14 of the Best Stunning Wedding Venues in Chicago

Are you engaged and dreaming of a wedding in one of the world’s most iconic cities—Chicago? Known for its stunning architecture, rich history, and diverse neighborhoods, the Windy City offers endless options for an unforgettable celebration. From venues overlooking the Chicago River to chic rooftops with skyline views, lakeside settings, and historic landmarks.

With so many options, finding the perfect venue can feel overwhelming. As expert Chicago wedding planners, we are here to make this process easier for you! We’ve planned events all around the windy city for almost 10 years, we’re here to help you plan the day you have always dreamt about!

We’ve curated a list of the best and most unique venues in Chicago—whether you’re after a downtown hotel, an industrial loft, or a luxe ballroom. Let us help you navigate this exciting decision and create the wedding of your dreams.

(You can even skip the venue search and just contact us! Our full-service wedding planners can guide you to the perfect venue for you!)

Our Picks for the Top Chicago Wedding Venues by style:

• Bridgeport Art Center – Skyline Lofts + The Sculpture Garden | Best Garden & City Views Venues
• The Rookery Building | Historic Charm
• The Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile | Modern Luxury
• Galleria Marchetti | Chicago Indoor/Outdoor Wedding Venue
• Morgan Manufacturing | Industrial Wedding Venue in Chicago
• Adler Planetarium | Unique Chicago Wedding Venue
• Artifact Events Chicago | Chic Loft Venue
• Theater on the Lake | Chicago Waterfront Wedding Venue
• Cafe’ Brauer | Classic Chicago Wedding Venue
• The Chicago History Museum | Museum Wedding Venue
• The Art Institute Chicago | Downtown Chicago Wedding Venue
• Lacuna Lofts | Chicago Rooftop Wedding Venue
• University Club Chicago | Historic Wedding Venue
• The Drake Hotel Chicago | Chicago Hotel Wedding Venue

Bridgeport Art Center – Skyline Lofts + The Sculpture Garden

Best Chicago Garden & City Views Venues

Located in the former Spiegel Catalog Warehouse, 1200 W 35th St, Chicago, IL 60609.

The Bridgeport Art Center is an iconic wedding venue in Chicago. Whether your wedding is hosted in the Skyline Loft space with sweeping skyline views, or in their beautiful ground floor Sculpture Garden event space, you will find it’s one of Chicago’s most incredible + unique wedding venues that has A LOT to offer!

Capacity: 500 max seated

See some of our favorite Bridgeport Art Center weddings.

The Rookery Building

Elegant Chicago Venue with Historic Charm

An icon in the center of Chicago’s downtown Financial District, located at: 209 South LaSalle Street Chicago, Illinois 60604.

This historic Chicago landmark, The Rookery, offers an unforgettable wedding experience surrounded by iconic Chicago architecture. With its stunning Light Court ballroom, epic staircase, and cool catwalks, this venue is sure to wow your guests.

Originally built in 1888 and redesigned by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1905, The Rookery boasts a classic and historic atmosphere, filled with modern amenities and technology. Centrally located in the heart of the Chicago Loop, it’s perfect for couples looking for a downtown Chicago wedding with easy access to landmarks and photo opportunities.

Capacity: 160 max seated

Get all our insider tips in our Rookery Building wedding venue spotlight.

The Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile

Modern Luxury Wedding Venue with Historic Flair

Located at the heart of Downtown Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, 505 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611.

The InterContinental Chicago Hotel provides a luxurious atmosphere and experience for all weddings hosted at this gorgeous hotel wedding venue. Say “I Do” in one of their glamorous ballrooms, or off-site if you choose, then gather your guests for a glitzy reception, and gaze out over the city lights as you dance the night away in their grand ballroom.

Capacity: 450 max seated

Hear more as to why The InterContinental Chicago Hotel is one of our favorite Chicago venues!

Galleria Marchetti

Best Indoor | Outdoor Chicago Wedding Venues

Located in the West Loop, 825 W Erie St, Chicago, IL 60642.

This family-owned space in Chicago’s River West neighborhood knows how to throw an unforgettable wedding! Galleria Marchetti allows couples to choose from multiple indoor and outdoor areas, including a four-season tented pavilion and courtyards with Tuscan-inspired landscaping perfect for a romantic ceremony + cocktail hour. We absolutely love this gorgeous venue and working with their amazing team, who always ensure our clients’ weddings are perfection.

