You’re engaged! Congratulations! Take a few moments to celebrate with your beloved, bask in the glow of your future together, and start dreaming about your perfect wedding day. And once that’s done, it’s time to start planning your wedding.
As all couples know, booking your wedding venue is the first thing you’ll want to do before you get any more wedding planning done.
For those couples looking to get married in Chicago, we’ve put together a helpful guide on everything you need to know about finding your venue in the Windy City. The best times of the year, venue must-haves, and of course, what makes The Bridge Lemont the perfect Chicago wedding venue.
Photography: @milleniummoment.studio
Chicago Weddings – Getting Married In The Windy City
Whether you’re a local or a visitor, Chicago is your kind of town. We’ve got two major airports, hotels at every corner, and major public transportation, so your out-of-town guests will have plenty of options.
There’s history, culture, and natural beauty everywhere you turn, from Lake Michigan to Cloud Gate (the Bean) to the Magnificent Mile packed with luxury shopping and landmarks, so when it comes to keeping your guests entertained outside your wedding hours, it will be a breeze.
Aside from your Chicago wedding venue, the most important aspect of your Chicago wedding is the season. The Second City is known for its harsh winters, so you might want to avoid a date between November and March. Yes, the snow can make for a beautiful backdrop in your photos, but you’re running the risk of canceled flights and snowed-in vendors.
Summer and fall months are your friends for a Chicago wedding. Think June to October when the weather will be most manageable. July is the hottest month, so be sure your Chicago wedding venue has an indoor option for you and your guests to beat the heat.
However, there is one advantage to having a winter wedding in Chicago: it’s the offseason, meaning it’s more budget-friendly. There are more venue and vendor options available to you, and they might be offering discounts.
If you’re dreaming of a winter wonderland wedding in Chicago, have backup plans in place. You might want to cut your guest list to avoid too many people struggling to get to town and recommend that your out-of-town guests plan to fly a day or two early in case of bad weather.
Don’t forget tents and heat lamps to keep the weather out and keep your guests warm.
Another thing to consider when planning your Chicago wedding is what else is happening in the city.
Chicago is a thriving city, meaning there’s always a big game or show in town, so before booking your venue and date, check the calendars of the local sports teams and if any major tours are scheduled to be in town the same weekend as you. You’ll be happy not to be going up against the extra traffic or overbooked hotel rooms.
How To Search For Chicago Wedding Venues
To have your dream wedding, you need the perfect venue. Before even looking at all the Chicago wedding venues available to you, set your budget, make a list of your venue must-haves, and prepare questions you want to ask each venue during a tour.
Are you looking for an all-inclusive venue to make planning easier, or is overlooking Lake Michigan your No. 1 requirement? The best part about getting married in Chicago is that the city and all its venues have everything to offer.
It’s normal for your wedding budget to grow as planning moves forward, but don’t break the bank on the first step. Knowing what’s included with booking each venue space will help you stay in line with your budget, and itemizing all the major tickets on the wedding planning checklist will help you visualize your expenditure when visiting Chicago wedding venues.
If a wedding planner is in your budget, they are a huge help every step of the way but especially when it comes to finding your venue. They know Chicago and especially Chicago weddings and can tell you which venues offer what amenities, what location will be easiest to navigate or closest to entertainment, and the style of each venue before you even click on the website.
Before booking your wedding venue, make sure you know how many guests the venue can accommodate, what the kitchen looks like if you’re planning to bring in an outside caterer, and whether the design matches the theme you want for your wedding.
When Should You Book Your Wedding Venue?
There’s no such thing as booking your wedding venue too early. Some couples will book a venue before they’re even engaged because they know the most beautiful and most popular Chicago wedding venues book up years in advance.
If you and your partner are in agreement that a proposal is coming soon, go ahead and start scoping out venues. When you’ve found your perfect match, there’s no harm in booking the date before you have a ring on your finger. That way, once the proposal happens, you’ve already crossed the biggest item off your wedding to-do list.
With a busy and popular city like ours, all Chicago wedding venues book up very quickly, especially in the most popular wedding months like June and September.
At The Bridge Lemont, we recommend being flexible with your date if you’ve found a venue you really love. Moving your wedding date to a few weeks later than the June date you’ve always dreamt of so you can have it at the perfect venue is worth the trade-off.
On the other side of the coin, if you have to get married a year later than planned because your heart is set on September, if that’s what will make your wedding day perfect, go for it. You’re giving yourself extra planning time.
Another way to be sure you get the venue and season you want is to be open to getting married on a weekday, which at the Bridge Lemont can get you a bit of a discount. It’s also cheaper for your guests to fly on off days.
The Bridge Lemont – Your Perfect Chicago Wedding Venue
The Bridge Lemont Wedding Venue and Banquet Hall is a premier Chicago wedding venue. We are family owned and operated and offer 7,000 square feet of stunning rustic-industrial space full of natural light.
The Bridge Lemont is located less than 30 miles outside of Chicago, meaning your guests won’t have to battle tourists for hotel rooms but can still easily enjoy all the fun and excitement the Windy City has to offer. We have two rooms for your wedding and reception plus an outdoor ceremony space, weather permitting.
We’ll customize the floorplan for your big day, and each rental lasts for 12 hours and includes chairs, tables, linens, lighting, and more. We’ve also done the research when it comes to great wedding caterers in the Chicago area, so you don’t have to start from scratch.
Whether you’re a Second City local or just a big fan, if your wedding dreams are pinned on Chicago, The Bridge Lemont is the perfect Chicago wedding venue. Contact us today to start planning your big day.