Wade’s Bayou – A public park that feels private

What's a Wade's Bayou?

Wade's Bayou is an adorable pint sized park of the shores of the Kalamazoo River, located in the heart of Douglas, MI.  Home to local kayakers, this neighborhood park features a small gazebo (in case of rain), nice grassy spaces, and a brand new pier.  It's convenient and free parking are an extra bonuses.

Why do we like Wade's Bayou?

We like it because it's easy to find, and there are no curbs so it's totally handicap/wheelchair accessible.  It's also got several photogenic spots, including one under a big old tree, that are great for ceremonies.  For those reasons, and more, Wade's Bayou is one of our favorite locations to use for small weddings and elopements.

Bring on the photos!

To give you an idea of what it looks like I've rounded up a few photos from recent weddings there.  When you arrive you're welcome to pick your own favorite spot.

A summertime Wade's Bayou Elopement

It's a short walk across the stone driveway at Wade's Bayou to the big old tree, at the far end of the park.  Julie & Bill picked a shady spot under that big tree for their ceremony.  It's about as close as you can gets to the waters edge, without being on the beach.  We find most people tend to prefer trees and water, to people in swim suits, to be in their wedding photos, So, this park has become one of the most popular choices for small weddings and elopements especially in good weather.

couple walking rom car to ceremony spot at wade's bayou
couple exchanging looks during elopement at wade's bayou
close up of couple during wedding with water in background at wade's bayou
Couple exchanging wedding rings during thier wade's bayou elopement
bride and groom about to kiss under the shade of trees and wade's bayou memorial park in Douglas MI
big old tree with newleyweds hugging under it
bride and groom kissing with water and trees in background

Wade's Bayou with Pets

O.M.G. I need to do entire blog series on these two and their pets! Our florist did the lab's wreath, and each little poochie got their own outfit, sunflower necklace,.  They were held for the entire ceremony because...are you ready for this!?! The little doggies were their ring bearers! It was so cute to see their rings tied on each little dog's adorned collar, it was tots adorbs!  This couple picked a grassy area near a bench that we'd use later for photos and signing their marriage license.  To protect their privacy, I'm not going to show you any close-ups but, here's a quick overview of the area.  There theme was blue and white, sunflowers are their favorite flower....cue the "awwwes"

a wade's bayou eleopment by the water's edge
a wade''s bayou lgbt wedding with dogs
LGBT couple's first married kiss in wade's bayou, rainbow weddings in the park
LGBT couple kissing on a park bench at wade's bayou memorial park

Wade's Bayou in April

Rob and Dougie got married at Wade's Bayou before heading off to celebrate in Dougie's hometown in Scotland, they recorded his Dad's speech and it was one of the best I've heard; such a warm and loving family; we were so luck to be a part of their special day! They'll get a blog all of their own, too, some day soon. But, in the meantime here are some shots from their wedding under the gazebo.

About their spot

It was a typical Scottish day, cold and rainy but, the gazebo provided just enough cover for us to stay dry.  Afterwards the couple ventured out in the sprinkles to get some photo's with their sweet dog, which give us this a nice look at the grassy area between the gazebo and the big tree, where the weddings above took place.  Notice how different the "big old tree" looks?   Can you see how close it is from the parking lot in the background of the family photos?   The green space in front of the cars is where many of the couple's photos were taken, and where the trees had blooming flowers.

wade's bayou memorial park gazebo
micro wedding package, where to elope in michigan, wades bayou simple wedding, lgbt wedding, men in kilts
couple getting married on a rainy day at wade's bayou
men share thier first married kiss at wade's bayou memorial park
men waklking their dog in the green space betwwen the gazebo and big tree at wade's bayou
the big tree at wade's bayou in April
rainbow weddings in April
gay couple eloping in the park, LGBT weddings Michigan

Please remember is the photos I'm showing you here aren't necessarily wedding photos you'd keep, they're here to show you what the different popular "wedding" areas of the park may look like in the background of your photos.  But, if you Google the park, don't be fooled by anything that looks like a sunset over this spot.  That's a a sunrise, and I don't get up before the sun rises.  If you want those gorgeous sunset shots, check out our beach wedding options.

What I can tell you is that Wade's Bayou Memorial Park is a cute little local park, that's easy to find, and free to park at; 3 of the hardest to find things in this area. It's also one of the only places to have a virtually private ceremony, near the water, especially during the summer.  It's also just a short walk to some great restaurants and wine bars.  Which makes it the perfect place for an afternoon small wedding or elopement in the park.

About Us

Dream Day Weddings is a boutique wedding planning company, based in Saugatuck MI.  We love cool, low drama, couples and take pride in catering to the LGBTQ+ community.   We offer wedding planning and all-inclusive wedding packages throughout Saugatuck, Douglas, and South Haven.

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