About this vendor
Footsteps from Silver Beach, Shadowland offers you a picturesque backdrop of glistening water, crimson sunsets, a quaint lighthouse and Victorian-era downtown. It is a beautiful destination all four seasons. This is your place for making unforgettable memories.
Amenities + details
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Business Attributes
- Woman-owned Business
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
- Second Wedding
Settings
- Ballroom
- Beach
- Waterfront
Venue Service Offerings
- Bar & Drinks
- Food & Catering
- Planning
- Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
10-Time 'Best of Weddings'
2023.2021.2020.+7 more.
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Hall of Fame
Earned by winning 'Best of Weddings' four or more times.
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Reviews
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4.9
out of 5.0151 reviews
Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 9
This venue was absolutely stunning! The location was perfect for all of our out of town guests. It was perfect size for our wedding of 130 people. We rented the carousel across the...
hall for our cocktail hour and it was an absolute hit with our guests!
Here is why I didn’t give 5 stars. As beautiful and perfect as our venue was, there were cons. The first, which is big for me, was communication. From the beginning, it was hard to get ahold of anyone at the venue. There was no clear contact on their website and when we would try calling, there was never an answer. When sending emails, it would take over a week to respond. Which was fine when we were booked out far but not for when it got close to our wedding date.
The next con was we went through three wedding coordinators. Each time, it came without warning even when one promised she wasn’t going to leave and make sure everything went perfectly. The reason I was frusterated regarding this was because I had to explain everything for our wedding each time. Information about our wedding would get lost and we were told about different inclusions. I also wouldn’t know our coordinator at the time had left until after two weeks of not hearing anything. By this time, I was initiating and would be told that person wasn’t here and so and so would be taking over. This would not have been an issue if everything was communicated and we were reached out to about what was going on.
The final con was regarding the night before our wedding. We were told we would be informed a month before our wedding date if we had access to the venue the night before to rehearse and set up for our wedding. A month before, we hadn’t heard anything so we’re hopeful we had the room. During our meeting, we were told that the room had been booked the night before months ago. I was upset not being told earlier so we could have a back up plan. We were told we could come after the event Friday night or Saturday morning to set up. Since I was doing everything for me wedding and obviously getting ready for my wedding day, this wasn’t going to work. My wedding party and I went to set up the night before my wedding at 10pm. I was told if we needed help with anything, to let our coordinator know. It felt like trying to pull to get help with even the simplest thing like filling up our hurricane vases on the table. The thing that upset me the most was the woman at the venue setting up chairs and tables. I was under a lot of stress making sure everything was perfect and my wedding party was doing everything to help. While we were decorating, she took two of my groomsmen to help her set up chairs even though there were additional Shadowland staff standing around. This was completely inappropriate. When picking up our stuff the next day, she was rude and showed us were our belongings were. Everything was thrown and piled into a small room with some glasses broken. When we couldn’t find our serving set, she took me to the kitchen and said it should be somewhere in here without seeming like she was going to help. After breaking down extra boxes, she told my mom to take them to the dumpster. Once again, completely inappropriate.
Overall, we had a beautiful and wonderful experience. There are some things that they need to improve to make sure their future couples don’t feel lost. If those things improve, I would recommend the venue.
We had our wedding at Shadowland on June 1, and I'm not sure if there's enough room here to say how much we loved working with Charlie and his staff. From the minute we reached out...
to book the venue a year beforehand, Charlie was accessible, prompt, thorough and helpful. Through every step of the process, we could count on Charlie to work with us to make our day special. The venue is perfect, flexible and offers guests the most beautiful views of Lake Michigan before, during and after your reception. We can't say enough great things about this place!
Our wedding in July was absolutely BEAUTIFUL thanks to the help of Charlie Johan at Shadowland. Throughout our planning process, it seemed like our coordinator at the venue was a r...
evolving door, and we were admittedly starting to get frustrated with the lack of communication in those turnovers. But once we got Charlie, he was the most helpful, kind, and patient coordinator! He was incredibly attentive throughout the remainder of our planning process and super helpful the day of! We were lucky enough to get in the day before to decorate, and Charlie was nothing but helpful even helping us set up some of our decor. The day of, there were some issues with our baker getting the cake delivered, and Charlie handled it to the point where none of our guests even noticed! We were honored to be the first wedding he managed on his own; Charlie will always have a special place in our hearts!
I was so pleased with the care and service I got with Shadowland on Silver Beach. Allie went above and beyond to make sure my day was magical, and I couldn't have asked for a bette...
r experience! Thank you!!
