Gem Theatre

All-inclusive venue

The venue takes care of it all - food and beverage, rentals, the works!

Full wedding (ceremony and reception) pricing

Starting at $15,000

Packages

Prices start at $157

Guest capacity

Up to 250 seated guests

Offer from vendor

$10 Off 2026 Wedding Packages

$10 off per guest on any wedding package for all remaining 2026 dates, as well as January–April 2027.

About this venue

With dramatic character and storied history, the historic Gem Theatre is one of the most sought-after event venues in the city. Located in the heart of Downtown Detroit on Madison Avenue, the building features ornate Spanish & Art Deco architecture, warm dining rooms and an exquisitely landscaped garden patio.

Seated guest capacity

  • 50-250

Venue type

  • Ballrooms, Banquet Halls
  • Historic Estates, Mansions

Venue setting

  • Indoor
  • Outdoor
333 Madison St, Detroit, MI 48226

Our event spaces

The Gem Theatre

The heart of the building – perfect for both ceremonies and receptions

Ornate, splendid, and truly one-of-a-kind, the historic Gem Theatre offers an unparalleled opportunity for anyone looking to add an air of prestige to their next event. The traditional proscenium theater space spans 3,000 sq ft, with two levels of seating and gorgeous Spanish Revival design. With lavish detail at every turn, the theater acts as the perfect stage for those seeking a unique experience guaranteed to impress.

Guest capacity

Up to 150 Seated

Up to 250 Standing

Century Dining Room

The ideal location for a fireside sit-down dinner with bar access

Indulge your guests with a sumptuous feast and sophisticated ambience in the Century Dining Room. This generous, open space comfortably seats up to 250 guests for delicious, made-in-house meals from our catering team. While dining near the warm glow of its stone fireplace, guests will enjoy the convenience of an additional full-scale bar. This upscale setting elevates your event’s dining experience to the next level, second only the culinary delights of the food itself.

Guest capacity

Up to 250 Seated

Up to 250 Standing

Century Club

The hub of the complex, great for a cocktail reception, strolling appetizers, small dinner, or additional space for a larger event.

With its intimate and versatile lounge, Century Club offers the perfect setting for everything from romantic fireside cocktails to career-changing meetups. With high-top bar-style tables, comfortable couches, and full-length Pewabic Tile bar, the Century Club lounge offers a dynamic atmosphere where guests can meet and mingle.

Guest capacity

Up to 45 Seated

Up to 250 Standing

Century Theatre

An intimate theater space with perfect lighting for a ceremony or cocktail hour

Century Theatre, in its supporting role to the Gem’s main stage, ensures each guest has the best seat in the house. This impeccable and versatile space is equipped with its own stage, flex seating and integrated audio-visual capabilities, allowing clients to customize the look and feel of the space to precisely fit their vision. Expansive windows draw in natural light and offer the city as a splendid backdrop, creating an incomparable space for wedding ceremonies and business meetings alike.

Guest capacity

Up to 150 Seated

Up to 150 Standing

The Gem Theatre

The heart of the building – perfect for both ceremonies and receptions

Ornate, splendid, and truly one-of-a-kind, the historic Gem Theatre offers an unparalleled opportunity for anyone looking to add an air of prestige to their next event. The traditional proscenium theater space spans 3,000 sq ft, with two levels of seating and gorgeous Spanish Revival design. With lavish detail at every turn, the theater acts as the perfect stage for those seeking a unique experience guaranteed to impress.

Guest capacity

Up to 150 Seated

Up to 250 Standing

Century Dining Room

The ideal location for a fireside sit-down dinner with bar access

Indulge your guests with a sumptuous feast and sophisticated ambience in the Century Dining Room. This generous, open space comfortably seats up to 250 guests for delicious, made-in-house meals from our catering team. While dining near the warm glow of its stone fireplace, guests will enjoy the convenience of an additional full-scale bar. This upscale setting elevates your event’s dining experience to the next level, second only the culinary delights of the food itself.

