I made appointments to look at the top 4 venues I'm interested in! I'm going to Chicago the second week of March to try to get a bunch of stuff done. Here they are, in no particular order:
The Onion Pub, Barrington
http://www.onionpub.com/banquets-parties.aspx
This one is GORGEOUS. I found it on theknot.com and couldn't get over how beautiful the banquet hall is. The reviews of the actual restaurant/pub are so-so but I couldn't find much about the weddings. I try not to go by internet reviews since 99% of them are negative, regardless of the place. However, if I'm spending thousands of dollars, I want this to be my dream day. My major concerns about this place are price vs. quality and the lack of good beer in the open bar package. I'm a beer snob and so are many of my friends, so I want to make sure it's a good deal!
Makray Golf Club, Barrington
http://makraygolf.com/banquets-weddings.aspx
This one is also beautiful! I found out about this from one of my bridesmaids, Shannon. She said it was one of her top choices and the prices seem really good for the location. They allow pictures on the course and it looks like an awesome place to have an outdoor wedding. I don't know too much about it from the website, but I'm excited for the meeting with the coordinator.
Walter Payton Roundhouse, Aurora
http://www.rh34.com/content/6.html
This is the one I'm the most excited about. Shannon and another girl I used to work with both had their weddings here and they were beautiful! I was really, really intoxicated at Shannon's wedding but I remember it being a lot of fun. The outdoor ceremony was in a courtyard and was really nice. The beer was great and I had some weird vegetarian dish (since I was crazy at the time) and I don't remember if it was good, but everyone else loved their food. They have a lot included in the package, which I like. There's also a hotel next door that wasn't too terribly pricey and with a lot of out of town guests that will be nice. They also have whirlpool bathtubs that fit three. Uncomfortably. In dresses. Don't ask how I know this.
Seven Bridges Golf Club
http://sevenbridges.com/golf/proto/sevenbridges/weddings/weddings.htm
I heard about this one from Shannon too. She visited about 40 places when she was planning her wedding. so she was able to help me rule out some of the more expensive places. It seems like everything near my parents house is really overpriced. This place is gorgeous and within my price range. The coordinator has been in touch with me since the beginning and seems to legitimately want to help make sure this is the wedding of my dreams. Although to be fair, in my dreams I'm always late and under-dressed for my wedding. Perhaps she wants to make it better than that. This place includes a lot of things that the other places charge extra for (outdoor ceremonies, chairs, etc.) and I like that.
I may add a few more places if I find anything I like. Does anyone in the Chicago suburbs have any advice for more places to check out? I'd like to keep the price under $70 per plate if possible (a honeymoon in Europe isn't cheap!) and would prefer an outdoor ceremony.