I grew up near Shadowland Pavilion and always thought it seemed too stuffy and snobby, and the last place I would ever want a wedding. When I was older (and engaged!), I knew Silve...
r Beach was the dream location for our wedding. When I took a tour of Shadowland, I FELL IN LOVE with the ballroom. The colors were beautiful, and the lighting from the wall of windows made the room seem so airy. I absolutely loved everything about it, from the process of meeting with the wedding team to being a part of the mock wedding to sample different food options, and to the staff on the wedding day. Everything was well structured and transparent, and everyone we interacted with was super friendly. The only downside was that I felt the food wasn't as good as I'd hoped, but it was such a busy day that I don't remember much about it, and everything else more than made up for that fact. My mom loved the outdoor patio space. She even brought a chair in her car and set it up outside so she could enjoy the fresh air. We had so many compliments from guests about how this was the best wedding they'd ever been too!
Incredible. Bekah Keeton and her crew offered us the best venue we could have hoped for. We hear so often about last minute compromises or hiccup that cause stress on our special d...
ay, but not to be heard of at Shadowland under the coordination of Bekah. She is an amazing coordinator; attentive, kind, understanding, responsive, communicative, and offered so many well-thought ideas and suggestions for our wedding. We couldn't have chosen better.
Bekah Keeton was an amazing coordinator to work with. She was attentive, responsive, and hooked us up with so many additional things that go beyond the scope of what we were expect...
ing for our wedding. My new wife and I would easily recommend this venue to anyone looking for an incredible and affordable wedding. We had our ceremony on Silver Beach at the Dunes Pavilion to save money, and then had our reception at Shadowland. So happy we went this way, but Bekah was happy to be available as a backup in the event of bad weather.
Shadowland did an amazing job making sure we had everything we needed for our special day. They gave us a reasonable price for all the help and support they gave the day of our wed...
ding. On or wedding day Stephanie (our event coordinator) went above and beyond to make sure everything went off well. She even went as far as to move tables around before the reception and wrap up our remaining wedding cake for us at the end of the night. To this day I am still getting compliments on what a good job all the waitstaff did during the reception and even the cocktail hour.
My husband and I just had our wedding in June at this venue. Shadowland on Silver Beach met and exceeded all of our expectations for our special day. The staff was so amazing to wo...
rk with, very responsive and accommodating! This venue is absolutely beautiful and spacious. The food and drinks were great and all of our guests had a fun time! With the beach so close we were also able to get beautiful pictures! If you are looking for a venue near or around southwest Michigan, I cannot recommend this venue enough!
The Shadowland was beyond perfect for our wedding. The location is literally right next to the beach which made a beach ceremony super convenient, especially with their free parkin...
g for guests. I will also say when you book with the Shadowland, you do not just get a venue, but you truly get a wedding team. They help you plan the floor layout, the timeline, the help with the decoration ideas. You book with them and you hire another helping hand with planning, day of coordination, and full catering service. Even down the the dinnerware and napkins provided, they are truly unique and wonderful. Not to mention their mock wedding event that allows you to try EVERYTHING. Incredible. It was truly, the best day and we are so grateful for the Shadowland and their team!!
Shadowland on Silver Beach is an incredible Lake Michigan wedding venue. Working with Nicole, Rysa, and the rest of the team was such a pleasure. From our first meeting with Nicole...
, we knew we were in good hands. Answering countless emails and many phone conversations, all with a caring and genuinely kind attitude. The team made sure we knew all the details needed before we finalized our contracts. We were also planning our wedding from out of state (IL) so the team made sure to send us lots of pictures when we couldn’t be there in person to see something. We started planning our dream wedding before COVID-19. Once the pandemic started, our wedding coordinator, Rysa, stayed in constant communication with us to give us updates on what would happen with our current contract and wedding date. It was not easy for us, as the Bride and Groom, and we respected that it was not easy for Rysa and her team as a wedding venue. As our day quickly approached, Rysa made sure to accommodate what we were comfortable with as a couple, which was so important. We originally planned a wedding with 150-160 guests, and that was drastically reduced to 35-40 guests. Shadowland allowed us to proceed with our wedding on our original wedding date. They worked with us to ensure a safe ceremony and reception, including providing hand sanitizer stations throughout the facility and cleaning the bathrooms frequently. The staff wore masks at all times and practiced social distancing when possible. There were so many changes in the months leading up to our wedding and Rysa was always very responsive in working on our timeline. The day of our wedding, we unfortunately had a family emergency occur a few hours before the ceremony time. While we were able to proceed with both the ceremony and reception, many last-minute changes were needed day-of and Rysa did everything she could to ensure everything was taken care of. We were able to host our ceremony and reception outside under a tent on the patio facing the Whirlpool Fountain. So many of our guests commented on how perfect the venue was, from the location, the cleanliness, and the friendliness of the staff. All of our guests loved our appetizers and drinks that were served (we did not have a full dinner service). Towards the end of the evening we were able to have our guests use sparklers & Rysa was prepared with a butane torch! It was crucial in helping us get everyone’s sparklers lit for some really incredible pictures & it was something we did not think of that Rysa had proactively prepared. I would highly recommend Shadowland on Silver Beach for future couples looking for a beautiful wedding venue near Lake Michigan. Nicole, Rysa, and their team will take care of you & ensure your day is perfect! St. Joseph, Michigan holds a special place in our hearts and we love that we can come back and visit anytime!