Guest capacity

Up to 250 Seated

Up to 250 Standing

Century Club

The hub of the complex, great for a cocktail reception, strolling appetizers, small dinner, or additional space for a larger event.

With its intimate and versatile lounge, Century Club offers the perfect setting for everything from romantic fireside cocktails to career-changing meetups. With high-top bar-style tables, comfortable couches, and full-length Pewabic Tile bar, the Century Club lounge offers a dynamic atmosphere where guests can meet and mingle.

Guest capacity

Up to 45 Seated

Up to 250 Standing

Century Theatre

An intimate theater space with perfect lighting for a ceremony or cocktail hour

Century Theatre, in its supporting role to the Gem’s main stage, ensures each guest has the best seat in the house. This impeccable and versatile space is equipped with its own stage, flex seating and integrated audio-visual capabilities, allowing clients to customize the look and feel of the space to precisely fit their vision. Expansive windows draw in natural light and offer the city as a splendid backdrop, creating an incomparable space for wedding ceremonies and business meetings alike.

Guest capacity

Up to 150 Seated

Up to 150 Standing

Gem Theatre packages

THE MADISON PACKAGE

Peak pricing $157

Off-peak pricing $157

Description

Includes: Four Passed Appetizers; Salad Course; Entrée Course; 4.5 hours of premium bar service, champagne toast for head table, gourmet coffee & tea station, chiavari chairs, full length linen, napkins, door host, coat check (weather permitting), wedding suite, parking and cake service. Pre-event services include: floor plan, menu tasting, and a dedicated Event Manager.

THE GRAND PACKAGE

Peak pricing $167

Off-peak pricing $167

Description

Includes: Four Passed Appetizers; Salad Course; Entrée Course; Late Night Station; 4.5 hours of premium bar service, champagne toast for all guests, deluxe coffee & tea station, chiavari chairs, full length linen, napkins, door host, coat check (weather permitting), wedding suite, parking, and cake service. Pre-event services include: floor plan, menu tasting, and a dedicated Event Manager.

THE VERSAILLES PACKAGE

Peak pricing $209

Off-peak pricing $209

Description

Includes: Lamb Chop Station; Jumbo Shrimp Display; Four Passed Appetizers; Pasta Course; Salad Course; Entrée Course; Sorbet Course; Late Night Station; 4.5 hours of premium bar service, wine pour w/ dinner, champagne toast for all guests, deluxe coffee & tea station served w/ a fresh fruit display, chiavari chairs, full length linen, napkins, Pre-event services include: floor plan, menu tasting, and a dedicated Event Manager.

What’s included
  • Cake Service
  • Door Host
  • Coat Check Attendant (Weather Permitting)
  • Complimentary Parking
  • Wedding Suite

THE PARK AVENUE BUFFET

Peak pricing $163

Off-peak pricing $163

Description

Includes: Four Passed Appetizers; Choice of Salad; 3 Proteins; Pasta; Potatoes; Vegetables; Desserts; 4.5 hours of premium bar service, champagne toast for all guests, gourmet coffee & tea station, chiavari chairs, full length linen, napkins, door host, coat check (weather permitting), wedding suite, parking, and cake service. Pre-event services include: floor plan, menu tasting, and a dedicated Event Manager.

Available services that can be provided by Gem Theatre

Services & amenities

  • Bar services
  • Catering services
  • Clean up
  • Dance floor
  • Dressing room / Bridal Suite
  • Event coordinator
  • Event staff
  • Liability insurance
  • Lighting/Sound
  • Service staff
  • Set up
  • Wedding cake services
  • Wifi

Transportation & access

  • Self parking - free

Rentals

  • Sound / AV

Gem Theatre menu options

$157-209 per guest

Wedding Menus

    View menu

    Reviews

    Write a review
    Rating: 5.0

    5.0 out of 5

    5 reviews

    • GG

      Grace G.

