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Best Wedding Venues In Chicago

Where Can I Have A Small Wedding In Illinois

Chicago’s Top 15 Wedding Venues

The suburbs of Chicago offer a stunning selection of locations to host a cozy or intimate wedding in Illinois. Community House Winnetka, a charming historic venue in the North Shore, is one of many suburban venues that works beautifully for smaller occasions.

For more inspiration for your small wedding celebration, discover some of our favorite micro weddings here.

Popular Wedding Venues In Chicago & Prices

Chicago has wedding venues for everyone. Before looking for a wedding venue, you and your fiancé should decide on the time of year you want to get married as well as a few ideas about theme. Not every wedding has a concrete theme like nautical or 1920s inspired, but it’s good to come up with a few ideas. This will likely help you find the best ceremony and reception venue for your special day. The most popular wedding venues in Chicago include: hotels, restaurants, country clubs, and mansions/manor houses.

If you and your fiancé have a more modern wedding style in mind, a hotel or country club would be an excellent fit. Their reception spaces can be molded to fit any wedding theme because they’re used for a number of different events. Hotels are a wonderful option for weddings with a large number of out-of-town guests. Weddings guests won’t need to travel far to the wedding venue, they’ll only need to go down a few floors. Country Clubs, as well as some hotels, also have the option for outdoor or open-air wedding locations while also having backup spaces in the case of inclement weather.

Maybe your wedding tastes, as a couple, are a little more historic. Mansions, chateaux, and manor houses are beautiful wedding venues that offer a variety of spaces for the perfect wedding experience. Not only will they wow your guests, these historic locations are sure to make a beautiful backdrop in all your wedding photos!

Small & Intimate Wedding Venues In Chicago

First up, small weddings at hotels. Many of Chicagos top hotels offer small ballrooms that have all of the trimmings of their larger spaces, including chandeliers, upgraded chairs and linens, and beautiful décor or the option of dividing the space for a more intimate experience. Here are just a few of our five star favorites.

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Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum

With the celestial trend taking over weddings, its no surprise that one of the best wedding venues in Chicago right now is the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum. The museum has up to 60,000 square feet of exhibits, which makes it a great pick for couples wanting a versatile and spacious venue. It also features a unique glass ceiling that provides a wow-worthy view of downtown Chicago. If youre looking for an event staff to help with seating arrangements or customizing menus, the museum even includes an experienced team to help take care of your big day. Whether youre hoping to host an intimate seated dinner or a large soiree, the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum will literally make you and your guests feel like they are celebrating in the sky.

Wedding Venues Near Me: Floating World Gallery

Best Small Wedding Venues In Chicago

The Floating World Gallery is an award-winning venue and an intimate, urban oasis surrounded by beautiful masterpieces of contemporary and classic art. Floating World features brick walls, high ceilings with exposed beams and piping as well as large floor-to-ceiling windows bathing the space in light. The loft accommodates up to 200 guests, offers a preferred vendor list, provides tables and chairs, and allows couples to store their decorations and floral arrangements the night before the wedding. The gallery is a virtual blank canvas, allowing each couple to custom design their wedding, whether it is traditional, exotic, or other wedding theme.

1925 N. Halsted Street, Chicago, IL, Phone: 312-587-7772

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Chicago Wedding Venues: City View Loft

The City View Loft is an excellent venue for couples who want to custom-design their weddings. The loft features 13-foot timber ceilings and an open concept floor plan. It is surrounded by glass windows that offer picturesque views of the Chicago cityscape. With brick walls, chestnut wood tables and furnishings, and a bar area surrounding a grand dance floor, it is ideal for accommodating up to 128 guests. During the day, the space is infused with natural light and by nightfall, delicate candles and the twinkling lights of the city provide a romantic ambiance. They have experienced staff and a preferred vendor list to assist with every aspect of the wedding.

324 N Leavitt Street, suite 200, Chicago, IL, Phone: 312-600-8439

Expert opinion: Where should I go this weekend for fun? FL, CA, Myrtle Beach, OR, New England weekend, Charlotte, Williamsburg, LA, PA

Best Chicago Wedding Venues

My pick of best Chicago wedding venues pack elegance, variety, and character into a relatively small geographic area. After photographing weddings in Chicago for over 11 years, I have quite the insider’s look at what makes this city such a great place to say, “I do . The lake, that skyline, those downtown vibes… Take a read and get dreaming. Where can you imagine your wedding?

If you already have a particular style in mind click on one of these 4 categories featured below to jump straight to it:

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What Type Of Affordable Venues Can I Book For My Wedding Reception

Honestly, any venue can be transformed into the ideal space of your dreams! The most popular and inexpensive wedding venues are restaurants, bars, warehouses, lofts, and gardens. But dont stop with those choices because spaces like art galleries, museums, or even zoos have more competitive prices. So they are definitely worth considering!