Growing up in St. Joseph I always knew I wanted to have my wedding at Shadowland. From the beginning, Rysa, our event coordinator was always there to guide us and answer our many q...
uestions. She is very experienced, organized, and communicates quickly. She was able to switch things around in a moments notice with all of the ever changing restrictions due to COVID. I always knew I was going to have my wedding at Shadowland but never imagined I would have it in the midst of a pandemic. They made sure our reception ran smoothly and was fun even with all of the restrictions in place. You also can't beat the location with the venue being a 5 minute walk to the beach and Lake Michigan. I would recommend this venue over and over!
Nicole, Rysa and team were nothing short of miraculous in pulling off our big event! Planning a wedding during COVID was more challenging than we’d ever imagined, but they stood by...
us and supported us every step of the way. They were kind, patient and showed that they really cared about making our day special. Through countless last minute changes, they rose to the occasion to pull it all together and we will be forever thankful to have had them by our side for our wedding.
My husband and I wanted a destination beach wedding, but wanted all of our family there as well. When we found St. Joseph, MI it was like a hidden gem to us & then when we found Sh...
adowland we knew we found the perfect spot to start our forever. Shadowland was the perfect location, being just steps from the beach! Being on the beach, allowed us to sneak out during our reception to get some sunset pictures that turned out amazing!!
From beginning to end, planning with Shadowland was made as stress free as possible by their staff! We worked with Rysa & she nailed our wedding day! Rysa, along with the rest of the staff, was very attentive to detail and wanted to do whatever they could to help!
At our first sit down in the ballroom, we fell in love with the tall ceilings and big open space, along with those windows & patio out the back!! We were given a pamphlet that had a bunch of different pricing options from food to drinks and they even included vendors in the area that they had worked with before, which was amazing! We weren’t from the area so the fact they were so helpful in that aspect was really nice too! We ended up finding our photographer & other vendors off the list, so it made it super easy.
Rysa and their staff was always very quick at responding and attending to our needs/concerns.
Perhaps one of my favorite things Shadowland does is their Mock Wedding. It takes place earlier in the year (ours was around March) and it’s an event couples who have chosen Shadowland as their venue get to attend and see what a wedding can be like at the venue. Not only that, but you get to try all the chefs food which makes it easy to choose your meals when you get to taste all the different options! They also had vendors they frequently work come in and show off what they’re about. Vendors included a DJ, a chair and table cover company, the florist that had decorated for the event was there you could talk with, they had a photo booth vendor set up, they had a wine tasting bar so you could sample what wines you’d like..etc. It was just so very helpful, informative, & helped us explore our options! More importantly it got us even more excited for the big day!
The day of our wedding we had help from the Shadowland staff getting final things into place and Rysa was there to let us know she was taking care of us and to just go have fun! Towards the end of our reception, she even coordinated ordering pizza from Silver Beach Pizza, which was the perfect way to end an open bar night! Haha. Also, don’t know how I could almost forget they have a carousel!! This was something we didn’t know we wanted, but ended up being so fun and special! We got some really good wedding party pictures on the carousel and it was great for our guests during the cocktail hour! We had so many guests come up to us saying how cool it was!
We are so very grateful we chose Shadowland on Silver Beach and we made memories there that will last a lifetime!! 100% recommend them and would do our wedding day all over again with them!!
Other than the mishap of double booking our original date, I would say that Shadowland made our day absolutely amazing! From the moment we found Shadowland we were in love and I ca...
n’t imagine having our day anywhere else! They went above and beyond to help us with a custom menu since we were wanting something a bit different and they pulled it off amazingly! It has been almost two years since our wedding and we still get compliments on how beautiful and accommodating the venue was and how great the food was!
Having our wedding at Shadowland was an absolute dream! The staff, Jasmine in particular, was delightful to work with! The room size for our guests amount (210) was perfect. The lo...
cation to the beach, Silver Beach Pizza and downtown St. Joe were also great!
