Looking to book a chic and unique venue for your upcoming nuptials? Setting the tone for a successful soirée starts with selecting the right venue for your big day. Check out our list of some of Chicagoland’s newest and most notable venues for a wedding tailor-made to match your wedding style.
Modern, Edgy and Industrial
1. The Geraghty
The Geraghty, the 25,000-square-foot “venue of possibilities” is the brainchild of Tom Kehoe, president and chief eventeur of Kehoe Designs, one of the most sought-after event design firms in Chicago. An open space with a clean palate that can be transformed to match any style, the venue accommodates up to 1,000, yet is easily resized for intimate events as small as 75. And with 32 unique residential-style powder room stalls, your guests will never have to wait in a line for the loo. Located just west of downtown off of I-55, The Geraghty is conveniently located for guests coming from every direction, city or suburbs. 2520 S. Hoyne Ave., Chicago, 312-967-2520
2. Morgan Manufacturing
A former electric company founded in 1855, Morgan Manufacturing is an exciting new event space located in the Fulton Market area close to downtown and River North featuring three levels of industrial space accommodating 100–500 seated guests. From a rooftop atrium to mezzanine with built-in bar to sunlit first-floor production/timber room, the venue offers many amenities for creative entertaining, including rectangular hardwood dining tables and an eclectic mix of dining chairs and lounge furniture. 401 N. Morgan St., Chicago, 312-763-3317
3. Revel Downtown
Represented by The Revel Group, a full-service event design agency with several event locations throughout the city, Revel Downtown is one of the most popular wedding spaces in the group’s portfolio. Housed in a 1920s-era building, this urban industrial private event space has the ability to hold wedding ceremonies or cocktail receptions in the upstairs loft area and dinner and dancing below on the main level. With an in-house team of event planners, floral designers, and vendor partners such as Limelight Catering, Revel offers a one-stop-shop approach to wedding planning. 440 W. Randolph St., Chicago, 773-486-9010
Architectural and Artistic
4. The Langham Hotel
With gorgeous views overlooking the Chicago River and city skyline, the elegant Langham Chicago is a storybook grand hotel cradled within an architecturally significant skyscraper designed by Mies van der Rohe. Lavish wedding receptions hosting 150–300 guests are held in the Langham’s Devonshire and Cambridge Ballrooms, which offer panoramic city views, British sophistication and style and a world-class culinary team that will customize exquisite gastronomic menus to fit even the most refined palate. The hotel also boasts spacious, contemporary rooms and an award-winning wellness spa. 330 N. Wabash Ave., Chicago, 312-923-7020
5. Chez
Glide down an elegant glass staircase before heading down the aisle in this urban yet elegant loft space. Originally designed as a bakery in 1917 by architects Marshall and Fox, best known for the Drake and Blackstone Hotel, “Chez Paree” was once a well-known speakeasy then a classic supper club, hosting some of the biggest names in entertainment. Now know as “Chez” (and still run by its original owner), the room dazzles in brilliant white with airy draping over its 17-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, white-washed brick walls and polished concrete floors, giving it an ethereal glow for weddings of up to 200 guests. 247 E. Ontario St., Chicago, 312-255-0288
Vintage Glamour
6. Chicago Athletic Association Hotel
A club-like atmosphere without the members-only snobbery of yesteryear, hipster couples will rejoice in this beautifully renovated former private athletic club and hotel. An impressive staircase leads to a cozy yet hopping lobby lounge adjacent to a massive game and billiards room and bar. Millennials will feel right at home in this establishment featuring five eating and drinking establishments including Cindy’s, a groovy rooftop terrace; Milk Room, a coffee bar by day that transforms to a speakeasy-style craft cocktail bar by night; and even the popular chain, Shake Shack. Weddings of 150–250 guests can be hosted in one of three unique ballrooms with windows overlooking Michigan Avenue. The White City Ballroom features Carrera marble floors and windows overlooking Millennium Park and Lake Michigan. 12 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, 312-940-3552
7. Deer Path Inn
Something old now new again, this historic 85-year-old English Tudor-style inn and retreat just received a well-deserved extreme makeover, closing its doors for a year for a complete “down to the studs” renovation of its guestrooms, public spaces and Windsor ballroom. To the delight of generations of North Shore loyalists, the grand inn will reopen its 15th-century English doors in early 2016, accepting reservations for weddings beginning in March 2016. A calming, neutral palette was carefully chosen for the ballroom, which features warm espresso wood beams overhead and rich wood flooring covered by sumptuous woolen rugs in grays, blues and celery green. Deer Path’s magical outdoor courtyard is also a beautiful option for ceremonies or cocktails during warm-weather months. 255 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest, 847-234-2280
Natural, Boho-Style or Rustic Chic
8. DC Estate Winery
Take your guests to Tuscany without leaving the state. Surrounded by the quiet cornfields of northern Illinois near Beloit, the privately owned DC Estate Winery is perfect for couples looking to exchange vows in a serene rural setting surrounded by fields of vineyards. The three-season facility opened in early 2015 and is available for weddings May–October. A day-of wedding planner is included to ensure all goes smoothly, but couples may use a planner of their choice. Ceremonies are held outdoors in a designated garden area, and an antique 1930s pick-up provides a charming backdrop for photos. 8877 Stateline Road, South Beloit, 815-871-5667
9. The Ivy Room at Tree Studios
Lettuce Entertain You recently acquired the Ivy Room, a uniquely hidden European-style oasis in the heart of River North. The newly refreshed facility features a picturesque view overlooking a luscious green courtyard perfect for outdoor ceremonies or cocktails and holds 150–200 guests seated with a dance floor. Seasonal menus are custom-designed by resident Chef Chris Evangelides using locally sourced ingredients. 12 E. Ohio St., Chicago, 312-645-7760
Classic, Elegant and Traditional
10. The Estate by Gene & Georgetti
The Estate by Gene & Georgetti brings the internationally award-winning culinary traditions, quality aged meats and polished service from its iconic Chicago steakhouse, Gene & Georgetti, to a carefully designed modern yet classic private dining space conveniently located near O’Hare airport. Tapping the talents of leaders in the wedding industry including event design firm Erin McDonald Lifestyle, the sprawling 5,000-square-foot space was created with a contemporary black and white palette, which coordinates perfectly with any wedding style, color or trend. 9421 W. Higgins Road, Rosemont, 847-653-3333
11. The Four Seasons Hotel
A Chicago class act and top of the list for many North Shore families, The Four Seasons Hotel still reigns supreme when it comes to the finest service, award-winning cuisine and extravagant ballroom spaces designed with the discerning bride and groom in mind. Once the hotel’s fine-dining room, the newly renovated Lakeview Ballroom is perfect for intimate affairs for up to 130 with a dance floor, and views overlooking North Michigan Avenue make it ideal for rehearsal dinners or morning-after brunches. For bourbon-loving couples, the Bourbon Bar is the latest addition to the hotel’s banquet beverage offerings with a unique selection of bourbons whimsically displayed on rustic bourbon barrels with light-up signs. 120 E. Delaware Place, Chicago, 312-280-8800
In need of a little something extra to gift the newlywed or newly engaged couple in your life? Go for these Vintage Mr & Mrs Forks from BlackSheep General Store, $20