Capacity: 150 max seated

Love this venue too? Don’t miss Ashlee + Paul’s Galleria Marchetti wedding!

Yes, you really can afford to hire a wedding planner! With the Simply Elegant Group’s Preferred Vendor Program, we could save you more money than you spend with us.  Contact us for more details.

Morgan Manufacturing

Modern Industrial Wedding Venue in Chicago

Located in The West Loop, 401 N Morgan St Suite #100, Chicago, IL 60642.

This West Town Chicago wedding venue is the definition of “industrial elegance”! Morgan Manufacturing is a multi-level, loft-like space is a blank canvas flanked by exposed brickwork, overhead timber beams and skylights, and polished concrete floors. This venue has hosted some of our favorite weddings, and will definitely impress every guest that steps foot in this space!

Capacity: 600 max seated

Want to see a past wedding we did in this space? Check out Sara + Greg’s Morgan Manufacturing wedding.

Adler Planetarium

Unique Chicago Wedding Venue with stunning views

Located on the northeastern tip of Northerly Island on Lake Michigan, 1300 S. Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60605.

It’s no surprise that one of the best wedding venues in Chicago right now is the Adler Planetarium! The venue is located on the water, and in what has been rated the number one spot for the best view of the city skyline. This gorgeous view can be the backdrop of your Ceremony/Cocktail hour in their outdoor space, and/or the backdrop of your reception since 2 of the 4 walls are completely made of glass!

Capacity: 1,200 max seated

For even more reasons as to why we love this stunning wedding venue, check out our Adler Planetarium venue spotlight.

Artifact Events Chicago

Modern Chicago Wedding Venue and Loft with a Four-Story Atrium

Located in Chicago’s Historic Ravenswood neighborhood, 4325 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL.

A loft with exposed beams and plenty of natural light sounds totally dreamy, right? Well, Artifact Events Chicago has all that, and a lot more!

This Ravenswood venue has plenty of blank space options with plenty of character to choose from, including a loft space, a gorgeous courtyard, a spectacular underground space with a staircase perfect for those reception entrances and/or ceremony processional, and much more.

Capacity: 275 max seated

We have planned many weddings at Artifact Events Chicago, and our clients have loved their experience every single time! Check out Sarah + Benny’s Artifact events Chicago wedding to view one of our past weddings at this beautiful venue!

Theater on the Lake

Outstanding Chicago Waterfront Wedding Venue

Located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood set directly on the Chicago lakefront, 2401 N. DuSable Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60614.

Designed in 1913, Theatre on the Lake is a unique wedding venue that adds Chicago historical value to classic elegance. The event space sits on the waterfront, which provides stunning views year-round and a gorgeous view South to the skyline.

Bonus fact: for those of you who want to hire a band, this venue has an epic stage to highlight them! So once dinner has concluded, your guests will feel like they’re at a concert and will dance the night away.

Capacity: 450 max seated

Wedding planning would be more fun if you had a wedding planner doing this research for you. Here at the Simply Elegant Group, our Chicago wedding planners are ready to help you choose the right venue for your style and budget.  Send us a quick email for more details.

Cafe’ Brauer

Classic Chicago Wedding Venue with Timeless Charm

Located in the Landmark 1900 building in Lincoln Park, 2021 N Stockton Dr, Chicago, IL 60614.

Café Brauer offers some of the most timeless architecture the city of Chicago is so famous for! With a mix of outdoor and indoor venues, there’s something here for every wedding!

This gorgeous venue is located in the heart of Lincoln Park, so it offers endless views of the skyline, the beautiful pond (+ honeycomb) everyone takes photos of, and is located right next door to the zoo – how fun is that?! Romantic is the perfect word to describe this Chicago wedding venue, and could be the perfect venue for you!

Capacity: 250 max seated

The Chicago History Museum

Museum Wedding Venue for an Elegant Affair

Located in the South End of Lincoln Park, 1601 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614.

Surrounded by the greenery of Lincoln Park and only feet away from Lake Michigan, the Chicago History Museum offers some of the most incredible options for your Wedding Ceremony + Reception! Imagine getting married and mingling with your guests in their outdoor plaza (that staircase makes an EPIC entrance for your processional), and dancing the night away on their black + white tiled floor in their Chicago Ballroom! This venue offers it all, and is one we absolutely adore!

