The Chicago Cultural Center, in Chicago, IL, was built in 1897 by Shepley, Rutan, and Coolidge, a Boston architectural firm. While it originally functioned as the Chicago Public Library, it late became the Chicago Cultural Center, a designated landmark and frequently visited attraction. A popular venue for many types of events, including conferences, free shows, corporate meetings, cocktail galas, and weddings, it boasts grand beauty with practical functionality. Regardless of the occasion, Chicago Cultural Center events are always breathtaking.

Location

The Chicago Cultural Center is located in the heart of one of America’s most bustling and lively cities – Chicago. Guests from all over the world will be stunned at the magnificent location of the venue, especially with places like Millennium Park, Grant Park, and the harbor just steps away. Being in such a large city means that dining and lodging options are endless, so the bride and groom have little to worry about on their wedding weekend. There are countless hotels in the area, such as the Hilton Chicago, the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile, and the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers. Any of these would be wonderful options not only for guests to stay, but also for rehearsal dinners, bridal luncheons, or post-wedding brunches.

Private Weddings

Chicago Cultural Center weddings can be held in several different locations, and there are wonderful options for large weddings, as well as smaller, intimate weddings. The Preston Bradley Hall is the most popular space, large enough to hold over 350 wedding guests for a seated dinner or even more for a cocktail-style reception. The GAR Hall can comfortably seat up to 250, or for more intimate weddings the GAR Rotunda makes a lovely venue. In the case of extremely large weddings, the Sidney R. Yates Gallery is the perfect location, seating well over 400 guests. This space is only available seasonally, so be sure to plan ahead if you wish to use this space. A Chicago Cultural Center wedding rental comes complete with a bridal room, an event coordinator, wedding equipment, a dance floor, and more.

At the Chicago Cultural Center, engaged couples have choices: they may reserve one space in the venue to be used for both the ceremony and reception, or they may choose to use two separate spaces. The positive side of choosing just one space is obviously budgetary, as the Chicago Cultural Center wedding cost will be lower with just one rental. On the other hand, selecting two spaces means there is no “turn over” of the room and guests may simply move to the reception space after the rehearsal. This will also give more variety in photographs. Whether you decide to book a single space, or multiples, the Chicago Cultural Center staff can help turn any wedding vision into a reality.

Civil Weddings

For those not wanting the big event of a private wedding ceremony and reception, a civil wedding at the Chicago Cultural Center is also a viable option. Taking place on Saturdays by appointment only, these ceremonies are simple and care-free, without the stress of planning a large wedding. These ceremonies are performed in the GAR Hall, meaning the surroundings are just as beautiful as with a private ceremony. Chicago Cultural Center civil-wedding pictures can be just as lovely as those from a grand affair! This venue makes it all possible, regardless of your budget or taste.

The Architecture

One of the reasons many couples choose this venue is for incredible wedding pictures at the Chicago Cultural Center. The architecture of the spaces is breathtaking indeed, including stained glass and two magnificent domes. One of these, present in the Preston Bradley Hall, is the largest Tiffany dome in the world. Imagine saying “I Do” under something so fantastically one-of-a-kind! Choosing to be married amid such historically rich and vividly beautiful architecture will make any wedding the spectacular event the bride has been dreaming of her whole life.

Parking

The options with Chicago Cultural Center parking are sure to take the stress off of the bride and groom-to-be. While many couples marrying in the heart of a huge city would worry about the burden of parking, this doesn’t have to be the case at this excellent venue. The staff at the cultural center is happy to provide the bride and groom with a list of several nearby parking garages that will work with them to provide parking on the wedding day. Guests will be glad to have a specified place to park, and parking under the cover of a garage is an added perk. While the Cultural Center does not directly negotiate the parking details for the bride and groom, their suggestions will give the couple the direction they need to begin the process.