When you’re planning a wedding and someone in your family uses a wheelchair, or you’re someone needs a quiet space to regroup, or you’re thinking about how your grandmother is going to get from the parking garage to the dance floor sometimes it’s helpful to know exactly what to expect.
We’ve created a resource to know exactly what to expect before you even tour the location as photographers and disability advocated.
We walked through The Ballroom at McKay Tower in downtown Grand Rapids with accessibility in mind while asking the questions our community actually needs answered. Here’s what we found. The good, the things to plan around, and the questions you’ll want to ask before you book or tour the space yourself.
Photo Credit: Kara Hanes Photography
About The Ballroom at McKay Tower
The Ballroom at McKay Tower is one of Grand Rapids’ most iconic event spaces, tucked inside a historic downtown building at 146 Monroe Center St NW. Think original marble walls, Doric columns, high-end finishes, and a timeless elegance that photographs beautifully. It holds up to 200 guests for a wedding, with an accessible configuration comfortably accommodating around 150.
The first floor is purely for arrivals. Guests enter, take the elevator up, and the entire event experience happens on the upper floors. Once you’re up there, the team is set up to support you. When we asked about accessibility accommodations, they were clear: no additional cost to make adjustments. That matters.
146 Monroe Center St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 ryevenues.com/ballroom-at-mckay
Pricing & packages: Get instant pricing here
Our Accessibility Rating
Before we dive in, we want to be clear about who we are and what this is. We are not the ADA police, inspectors, or accessibility auditors. We are photographers who are deeply passionate about the disability community and believe that every couple deserves to walk into a venue visit knowing what to expect rather than discovering it on their wedding day. These reviews are written from that place, with love and with the real questions our community has asked us over the years.
We score every venue across six categories that matter most to our community, each on a scale of 1 to 5. Here is how that scale works:
- A score of 5 means the venue fully meets or exceeds accessibility needs in that area. Barriers are minimal and the space works well for a wide range of disability types without requiring special arrangements.
- A score of 4 means the venue is strong in that area with only minor limitations. Most people’s needs will be met comfortably, with small things worth confirming in advance.
- A score of 3 means the venue partially meets needs but has some notable gaps. Whether it works for you depends on your specific situation and how much advance planning you’re willing to do.
- A score of 2 means there are significant barriers present. The venue may still work, but it will require real coordination with the venue team ahead of time and may not suit everyone.
- A score of 1 means major barriers exist across that area. We would not recommend this space for that particular need without significant accommodation in place.
For McKay Tower, the story is largely a positive one. The physical infrastructure is strong, the event floor is well set up for guests with disabilities, and the team’s willingness to customize at no extra cost pushed several categories higher than they might otherwise score. Where things dip is in areas that require more advance planning: parking logistics in a busy downtown setting, sensory retreat spaces that come with rental time considerations, and signage that relies on staff willingness rather than formal training. None of these are dealbreakers, but all of them are conversations worth having before your wedding day.
Mobility & Physical Access — 4 / 5
What we found: McKay Tower checks a lot of the boxes that matter most for physical access. There’s a ramp at entry, a working elevator for reaching the event floors, automated door openers, and wide 90cm doorways throughout. The path of travel is barrier-free, exits are clearly marked, and the ballroom has low-pile carpet, much friendlier for wheelchair and walker users than thick or uneven flooring.
The reception floor layout is long rather than wide, which means real distance to cover in the reception space. For guests who fatigue easily or use mobility aids, strategic seating placement makes a meaningful difference and the team can help you think through the floor plan with that in mind.
A note specifically for couples and wedding parties: The rooftop deck is not wheelchair accessible — worth noting if rooftop views are important to you for portrait time. The rooftop room itself is reachable by elevator and makes a beautiful getting-ready space, but accessing the roof requires stairs. Don’t let this deter you. Beautiful alternatives exist throughout the venue, but it’s a conversation worth having with both your venue coordinator and your photographer before you fall in love with the rooftop vision.
Score of 4 means: Strong physical access with minor limitations. Works well for most guest mobility needs. Important couple/wedding party consideration around rooftop access.
Ask the venue: What are the best alternative spaces for getting ready and wedding party portraits if the rooftop isn’t accessible for us? Can we walk through the full day timeline with accessibility in mind, from arrival through portraits to reception?
Parking & Drop-off — 3 / 5
What we found: Accessible parking is available nearby — the Pearl/Monroe Center parking structure is the primary option and includes a ramp. Parking is shared with the general public rather than reserved for venue guests, so availability on a busy downtown Saturday is worth factoring in.
This is a downtown venue, which takes a little more coordination than a private venue with its own lot. The upside: the surrounding area is familiar to most Grand Rapids locals, and the venue team knows the neighborhood well.
Score of 3 means: Accessible spaces exist but are shared and variable on peak days.
Ask the venue: Which parking structure do you recommend for guests with mobility needs? Is there a drop-off point close to the building entrance for guests who can’t walk far from the garage?
