10 Best Chicago Wedding Venues for 300+ guests
As more vaccines are being distributed, we can look forward to hosting events again with large guest invites. 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 300 guests in Chicago, here is our personal Top 10 Best Chicago Wedding Venues for 300 Guests.
The Old Post Office-800
Details about the venue:
The Old Post Office is a newer venue in the Chicago wedding and event scene. The Art Deco details and insanely high ceilings make this venue an architectural dream in Chicago’s downtown loop. This historic landmark has marble for days and gold accents and a hidden botanical garden rooftop! There are several breakout spaces on the venues second floor with cozy lounges and stunning bars. Some even have bars and game rooms.This venue would be able to comfortably fit 300 party guests, and still leave tons of room for a dance floor!
Why we love this Chicago venue:
There are so many combinations of floor plans you can have for your event at this space. The variety makes planning an event here extremely exciting and individually you! The urban rooftop has stunning views of the Willis Tower and pretty native Chicago flowers to make for a truly unique experience! Even the smaller breakout rooms have such personality, for any intimate gathering, or cocktail hang out.
What you should know about this venue:
Parking and load in is very very tricky at this venue. 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 at a historic building downtown!
PalmHouse-450
Details about the venue:
This venue just opened up in March! It’s a brand new venue in the Chicago event and wedding market! The space has high wooden ceilings, and plenty of window space to allow natural lighting into the space. The touches of blue on the wall give the space color, and personality. There are even two fully stocked bars, which will allow your 300+ guests plenty of opportunities to have fun cocktails, or mocktails throughout the night.
Why we Love this Chicago venue:
We always love a venue with so much space to customize, and decorate. There is so much potential for fun floor plans. This venue is also Woman, and Queer owned!
What you should know about this venue:
The Parking lot for large groups is located at the Howard Street Station, so we recommend telling guests to take public transportation or carpool. That being said, the venue does offer shuttle services from the parking lot to the venue.
Ignite Glass Studios-350
Details about the venue:
This super unique venue has it all: a rooftop with a view of the Chicago skyline, a garden with colorful glass structures, and even glass blowing demonstrations for your guests! The indoor area is quite literally a warehouse! The indoor area also has a glass blowing demonstration area where your guests can perk up on benches with a drink in hand, and watch it live in real time. Guests can also enjoy the front of the building in the gift shop where many glass art is displayed. It’s a perfect location for colorful, and artsy based couples. There is so much here for your guests, and will comfortably fit groups larger than 300.
Why we love this Chicago venue:
So much variety for the flow of your event! You can get married at the garden outside in front of the color glass art, have cocktail hour on the rooftop and dinner/dancing inside. Or you can have the ceremony on the rooftop cocktails/dancing/dinner inside and in the garden! Up to you! We also love seeing all the glass pieces, and how they get made.
What you should know about this venue:
The rooftop can be loud because the Metra train is right there so be prepared for this! Ask what the schedule looks like and time your ceremony around it. The venue also does not include tables or chairs so you will need to get this from your caterer or your planner.
Artifact Events-500
Details about the venue:
This super unique venue has 2 event spaces. One on the north side which is a bright atrium with great filtered light, and one on the south side which has a lofty, antique like vibe with a gorgeous outdoor courtyard. This venue has everything you need: different break out spaces, fun artistic details like chandeliers, lounge pieces, round tables and metal chairs. Plus the bathrooms and wedding suites are to die for! We love the wooden details and brick walls inside the south space!
Why we love this Chicago venue:
The interior has such personality! It feels like walking through an intimate museum with all the fun architecture and pieces. The outdoor courtyard is tucked away from the street which makes it intimate and quiet. We are obsessed with the outdoor courtyard which features antique columns that bring a dramatic and classic edge to the space. Spice it up with a gorgeous arbor or just use the space as it is.
What you should know about this venue:
The north and south are two separate venues, so keep in mind one might get booked on your wedding night. They both have their own entrance and restrooms, so there aren’t any shared spaces. The access points that connect the spaces have garage doors to separate the spaces and block noise.
Lacuna Lofts -700
Details about the venue:
This venue has one of our personal favorite skylines! The venue has a gorgeous sky deck that you can hold you ceremony on. Can you imagine saying your vows with the Willis Tower right behind you? The interior has it’s own vibrant personality. There are art pieces, structures, and neon lights to help brighten your wedding. This venue can hold 300 guests or more if you pair the hourly rooftop venue space with their Reverie Gallery. If you have a more intimate vibe you can pair the rooftop with the Blank space gallery.
