Chicago Wedding Reception Venues (Part 1)

 

Wedding Reception Venues are one of the first things an engaged couple will book. It is one of the most important decisions in giving your wedding the theme and feel you envisioned. We have assembled a list of all of the venues where we have photographed weddings and receptions. Each venue link will include pictures and give a brief description of the aesthetics.

 

 

Joliet Union Station Wedding

 
The Joliet Union Station, located in Joliet, IL, is both a functioning station and a timeless relic from past eras, making it an amazing venue for a wedding and reception. The talented Dan & Keri were married there last spring and we were totally impressed. The outdoor balcony provided plenty of space for plenty of friends and family to surround the bride and groom during the ceremony, and they were perfectly framed for the photos by the towering 24-foot windows.Inside, the Grand Ballroom set the scene for class and elegance, mixed with nostalgia and beauty. Crystal chandeliers reflected softly off marble floors, highlighting historic details of railway travel. Guests enjoyed a spacious area and dance floor, and there were even some nice alcoves for the extras like a bar or candy buffet.
 

 

Sand Creek Country Club

Abby and Bryan, old friends of Joshua Albanese Photography, were married at the Sand Creek Country Club in Chesterton, Indiana. Situated between downtown Chicago and the shores of Lake Michigan in the NWI corridor, it was the perfect place to host all of Abby and Bryan’s favorite people (and some of ours, too!) The country club features gently rolling hills, perfectly manicured lawns and lush landscaping, providing almost endless options for great backdrops. The Grand Ballroom comfortably held all of their guests while allowing plenty of room on the parquet dance floor. Windows lined the room, allowing lots of natural light to stream in and providing incredible views.But don’t let the country club descriptions fool you – this place turned into a neon nightclub once the dancing got started. Laser lights cut through the wispy clouds as the guests busted some crazy moves.

The Wyndham – Lisle

The Wyndham in Lisle/Chicago was the location for Rob and Patty’s wedding reception, and their team did a fantastic job!

The reception started with a cocktail hour in the space outside the Union Station Restaurant and there was plenty of room for guests to mingle and snack on the appetizers being passed around by staff while listening to the live band. The restaurant area provided some elevated platforms that we took advantage of for some overhead group photos. Dinner and dancing were held in the Savoy Grand Ballroom. Pink up-lighting bathed the room in a soft glow, accented by the chandeliers over the dance floor. All 250 guests fit easily in the ballroom with room to spare. The simple white linens and chair covers provided a calm backdrop for the elaborate manzanita branch centerpieces.
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Armour House

Hands down, the Armour House is absolutely one of Joshua Albanese Photography’s favorite places to photograph weddings. We had the opportunity to check this place out when shooting Brad and Sabrina’s wedding here last summer, and we kinda want to live there. The Armour House, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is located on the North Shore of Chicago at the Lake Forest Academy in Lake Forest, IL. The American Renaissance home, constructed in 1908, was home to J. Ogden Armour, heir to Chicago’s meatpacking district fortune and richest man in America (behind Rockefeller). Legend has it that J. Ogden Armour specially designed the grand staircase envisioning his daughter descending it on her wedding day. We’re not sure if she had the chance to do so, but it has provided a glorious entrance for a number of brides throughout the year, sealing it with good luck and best wishes.
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Renaissance North Shore

The Renaissance Hotel is a luxury hotel on the North Shore of Chicago and host to Mike and Jestene’s swanky Northbrook wedding reception. At nearly 200 guests, Mike and Jestene needed a moderately large space and the areas reserved for the cocktail hour and reception were very comfortable and spacious. The ballroom was filled with not one, but eight gorgeous crystal chandeliers, perfectly illuminating the happy celebration. The cream walls and ceiling didn’t compete with the purple up-lighting and provided a ‘soft box’ feel that was great for photography. The center of the ballroom featured a large parquet dance floor that practically begged guests to come out and take a spin.
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Avalon Manor

We had the pleasure of visiting the Avalon Manor in Merrillville, Indiana when we photographed Allison & Adam’s NWI wedding reception here. The Avalon Manor – the largest venue space in Lake County – provided the perfect space for Alison and Adam’s numerous family and friends to celebrate their union. The manzita branches in the lobby were strung with delicate crystals and tealights that softly illuminated the guest name cards. Inside the ballroom, guests were treated to a carnival-like atmosphere. One corner held the photobooth, while a candy table and ice-martini bar offered naughty and nice delights on the other side of the room. A travelling magician roamed the ballroom, impressing the guests with his sleight of hand.
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Byron Colby Barn

I didn’t believe Pleasantville actually existed until we showed up at the Byron Colby Barn in Grayslake to shoot Lauren and Nick’s wedding. It was the most adorable place for a wedding! Nick explained to us Prairie Crossing – the community surrounding the Barn – is a conservation community, focusing on development planning and healthy, happy lifestyles. It was the perfect location for Lauren and Nick’s wedding, which about more than just the marriage between the two of them – it was about family and unity. The Byron Colby Barn provided a number of different areas for different parts of the wedding day, and we started out with the ceremony and cocktail hour outside in the Pavilion adjacent to the Barn. The trees provided comfortable shade for guests and dappled sunlight lit the bride and groom as they exchanged vows.
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Sandy Pines Golf Club

