10 Best Chicago Wedding Venues for 150 Guests
As warmer temperatures are returning and vaccines are being distributed, we can look forward to hosting events again with 150+ guests. Look forward to celebrating again with all your friends and family! As an Event Planner in Chicago, and Miami I see a lot of venues with different styles, capacities, and vibes. Always choose the venue that makes you sing, but if you are stuck finding a venue that can hold 150 guests in Chicago, here is our personal Top 10 Best Chicago Wedding Venues for 150 Guests
1. The Joinery: 160 Guests
Details about the venue:
This venue is found in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago. It has beautiful natural light from the glass ceilings, which makes the space feel open, and is perfect for photos. The architectural features make this a fabulous venue to hang decor from the ceiling. An added bonus is the amazing upstairs speakeasy and airbnb! This venue easily comfortably hosts 160 seated guests, and can easily create any floor plan you desire.
Why we Love this Chicago venue:
The natural lighting really opens the space. It makes guests feel like they’re outside sometimes! The venue is also amazing at transforming the space into anything you want. It is a multipurpose space that allows you to hang decor from the ceiling, experiment with floor plans, and easily room flip from ceremony to reception. Plus there is a lovely outdoor terrace that is perfect for cocktail hour.
What you should know about this venue:
If you’re planning on staying outside late, keep in mind the patio must close by 10pm since this venue is in the residential area of Logan Square.
2. Greenhouse Loft: 175 Guests
Details about the venue:
This space is fully customizable with floor to ceiling windows. The venue is perfect for natural lighting and even catching the sunset. It has a backyard terrace that can be decked in fairy lights, and even an art gallery you can check out and rent! This venue is a perfect space to play with floor plans, and can easily hold 175 standing, and even hold 150 exactly for a seated dinner with a band!
Why we Love this Chicago venue:
Love this venue for all the natural lighting. It makes the venue feel open, crisp, and spacious. Plus, the windows have a view of the venue’s sky garden. A lovely backdrop to share your vows and mingle with your guests.
What you should know about this venue:
Because the windows are expansive you will have to be mindful of the time of day. Luckily there are blinds you can close to protect your guest’s eyes.
3. The Arbory: 175 Guests
Details about the venue:
This venue isn’t even technically open yet, and it’s already one of our favs. The space has rustic elements with the historical, exposed brick walls, but has modern features, and touches of greenery. It has furniture you can rent, an in house bar, and even has an in house DJ booth. This venue can easily hold up to 175 guests to celebrate any occasion.
Why we Love this Chicago venue:
The Arbory is adding custom murals throughout the venue to not only highlight the original architecture, but to help add personality to the space. Murals always make great backdrops to your special moments, and even adds texture to your photos. The colors of the murals match to the original brick, which make it seamlessly blend with the modern and original architecture.
What you should know about this venue:
As mentioned, this venue is not yet opened to the public but get ready for it’s opening in the Spring of 2021!
4. Ivy Room: 180 Guests
Details about the venue:
Found at Tree Studios, the Ivy Room feels like a hidden little gem in Chicago. It’s both a grand ballroom, and an intimate romantic garden in the middle of River North Chicago. The grand hallway can support 150 for a lovely banquet, and have enough space for dancing.
Why we Love this Chicago venue:
During the warmer temperatures in Chicago, the walls are covered in a green Ivy, and it is the perfect backdrop for photos, and for sharing vows.
What you should know about this venue:
Because this venue is in Chicago River North, your guests will have to use public parking. Something to keep in mind with your guests. We highly recommend going with valet if you have a large group from out of town who needs to park or shuttling your guests to the venue from your hotel. We also recommend working with a skilled event planner who understands how to navigate load in.
5. Room 1520: 150 Guests
Details about the venue:
Located in the West Loop, Room 1520 is an elegant white canvas. It is a restored historical loft building wit high ceilings, portrait windows, exposed brick and a large vintage white washed bar. The white walls, and the sparkling chandeliers make this venue a great, adaptable venue for any occasion! This venue also has a terrace with gorgeous views of the city skyline! A perfect backdrop to take photos with 150 of your closest family and friends!
Why we Love this Chicago venue:
The white interior allows the space to customize to your vision. You can leave as is, or add decor to the space to make the venue your own. For example, we had some clients make their own centerpiece to walk down the aisle to, which added even more color and personal touches to the space.
What you should know about this venue:
This venue has limited free street parking, so we recommend reserving the parking for guests that will really need it, or we also recommend using valet, a shuttle, or carpool.
6. Bridge410: 150 Guests
Details about the venue:
This venue allows you to say your vows right beside a historic bridge. Bridge 410 is located in the Brewery District of the West Loop, and used to be a Carriage House from the early 1900s. The venue keeps its vintage charm while balancing modern flair. The space even contains a private garden, and a loft space that are perfect for cocktail hours and games. This venue can hold up to you and your closest 150 guests.