Why we Love this Chicago Venue:
The entire vibe of this venue is super funky and bold. The photo opportunities are endless. There are murals throughout the entire building. And like we already said - the best view of the gorgeous Chicago skyline from a rooftop!
What you should know about this venue:
The rooftop is available to both event spaces. Because of this you may not be able to use it at your preferred time if another couple has it booked. Make sure you like the funky vibe of the lofts because if it’s raining you will need to switch indoors!
Morgan MANUFACTURING-800
Details about the venue:
This unique venue has multiple floors you can host your event. The Skylight floor has high ceilings, and gorgeous natural lighting to brighten your space. The Concrete is a bit darker and has a built in bar, night club quality speakers, and LED ambient lighting. The Mezzanine is more open, has views of the city skyline, and views of the Concrete floor. This space has many capabilities and ways to host your 300 guests.
Why we Love this Chicago venue:
A perfect space to decorate and experiment with floor plans. Also when the LED ambient lights are on, the venue is transformed into a new space, and vibe. Perfect for reception dance parties!
What you should know about this venue:
The parking is limited—only 35. If you are inviting a large group of guests, we recommend telling them to take public transportation or to car pool.
Wildman BT-600
Details about the venue:
Another new venue to the Chicago Event and Wedding market! The building was built in 1940 as a Boiler and Tank structure, and was modernized to host events—while keeping some of the historic charm! WildmanBT is a super customizable space. You can play around with floor plans for day, especially with the blue curtains to separate areas. The space also includes vintage looking furniture, high beamed ceilings, and a long ceiling window to let natural lighting in. This is a perfect space to host larger groups!
Why we Love this Chicago venue:
The historic charm and the floor plans for days! Always love a space we can play with the layout, and play with movable curtains or walls. This space also allows you to drive in a car, or even a food truck! This space even rents out for photo shoots and productions, and has a pull down projection screen.
What you should know about this venue:
There is a lot of brick wall, so it would be a place that would most likely require a lot of rentals, and decoration to transform the space to your vision.
The Adler Planetarium-500
Details about the venue:
This venue has one of our favorite indoor/outdoor options because of their floor to ceiling windows in their indoor space! The flow of the indoor to outdoor is fabulous. You can get married outside in front of the skyline and lake Michigan, then have cocktails on the terrace with the same view, and then have dinner indoors at night with a night skyline view!
Why we love this Chicago venue:
High ceilings, and a great backup rain plan! If the weather is no bueno on the day of your event you can still have the gorgeous Chicago skyline in the background of your ceremony because the entire space is windows. You get the fabulous light rain or shine! The location of the venue is amazing for pictures and most Saturday nights in the Summer, there are fireworks you can watch!
What you should know about this venue:
There is a very short window for load in here because it is a museum by day! So if you are ambitious with decor make sure you have a team of fabulous professionals who are running the show! Because this is a museum your ceremony time will need to start a few hours their closing time which means that in late September or October you may not be able to get married outside because you will be in the dark!
The Shedd Aquarium-325
Details about the venue:
The biggest detail—Fish! You can dine, dance, and celebrate right by some of the aquariums own nautical members. Beyond that, the interior has gorgeous historic architecture and personality. Though mostly white, the large pillars and detailed ceilings will leave your guests going “Aah”—-and maybe a few “Aww”s with the live animals. There are multiple spaces you can choose from inside the aquarium, and even host your event outside with Chicago skyline views, and the stunning Lake Michigan.
Why we Love this Chicago venue:
It’s such a unique space to host a wedding! There is a balance of elegance, history, charm, and romance. Your guests will also get “live entertainment” from all the fish.
What you should know about this venue:
There is a very short window for load in here because it is a museum by day! So if you are ambitious with decor make sure you have a team of fabulous professionals who are running the show! Because this is a museum your ceremony time will need to start a few hours their closing time which means that in late September or October you may not be able to get married outside because you will be in the dark!
Stan Mansion-400
Details about the venue:
Once a masonic temple, now an event venue in Chicago. This elegant mansion has multiple spaces you can host parts of your event. The space also has a unique floor plan, which allows guests to explore hidden wonders, and surprises. There’s even a Versaille inspired lounge to host cocktails, or intimate gatherings. This space can easily accompany your big party of 300!
Why we Love this Chicago venue:
The space is customizable, and can transform into a theatre! As a group of theatre performers, we appreciate the theatre! The Stan Mansion also has a suite the couple can rent out—it includes 2 beds, 2 baths, living room space, a kitchen, and plenty of space to get ready in.
What you should know about this venue:
The venue is right on Fullerton, and doesn’t have the prettiest of street views. Because it’s right on the corner, there is limited free street parking. Would recommend telling guests to use public transportation, or to carpool.