Shadowland was an absolute dream wedding venue! My husband and I had both our ceremony and our reception at Shadowland. The staff was second to none. Absolutely amazing and attenti...
ve. Jasmine was our event manager and she was the absolute best! She was so easy to work with and to get in touch with. She did everything in her power to make sure we had everything we wanted (like Oberon at the end of the season). The food was also absolutely amazing. We had such a hard time narrowing down to 3 options for meal choices. My family and friends could not stop raving about how amazing Jasmine and the entire Shadowland staff was after our reception. Also, make sure to do a private rental of the carousel! It was such a hit with our guests and provided amazing photo/video ops!
I can't say enough good things about Shadowland and their amazing staff! From initially touring and booking my wedding date with Nicole to working with my planners Jane & Rysa thro...
ughout the year leading up to my big day, to executing everything on the day itself, the staff was the best! Shadowland is a beautiful venue for a local or destination wedding, right along the shores of Lake Michigan which makes for great photos! As a bonus, the attached carousel was a hit with guests during cocktail hour! Thank you again Shadowland team for making my wedding so memorable!
We had a great experience at Shadowland for our wedding venue! Our guests said that the food was great and very filling. They did run out of miller light and blue moon during our r...
eception and that's what me and my husband were drinking, so other then that it was a great experience. They don't bring out new kegs.
We just recently had our wedding reception at the Shadowland on Silver Beach and it was fantastic! The entire experience from start to finish was a great one. The original meeting ...
with Nicole was very informational and we were provided with documents that answered all of our questions and gave vendor suggestions, which was very helpful. The mock wedding event that they hold is such a great idea and something many of our friends who are wedding planning were jealous of. We found multiple vendors at the mock wedding and were also able to meet other couples and share ideas. Our coordinator was Jasmine and she was amazing! Her energetic attitude is contagious and she made sure that every step of the way was smooth and exciting! She was very responsive and made sure everything was exactly how we wanted it. The venue itself is beautiful and having the ballroom and the patio is a great mix for a wedding reception. The carousel is an added bonus that we would definitely recommend, our guests loved it. Jasmine and everyone at the Shadowland helped make sure our wedding day was one that we will never forget!
After some initial rocky months right after we had booked where we were bounced around to multiple event coordinators, we finally ended up with Jasmine who was WONDERFUL. It really...
stinks that there was so much turnover that stressed us both out as I would love to give Shadowlands 5 stars, but, the initial months after booking were not so smooth, so I need to acknowledge that. After we got Jasmine, though, everything was great. She was timely with communication and always kind to answer our questions to make sure we had everything we needed figured out well in advance of the big day. Then on the day of our wedding, she worked really well with all of our vendors to make sure everything was flawless. She checked in on us to make sure we had everything we needed and brought us waters if she saw us tied up. She was very thoughtful and added so much to our day. The food was delicious and we got numerous compliments that it didnt seem like food that had been prepped/plated for a while before serving, which is always great! We got so many compliments on our bar and bartenders, too. They poured the drinks strong enough for everyone to compliment, but not too strong as to get people too intoxicated, which is often a hard balance to find. The uplighting was beautiful and really set the mood for dancing, linens were great, and all the staff kind and attentive. As far as price, I think theyre competitive for the market they are in, but, didnt blow me away with bang for my buck.We did get to add on several of their upgrades like the uplighting and satellite bar, but wish those could have been a little better priced with how much we paid for the venue rental. We loved that they allow in outside vendors for your desserts, so we brought in a local ice cream shop (Fire N Ice creamery) to host a sundae bar for our guests and that was the most loved thing by everyone, so I would highly suggest it! Overall, if you are looking for a venue that can offer you a comprehensive package without the hassle of finding your own food, booze, etc... they're great and I definitely recommend them!
Shadowland put on a wonderful evening for our wedding! Jasmine did a terrific job in all of the planning/setup and kept the night moving. Shadowland was able to accomodate our me...
al choices even though the menu changed from when we first sampled the food. Jasmine was also able to plan the entire event remotely since we live in Arizona. She was there from the first minute to the last and helped capture our sparkler send off! Thank you Jasmine and Shadowland for a fantastic wedding!