      Rating: 5
      •May 11, 2026

      Gorgeous Venue with Amazing Staff!

      Where do I even begin?! The Gem Theatre is a dream wedding venue with incredible staff. The building itself is stunning, with gorgeous old Detroit architecture and lots of unique different rooms to enjoy the day. The food is AMAZING and there are so many options to choose from. The staff is phenomenal - from the touring to booking to the day of, every single person I worked with was kind, and extremely helpful and warm. Couldn’t have picked a better place to get married!

      Forbes Hospitality Sales Team Forbes•May 12, 2026

      Hello Grace - thank you for the glowing 5-star review of your wedding experience with the Gem Theatre! We're so glad to hear that everyone took such great care of you and your guests from start to finish and that you enjoyed the beautiful venue. Congratulations and thanks again for choosing the Gem to host your wedding!

    • AS

      Amanda S.

      Rating: 5
      •Jan 25, 2026

      Dream venue!

      The Gem Theatre was truly a dream come true for our wedding!! Julia was so easy to work with and we had so much fun at our tasting that we requested Ari and Kendrea to be at our wedding and they delivered AND exceeded expectations (as did the rest of the Gem crew)! Plus, a special shout out to Miranda, the Gem day-of venue coordinator who helped everything run so smoothly at the venue. If we did it all over again, we would absolutely still choose the Gem. Best day ever in the most beautiful venue ever!

      Forbes Hospitality Sales Team Forbes•Jan 26, 2026

      Hello Amanda, thank you so much for your review of your wedding experience at the Gem Theatre. We're so happy to hear that Julia, Ari, Kendra, Miranda and the rest of the team took such great care of you! Thanks again for choosing the Gem, congratulations!

    • HD

      Hannah D.

      Rating: 5
      •Sep 16, 2025

      Gem is THE place to be! Thank you Julia!

      The Gem Theatre was everything we dreamed of and more. The space itself is breathtaking and created such a unique, memorable backdrop for our celebration, but what truly set it apart was the staff. Julia was incredibly kind and attentive throughout the planning process—she answered every question we had (and there were many!) with patience and detail, which gave us so much peace of mind. On the day of, Miranda and Nathalie were amazing—calm, professional, and on top of every detail so we could focus on enjoying the moment. Our guests were blown away by the beauty of the venue and the seamless experience from start to finish. We’re so grateful we chose the Gem—it made our wedding feel truly special.

      Forbes Hospitality Sales Team Forbes•Sep 16, 2025

      Hello Hannah, thank you so much for your thorough and detailed review of your wedding experience with the Gem Theatre. We're so happy to hear that Julia, Nathalie and Miranda were so instrumental in executing your vision. Thanks again for choosing the Gem Theatre to celebrate!

    • SS

      Steve S.

      Rating: 5
      •Incentivized review
      •Sep 7, 2025

      Gem is the place

      Beautiful venue - classic very well preserved woodwork, stained glass and fixtures. The outside gardens are a great bonus to have for the event. They only book one event at a time so you have the run of the building. It is a downtown setting but parking is in the structure immediately next door and included at no additional charge for all the wedding guests. Food is all done in-house and is outstanding. The planning dinner we had as part of picking out the selections for the reception was a great night out. Staff was very helpful during planning and during the event. We had wedding and reception all on-site, plenty of space for prepping wedding party and for guests to hang out. No regrets of any kind- it all turned out as great as we could have expected. Written without AI - these are my actual and honest words.

      Forbes Hospitality Sales Team Forbes•Sep 9, 2025

      Hello Steve - thank you for taking the time to leave us such a glowing review of your experience with your wedding at the Gem Theatre. We're so happy to hear that you had such a great experience from start to finish with regard to all aspects of planning, interactions with the staff, and the culinary experience. Thank you!

    • RF

      Robyn F.

