The morning of your wedding is a carefully planned timeline of events, beginning with the arrival of your wedding party, family members, hair and makeup team, and wedding photographers. The energy is buzzing at the start of the day, and moments that will soon turn into cherished memories begin to unfold as the official countdown to your wedding begins.
It’s the very start of the day, and time spent preparing should be enjoyed in a relaxing environment where the coffee and mimosas flow freely without the worry or concern of items left behind or arriving late to your venue.
Where you choose to get ready on the morning of your wedding can easily set the tone for the day ahead. Close proximity to your venue and ease of access to pretty much anything and everything you both need can help assure a morning of getting-ready moments where you are fully present and soaking it all in.
With access to some of Detroit’s best venues in mind, we’ve put together a list of 7 downtown hotels that you can get ready in on the morning of your wedding. We’ll also discuss the many reasons why selecting a hotel is the best option, and key features you can expect to find at each of the hotels listed.
Booking a Detroit Hotel Getting Ready Suites – FAQs Answered
Our venue has a getting-ready suite; should we still book a hotel?
Your Detroit wedding venue *might* come with a getting-ready suite, and some venues even come with two. But some of them come with one, or none at all; it really all depends. The size and atmosphere of getting-ready suites at local venues can also vary greatly; some provide room for your parents and wedding party to join you, and some are just big enough for you to change in, making the option for a booked hotel room much more enticing.
What’s the benefit of booking a hotel to get ready in on our wedding day?
There are a few considerations to make when opting for a hotel room to get ready in on the morning of your Detroit wedding, let’s discuss what makes a private suite at a hotel an amazing experience.
Check in the Night Before
Selecting a Detroit hotel to get ready in on your wedding day will cut down on your stress levels significantly. You can check in the night before, unpack and hang up your wedding attire, and spend the night unwinding. Many of the downtown Detroit hotels listed below have on-site dining, cocktail lounges, and room service options, so you can be in each other’s company enjoying a quiet evening before everything kicks off. There’s no ‘go mode’ on the morning of your wedding because you’ve already arrived, and the threat of traffic and unforeseen circumstances (such as forgotten items) is completely removed.
Space
Some venue getting-ready suites are spacious, some are not. It’s important to take a look inside the suite when touring your venue, and ask how many occupants the suite can accommodate. Depending on your venue, a booked hotel room might just give you more flexibility when it comes to space, allowing you to invite along everyone you want to celebrate with.
Designated Meeting Place
A hotel can provide close proximity to your venue, allowing you to use it as a ‘meeting place’ for those who are joining you in any booked transportation such as a trolley or party bus. Having one central meeting location allows those closest to you to watch you prepare in those final moments, leave their car behind before departing for the venue with you, and best of all, enjoy a photography experience with you in your preferred hotel setting. The interior and exterior of downtown Detroit hotels offer some of the most stunning scenery for photos before you move on to your venue.
Hair & Makeup Team
In our experience, couples who work with hair and makeup teams prefer the ease of access that a hotel room provides. Venue getting-ready suites typically open to the couple getting married an hour or two before the start time of your wedding. This significantly cuts down on the amount of time needed for your hair and makeup team, who are usually the first to arrive on the morning of your wedding. When you choose instead to get ready for your wedding at a Detroit hotel, your glam squad will have enough time to work with you and the members of your wedding party.
Out of Town Guests
Do you have a large number of guests coming in from out of town that you’d like to spend more time with? If you are all staying at the same hotel, or downtown hotels within close proximity to each other, you can easily arrange a morning after brunch or even some local activities for everyone to enjoy before they head back home.
After Party Option
Looking for afterparty options on the night of your Detroit wedding? A few of the hotels we’ve listed below include late-night bites, wine bars, cocktail lounges, virtual golf, and duck pin bowling, giving you a few choices for an intimate-sized afterparty following your wedding. Keep in mind, some of these options may need to be booked in advance, and they are best suited to smaller-sized groups of 10 or less.
Will you be there to capture our getting-ready moments?