Shadowland was an absolute dream to work with. My husband and I opted to go untraditional and hosted a brunch wedding. The crew at shadowland didn’t miss a beat and totally ran wit...
h our ideas. They worked with us on the right customizations to go with our theme. We opted to also have ceremony onsite and it worked out so well. Guests are still raving about how great the food was and how awesome the staff was in accommodating everyone. Shadowland made a potentially stressful process less so with their experience and outside perspectives. They answer so quick and as a bride I can’t begin to describe important that communication is. I’d recommend shadowland to any couple looking for a fun, knowledgeable venue
Jasmine, Jane and Nicole were over the top great to work with! Nicole was quick to respond to any questions we had in the beginning and Jane took it from there! Jane was so upbea...
t and we were sad (yet happy for her) for her next adventure so she filled Jasmine in on all of the details and I can’t say enough positive things about Jasmine- she is AH-mazing ❤️ she made our dreams come true and we didn’t have to worry about a thing! Shadowland is such a beautiful venue and the staff is top notch! There were days that I was super stressed but they knew how to handle anything and everything from start to finish. They go ABOVE and BEYOND to take care of their couples! I would highly recommend Shadowland for your big day - I promise you won’t regret it! Not to mention the food - so good!!! Thank you staff at Shadowland!
Beautiful venue, awesome food, and an amazing team at Shadowland! They went above and beyond during the entire planning process. I did not worry about a thing, Jasmine and her tea...
m was all so professional and handled everything! They even went out of their way to get a specialty keg that we requested, that they do not normally carry. If you are thinking about booking this venue, do it, you will not regret it!
First of all, the ceremony and reception space were amazing. The venue provided a unique experience for our guests. We had the lakefront close by, the ballroom, and even got to ren...
t the carousel. Jasmine helped us plan the wedding and she helped me nail down the details and dealt with my slightly delayed responses while I was in my clinical year of veterinary school. Jim was a great help on the day of set-up, getting my party anything and everything we needed to set up the ballroom to our specifications. Even though we hosted a smaller event for only about 50 people, the staff never made us feel any lesser. They gave us their full attention and service. The only concern I had through the evening was that the waiting staff was almost too good - the drinks and food got swept off the tables before people were quite ready a few times. Other than that, everything was completely perfect. I would recommend Shadowland to anyone looking for a unique and wonderful venue on their special day.
The staff was amazing every step of the way! Jane, our wedding assistant from Shadowland, was very on top of things and great at communication on and before the wedding day. The da...
y of the wedding she was running around taking care of everything. The entire staff there was amazing and courteous. The night went exactly as we planned. The food was great, we had a lot of compliments on it. Bar service was outstanding. The ballroom itself was breath taking. Many people told me it was the best, and prettiest wedding they had been to in a long time. I would highly recommend this venue to people who are going for a beach town/elegant look and feel. I cannot say enough good things about the staff and venue. Truly excellent. It made my wedding day feel like a breeze. I was not stressed about anything because they were taking care of every want and need until the very end.
I cannot say enough positive things about having our wedding reception at the Shadowland Ballroom. For starters, the staff is FANTASTIC. Nicole and Jasmine made the entire planning...
process so easy and fun. I didn’t have a wedding planner or coordinator, so it was helpful to lean on Jasmine for questions or advice. She was organized, responsive, so sweet, and helpful. Even with my crazy type-A personality I was able to relax on my wedding day knowing Jasmine had everything covered.
We had 150 people and the ballroom was a great size for that. We used the patio for cocktail hour, and that was a hit. We had a second bar on the patio for cocktail hour as well.
The food was great; we got a lot of compliments and it was so easy to have catering through Shadowland.
The ballroom was beautiful. The only thing I didn’t love was the chairs at Shadowland, so I went with gold chiavari chairs from www.chiavarichairswedding.com and they were fantastic and really made the room look great.
I recommend using their preferred vendor list. It was so nice to have vendors who were familiar with the staff and layout. We used Ben Pancoast photography and photo booth and Music Unlimited for our DJ. They were terrific.
We rented the carousel for 1 hour and it was a HIT. Our wedding was 21+ and the adults loved it. We definitely needed the full hour for the 150 guests to get our photos done first.
We also loved the Mock Wedding shadowland throws for their confirmed couples. It was a great way to meet vendors and see the space in action.
THANK YOU Jasmine and Nicole for making sure my husband and I had a perfect wedding day. It really was the best.
Got married here in October and it was amazing. Nicole and her staff are so friendly and helpful. They take care of EVERYTHING. The wedding was perfect, I've heard so many people...
say how good the food was, I can't say enough. Get married here, it won't disappoint.
This venue is amazing! They do everything they can to make your special day perfect. Even with staff turnover, they stayed professional and took care of everything. My photographer...
has done weddings across the world and said that this venue had one of the best dinners he has had at a wedding! My guests thought the venue was beautiful and that the carousel was super cool. If you are looking for a venue close to the beach, great food, and a staff that will do anything to make your day great, this is the venue for you!
Jane at a Shadowland was amazing throughout the entire process. Venue is beautiful, modern, and most of all the food was amazing!