      Rating: 5
      •Sep 1, 2023

      No Complaints

      The Gem Theater was a dream! It was classic in every sense. The service was great from start to finish and we really could have asked for a more complete venue.

    Preferred vendors of Gem Theatre

    Cakes & desserts
    Aruba Freeze Nitrogen Ice Cream
    Farmington Hills, MI
    Starts at $560
    Planner
    K.Adam Events | Production and Design
    Rating: 5.0 (4 reviews)
    Bal Harbour, FL
    Starts at $2,500
    Quick responder
    Florist
    Flowers for Dreams
    Rating: 4.9 (9 reviews)
    Detroit, MI
    Starts at $500
    Videographer
    Bora Productions
    Rating: 5.0 (2 reviews)
    Adrian, MI
    Starts at $1,800

    More wedding services from Gem Theatre

    Quick responder
    Venue
    The Colony Club
    Rating: 4.9 (7 reviews)
    Detroit, MI
    Starts at $12,000

    Real couples who got married at Gem Theatre

    Show all photos
    May, June, July, August, September, October, and December.
    January, February, March, April and November.
    Parking and wheelchair access.
    Audio equipment, chairs, furniture, lighting, and tables.
    Once you have your date and venue picked out, your sales manager will create a contract and proposal. The contract confirms your event date, time frame, venue, minimum spend requirement, deposit schedule and general estimate. To lock in your event, we require the signed contract and proposal, along with a $5,000 deposit.
    We accept cash, check, card payments or ACH/wire transfers. Any card transaction is subject to a 3% processing fee added at the time of payment. Checks should be made out to either Twentieth Century Inc. (Gem Weddings) or Colony Club Entertainment (Colony Club Weddings). We can accept personal checks for all payments except the final payment which would require a certified check (cashiers check or money order). Any physical payments should be brought to the Gem Theatre Event Offices at 333 Madison Avenue.
    Since we have an amazing in-house catering team, we do not allow outside catering. You are able to bring in a wedding cake from a licensed bakery. Any food or beverage vendors such as a specialty late night station, dessert, cappuccino cart, etc. must be approved by your sales manager prior to contracting that vendor and may be subject to an outside vendor fee.
    Absolutely! We recommend asking during your RSVP process as you will need these details with your final count. Our Chef and his team will provide specialty meals for those guests in need as long as we know ahead of time. During the event, we will do our best to accommodate “on the spot” requests, but there will be delays to prepare something special so the more we know ahead of time, the more seamless dining experience for all guests. *Special Note: Our kitchen does not cook with any nut oils and all chicken and beef entrees are Halal
    Forbes Hospitality does not permit the packaging and removal of any food or beverage that is not consumed during the scheduled event, except wedding cake. If you’d like to take leftover cake home, please ask your bakery to provide a box as we do not have boxes on-site.
    No outside alcohol is allowed in any of our venues. This includes any alcohol the wedding party may have brought with them from the party bus or limo. Any outside alcohol brought in will be confiscated. Other policies: we do not serve shots. No alcohol can be brought in as favors.
    Forbes Hospitality does provide a preferred vendor list to all booked couples; however you are welcome to bring in your own vendors. Our list is highly recommended as it is a comprehensive list of vendors who are here quite often, who know our rules and how we operate, and can offer specific suggestions based on our venues. All vendors have access to the building up to three hours before the event start time.
    We do not allow outside dance floors to be brought in as they mark up and potentially ruin the existing hard wood floors. Dance floor adhesive wraps are also not permitted at either venue. We do not allow anything to be taped or adhered to the floors or walls.
    We do allow indoor sparkler machines that don’t use real flame, as well as the low lying fog (not a fog haze machine).
    Yes! We do allow candles as long as they are enclosed in glass and we try to limit candles to three per table, especially in the summer months. We do not allow real flame or glass to be set on the floor for a ceremony or reception.
    Nothing can be affixed to anything on property, including floors, walls, chandeliers, light fixtures or pillars. Any signage or flower walls must be free standing. Confetti, glitter, bubbles, loose petals and similar items are also prohibited. Remember, all décor must be removed within one hour after the conclusion of the event.