The Sandy Pines Golf Club is a beautiful NWI wedding venue, and we’re so happy we got to visit this beautiful venue when photographing Ashley & Todd’s wedding! Located in DeMotte, Indiana, Sandy Pines features a stunning landscape of its namesake, native Pine Barrens. Fragrant flowers and dainty ponds add to the ambience, and the manicured lawns and gently sloping hills make for perfectly picturesque photography. Ashley and Todd exchanged vows in The Pavilion – a striking outdoor structure that resembles the ancient Greek and Roman amphitheaters. The stonework circling them together was dotted with trickling fountains, adding to the old-world feel.
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Willow Harbor Vineyard

We love road trips, especially to picturesque vineyards in Michigan during harvest season. Amanda and Mike must agree, because they held their wedding at the Willow Harbor Vineyard early last fall and it was spectacular! The intoxicating aroma of grapes filled the air as we arrived at the Vineyard, keeping the bees happily distracted. The Willow Harbor Vineyard is privately owned, and the cluster of buildings surrounded by fields of grapes felt intimate and comfortable. Amanda chose to do finish her preparations in Willow Harbor’s Brides Cottage, which was filled with girly antiques and a large, ornate mirror that was perfect for those last-minute dress adjustments. Amanda and Mike exchanged vows under a French pergola on the edge of the pond, surrounded by family and friends. After the ceremony, guests spread out between the two bars at the Polo Vineyard Pavilion and the Biscaya Patio Cigar Bar for the cocktail hour while we took advantage of the ripening grapes and evening sunlight.
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The Congress Plaza Hotel

We have to give kudos to The Congress Plaza Hotel as being one of the few downtown Chicago hotels who’s history and reputation make it an appropriate place to hold a downtown Chicago wedding reception following Manisha and Ron’s ceremony at Holy Name Cathedral. Located right on Michigan Avenue across from Grant Park, it’s one of the first landmarks visitors see when driving into the city along Lake Shore Drive. Manisha and Ron chose to hold their reception in the Gold Room at the Congress Plaza Hotel, providing us with another impressive space for awesome photography. Built in 1907, the Gold Room features Italian Renaissance architecture, including a vaulted ceiling that frames a beautiful ceiling mural. While guests were enjoying themselves in what some consider to be the grandest ballroom in America, we slipped over to the Florentine Room with Manisha and Ron for some bridal portraits. The Florentine Room resembles the Gold Room with the vaulted ceilings, but the walls in this room were a deep, rich mahogany, providing a more moody atmosphere. The wood floors, unchanged from when the Florentine Room served as a roller rink, gleamed in the soft light.
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Lynfred Winery

We’re so lucky we got to photograph Andrea and David’s DIY wedding, and not just because we’re kindred spirits. Andrea is a photographer herself, so she understands beautiful getting-ready photos and chose to do her wedding preparations at the gorgeous Lynfred Winery in Roselle, IL. When we arrived, we wound our way through the shops and tasting area, past the processing area, and up to the suite where Andrea we found Andrea and her bridesmaids enjoying some house wine and putting the final touches on their hair and makeup. The hallway outside of the suites featured a glass window in the floor that overlooked the fermentation tanks – very cool, but it had us wondering how many unwitting up-skirts the workers below had seen.
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Empress Banquets

We had the opportunity to visit the Empress Banquets when we photographed Andrea and David’s DIY wedding reception here. Located in Addison, IL, and serving the Chicagoland area, it has one of the best interiors we’ve seen in a traditional wedding reception venue. And despite the size (fitting up to 1000 guests), it gives off a charming and intimate vibe. The spacious foyer with the grand staircase and crystal chandeliers provided plenty of room for guests to mingle before picking up their place cards and heading into the ballroom for the reception. Inside, tables surrounded by Chivari chairs fanned out across the room and the paper lanterns mingled with sparkling crystal above. A particularly large and ornate chandelier shone over the granite dance floor, bouncing beams of light back up and over the cake. The wall sconces made it so that no up-lighting was necessary as they softly lit the perimeter of the ballroom.
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The Herrington Inn & Spa

The Herrington Inn and Spa, located in Geneva, IL (just north of Chicago), is a fantastic location for an upscale and intimate wedding. We photographed Jack and Katie’s lucky 11-11-11 ceremony and reception at this beautiful limestone building on the banks of the Fox River that got its start as the first dairy in the Geneva area. Katie and Jack chose to do their wedding day preparations at The Herrington, taking advantage of the large and luxurious suites that featured fireplaces and balconies overlooking the river. They exchanged vows in the Rock Springs Room, a space that had beautiful exposed brick that Katie chose to adorn with mason jars and tea lights, as well as wrought-iron balustrades and a full wall of windows so that guests could enjoy the view.
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County Line Orchard

County Line Orchard is one of our favorite places, period. Not only do we love photographing rustic barn weddings and winter wonderland weddings here, we also come for the donuts. Located in Hobart, IN, the Orchard is a hop, skip, and a jump from Joshua’s hometown and we have been coming for apples, pumpkins, and their famous donuts before we ever shot a wedding here. So we were, of course, super excited when both Jason & Mallory and Erin & Jim invited us to photograph their weddings here! Jason and Mallory chose to have both the ceremony and reception here and reserved the largest Central Section for their celebration. Their wedding was held in the fall, the perfect time to take advantage of the rolling countryside and colorful foliage. Jim and Erin exchanged vows just after the winter holidays when the red barn was covered in dusty snow and warm with love inside.
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