My husband and I had our wedding reception at Shadowland on Silver Beach and it was one of the best decisions regarding our wedding! The ballroom was so beautiful and the carousel ...
added a unique and fun touch to our wedding! Our planner at Shadowland was Jasmine, and she made everything incredibly easy, smooth, and as stress free as possible. We were able to attend the Mock Wedding in March of 2018 where we sampled all the food and drink options as well as had the opportunity to ride on the carousel. We sat down with our planner and configured how we wanted the ballroom to look for our reception as well as what drink and meal options we wanted. Everything went perfectly and our wedding reception was everything we had hoped for and more!
Shadowland Ballroom was the first venue I saw; I was nervous, I had no idea what I was doing or what questions to ask, hadn't thought about my full wedding vision or anything. The ...
team there made me feel so comfortable and welcome! They put all my worries at ease and when they said the magic phrase "we'll take care of everything, you won't have to worry about a thing" I was sold. I did not really go over the top with the extras, we did a buffet style dinner with passed apps (the cheaper and I think classier option) and we got sooooo many compliments on the food. My husband and I loved everything we ate! My guests were saying it was the best food they ever had at any wedding (and personally, I agree). We did an open bar with beer and wine but upgraded to his and her's cocktails for everyone to try and I think that was totally worth it. The uplighting was a nice touch too, but we didn't have to go overboard to get a good vibe going in the room. There were a couple bumps along the way, though. The person originally assigned to our wedding got a promotion (good for her!) so we got a new rep to take care of us and help us plan, but the transition was absolutely seamless it literally didn't affect us at all. The baker that was originally contracted with them split off into her own full-time business (again, so awesome for her!) but she was still able to bake us exactly what we wanted so this was another seamless transition. I would HIGHLY suggest you go to the mock wedding they throw. We got to try literally all the food they offer and then pick our favorites, which totally paid off later. You also get a sneak peek at what your wedding would feel like from a guest perspective. My only complaint is about how the carousel is handled. They seem to be managed by a different company, so I'm not holding Shadowland responsible, but omg. The carousel. At the mock wedding, you will get a hard sell about how everyone loves it. They even let you go on it. It's great, and if you have the budget for it and really want it for your special day, by all means, pay the $700 for the ONE HOUR of carousel rental. Personally, I was not having a circus or fair themed wedding, I didn't see the draw in it, and I especially did not want to spend the budget on it (I'd rather use that money towards five nights in a Paris hotel, which is exactly what we are doing). Since we declined the offer for the carousel, I had to sign and return a COMPLETELY NEW CONTRACT saying we did not want to use it and promising not to (even though it would be closed when we were in the building). This is really not the end of the world, but for an out of state bride with a million other little things to wrap up the weeks before our wedding, signing and delivering a contract for a service we never wanted just to state we didn't want it was not really my favorite thing to waste my time on. All that business aside, I still loved Shadowland, and would absolutely recommend them to anyone who asks. All those awards they have are well earned.
From the moment we saw Shadowland we were set on it being our venue. It is a beautiful location, we the best amenities it has to offer. The prices for the services you are getting...
are unbeatable! Let me break it down!
Nicole and Jane:
THEY ARE AMAZING! We live in Wisconsin, so we planned most of the wedding from afar. I communicated mostly with Jane and she literally is the best! You had a question or problem, Jane offered amazing solutions. She is quick to respond and did not make me feel like any of my questions or concerns were silly. The day before the wedding I was emailing her at 12am and she responded right away! That is dedication and makes a bride feel so special. The day of the wedding it rained and we moved it inside. She let my bridal party take over her office before the ceremony, so we could "hide". It just shows you what kind of person she is! I can rave and rave about Jane making my day go just perfect!
Food:
Was amazing! My guests raved about the food. We did the root beer short rib and Chicken with gravy. We asked the chef to serve a vegetarian item that was no longer on the menu, he did. It was hit or miss with our guests, but it makes sense why they took it off the menu. Every guest had enough to eat. Kids: they do not charge for kids under 5 which is so nice of them to do. ALSO!! The plated option is less expensive then the buffet! Which is very rare for venues! Each plate was about $22-25 per person. Kids meals were less expensive.
Drinks:
We decided to go with the medium level option for $22 a person for 5 hours. (5:45pm-10:45pm) Which was the perfect amount of time. Pours were generous and the signature drinks we chose were a hit and delicious.
Carousel: If you can budget it, it is a must!! It really added to the experience and my guests said that because of that, it is a wedding they'll never forget.
Other: They provided a free option to display my photos from a flash drive on their kaleidoscope! It was super cool and a lot of my best sat there looking at all our photos.
