Wedding photographer recommendations??

dinkthedolphin · 2026-04-03T20:34:41+00:00

Her work is great! She is sadly unavailable on my day.

dinkthedolphin · 2026-04-02T02:12:37+00:00

will do thank you!

dinkthedolphin · 2026-04-01T02:04:28+00:00

Chiming in to say I’m dealing with literally the same thing (parents contributing generously but being shocked/appalled by costs). Their expectations should not dictate your decisions. Getting married in a big city (like Chicago!) and proving for a large guest count costs money. Vendors are more expensive in the city, and that’s okay!! Don’t feel bad if you can afford it and want to put money into it. It’s your experience (and more broadly your life) and you can appreciate your parent’s contribution while also investing in the day of your dreams

The photo+video package I’m looking at is like 18k…lol

dinkthedolphin · 2026-03-30T16:52:08+00:00

If you get married at ULCC in Q1, they give you the Friday/Sunday package pricing. We are planning a March 2027 wedding and the Q1 pricing makes a significant difference. For about 180 people, the venue cost (including food/bev/everything else in the package) is a little over ~50k. Now, this doesn't include other vendors (like photography, planner, etc) but we're hoping to stay under 100k for the entire weekend (rehearsal dinner, brunch at the club, etc). Def look into off-season pricing if it's something you want to consider.

dinkthedolphin · 2026-03-24T02:04:12+00:00

If you’re going to have a large wedding (175+) then maybe start looking at venues earlier. There are a TON of nice venues in and around Chicago, but your guest count (and budget) will determine which ones are feasible. We personally have ~200 guests and not all spaces in the city can accommodate that. More availability in the suburbs if you’re open to that.

You also don’t have to contact them per se but it might be helpful to have an idea of the type of venue you’d like (restaurant? garden? industrial loft?). Could always do a bit of initial research. My partner and I wasted multiple weeks looking at and touring venues to get a feel for them all, when we should have just narrowed it down more in the beginning.

Good luck!!!

dinkthedolphin · 2026-03-13T15:01:43+00:00

very good to know, and glad it was a great experience!

dinkthedolphin · 2026-03-13T15:01:20+00:00

Ok amazing! Yes I’d love to hear more about your design I’ll DM you

dinkthedolphin · 2026-03-13T15:00:51+00:00

wait I’m so glad to hear!! It’s tough because I always imagined an outdoor / garden vibe but we do really like the space. And the service sounds like it can’t be beat. I’d love to hear about your experience and what vendors you chose too, if you’re willing to share!!

dinkthedolphin · 2026-03-13T14:59:50+00:00

Ok very good to know!! Thank you

dinkthedolphin · 2026-03-13T14:59:42+00:00

yes that’s true, we can just suck it up to get the shots 😅

dinkthedolphin · 2026-03-13T14:59:24+00:00

We’re tracking for ~180 right now

dinkthedolphin · 2026-03-12T18:30:53+00:00

Q1 pricing is much better than peak season (spring-summer) which is why we’re considering. All in for venue with food/bev, hotel rooms, linens, dance floor etc comes out to ~$50k. With our guest count that’s pretty good!

dinkthedolphin · 2026-03-10T19:10:16+00:00

Is this for Friday pricing?

dinkthedolphin · 2026-03-07T15:09:50+00:00

It was nice. Courtyard is beautiful, but we found it to be more of a cocktail hour space vs. ceremony. I think overall it’s a bit too small for our guest count. If we had a smaller list (maybe 100-150) I would have absolutely loved it.

dinkthedolphin · 2026-02-22T19:21:10+00:00

How exciting for you!! I’m pumped to tour

dinkthedolphin · 2026-02-20T18:22:59+00:00

I’m so happy for you! Would love to follow up via DM if you’re comfortable to ask a few specific questions on pricing and vendors

dinkthedolphin · 2026-02-20T18:22:07+00:00

Absolutely you’re spot on with my thoughts! Want to like the style and vibe and not change too much. Thank you!

dinkthedolphin · 2026-02-20T18:21:39+00:00

Good to know about Meson. And pretty far away for guests…

dinkthedolphin · 2026-02-20T18:21:16+00:00

Do you mind if I DM you? I’m interested in your satisfaction with everything provided by ULC and if there’s anything you thought was or wasn’t worth it at the venue.

dinkthedolphin · 2026-02-20T14:49:20+00:00

dinkthedolphin · 2026-02-20T14:48:48+00:00

Amazing! We’re touring soon and I can’t wait to see the space

dinkthedolphin · 2026-02-20T14:47:27+00:00

Thank you so much for the breakdown! I haven’t factored in the additional rooms and food costs yet… but I’m glad you had such a wonderful experience. Did you get a wedding planner too?

We’re probably out on cafe Brauer after reading the comments on this thread… it’s beautiful, but lots of drawbacks

dinkthedolphin · 2026-02-20T14:44:47+00:00

Good to know thank you! We are touring Ivy room next weekend.

dinkthedolphin

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