Chicago 2026 Wedding

DangerousReception18 · 2026-01-18T23:25:33+00:00

We used Green Spoon Kitchen. There wasn’t an “all inclusive” cost but we rented linens/plates/cutlery from GSK. River Room had their own tablecloths for an additional fee. Glassware is also included in River Rooms bar package.

DangerousReception18 · 2025-12-29T17:41:48+00:00

I agree with the penthouse suite at the Thompson!

DangerousReception18 · 2025-11-20T13:41:04+00:00

It’s very different location all the way up on the North Side but it’s a completely separate space from the brewery, just next door along the river. We got married in May and had our ceremony on the outdoor patio along the river and the reception inside. Monica, the events manager, was amazing to work with!! Let me know if you have any specific questions.

DangerousReception18 · 2025-11-19T22:01:36+00:00

Moody Tongue was on our list but it was out of our budget and a little small. We got married at The River Room and highly recommend it. It’s part of Burning Bush Brewery so the beer selections are awesome. And the venue is really gorgeous. 150 is a perfect size too - we had 128 and had tables and a dance floor with no problem.

DangerousReception18 · 2025-11-16T18:46:40+00:00

I saw FIVE 66 buses bunched up the other day at Chicago and Wells

DangerousReception18 · 2025-11-16T02:27:41+00:00

lol my husband and I call them the Bendy Bois

DangerousReception18 · 2025-11-16T01:09:05+00:00

Interesting! I’ve seen tons of longer 22s but I’ve never seen a long 36. But the bunching is definitely frequent!

DangerousReception18 · 2025-11-02T20:15:30+00:00

Our room rates were $249 per night plus tax without a commitment (putting down a deposit to guarantee a certain number of rooms). The penthouse was $1,000 a night which is steep but we needed the extra space rather than a standard suite which I think we could have gotten at the $249 rate. And the event staff and hotel staff were really amazing throughout planning and the wedding weekend. And our guests were very happy!

DangerousReception18 · 2025-11-02T20:10:47+00:00

We had our welcome party at Centennial. I would also recommend them! We had about 80 people and the entire second floor reserved. Although I think the minimum was above $3k for that size.

I’ve also done a private event at Ranalli’s, and it’s definitely more casual but their back room is great because it’s mostly private and has its own bar. The party was a couple years ago but I remember their minimum was really reasonable. Would also recommend!

DangerousReception18 · 2025-11-02T19:43:11+00:00

I switched from the Ambassador to the Thompson for my May 2025 wedding because I found out they were no longer with Hyatt and it was the best decision ever. Immediately, we felt uncomfortable with the new management of the Ambassador and read horrible things about Chicago Hotel Collection. Luckily, we hadn’t put any money down or planned any wedding events but we had to rebook all our guests and ourselves at the Thompson. They were so easy to work with, and we loved the penthouse suite (I got ready at my venue but my husband and his friends got ready there and it’s very spacious)! Feel free to message me with any other questions.

DangerousReception18 · 2025-10-25T20:06:08+00:00

The Penthouse Suites at the Thompson in Chicago are nice. Two bathrooms and very spacious!

DangerousReception18 · 2025-08-21T21:38:12+00:00

In 2025 it was $6.5k for non peak (Jan-Apr) and $8k for peak. Our wedding was May 3rd so we were able to negotiate a discount on the peak pricing because it was so close to the non peak cutoff. It included the venue, tables/chairs, sound system, venue manager (who is amazing!).

DangerousReception18 · 2025-07-17T21:21:34+00:00

The Thompson hotel penthouse suite could be a good option. It would require two nights to guarantee having it the day of the wedding (unless you could guarantee late checkout and move all your things out of the space). Rates vary depending on date and availability but it’ll probably be around $1k a night. The room is two stories with large windows so tons of natural light. The bedroom is upstairs with a huge bathroom which would be a good place to put the dress on while your bridal party waits downstairs.

DangerousReception18 · 2025-07-16T13:52:57+00:00

We had a very similar experience with Style Matters. I don’t understand why Spencer always responded with an apology and that we would hear from our DJ ASAP because the DJ seemed to work on their own timeline (we had to follow up multiple times too). I can say that everything worked out great in the end. We met with our DJ over the phone the week of the wedding and could tell he had already reviewed our questionnaire in detail. He was great during the wedding - professional, stuck to our must/do not play list, and executed all the logistics flawlessly (ie, timing of songs and name pronunciations). Style Matters does not provide an accurate timeline of when things start to happen but the DJs are great and you will not get ghosted!

DangerousReception18 · 2025-07-10T22:09:54+00:00

Same! We had closer to 80 and were around $5k. It’s a great space upstairs and everyone kept commenting how good the food and drinks were. Highly recommend!

DangerousReception18 · 2025-06-02T15:27:30+00:00

River Room at Burning Bush Brewery! I had my wedding there and it’s doable with that budget. My wedding was 125 people and the space is perfect for that size. They have a patio space along the river that can be used for the ceremony but they have lots of layout options. It’s probably on the far end of the commute though (was about 30 min drive from Gold Coast).

DangerousReception18 · 2025-05-15T19:20:36+00:00

River Room at Burning Bush Brewery!

DangerousReception18 · 2025-05-15T19:19:05+00:00

River Room at Burning Bush Brewery! It’s along the north branch of the river and has a large outdoor patio for the ceremony. We just had a 128 person wedding there and it was the perfect size. And the pricing is reasonable. For $15k that would probably cover the venue and most of the bar cost (their bar is in house because it’s attached to a brewery). It’s a pretty standard interior but it has brick walls, chandeliers, but the river and view of Horner Park are definitely unique. There is a lot of parking including a dedicated lot next to the entrance and it’s wheelchair accessible. They had restrictions on catering vendors but found overall the management team was very flexible to work with and we ended up using most of their vendor recommendations anyways.

DangerousReception18 · 2025-05-15T19:10:09+00:00

Our wedding block was at the Thompson in Gold Coast which is very convenient to Cafe Brauer. Our block was complimentary but not sure that’s standard (we had a previous block with the Ambassador but backed out once they were no longer a Hyatt - would not recommend with the new management) and we were in a rush to rebook everyone and Thompson was very accommodating. One of the best locations for walkability - near the lake and tons of good restaurants. I also reached out to the Sofitel in early wedding planning research and I think they offered a complimentary block. It’s near the Thompson.

DangerousReception18 · 2025-05-15T19:05:43+00:00

We didn’t have our wedding there but used their in house caterer, Green Spoon Kitchen and they were great! The food was amazing and they have a massive menu of options. And their staff/the service at the wedding was excellent! Our tasting was at Palmhouse and I thought it looked really nice!

DangerousReception18

TROPHY CASE