10 Best Chicago Wedding Venues
One thing about us as a wedding vendor is that we see all kinds of wedding venues, and we know which ones are the coolest and easiest to work with. When we provide day-of coordination for our couples, we get to know the ins and outs of so many wedding venues in Chicago that we keep close to our chest. Now though, we thought it would be great to really let you know which Chicago wedding venues are absolutely ones you should look at when searching for your wedding venue in the city.
Photo: Lilly Photography
Salvage One is truly one of our favorite spots for weddings because of how unique and fun the space is. You can have your ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all in one building which we love, but you don’t have to do any room flips which is great that you can move from space to space with ease! Salvage One is a by-day antique shop that uses their antique tables for your guests which really give an intimate-dinner vibe and the disco ball above the dance floor will bring the party for you. We love that the space has an outdoor cocktail patio if the weather is nice too! Salvage One can accommodate up to 250 guests which is perfect for your larger weddings to still have a wedding venue that is really cool and has so much personality. There is usually some street parking in the area which of course is nice for your guests that drive in and we absolutely love the wedding suite upstairs where you can store your personal items. Everything about this space is beautiful and intriguing, so if you want a space that is extra special to have your wedding, Salvage One is definitely at the top of our list of places you should check out!
Photo: Fox + Ivory
2. The Arbory
The Arbory is the perfect, loft-style wedding venue space and it has the best personal touches that we adore. The brick walls, string lights, and skylights for natural light make the space so home-y and cozy, and the extra perks like the option photo booth, disco ball, or other add-ons can really make the space that much more special. We especially love all of the plant features - the plant wall they have when you enter, the black wall with hanging plants in the dinner space, and the plant mural near the lounge area that is great for photos too! The ceremony and cocktail hour would be in one side of the room if you want to have everything in one place, and then dinner is on the other all set and ready to go for you when you want to get the night started! Then, the ceremony space will flip to be the dance area so there is still space to sit and chat in the dining room away from the loud music so all of your guests can enjoy your wedding how they please. You can host up to 180 guests and there are so many beautiful things about the space - including the street parking on the nearby blocks. Another extra nice thing about The Arbory is the wedding suite is pulled away enough that your personal belongings will feel safe and you have somewhere to store anything you need! The Arbory is definitely one of the most beautiful venues in Chicago and we definitely think you should check it out for your Chicago wedding!
Photo: Courtney Fitzpatrick Photo + Film
3. Lacuna Lofts
Lacuna Lofts is amazing as a wedding venue and it’s truly one of our favorite spaces. They have two different event spaces that are in entirely different parts of the venue so you never have to fear with multiple weddings happening at the same time, and you also have options for a “smaller” wedding with La Galleria hosting up to 150 guests and a larger wedding in Reverie Gallery being able to host up to 350 guests. What really draws couples into Lacuna Lofts is the beautiful brick, the eclectic murals throughout the space, and the amazing SkyDeck rooftop that you can view the city skyline from for your ceremony or cocktail hour. You absolutely have to look at how beautiful this rooftop is - it is absolutely one of the most stunning ceremony spaces to really showcase the city! Both venues in the space each have their own private wedding suite that you can leave your personal belongings in and they also have an in-house catering team that is spectacular at what they do - you are ensured to have an amazing experience for your food, drinks, and service! We highly recommend checking out Lacuna Lofts for your wedding day in Chicago!
Photo: The Indi Collective
4. Artifact Events
Artifact Events is top notch at hosting stunning wedding days and the venue really speaks for itself. There are four different spaces that you can host your wedding in this space with the guest capacity spanning from 200-250 depending on the room you are looking to use. One of our favorite parts of the space is definitely the Courtyard for a gorgeous, outdoor ceremony behind these amazing bricks and pillars that makes you feel like you’re in Europe! The spaces are large enough that you can spread out your ceremony, cocktail hour, and your reception from each other to make sure that your guests are having the best experience possible - the North and South buildings are both beautiful and sure to make your guests swoon! Artifact Events has a wedding suite in each space to ensure that you are able to put your personal items somewhere and they have plenty of free parking. They have a large list of caterers to choose from to make sure you are getting exactly the experience that you love and we definitely love them too! It’s definitely a space that makes your jaw drop when you see it and we absolutely recommend checking them out if you’re looking to get married in Chicago.
Photo: Fox + Ivory
5. LM Studio
LM Studio is truly the hidden gem in the downtown, Chicago area that you need to check out. They have multiple floors to be able to host your ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all in the same building while the room flip is happening so none of your guests have to be a part of that. The floor-to-ceiling windows is a perfect spot for your ceremony overlooking Grant Park and the beautiful Lake Michigan. It’s also nice and close to these places for your photos - you can get a variety of backgrounds such as the nature in the park or the lake or the cityscapes with the buildings surround the area. There is a massive getting-ready space too where you could do your hair and makeup and leave your personal belongings all day! LM Studio is so modern and classy, but still has some personality that we adore with the floral mural and the gold accents throughout the space. You can have up to 130 guests and it is sure to make them excited to celebrate you in such a lovely venue. We highly recommend looking into LM Studio if you want to have your Chicago wedding in the heart of the city!