Capacity: 300 max seated

See more of Claire & Shane’s stunning Chicago wedding.

The Art Institute Chicago

Downtown Chicago Wedding Venue Blending Historic Grandeur with Modern Elegance

Located adjacent to Millennium Park and steps away from Lake Michigan, 111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603.

This modern + unique wedding venue in the heart of Downtown Chicago is one that is hard to beat! The Art Institute of Chicago offers many different options for where your event can be held, so it has something for everyone.

For those looking for a more modern wedding, you can host your ceremony out in the outdoor Pritzker Garden space, then have your guests inside Passerelle, where guests mingle during cocktail hour, and lastly, they will head down that glass staircase for Dinner Reception in Griffin Court! These spaces all have very clean lines, so any color scheme can work to make any vision come true.

For those wanting a more romantic/”old world” feel for your wedding, these options will blow you away! You can first say “I Do” at the Women’s Board Grand Staircase, then ask your guests to head up to the second floor where they will enjoy cocktail hour and take a tour of the art exhibit. After cocktail hour concludes your guests will be directed to The Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room for eating, drinking + dancing in this romantic + grand space!

Capacity: 250 max seated

Interested in seeing more? We loved planning Daphne & Bridget’s Art Institute Chicago Wedding.

Lacuna Lofts

Epic Chicago Rooftop Wedding Venue

Situated in Chicagoʼs Pilsen neighborhood, 2150 S Canalport Ave, Chicago, IL 60608.

Your big kiss will be magical no matter where it happens. But having it overlooking the Chicago skyline takes it to another level! Lacuna Lofts has new glass railing, your guests will get a complete 360 view of the gorgeous city of Chicago.

Then for those art lovers out there, your guests will head downstairs to their Reception space, where guests will completely be captured by the uniqueness + beauty that Lacuna Lofts has to offer!

Capacity: 350 max seated

More inspiration: Alida & Ben’s Lacuna Lofts Chicago wedding.

University Club Chicago

Iconic Chicago Wedding Venue

Overlooking Lake Michigan in the heart of downtown Chicago, the Club directly faces Chicago’s urban landmark, Millennium Park, 76 E Monroe St, Chicago, IL 60603.

University Club Chicago is the perfect venue for couples who love an “Old World” feel (some call it Chicago’s own personal Hogwarts)! The highlights of this 12-story, Neo-Gothic structure are, Cathedral Hall—a Hogwarts-like dining and event space lined with stained glass, or their grand Fireplace, which is the perfect location to say “I Do”.

They also added a terrace, which like our clients used at their University Club Chicago wedding, is the perfect place for those gorgeous + personal photos that overlook Michigan Avenue + Grant Park!

Capacity: 350 max seated

The Drake Hotel Chicago

Renaissance-Style Chicago Hotel Wedding Venue

Located downtown on the lakeside of Michigan Avenue, 140 E Walton Pl, Chicago, IL 60611.

The wedding venue at the Drake Hotel Chicago sells itself with how gorgeous it is and where it is located! This hotel is right at the intersection of Lake Shore Drive + Michigan Ave, which means it has breathtaking views of the lake, the skyline, and The John Hancock building (located right next door).

Then let’s talk about their ballroom selections (hint: they are spectacular), one of which is one of our favorites in the entire city! The second you step into the Gold Coast Ballroom, your jaw immediately drops to the floor. From the grand pillars and the gold touches to the amount of detail put into every square inch of this space, it all combined will instantly capture you! Trust us, this hotel is a showstopper, and will be a wedding your guests will rave about for years to come!

Capacity: 500 max seated

See more of Tess & Charles’s stunning hotel wedding at The Drake Chicago.

Need help choosing a Chicago wedding venue?

Hire a wedding planner to help find your Chicago wedding venue

Did you know that a full-service wedding planner can reach out to venues, check availability, and help you choose the perfect venue for you? We’d love to do this whole thing for you!

We promise—you’ll be surprised how affordable it can be to hire a wedding planner or coordinator.

Learn more about our affordable Chicago Wedding Planners + Wedding Planning Packages
and contact us today! xo