Restrooms — 4 / 5
What we found: Good news here. The first floor of McKay Tower is simply an arrival and elevator lobby. No event activity happens there. The reception space has accessible restrooms on the same floor as the event, with at least one stall large enough to accommodate a wheelchair. The dressing suite is also accessible for couples or wedding party members who need it. the bathroom is just located down the hall on this private level.
Score of 4 means: Accessible restrooms on the event floor; minor limitations for companion care.
Ask the venue: Is there a companion restroom or space for an attendant near the main event floor? What’s the plan if a guest needs quick restroom access but require a caretaker.
Photo Credit: Kara Hanes Photography
Sensory Considerations — 4 / 5
What we found: Lighting is one of McKay’s genuine strengths. With over 15 professional lighting settings, there’s real flexibility to create an ambiance that works for your guests. Dimmer, warmer, softer — rather than being locked into standard bright event lighting all evening. For guests with visual sensitivities or those who find harsh lighting difficult, this kind of control makes a real difference.
For guests who need a quieter moment away from the crowd, there are a few options worth knowing about. The 16th floor can serve as a calmer retreat space, and the first floor is also available if noise becomes an issue. These aren’t purpose-built sensory rooms, but having a designated “step away” space that couples can communicate to guests in advance is practical and genuinely useful. Keep in mind that access to the upper floors is tied to your rental time, so it’s worth discussing with the venue in advance how you’d like to use these spaces and for how long.
The ballroom itself has enhanced acoustics — something to be aware of for guests with auditory sensitivities, as a full reception does fill the space with sound.
Score of 4 means: Strong sensory flexibility with some advance planning needed.
Ask the venue: Can we designate specific floors as quiet retreat spaces and factor that into our rental time? How quickly can lighting settings be adjusted during the event if a guest is having a hard time?
Caregiver & Companion Needs — 4 / 5
What we found: The ballroom layout can be arranged to give wheelchair users comfortable room to navigate the reception. Lower cocktail table options are available, the satellite bar reduces how far guests need to travel for drinks, and both 5-foot round and 6–8-foot long table options give real flexibility for accessible seating configurations.
The dance floor is portable, meaning it can be positioned to maximize open circulation space for guests with mobility equipment rather than being fixed in place. And again — no additional cost for any of these adjustments.
Score of 4 means: Accommodates most caregiver and companion needs with some advance customization.
Ask the venue: Can we see a sample floor plan with wheelchair-accessible table spacing? Can the dance floor placement be adjusted to create more open space for guests using mobility aids?
Communication & Signage — 3 / 5
What we found: Signage covers the basics, though braille was uncertain at the time of our visit. The staff we interacted with were responsive and willing when we raised accessibility questions, and the no-extra-cost accommodations policy reflects genuine intent. For guests with visual impairments navigating a historic downtown building for the first time, some proactive orientation support from the couple or the venue team would go a long way.
Score of 3 means: Basic signage in place; staff willing to assist but may not be formally trained.
Ask the venue: Are braille signs present on key doors and restrooms? If we have a guest who is blind or has low vision, what can your team do to help orient them when they arrive?
Photo Credit: Kara Hanes Photography
Who Is This Venue Best Suited For in Accessibility?
For guests, The Ballroom at McKay Tower is a strong, welcoming choice. The event floor is well-set-up, restrooms are accessible and on the right level, lighting is flexible, and the team is genuinely willing to customize the layout — all at no extra cost.
For couples and wedding parties, the rooftop is the central question. It is a stunning space, beloved for getting ready, portraits, and those quiet before-the-ceremony moments. It is also not wheelchair accessible. If this affects you, your partner, or anyone standing beside you at the altar, have that conversation early — with the venue about alternatives, and with your photographer about how to capture equally meaningful moments in the spaces that are accessible to everyone. A great photographer will make it work beautifully.
Best suited for: Wheelchair-using guests · Mobility aid users · Larger wedding parties · Couples who want downtown elegance and lighting flexibility
Important for couples/wedding party to discuss: Rooftop access for getting ready and portraits · Multiple guests needing stair assistance · Companion restroom needs · Downtown parking on peak weekends
A Note from Hopelynd
We visited The Ballroom at McKay because we believe every couple deserves to walk into their wedding planning with real information, not vague assurances.
McKay Tower is a beautiful space with a team that showed genuine willingness to work with families who have specific needs. The rooftop is the one place where that willingness has a physical limit, and we want couples who are affected by that to know before they start picturing themselves up there, not after.
Ask the hard questions early. The right venue will meet you where you are. And the right photographer will make sure you’re never left out of the story.
If you’re planning a wedding and want a photographer who genuinely understands accessibility, who will prepare for your needs, ask the right questions, and make sure no one in your family is left out of the frame, we’d love to work with you.
If you are part of the disability community and have visited McKay Tower or any venue we have reviewed, we want to hear from you. Your firsthand experience is invaluable and helps us give future couples the most complete picture possible. Reach out to us at info@hopelynd.com
Thank you to Reyes Venues for providing us with a tour and for their openness in answering our questions.