Best Wedding Venues In Chicago

Best Wedding Venues | Garfield Park Conservatory | Chicago, IL

The best wedding photographers want exactly what brides want on their wedding day : to capture the days events in such a way that admiring the images, even years later can transport you to the feelings, sentiments and even the hushed exchanges of the moment. Each local photographer has their own mini list of their best wedding venues in Chicago.

Of course, the right venue helps enormously. But whats the right venue? Brides often make the final decision based on a number of criteria, and consulting the photographer is a great option for their opinion through the lens.

In this spirit, here are the top 10 wedding venues in the Chicago area seven in the city and three in the suburbs . To be sure, this is an eclectic but dynamic list and it reflects the spirit of the brides captured by Michael Novo Photography.

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Macys The Walnut Room

With history and hospitality, the Walnut Room is an exquisite space for weddings and private events. The eminent restaurant and venue is located in the heart of the city and offers classic elegance to any event. Wedding packages include the option of three elegant spaces, customized menus, and original cocktails that are sure to leave an impression on your guests. Learn more here.

Indoor Wedding Venues Near Me: Palmer House Hilton

Palmer House Hilton is for the couple that dreams big and loves a good love story. Palmer House was actually a wedding gift in 1870 from Potter Palmer to his bride, Bertha Honoré. To date, the wedding venue has hosted over 9,000 weddings and is a favorite among Chicagoans. It features seven lavish ballrooms that can accommodate intimate weddings of as few as 80 guests to large affairs of over 1,000 guests. The Palmer House wedding coordinators will guide couples every step of the way, and the catering team, one of Chicago’s finest, will dazzle guests with the perfect hors d’ oeuvres, plated dinner, or wedding buffet.

17 East Monroe Street, Chicago, IL, Phone: 312-917-1707

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Big Wedding Venues That Work For Small Weddings

SURPRISE! Small weddings aren’t just for small venues. Many of the most popular Chicago wedding venues work beautifully for small gatherings.

If you’ve always wanted to have your wedding at one of these venues but thought your wedding was too small, think again! While we recommend hiring a pro to help you maximize your mini wedding here are a few tips and tricks for hosting a small wedding in a big venue.

Revel Motor Row was built in 1936 and previously home to the Illinois Automobile Club and the Chicago Defender building. It has been meticulously restored and modern amenities added to make it a landmark wedding venue. Revel Motor Row provides an impressive backdrop for any vision.

The building surrounds a central courtyard which, depending on your small wedding size, could host your whole event from ceremony to send off. The smaller rooms allow for your guests to transition from space to space throughout the wedding. The large ballroom, that once was the club swimming pool, is versatile.

Art Institute Of Chicago

Best Wedding Venues in the Chicago Loop

One of the best museums in the country, the Art Institute of Chicago is an art lovers dream small wedding venue. With a myriad of special event spaces ranging from traditional to modern, the museum offers endless options for your nuptials.

Classic spaces, such as the Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room, add instant vintage glamour to your celebration, while the Modern Wings sleek, elegant design acts as a blank canvas awaiting the creation of your masterpiece event. A private viewing of the permanent collection or special exhibitions can be added to create a truly extraordinary experience.

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Top Wedding Venues In Chicago In 2022

When planning your wedding, its important to choose a wedding reception venue that will suit the type of event that you are planning to have. You will want to consider the size, style, and amenities the venue offers. You should also consider whether you would like an indoor or outdoor wedding.

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a wedding venue is your budget. Wedding venues in Chicago can be very expensive, so you need to make sure you are able to afford the venue of your choice. Also, you need to think about the size of your wedding. The size of the venue will need to accommodate the number of guests you are inviting.

These are just a few things to consider when finding wedding venues. In this list, we have reviewed and compared some of the best wedding venues in Chicago so that you can make an informed decision on which one is best for your special day.

Currently, here are the best wedding reception venues.so, lets get started.

Lake Shore At Loyola University

Located on the well-maintained campus of a prestigious, private university, Lake Shore is a beautiful budget venue that will allow you to get the most bang for your buck.

Whether you are planning an elegant indoor event or an open, outdoor ceremony, the entire Lake Shore campus is yours to plan the wedding of your dreams.

Couples will find a gorgeous lakeside mansion with a wide range of exquisite views to highlight their special day. Between the traditional exterior architecture and the various modern interior spaces, this venue has every style you need to bring your vision to life.

If you need any more convincing, Lake Shore has several perks to enhance your overall experience in their space. At this site, you will be treated to minute-by-minute guidance from a day-of coordinator, complete access to the venues kitchen area, and dedicated service from the highly-trained events team.

Price: $2,500+.

Find Lake Shore at Lake Shore or check out or .

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Best Wedding Venues Chicago Suburbs

1551 Thoreau Drive, Schaumburg

The best wedding venues arent strictly in the city. Located only 26 miles from downtown Chicago, and with easy access to major expressways, Renaissance Schaumburg offers the space you would expect in a sprawling suburban hotel. Plus, nearby forest preserves offer a venue for pictures that cannot be duplicated in the city.

