Is there any particular resource that helped you decide on a reception venue? I obviously google whenever possible, but would like any other tips or resources that other brides found useful.
For me, deciding on a reception venue was pretty easy. I emailed or called every option in or around downtown to see there availability and price. About 75% of them were booked or out of my price range. So that narrowed it down! Then I went and looked at the rest. I googled or yelped all of them before I went, but seeing them in person and meeting their venue coordinators was much more telling. For example, one option in a hotel was on the ground floor, and you had to walk through the lobby to get to the bathroom. I got a picture in my head of me in my big dress having to go around a check-in line. Not fun. And it seemed like the possibility of wedding crashers would be pretty high. That's something that I didn't find out online.
So in the end, I chose my venue, the Westin Michigan Avenue, because 1) the room is on it's own floor with nothing else except for the kitchen (bonus! the food will be nice and hot!), 2) the ballroom and cocktail hour area are perfectly laid out, 3) the coordinator is awesome and worked with me on the price, and 4) it's across the street from my church!
Chicago Social Brides magazine hosts a lot of mini wedding "expos" in various local venues. They are often free, or you might have to pay but then they'll have food and drinks too. You can see how the venues look when they're "all decked out" by attending these events. They have a schedule of events on their website.
Thanks IrishBride, I didn't think of what pitfalls I could predict from walking thru in person. How I love the internet for research.
Thanks radish, I spent some time looking thru IB's kvetch & found a few threads that were very informative.
Thanks snmcdowell, I'll look into it.
On a side note, does anyone know what's going on with that site? The most recent blog posts are from a few years ago, but the boards have comments as recently as today.
Is there any particular resource that helped you decide on a reception venue? I obviously google whenever possible, but would like any other tips or resources that other brides found useful.
Thanks!
posted by chibride 9 posts 5 months agoFor me, deciding on a reception venue was pretty easy. I emailed or called every option in or around downtown to see there availability and price. About 75% of them were booked or out of my price range. So that narrowed it down! Then I went and looked at the rest. I googled or yelped all of them before I went, but seeing them in person and meeting their venue coordinators was much more telling. For example, one option in a hotel was on the ground floor, and you had to walk through the lobby to get to the bathroom. I got a picture in my head of me in my big dress having to go around a check-in line. Not fun. And it seemed like the possibility of wedding crashers would be pretty high. That's something that I didn't find out online.
So in the end, I chose my venue, the Westin Michigan Avenue, because 1) the room is on it's own floor with nothing else except for the kitchen (bonus! the food will be nice and hot!), 2) the ballroom and cocktail hour area are perfectly laid out, 3) the coordinator is awesome and worked with me on the price, and 4) it's across the street from my church!
Hope that helps!
posted by IrishBride 22 posts 5 months agoYou might want to try posting on the Knot's local message board. Also on Indie Bride's "Kvetch" boards, and I think brides.com has local boards, too.
Are you looking for a venue in the city? Or in the suburbs?
posted by radish 156 posts 5 months agoChicago Social Brides magazine hosts a lot of mini wedding "expos" in various local venues. They are often free, or you might have to pay but then they'll have food and drinks too. You can see how the venues look when they're "all decked out" by attending these events. They have a schedule of events on their website.
posted by snmcdowell 467 posts 5 months agoThanks IrishBride, I didn't think of what pitfalls I could predict from walking thru in person. How I love the internet for research.
Thanks radish, I spent some time looking thru IB's kvetch & found a few threads that were very informative.
Thanks snmcdowell, I'll look into it.
On a side note, does anyone know what's going on with that site? The most recent blog posts are from a few years ago, but the boards have comments as recently as today.
posted by chibride 9 posts 5 months ago