We will! As a husband and wife photography duo, we are both present at every one of our couples’ weddings. That means each of you will have a designated wedding photographer present in your getting-ready suite, capturing every single memory being made in real time. The gift exchanges, parent hugs, family heirlooms being passed down, attire being fastened, champagne popped, and jokes being made; we’ll photograph every emotion, milestone, and detail, allowing you to relive it all over the years to come.
7 Detroit Hotels to Get Ready in on the Day of Your Wedding
Something we closely considered when selecting the below 7 Detroit hotels to get ready in on the day of your wedding was their close proximity to local wedding venues.
Hotels Listed Below are Within Minutes or Walking Distance of These Venues
- 2000 Brooklyn Detroit
- Book Tower
- Colony Club
- The Detroit Opera House
- The Eastern
- Elevate at One Campus Martius
- The Henry Autograph Collection
- Shinola Hotel
- Waterview Loft at Port Detroit
- The Whiskey Factory – Detroit City Distillery
- State Savings Bank
Hotels Listed Below are Within 20-35 Driving Minutes of These Venues
- Detroit Yacht Club
- Ford Piquette Plant
- Grosse Pointe War Memorial
- The Eastern Market
- Henry Ford Museum
- Lovett Hall
- Meadow Brook Hall
- Michigan Central Station
- Planterra Conservatory
1. The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit
The Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit truly has it all. It’s a hotel and wedding venue with endless amenities. There are a total of 453 rooms featuring a sleek modern interior in neutral colors, a lounge, spa, restaurants, heated pool, fitness center, and a Starbucks on site. The hotel also has executive suites with connecting rooms for plenty of getting-ready space for you and your wedding party. The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit is also pet-friendly, so you can bring your pup along for the wedding day getting-ready excitement. The interior (more so in the common areas) and exterior of the hotel have that old-world historic downtown feel to them through Neo-Renaissance architecture, making it an ideal backdrop for pre-wedding photos.
- Location: 1114 Washington Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226
- Contact: 313.442.1600
- Key Features: Atmospheric backdrop for photos, pet-friendly, large number of guest rooms
2. Siren Hotel
The Siren Hotel in downtown Detroit is a vibe. If what you’re after from your getting-ready suite is something with heaps of personality, you’ll definitely find it here. A little bit funky and modern and a whole lot of retro chic, the Siren is a boutique hotel with 106 rooms that dates back to 1926. The rooms and suites are crisp and clean with soft bright tones. But the lounges and common areas are bold and vibrant with colorful furnishings, lush drapery, velour details, checkerboard flooring, and decor accents that feel like they belong in a speakeasy. Food and beverage options on site include a cafe, cocktail lounge, wine bar, and piano karaoke bar; just in case you want to keep the party going after your wedding with a small group of close friends.
- Location: 1509 Broadway St, Detroit, MI 48226
- Contact: 313.277.4736
- Key Features: Bold and vibrant backdrop for photos, boutique hotel experience, pet-friendly, after-party options
3. Shinola Hotel
A Michelin Key hotel, Shinola is also one of our top picks when it comes to downtown Detroit wedding venues. In total, Shinola is made up of five historic buildings and offers 129 guest rooms. The overall design of Shinola is a mid-century modern meets cozy with contemporary amenities. Key features include valet parking, a fitness center, pet-friendly rooms, and easy walking distance access to local attractions. Want a local place to get ready for your wedding with some of the most amazing food options? Shinola Hotel has everything, including in-room service, craft cocktails, burgers, Italian cuisine, and Detroit-style fried chicken.
- Location: 1400 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
- Contact: 313.356.1400
- Key Features: Mid-century modern backdrop for photos, pet-friendly, spacious rooms, after-party options
4. Hotel David Whitney – Autograph Collection
A piece of Detroit history, the Hotel David Whitney, part of the Autograph Collection, lives inside a fully restored skyscraper from 1915 that directly overlooks Grand Circus Park. The 4-star luxury boutique hotel is upscale and has 160 guest rooms (some of which are pet-friendly!) on site. Key features and benefits include an atrium, fitness center, valet parking, and on-site dining. The rooms at the Hotel David Whitney are warm and inviting. If you want to capture photos on the morning of your wedding in a space that’s grand and historic, we love taking our couples for a quick walk through the atrium with its soaring ceilings, natural light, and stone arched balconies.
