames to use as table number holders. So instead of putting plain old numbers in each frame, we thought it would be cool to put different photographs of my wife and I in each frame of the places we've been together, and then tell our guests to sit at the New York table or the Comerica Park table. Jennifer from the DYC told us weeks before the wedding that our idea was fine. I personally met with Jennifer from the DYC the day before the wedding and gave her the pictures and reminded her of the plan. When we arrived at the reception, however, we saw that the DYC hadn't bothered to put the pictures in the frames. They just placed the photos on each table. It looked really cheap. Jennifer approached me during the reception and asked how everything was going, and I asked about the pictures. She said she would check on it, and then I never saw her again that night. The pictures were never fixed. It sounds small, but it's really annoying when you spend the time planning out the little things like this and then someone screws it up.

Our reception was in the big room without air conditioning, and it was especially hot that day. Unfortunately, the overhead fans were not working. It was extremely hot and stuffy without the fans.

Also, the florist's table lights went missing after the reception. Not sure if that's the florist's fault or the DYC's fault.

Overall I would recommend the DYC, but I was disappointed with some things.

Overall it was a lovely evening for our wedding. But after having 2 catering managers leave with no warning, substandard communication in the weeks leading up to our wedding, undercooked food at our disaster of a rehearsal dinner with only 2 comps between 20 people and the blame game between the staff, white linens not arriving for our 6 o'clock wedding until after 1, leaving very little time to set up centerpieces, and a few plates getting mixed up at the reception even though the place cards were color-coded, I'm just glad it's over. There were times I felt like our wedding was put on the back-burner because we weren't having the over the top wedding they are used to having there.

First of all, I love LOVE love the venue, it has so much history and is a great space right on the water with beautiful views. However, I had a similar experience to a recent reviewer where three catering managers left in the course of our year planning process. With each change, I felt like I had to start over in our planning as a lot of communication hadn't been transitioned. The most recent role departure was 2 days before our wedding, without any heads up, so when arrived for our rehearsal the Friday prior, no one greeted us, helped us, or knew we were coming. On the day of the wedding, I did not see the acting catering manager at all but she did find my mother AFTER the ceremony to see if there was anything that she could help with (at this point, the event was in full swing so we were good...). I am SO SO thankful to my amazing vendors who made the day run smoothly despite very little support from the DYC catering staff. The waitstaff and bartenders day of were AMAZING and professional; but if you do select this venue, I would suggest investing in a day of planner at the very least until their current staffing structure is remedied.

This venue is GORGEOUS! And the food is wonderful. However... If you are planning a wedding, GOOD LUCK with the staff!! Crystal is absolutely HORRIBLE to deal with! You will never get a response by phone of email. I had to leave multiple voicemails and multiple emails within a 2 week period before ever getting a hold of her. She didn't show up to our rehearsal and was annoyed by us requesting her presence. She is unprofessional and down right RUDE! She left multiple details of our wedding out until the very last minute. VERY nerve wracking for a bride.... Booking with this venue will add MUCH unneeded stress! But, it is beautiful! :)