Photo: Fox + Ivory
6. Galleria Marchetti
Galleria Marchetti provides a level of service that is truly unmatched. There are two beautiful and unique spaces that you can host your wedding at either The Pavilion that includes the outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour patio at Il Cortile for up to 200 guests, the actual Pavilion that hosts up to 400 guests which is the tented space that has beautiful tile floors, floor to ceiling windows, and draping throughout the space, and the Montecatini Room that has a beautiful Tuscan feeling, or Le Pergola that hosts up to 150 guests includes the actual Pergola with the glass-encased space and icy walls that is absolutely stunning and the Lucca Room which wraps in the Italian-wedding vibe perfectly. Galleria Marchetti has private wedding suite spaces too to store your personal items as needed which we know our couples really appreciate, but what really stands out the most is the amazing service you get with the venue managers and the service staff. Truly one of the fastest dinners that we have had with a wedding guest count above 200 people was at this space and the food was delicious too! We think that the space speaks for itself, but EVERYTHING about Galleria Marchetti is worth checking out if you are thinking of having your wedding in Chicago.
Photo: Cailynn Wolfgang Photography
7. Greenhouse Loft
Greenhouse Loft surely is a venue that shines in our minds when we think of a perfectly-modern space for your wedding day. We know that the clean lines, white interior and light wood floors, and floor-to-ceiling windows are sure to be the modern couples’ dream wedding venue. There are so many additional perks that come with this space too that really make it special - there are parking spots, an outdoor patio for your ceremony and/or cocktail hour, an art gallery to make the room flip simple if your ceremony is inside, white chairs and warm, rectangular wooden tables, a classic photo booth with printed photo strips, and a spacious wedding suite to put your personal belongings. Frankly, there are so many wonderful things about Greenhouse Loft - and our two favorite additional features that are like no other venues: there is an in-house DJ company so you don’t have to look around for anyone since they are AMAZING at bringing the party, and they also offer in-house graphic design with their projectors that you can use for a unique welcome photo and seating chart, so you don’t have to purchase those things yourself! This beautiful space can hold up to 175 guests and we think that it is definitely a gem in the city. You can also bring in any catering you wish, which is great to be able to accommodate any budget, culture, and diet! You will not regret checking our Greenhouse Loft for your wedding if you appreciate natural lighting and a modern experience!
Photo: Bozena Voykto Photography
8. WildmanBT
WildmanBT truly is a dream venue for those who are looking to have a large wedding with a beautiful loft-style space. It feels like it’s pulled away from the hustle and bustle of the city life, so this makes it a lot easier for your guests to find and much quieter overall. They can hold up to 300 guests for a ceremony and 400 for a reception and they are absolutely amazing at a room flip! Their main, blue curtain that divides the space is truly iconic and a pop of color that the guests really love. There is a space upstairs to store your personal items which is nice to also decompress with your love after your ceremony privately together with some drinks and appetizers. They have lots of street parking available as well as a parking garage that we really appreciate for the larger weddings! WildmanBT has some of the most unique lighting fixtures that we have ever seen and we love that it is such a staple in their space. They also have the opportunity to use their giant projector for special things like a welcome image, seating chart, or after party information - the opportunities are endless! The staff is a dream to work with and we adore their attention to detail and their calm demeanor. They are super accommodating and they are so friendly - this alone makes it a wonderful venue to check out! We highly recommend heading over to WildmanBT because it’s beauty is clear and you are sure to have a smooth, wonderful wedding day if you host it here!
Photo: AJ ABelman Photography
9. Columbus Park Refectory
Columbus Park Refectory is such a special hidden gem in the city. It is a Chicago Park District building, which means that it’s significantly less expensive than your average Chicago venue, but it has so many city perks that we are absolutely here for! The venue is inside of a public park, which means that your photos in the surrounding area are guaranteed to be lovely with all of the greenery and stone paths in the back. They have a large variety of caterers to choose from too so you can have any kind of event - no matter the cost or style! You can host up to 180 guests for your whole event in the entire space! Your ceremony or cocktail hour can also be outdoors, even with bad weather, because of the covered pavilion. We love the teal-colored window muntins that are throughout the entire space for some color and personality - and the “dining hall” that has the black and white, checkered mosaic tile is sure to get your guests excited to dance! What’s very unique about this space is that you can have dinner and dancing in two separate rooms, which is nice for your guests that like to have conversations they can actually hear away from the dance floor. The energy in this space is bound to be great though with the vibe that Columbus Park Refectory has to offer and it’s guaranteed to give your guests a good time! There is a huge parking lot attached to their golf course right next to the building for your guests, and it’s pulled away from the city enough that it’s not difficult to navigate thankfully. We adore Columbus Park Refectory for the beauty of the building and the surrounding area and we absolutely recommend you check it out for your wedding too.
Photo: The Indi Collective
10. Tortoise Supper Club
Tortoise Supper Club truly hosts one of the most iconic spaces for your wedding venue if you’re looking for a jazzy, restaurant vibe for your day. They have so many in-house perks and vendors to help you out with the day - the food is absolutely spectacular, their jazz bands you can hire are incredible, and their staff are lovely to work with. You can have up to 130 guests with your whole wedding day here from your ceremony to the last song of the night. Their large bar space perfect for cocktail hour and your room flip happens in the blink of an eye behind the curtains. The moody, romantic vibe at Tortoise Supper Club is a perfect setting for your wedding - they also have a “red room” that is perfect for some flash photos or dinner too. It’s in the heart of the city, so there are plenty of places you can have your photos and it’s truly walking distance from multiple hotels which makes it super convenient. We definitely think it’s a space worth looking into if you’re looking for a restaurant-style wedding!
If you’re looking for more help with finding the perfect venue or vendors, or really just want to make sure the wedding day you plan goes smoothly, reach out to us at our contact page. We would love to coordinate your dream wedding day!