- Location: One Park Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
- Contact: 313.237.1700
- Key Features: Historic facade & interior for morning of wedding photos, pet-friendly, historic atrium
5. Element by Marriott Detroit at the Metropolitan
Historic and elegant, Element Detroit and the Metropolitan is a pet-friendly hotel located in a 1925 building featuring neo-Gothic architecture. The hotel is located within a short walking distance from the light rail station, making it an amazing place to stay for your out-of-town guests who want to experience the city during their stay. There are 110 spacious rooms and suites on site, and amenities on site include a continental breakfast, a fitness center, and a rooftop bar. Room sizes range from studios to 1-bedroom suites, giving you and the members of your wedding party the space needed for those final getting-ready moments. We love it as a local hotel to get ready in on the day of your Detroit wedding for its city views, easy access, and sophisticated architecture.
- Location: 33 John R St, Detroit, MI 48226
- Contact: 313.306.2400
- Key Features: Elegant backdrop for photos, prime location for out-of-town guests, pet-friendly, rooftop bar
6. Cambria Hotel Detroit
Swanky and modern, Cambria is an art deco-inspired hotel in Detroit with 154 rooms, located in the historic WWJ radio building. It has everything on site you could possibly need throughout your stay, including dining, a fitness center, pool, valet parking, and a bellman. Have a larger-sized wedding party or a number of family members joining you as you prepare for your wedding? Cambria’s King Suite and Deluxe King Corner are incredibly spacious and perfect for inviting along your wedding party, parents, and grandparents as you fasten your cufflinks and button your dress. If you need a place to unwind or enjoy a smaller afterparty once your reception closes, Cambria features a rooftop bar, five iron golf, and duckpin bowling for you to keep the fun going; but you may want to book these in advance just to ensure availability (especially if you’re hosting a weekend wedding!).
- Location: 600 W Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226
- Contact: 313.733.0300
- Key Benefits: Sleek and modern backdrop for photos, prime location for out-of-town guests, spacious rooms, after-party options
7. Detroit Foundation Hotel
A converted firehouse that dates back to 1929, Detroit Foundation is now a 4-star boutique hotel. There are a total of 100 rooms on site, so if you want to scoop it up as a go-to stay for your out-of-town guests or your preferred place to get ready on the day of your wedding, we recommend reaching out in advance! The rooms are cozy and intimate with warm, inviting tones and details that draw on the building’s storied past as a firehouse. If you’re interested in getting ready at Detroit Foundation Hotel on the morning of your wedding but need a spacious room, “The Commissioners Suite” is a 967 square foot room with plenty of lounge seating, a private bar, and a pool & card table in the room.
- Location: 250 W Larned St, Detroit, MI 48226
- Contact: 313.800.5500
- Key Benefits: Warm and intimate backdrop for photos, walkable distance to attractions for guests, in-room bar and pool table
Detroit Wedding Photographers
If you’re searching for a local husband and wife wedding photography team who can capture the milestone moments on the morning of your wedding, we’re Rosy & Shaun Photography. Based in Detroit, our documentary-style approach to wedding photography is centered on connections and unforgettable moments, over perfect poses. You can find more information on working with us to capture photos with feeling when you visit this link.
Navigate the links below for more resources to help you plan your Detroit wedding
- Shinola Hotel: Everything you need to know to plan your wedding
- The Colony Club: An elegant and historic wedding venue in Detroit
- Planterra Conservatory: Host a greenhouse-style wedding in Detroit
- Meadow Brook Hall: An in-depth guide to planning, including details on pricing
- The Ultimate Guide to 30 Detroit Wedding Venues
- Photographing Your Wedding: For Couples who Want to Experience Moments over Poses
