Yes, we recommend having this FUN favor for your guests if you’re having a bon fire added to your timeline. We require that you provide the S’more kits, along with long wooden sticks.
When meeting with our event planner you’ll go over your room layout at your consultation. Your room layout is designed to have the best open space on the main floor so that your guests have room to socialize after dinner. Guests normally only stay at their tables on the upper level or main floor during dinner. We suggest you have seating on the upper level for dinner depending on your head count. Your guests will not feel offended in any way if seated on the upper level. In fact the younger age group ranging from their early 20’s into their 40’s like to be on the upper level. Sometimes they even stay up their to socialize after dinner has been served. If you wish to have tables placed on the upper level for overflow seating that’s outside of your head count then you’ll rent the linen for those tables and they’ll not be placed with place settings.
Graham Banquet Center does not have storage space for your decorations or boxes to be kept inside the building during the day. We do recommend you can store them under your gift table, otherwise, they’ll need to be put in someone’s vehicle until the evening when you’re ready to start packing your items up. At no time are boxes, or totes allowed to be pushed across our floors. We ask that they be carried or use a dolly/cart. Large items will need felt on the bottom to avoid damage to our floors.
Graham Banquet Center takes pride in the process of your wedding planning and most questions are answered before your wedding day. We do understand we’re all human and may forget what has been covered. We have an event planner on site for a time duration of your wedding day, but not the entire day. If you have any questions and aren’t able to find anyone you may give us a call at our main number and someone will answer. Texting is a form of communication, but not a main way to reach someone.
Graham Banquet Center has a paved parking lot with lights of 117 parking spaces. The guideline for weddings/events is 2.7 carpool per vehicle. This gives parking for over our seated maximum head count of 250 guests. Please see our preferred vendors for local hotels that shuttle (15 minutes away).
Michigan Liquor Control does not allow alcohol to be in our parking lot. Drinks must remain inside the building or outside in our fenced in area/patio.
We require in our chapel your flower girl to have SILK flower petals. In our hidden garden we require your flower girl to have FRESH flower petals.
Michigan Liquor Control requires us to have all unoccupied building locked at all times. We ask you to have all personal items removed 90 minutes after your ceremony. You may have your groomsmen and bridesmaids take their belongings back out to their vehicles after their done getting ready to avoid this as a task after your ceremony. Items main remain, but these areas will be locked. To gain access you’ll need to ask Graham Banquet Center staff.
Graham Banquet Center doesn’t allow food to be taken home. Once it’s been out for your dinner hour (Ex. 6PM-7PM) it has reached it’s maximum usable life for food safety.
Michigan Law requires smoking are to be 20′ away from any building. The designated smoking area is located 20′ from the main doors to our Crystal Ballroom on the right hand side and is labeled “Smoking Area”. No smoking is allowed on our patio or inside the fenced in area, including by the bon fire. This is a rule from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
We have a beautiful custom made neutral tone aisle runner that all of our brides LOVE. This will not be removed from our chapel. To maintain the beauty of our aisle runner for all our clients, we do not allow drinks in the main chapel area.
There is not an ATM available on our property. The nearest ATM is located in town at Sage Market located at 7400 Woodbury Rd. Laingsburg, MI 48848. (7 minutes from our location)
It depends on your final head count. We always serve 9% over your final head count. Example – 150 guests, serving 2 entree, (82) servings of chicken and (82) servings of pork. Keep in mind that your head table and reserved tables of close family will go first, then if you run out of chicken first your remaining guests will get pork. On your invites you’ll list what you’re serving buffet style and not give your guests an option to pick. If you’d like your guests to pick an option then it will need to be plated and your final counts come back at your two week marker we’ll make what they’ve picked and bring it to their assigned tables. For more details our event planner will go over this with you at your consultation.
We suggest seating ranges from 7-9 per table at our 60″ round tables in our ballroom. (10 guests max) You may also have seating family dinner style at our 6′ or 8′ tables, ranging from 24-30 seats. Your head table can range by design and seat up to 16 on stage and remaining party/guests below at an additional 6′ or 8′ tables.
Graham Banquet Center has a seated capacity of 200 max in our chapel and 250 max in our ballroom.
We do not allow sparklers, confetti, poppers, streamers, birdseed or anything else that scatters. Bubbles and glow sticks are acceptable.
Silver chiavair chairs are included for your reception seating and white chiavari chairs in our chapel for ceremony seating. Our white chiavari chairs must remain in the chapel at all times. We do allow you to rent from Graham Banquet Center gold or mahogany chiavari chairs at $7.50/chair. This includes set-up/take-down, plus going up to our second level for seating. We do not allow outside vendors for chiavari chairs.
In the event of government mandated restrictions on holding events, Graham Banquet Center permits rescheduling up to 1 year. (No additional fee)
Rescheduling your event after your contract has been signed maybe done with a $1,000 rescheduling fee and is subject to availability. Rescheduling may not occur 90 days or less before your scheduled event.
Your wedding/reception date are locked in when you sign your contract and pay your reservation cost. We do allow up to 10 days from the date of signing for this to be paid. Dates are on a first come, first serve basis.
Many Graham Banquet Center couples have included their pet in their outside wedding ceremony! We just ask that after the ceremony, your pet is taken home or back to your hotel as no animals are allowed inside Graham Banquet Center, unless it’s a service animal.
Our chapel was build in 1870 and we take pride in it’s history with our beautiful tiled ceiling and breathtaking chandeliers. Our crystal ballroom has a vaulted 20′ ceiling with beautiful chandeliers as well. To maintain the beauty of our facility for all of our clients, we do not allow decoration to be hung from either ceiling.
We do not allow open flame. This meaning your candles must be in a glass container at all times.
You have Graham Banquet Center the day of your wedding starting at 9AM until 12 Midnight. We do allow until 1PM to remove any items you’ve brought in or for your vendors to get there things removed.
At Graham Banquet Center you won’t need to hire a wedding planner, or a day-of-coordinator. Our wedding planner has you covered and helps you by using our detailed time-line. Changes can be made to your liking. Ceremony times are 3PM, 3:30PM, 4PM or 4:30PM. Anytime later then that would put your dinner time later then 6PM-7PM. You may discuss your changes by email or in person at your consultation.
There are many quality hotels to choose from just 15 minutes from Graham Banquet Center and some of them will shuttle you and your guests. Shuttling service would be an additional cost and varies depending on the hotel. Keep in mind for fall weddings that are on MSU Home Game weekends the hotels will not allow you to room block.
Yes! Our chapel is the only building that has steps at the front door to enter, but has a side ramp your guests may use to enter the chapel safely. Bathrooms in the ballroom are also handicap accessible.