Why we Love this Chicago venue:
There is a playful vibe from this venue. You can have food trucks, and they love the idea of having games and entertainment for you, and your guests. For example, you can add an interactive Bocce experience to your wedding! You can play bocce in the outdoor area and have someone assist the rules.
What you should know about this venue:
Just a heads up, the private backyard is not real grass but is instead turf. So if you are looking for a real grass garden, you will need to look in a different direction.
7. Kitchen/City View Loft: 150 Guests
Details about the venue:
This space is technically two venues, but the Kitchen and City View Loft work together like a dream team. The Kitchen is an exposed brick, multipurpose venue. A perfect place to hold your ceremony. Then hold your reception up in the City View Loft. An exposed brick rooftop room, with plenty of windows to catch the Chicago Skyline at night. Both places can hold up to 150.
Why we Love this Chicago venue:
The Kitchen is an amazing multipurpose venue, and an open space to try a different floor plan. For example, we had some clients do their ceremony in the round. The couple got married in the center of the venue, and their guests surrounded them. Sort of like a hug! The City View Loft is also a perfect backdrop for any Wedding, or Reception. The views of the skyline are gorgeous, and an amazing backdrop for your event.
What you should know about this venue:
Because they are two separate venues, it can mean you have to be flexible with your date to make sure you can book both spaces. Also means that another event could be happening at the same time as yours at the other location. It is also 100% fine to only want one of the venues and have a room flip.
8. Cheney Mansion: 175 Guests
Details about the venue:
This mansion was built in 1913 and is in the gorgeous Oak Park suburb 20 minutes outside of Chicago. The mansion sits on a stunning park which is part of the Oak Park District so it is gloriously well maintained. The park has lots of trees, a huge space where a tent can be placed, a green house and even an outdoor dance floor. This space can hold 150 guests comfortably inside, and hold even more outside.
Why we Love this Chicago venue:
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. The exterior might look like a brick house, but the inside is gorgeous. Inside the mansion are beautiful staircases, chandeliers, salons and a stunning fireplace. This venue includes white garden chairs and round tables as well as antique furniture and beautiful wedding suites to get ready in.
What you should know about this venue:
Because it is a mansion, some of the individual rooms are smaller, therefore, your guests will be divided into different rooms. If you wish everyone to be in the same space you can host the event outdoors with a larger guest count but it is required that you get a tent.
9. Loft on Lake: 200 Guests
Details about the venue:
This venue is located in the beautiful Fulton Market area. This exposed brick venue is a multipurpose, customizable, versatile venue. Perfect to incorporate a unique floor plan to your event. The architecture also allows for decor to be hung from the ceiling, which can transform the space to a dream venue. This venue can comfortably host 150 guests for a seated dinner and dance floor, and can hold closer to 200 for standing reception.
Why we Love this Chicago venue:
This venue has an in house photo booth you can rent, and also has in house photography and videography packages since one of the owners is a photographer. I am all about have memories of the big day, and having a photo booth is an adorable, fun way to record a guest book!
What you should know about this venue:
The private suite is less of of a room, and more a sectioned off area. The venue does a wonderful job at making it intimate, relaxing, separate from the main space, and functional with all the needed amenities, but the wall dividing the suite from the main room doesn’t connect to the ceiling. Understand that you might need to be a bit on the quiet side to not let anyone on the other side hear any possible secrets.
10. Penthouse Hyde Park: 200 GUests
Details about the venue:
The 1920’s meet the 2020’s at the Penthouse Hyde Park. This venue was originally the top-floor ballroom of the grand Piccadilly Theater & Hotel, and is now transformed into a modern, luxurious event venue. It has 20ft ceilings, and an outdoor terrace with views of the skyline and Lake Michigan; It’s the perfect area to host cocktails on a lovely evening. The Penthouse has a gorgeous interior, and a brick styled exterior. It’s like a hidden gem in the southern side of Chicago. This grand room can hold up to 200 guests for a cocktail styled celebration, and 150 seated with a dance floor.
Why we Love this Chicago venue:
The black and white flooring is such a statement piece to us! It screams luxury, and we’d love to do a styled shoot here someday. This venue found the perfect way to balance the glitz and glamor of the 1920’s but keep the clean, sleek, elegant feel of the modern era. There is also a two story private green/VIP apartment to get ready in, and do touch ups through out the day!!
What you should know about this venue:
They have a lovely terrace that can host receptions or cocktail styled gatherings. Something to keep in mind if you decide to host your ceremony on the terrace is it’s size. It’s got more length then width, so if you have a lot of guests and need a wider aisle due to attire, be cautious that guests placed near the back will have more trouble seeing everything up close.