The Rookery Chicago Wedding Venue

The Rookery Chicago wedding venue is one of our favorites in Chicago. It’s a gorgeous space in downtown Chicago that makes for a breathtaking wedding venue. As Chicago wedding planners, we have planned many events at The Rookery and love it when our couples choose it as their venue. Check out these top tips from the Simply Elegant Group team for planning your wedding at The Rookery in Chicago. 

About The Rookery

Originally built in 1888, The Rookery is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated Chicago Landmark. It’s known for its distinctive and beautiful architecture. In 1905, the striking two-story lobby was redesigned by Frank Lloyd Wright.  While it has a classic and historic atmosphere, it’s filled with modern amenities and technology throughout.  The Rookery is an absolutely stunning wedding venue for couples who love iconic Chicago architecture.

How would you describe The Rookery and its location?

A Rookery Chicago wedding is perfect for couples looking for a centrally-located venue for their wedding. We see it as the quintessential Chicago event space, and we love when couples choose to have a black-tie wedding here. It’s always spectacular! 

It’s also a fabulous location for your couple’s portraits and wedding party photos since it’s in the heart of the Chicago Loop. You’ll be steps away from several of Chicago’s landmarks that all make for wonderful photo backdrops. 

Why do you love working at this venue?

Walking into the event space at the Rookery is such a breathtaking experience.  It’s somewhat unexpected since, by day, it is a commercial office building. Once guests go past the elevator banks, they enter a light and airy space with an epic staircase and cool catwalks. It’s sure to wow your guests! The architecture brings incredible Chicago history to your wedding.

What is special about this venue?

The history and one-of-a-kind architecture of The Rookery are what make it truly unique! The focal point of the Light Court ballroom is an impressive marble staircase, and it is accentuated by the oversize skylight in the middle. Also in the building, the winding Oriel Staircase makes for a jaw-dropping backdrop for couple’s portraits. 

How have you transformed it in different ways to make it unique to each client?

Since The Rookery is a commercial building by day, we use drapery to cover the retail vendors along the first floor. It can be hard to envision at first for couples, but that’s what your wedding planner is here for at The Simply Elegant Group! The drapery adds a dramatic and romantic feel.

While there are a limited number of table layouts available for the Light Court, we work with couples to choose the layout they prefer that works with their catering choices. If you are having your ceremony on-site, there are several ways you can orient your ceremony setup as well. 

What type of couple would you recommend this venue to?  

This venue is ideal for you if you want a downtown Chicago wedding! The location really couldn’t be better, and the interior of the venue is immaculate. It has a classic feel and makes for an elegant wedding venue. It’s great for couples looking for an elevated feel for their wedding day.

Any insider tips for this venue?

The Light Court fits fewer people than you would expect at first glance. The capacity for a seated dinner is advertised to be 200 guests, but we recommend no more than 160 guests. This allows you a big enough dance floor, and it ensures all guests have visibility during your wedding ceremony.

If you’re having both your ceremony and reception at The Rookery, your guests will transition up to the catwalk area for cocktail hour. While there, they can watch the room flip happen down below. Guests enjoy seeing the process, and it adds a level of anticipation for the reception. 

The Rookery is operated by Jewell Events and Catering, and they are the exclusive caterer for the venue. We love partnering with them to bring our clients’ menu preferences to life! 

What budget level would you recommend for this venue? 

If you’re looking for The Rookery Chicago cost, we can tell you that Simply Elegant Group couples that have a wedding at The Rookery budget an average of $60,000 to $90,000+ for their wedding.

What is one idea you’ve had for this venue that you would love to implement for a client? 

Something that we don’t see often is couples using the exquisite marble staircase for their entrance into the ceremony rather than the backdrop of the ceremony. We love the idea of using the marble staircase for a massive grand entrance into the ceremony. 

Let us bring your dream wedding at The Rookery Chicago wedding venue to life! Reach out to learn more about our Chicago wedding planning services today.

The Rookery at a Glance