Looking for ceremony/reception suggestions...Northern Illinois

alyssalowe

Okay so 75% of the guest list lives in the northern Illinois area between Rockford and Crystal Lake. I am NOT a city girl so I don't think I would not prefer any locations in the Chicago suburbs. Im looking for ornate classy setting other than a ballroom/banquet hall. It will be a late evening wedding with upwards of 200 people attending and no children. I have the idea of a theatre stuck in my mind but open to any other warm romantic settings. I would love to have both ceremony AND reception at the same venue. The date is set for 12/11/10 so I can not have any outdoor venues. Please help?! I need to book a location asap. Oh, and if I can bring in an outside caterer thats even better as my uncle and soon to be MIL both are and both volunteered.

hehayes

Seriously, I have the perfect place for you.  The only issue would be the number of people you'd like to attend.  The venue is the Rockford Womans Club in Rockford, IL and is an old theater (http://www.rockfordtheater.com/).  It is perfectly sophisticated-vintage.  Their dinner area seats ~200 but there are separate areas where the kids, for example, could sit so your adult guests may all fit.  And, they have a separate area upstairs where they do your cocktail hour and then dancing after dinner.  You can bring in an outside caterer, but the bartending has to be through them.  Trust me, its beautiful--I'm having my reception there.  If you call to get info, don't be afraid  to leave a message-they usually don't answer but always get back to you within a day.  Good luck!

lafrancewedding

Have you checked out the downtown Rockford area? Apollo center in Belvidere, NIU campus in the student union?  The Stratford in Harvard?  Hotels also have banquet halls and a lot of times they allow you to bring in your own caterer....