    Both venues include on-site parking at the garage located directly behind each venue. Gem Theatre weddings utilize the Gem Garage at 1901 Brush Street and Colony Club weddings utilize the Comerica Garage at 50 W. Montcalm. Guests will have a very short walk from the garage to the front doors of the venue. We do not allow valet at any venue.
    Yes, guests are able to leave their vehicles overnight as needed, however both garages are not secure overnight and it’s up to the guests own liability.
    We love dogs!! They’re more than welcome to attend or be part of the ceremony portion of the event. Ceremony only! No pets are permitted within the building during the cocktail hour or reception.
    We include 5.5 hours for a reception (includes cocktail hour), with an extra half hour if the ceremony is on-site. You’ll have access to the building, along with all vendors, at least three hours before the start time. You also have up to one hour after the event concludes to load out. The average start time for a ceremony or reception is typically within 5:00pm-6:00pm. Midnight is the absolute latest end time we can offer (except for New Years Eve weddings).
    That’s correct! The 4.5 hour bar is typically split between cocktail hour and the reception. It’s open for one hour for the cocktail hour, we’ll then close the bar to have guests move to their seats for dinner, and then proceed with some of the traditional reception formalities, such as wedding party introductions, cake cutting, speeches & toasts. On average the bar is closed for one hour and will then be open for the rest of the evening. The bar closure time can be flexible, but must close for at least a half hour in between.
    Yes! Both the Gem Theatre and Colony Club have updated HVAC units to keep the temperature controlled all year round. We will also provide a complimentary coat check attendant for any event that weather permits.
    60” round tables and a select amount of rectangle tables, along with Chiavari chairs are included with all weddings and events. We also include black or ivory floor length linen, as well as black or ivory napkins. Upgraded napkin colors are available to be added through your sales manager. Outside rental items, such as rental linens, tables, chairs, charger plates, etc. must be approved by the sales manager and delivered at least 48 hours before the day of the wedding.
    Yes! Both venues have guest elevators that reach each floor. There are no stairs required to enter the Colony Club front doors and the Gem Theatre has a designated entrance to accommodate any guest that may not be able to use the front stairs.
    While this is always something to consider looking into, we do not require liability or event insurance. Forbes Hospitality has their own insurance and there is a $500 security deposit added to each contract to cover incidentals. If not used, this security deposit will be refunded to you after the event.
    Ceremony rehearsals cannot be booked until 2-4 weeks out from the wedding and are subject to change based on our event calendar. Rehearsals will likely take place on the Wednesday or Thursday before your wedding as we typically are booked Friday through Sunday for private events. Rehearsals are scheduled for 1 hour and lead by your venue manager and officiant. A rehearsal at the venue is neither required nor necessary unless it’s helpful to the couple.
    A day of coordinator or wedding planner is not included or required. There is a venue manager that will be assigned to each couple the week of the wedding and will be the on-site contact throughout the wedding day. The venue manager will be able to assist with some setup items, like place cards, card box, guest book, etc. but will not setup any décor, centerpieces, photobooths, etc. Each couple is responsible for their setup or hiring a florist, decorator or day of coordinator to setup their specialty items.
    Please make sure you are certain before signing the contract – all deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable.
    At the Gem Theatre, you’ll have the building all to yourself whether you’re utilizing each of the spaces or not. At the Colony Club, we have two ballrooms on separate floors; the Grand Ballroom on the 3rd floor & mezzanine level, and the Petite Ballroom on the 4th floor. There is the likely possibility that there could be two events on the same day, however we will stagger the start times by at least an hour to avoid all guests entering at the same time. We do offer a building buyout option which would include both ballrooms and provides exclusive access.

    Explore other vendors serving Detroit, MI

    Complete your dream team

    Other venues in Detroit