5 Spectacular Venues to Host Your Dream Chicago Wedding Day!
The bustling city of Chicago is a unique, diverse place to host a dream wedding. From luxurious restaurants to unique courtyard event spaces to all-inclusive wedding venues, Chicago is full of wonderful event spaces. Maybe almost too many. But a few favorites of mine, Salvatore’s Chicago, Chicago Illuminating Company, Chez, The Ivy Room, and Rockwell on the River, are all stunning wedding venues conveniently located nearby downtown Chicago. Hidden throughout this amazing city are gems you would never know about. Unless you attended a wedding there, of course. But how do you find your dream Chicago wedding venue and sort through all of the options? Hopefully, this list can help you plan your dream Chicago wedding!
5 Spectacular Chicago Wedding Venues
Salvatore’s Chicago
525 W Arlington Pl
Chicago, IL 60614
This classic Chicago wedding and event venue is tucked away on a quiet, tree-lined street in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. Salvatore’s combines a romantic atmosphere, classic elegance, as well as a wealth of space to make this charming venue a perfect location for the wedding of a lifetime. The venue’s beautiful patio and garden give couples a stunning backdrop for a memorable event. Couples and their guests are guaranteed to receive outstanding service and exceptional Italian cuisine in an elegant and comfortable environment.
Couples will get access to skilled event coordinators who help personalize and create a wonderful wedding experience for everyone. With the coordinator’s creativity, organization, and expertise in culinary excellence, couples, and their guests can feel like guests at their own event.
Wedding packages include a five-hour venue rental, premium bar service, custom butler-passed hors d’oeuvres, a champagne toast, a three-course dinner, desserts, coffee and tea, a dance floor, candles, and table numbers. Salvatore’s also provides a sound system for cocktails, dinner music, and microphones for speeches.
Chicago Illuminating Company
2110 S Wabash Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
Chicago Illuminating Company is a unique indoor/outdoor event space in Chicago. This elegant event venue can host 50-300 guests, and includes a bridal suite, event planning services, set up, and clean up. Both indoor spaces and covered outdoor spaces are available for use for weddings.
The glass tent-covered outdoor area features brick flooring, brick accents, hanging string lights, lush greenery, and lots of natural light. Elegant drapery and romantic string lights create a gorgeous outdoor space for an evening reception under the stars. Curtains can also be closed on the sides of the tent to create a more secluded area. The ample indoor event space features stunning chandeliers, glass shelves, bright and airy lighting, and plenty of room to create a wonderful wedding ceremony tailored to any couple’s unique design preferences.
Chez Wedding Venue
247 E Ontario
Second Floor
Chicago, IL 60611
Chez is a premier Chicago wedding venue where any couple’s wedding day vision can come to life. This unrivaled wedding venue is exclusively located in downtown Chicago, just two blocks from Michigan Avenue and nearby the Lakefront, the Loop, River North, and the Gold Coast. With many beautiful hotels nearby, couples and their guests can enjoy the fantastic sights of downtown Chicago long after the wedding is over. But being nestled right in the heart of the city, guests can enjoy the area’s surrounding attractions.
This stunning Chicago wedding venue can easily be transformed into a wedding customized for any couple. White brick walls and columns surround a contemporary glass staircase. Creating a unique wedding space with the optimal balance of classic elegance and modern amenities. Rentals include mirage ghost chairs, rectangular tables, round tables, and pedestal tables, as well as access to a coat room, private suite with powder room, a mezzanine level, and designer restrooms. The venue includes a custom glass staircase, a dimmable track lighting system, and a contemporary glass chandelier at the entrance. Temperature controls are available. Pricing varies by day of the week and time of year. Chez’s events team helps connect couples with the best vendors that Chicago has to offer.
Chez features stunning contemporary lighting. The venue features dimmable LED track lighting on the ceiling and LED lighting beneath the glass staircase. There is also a gorgeous glass chandelier at the venue’s entrance.