Staff: SO POLITE AND POSITIVE ATTITUDES!! I asked to switch out someones meal for a different one, and they took care of it right away with no question.
Thank you Shadowland for an amazing, unforgettable day! We are so glad we picked this as out venue!! You will be too!
Having our wedding atShadowland on Silver Beach was the best decision we ever made!! I found it browsing online and it was better than I could have imagined. Everyone was super fri...
endly and very attentive, always checking to make sure we were good and if we needed anything. It was honestly the perfect evening. Food and drinks were awesome. The white peach sangria is one of the best drinks I’ve tried!! We live almost 3 hours away in the metro Detroit area, and Jane made it very simple for us to communicate through email, along with a couple phone calls. I would do it all over again, stress and all 🙂
My husband and I had our wedding reception at Shadowland this month, and we couldn't be happier that we chose to have it there (after an extensive search).
The ballroom is gorgeo...
us, and looked even more beautiful as the sun set, it doesn't need a lot of extra decorations. The patio was a big draw of our guests, as was the proximity to Lake Michigan. My husband and I took golden hour photos on the beach, and guests also enjoyed walking down to the beach throughout the evening.
The food was excellent.
The thing that raised our experience to such a high level, was working with Nicole and others; she, especially, relieved so much stress in such a busy planning time, and was always so accessible, organized and friendly. This stood out from the beginning of our search, in comparison to other venues that were difficult to get answers from to simple questions.
The wedding guests make the day, but having such a pretty and classy venue definitely added a special element. Thank you for everything!
I could not say enough good things about Shadowland! We chose this venue for our wedding this past June and everything went spectacularly! This venue is super accommodating, extrem...
ely organized, and takes care of things so that you don't have to worry about anything on your day! Also, if you're worried about wedding food, look no further!! The food we had was actually incredible!! Multiple people told us how good it was and people assumed we had food brought in from a restaurant (we had the root beer braised short ribs, vegetarian cheese tortellini, green beans, roasted red potatoes, and roasted broccoli, carrots & cauliflower). You will not regret this amazing venue!! Also, renting out the carousel (this is an additional fee) is a must! It will make your wedding more unique than it already will be! :) Go ahead and book at Shadowland if you want a stress-free, amazing, wedding day!
Amazing from start to finish.Amy and Nicole so easy to work with and so knowledgable. The space is very simple, yet pretty. We didn't have to add much decor to make it feel like ...
our vision. Their extensive vendor list was great. We used several of them and not only were they great, but they were not the most expensive. The food was incredible. Our guests were very well fed. We loved everything the Shadowland and crew had to offer.
We chose the ballroom to host our wedding in February of 2018. It was by far one of the best decisions we made in the whole wedding planning process. The staff is amazing to work w...
ith. The site is beautiful and they have so much to offer. The pricing is very reasonable. We rented the carousel as well and it was a huge hit. The food was also done by a reataurant that is the ballrooms “go to” catering service and the food was soooo yummy. We had many guests tell us that it was the most fun wedding they had ever attended and that it was the best food they have ever had at a wedding. As much as I would love to take credit for all the fun they had... the wedding would not have been as awesome if it wasn’t for the staff that helped put it all together. I would recommend the Shadowland Ballroom to ANYONE looking to host any type of wedding or party.
This was a wonderful venue. The best part was the service I received (bride) in the planning process and the service my guests received the day of. They truly catered everyone and ...
helped my day be so wonderful.
Amy, the venue, the food...absolutely amazing. Amy was incredibly helpful throughout the entire process and the day of. Food was incredible and we received nothing but great compli...
ments from guests as well. Used the carousel for an hour and was a great hit. Naturally beautiful venue, wonderful people to work with and amazing food. Highly recommend.
We had an amazing experience at Shadowland. Amy was wonderful to work with and made sure our evening went smoothly. She had an answer to all of my ridiculous questions and always r...
esponded quickly! Our guests loved the venue and the added fun of getting to ride the carousel!
We have absolutely nothing bad to say about shadowland. From the very start we were impressed. Anything we wanted or needed they did their best to make it happen. We got so many co...
mpliments on the venue itself and the food! We can’t thank the staff at shadowland enough for making our reception one to remember for not only us but our guests too!
My husband and I just got married here in September of this year. The venue itself is nice while also not been too formal which was the vibe we were going for. The ballroom itself ...
has tons of natural light (a big selling point for me) and is very spacious. The doors that look onto the patio are beautiful and provide a good ambiance. The outside of the building does not have the best curb appeal when it is light outside (I think the Carousel kind of diminishes the look). However, when it is all lit up at night it is gorgeous from the outside!