The Renaissance lives up to its lofty name with indoor and outdoor options, a suspended bridge and a cascading double staircase that can make any bride feel like a queen.

166 Symphony Way, Elgin

Its pronounced hate, but couples actually find much to love at the former storage-transport company site. Namely, they can enjoy cocktails downstairs and then sprawl out for dinner and dancing upstairs and on custom-built farm tables that pay homage to the buildings history.

Elgin, too, is a short drive from downtown Chicago, and The Haight is such a standout among wedding venues that its worth the trip.

3223 Algonquin Road, Rolling Meadows

When its a touch of European glamour you want on your wedding day, its glamour you get at La Mirage. This venue specializes in East Coast-style weddings, in which there is no formal dinner hour. Instead, cold appetizers are spread out on long tables. As the dancing begins and continues, the tables are reset with more food items until its time to cut the cake.

Before you go, check out our recent interview on Wedding Venture!

Museum Of Contemporary Art

Best Winter Wedding Video filmed at Drake Hotel Chicago / 312FILM videography

The Museum of Contemporary Art is such a fun and unique venue. Not only is the location perfect and the space beautiful , but your guests also have the opportunity to view some fabulous works of art at the same time. Couples can hold their wedding outside on the back terrace or inside of the museum itself. Below are photos of Christina & Jimmys wedding featured on Martha Stewart. Photos by Olivia Leigh Photographie.

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Unique Wedding Venues Near Chicago Illinois

If youre looking for a unique wedding venue near Chicago Illinois you are in the right place. We have compiled a comprehensive list of the most unique wedding venues near Chicago IL.

Not only are these wedding venues unique, but they are also some of the best wedding venues near Chicago, IL. We have poured through hundreds of reviews for each wedding venue listed and weve only included the best. You will find the Instagram profile, website and review links for each unique wedding venue listed. You will also find a few photos from some amazingly talented Chicago wedding photographers. You can click on their full venue blog links below each gallery to see more photos of each wedding venue near Chicago Illinois.

Salvage Ones Hidden Courtyard

Salvage One offers two completely unique wedding areas. A restored 60,000 square foot Chicago warehouse offers an extraordinary vintage space. Exposed brick walls and large windows surround an eclectic mix of furniture and chic wooden floors swamped in natural light. The real romance, however, is found outside in the hidden courtyard where a cultivated arch is found within walls of ivy. A combination of reclaimed rustic aesthetic and verdant accents creates a space that looks like an ensuing battle of historic infrastructure and blossoming nature. Tall walls ensure privacy and paved pathways promise charm but trailing ivy and the wooden pergola provide the focal point of a picturesque and romantic fairytale hideaway.

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Bridgeport Art Center Skyline Lofts + The Sculpture Garden

The Bridgeport Art Center is a premier wedding venue in Chicago. Whether your wedding is hosted in the Skyline Loft space with sweeping skyline views, or in their beautiful ground floor Sculpture Garden event space, you will find its one of Chicagos most incredible + unique wedding venues that has A LOT to offer!

See some of our favorite Bridgeport Art Center weddings.

Are You Planning At Wedding At One Of These Chicago Suburb Wedding Venues

Best Chicago Wedding Venues With A View

As a Chicagoland resident for over 10 years, Ive seen the very best this metropolitan area has to offer, and after documenting 100+ love stories downtown and in the suburbs, it would be my honor to tell the next chapter of your love story, too. Reach out today for my very best availability as 2022 and 2023 dates are extremely limited.

Joshua Harrison is a fine art wedding photographer serving Chicago, IL and destinations worldwide.

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Book Your Chicago Wedding Venue Today

Youve found your dream wedding venue in Chicagoso whats next? Reach out to the venues wedding or event specialist to request personalized pricing information or request a quote through the venues website . Once youve selected an available date and reviewed the contract details, most venues will require couples to put down a deposit of up to 50%, with the remainder due a few weeks before the wedding date. Make sure to budget accordingly, or work out a payment plan directly with your venue.

Events At Independence Grove

Libertyville, IL

Located in the northern Suburbs of Chicago, the wedding venue at Events at Indepedence Grove is nestled within an 1,100+ acre forest preserve, so youll be completely surrounded by natural views and secluded from the hustle and bustle of city life. Event options include the fully-enclosed Audubon Hall, the covered North Bay Pavillion, as well as The Native Garden, Millennia Plaza, and the Beach for open-air ceremonies. Depending on your chosen ceremony and reception location, Events at Independence Grove can host from 250 to 500 guests.

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The Chicago History Museum

Surrounded by the greenery of Lincoln Park and only feet away from Lake Michigan, the Chicago History Museum offers some of the most incredible options for your Wedding Ceremony + Reception! Imagine getting married and mingling with your guests in their outdoor plaza , and dancing the night away on their black + white tiled floor in their Chicago Ballroom! This venue offers it all, and is one we absolutely adore!

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