The venue rental fee includes the use of the venue’s 5,000 square feet of loft space and mezzanine level, 7 hours of event time, and pre-event and post-event cleaning services. The main event space can host up to 180 guests. However, couples are required to choose from the venue’s list of preferred vendors for catering services. Chez catering partners provide all styles of cuisine at various price points. There is a private suite on the mezzanine level, which includes a powder room, full-length mirror, and makeup counter. Both valet and public parking options are available.
Ivy Room Chicago Wedding Venue
12 East Ohio Street
Chicago, IL 60611
The Ivy Room in Chicago is a gorgeous, full-service wedding venue located in a historic courtyard right in the heart of Chicago’s River North neighborhood. This venue features a rich history of artistic elegance. The Ivy Room offers many spaces and layout options. Thus making it fully customizable to each couple’s vision for their big day. Without a doubt, their professional event planning team and culinary experts make The Ivy Room a place to host unforgettable events right in Chicago.
The Ivy Room’s ambiance is one of elegance and simplicity. This is a full-service venue, meaning nearly everything is provided by The Ivy Room to create a beautiful wedding and reception. The building’s classic design elements act as the perfect blank slate for any wedding vision. Additionally, this venue is tucked away in the heart of River North and has flexible floor plans and an onsite events team ready to design the wedding of your dreams.
The Courtyard can host the ceremony, cocktail hour, or reception, and the Ballroom can also host the ceremony or reception (160-200 guests). The Lower Level Lounge can also be used for the reception. The Ballroom’s windows offer picturesque views of the courtyard’s garden, making this an excellent space for a grand event. Rental fees include a bridal suite, tables, chairs, china, set up and clean up, flatware, glassware, linens, and event planning services.
Rockwell on the River
3057 N Rockwell Street
Chicago, IL 60618
Rockwell on the River consists of 20,000 square feet of event space and is a versatile venue for weddings of all types. This venue is an ever-evolving, unique space for gatherings and celebrations. The grounds include an industrial-scale craft coffee roastery, distillery, breweries, farm-to-table restaurants, a riverfront marina, boat docks, a concept kitchen, and an event space. Just 15 minutes from downtown Chicago, Rockwell on the River is a premier location to host a wedding.
This unique complex on the river is like no other event space in the area. Above all, it offers a dynamic experience for couples and their guests. With its central city location and easy access from the freeway or waterway, Rockwell on the River is a fantastic wedding venue in the Chicago area. Architectural details like the lofted double-bow truss ceiling, the black locust end-grain flooring, as well as the interior that overlooks the North Branch of the Chicago River make this venue one-of-a-kind.
The venue features exposed brick walls, skylights, a dimmable lighting system, dedicated WiFi, an onsite catering kitchen, and custom draping. The main space is 16,000 square feet, and the outdoor space is 3,000 square feet and can host 500 or more guests.
One of the things a large Chicago wedding usually requires is a kitchen for food prep. This venue provides the caterers with a 1,300-square-foot kitchen designed specifically for caterers. It features easy access to the space for service and is open to whoever you bring in to cater to your dream day. You can even rely on a loading dock for loading and unloading decorations or catering.
The venue also consists of a Distillery, Roastery, Brewery, and Marina, all connected by Italian cobblestones.
Rental fees are for a 6-hour event plus 6 hours of setting up and tear down. In addition, wedding packages include tables, chairs, bars, adjustable draping, and day-of event staff.
Chicago Wedding
There are so many incredible venues scattered all over Chicago. But each of them is as unique as you and your wedding will be. From restaurants, courtyards, historic buildings, and unique art and event spaces, Chicago is full of diverse venues to host the wedding of your dreams. But with amazing views of the city and river, close proximity to the city’s many attractions and hotels, and diverse amenities and architectural styles, these five Chicago wedding venues offer couples beautiful spaces to create a custom vision for their special day.
So are you ready for more Chicago wedding content? Then check out the blog links below for more venues! In addition, even more in-depth information on some of the above venues. If you want more featured weddings, then head to my wedding photography portfolio. There you will also find more beautiful venues and details to draw inspiration. But before you go, be sure to start the conversation about your dream Chicago wedding photos!
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