Amy was the coordinator helping us with all of the wedding details at the venue. She was very helpful and responsive to my zillion and one questions. Luckily we were able to get into the venue to decorate the day before our wedding as there were no events scheduled for that evening. We did run into a small issue at that point. I had asked Amy prior to our wedding how to hang chinese lanterns from the ceiling in the sunset room and was told they had magnetic devices to hang these with. Great! However, upon arrival to the venue the day before our wedding it turned out they only had 13 of those magnetic devices.... I probably should have specified the number of lanterns I had but figured it would be inferred that we would hang more than 13 since the room is not small. After we discovered that issue, Amy was not terribly helpful in fixing the issue which I would have really appreciated. Instead my family members went to the hardware store and figured out how to make more of those devices ourselves (which we ended up leaving with the venue).
Other than that small issue, everything ran smoothly the day of and night of our wedding, largely in part due to our Wedding DJ, Drew Behringer, who was awesome and kept the night flowing. He is very familiar with this venue and I highly recommend him to anyone getting married at Shadowland if you want a worry free and fun night!
Everything was perfect! The staff was very helpful and professional. We worked with Amy and she made everything run very smoothly and kept us on track.
I am the mother of the bri...
de and took care of all of the details of planning the day and was very impressed with Amy.
The PERFECT venue for the perfect wedding! There was no doubt in our mind after meeting with Nicole and Amy that this was going to be our venue for the big day. We could not be hap...
pier with our decision! Our wedding planner, Amy, was a pro at making everything go off without a hitch the day of the wedding. They did a great job with the layout for both the wedding and the reception and everything looked beautiful. They were also very responsive and quick to reply when we had any questions or concerns! All in all, we were very pleased with our decision to have both our wedding and reception at the Shadowland Ballroom (and to have rented the carousel in between)!
The Ballroom was perfect for the number of guests that we had. Working with everyone at Shadowland was very stress free and everyone is on top of everything. The dinner was great. ...
I would recommend this venue to anybody.
Our wedding reception at the Shadowland Ballroom was a dream! Nicole and Amy were absolutely amazing. From the beginning stages of planning until the end, I, my husband, and both o...
ur moms wrote and called a million times with questions. Nicole and Amy always responded immediately. They were so kind, professional and easy to work with. The ballroom is bright & open and was the perfect space for our 200 guests. I also can't praise the food enough. A month after our wedding, guests are still complimenting us on the appetizers and main courses catered by Shadowland. We had our cake made and delivered by Bit of Swiss Bakery. It was also delicious. And we used an outside vendor for our chairs because I very badly wanted chiavari chairs. We spent a lot of time on the details of our reception. Together, everything looked great and the evening flowed extremely well. We have nothing but beautiful memories of our experience at Shadowland and will cherish them forever ♡
I would highly recommend the Shadowland Ballroom to anyone. Not only is the venue gorgeous and right by the lake, but the staff is great and they ensure everything is absolutely se...
amless for your big day. The ballroom is great size for a wedding under 300 with plenty of room to dance. Multiple guests told me it was the best wedding food they have ever had. Thank you Shadowland for making our wedding day amazing!!
Shadowland on Silver Beach was an amazing and beautiful place to hold our wedding reception. The food was amazing, many of our guests commented that the meal was the best they've e...
ver had at a wedding. We also rented the carousel which was a unique and fun way to treat guests. The wedding party had fun on it as well and I can't wait to get our pictures back capturing these moments. While I loved the venue and our wedding was beautiful, I felt the staff at Shadowland was less than helpful. While they did answer my questions before the date promptly, there were other things I was not too happy with. One of the reasons we had originally booked this venue was because a lot of the vendors worked with them and could be coordinated through Shadowland. Then, a few months out, we find out the chair cover business no longer works with Shadowland. This was disappointing because we were planning on using our credit towards chair covers. That made it so we could only use the credit towards a slideshow, uplighting, the boardwalk rental, or champagne toast (all things that were way more expensive than the original credit as well as unwanted by us). Things got stressful when I had to let the coordinator know the ages of guests attending (for drink purposes). Had I known she needed these exact numbers I would have done it while getting addresses and names together. It was not something I wanted to handle two weeks before our big day. I had to ask the wedding coordinator several times during the event to get things ready for the cake cutting, time was wasted while she chatted with the bartender. I was, however, impressed with how she wrapped things up at the end of the night, and she did do things like lower the lights throughout the night. Shadowland is a beautiful and perfect place to hold a wedding reception. However, you (the bride/groom) need to be extremely organized (as you would with any wedding I suppose).
Contact
333 Broad St., St Joseph, MI
Shadowland on Silver Beach