Illinois-Chicago

HELP! Civil Ceremony @ Clutural Center. Need Recos Florist, Restaurant...

Hi All!

My FI and I live in Ohio but LOVE ChIcago.  We have decided to have a civil wedding at the Cultural Center on March 17 (if we are able to get it) or April 28.  This will be a short ceremony in the morning and then we plan on having a lunch reception for our friends and family (~60 people)  We don't want to spend a lot of money, so far I'm looking at these restaurants:
-La Madia
-Frasca Pizzeria
-Wildfire
-Reza's
-Orso's Italian

I still need recos for a Florist-just for FI and I, a small cake (~60 people), a make-up hair person that can meet EARLY in morning 

I know it's going to be crazy for St. Pats, but his family is all Irish so we're excited they get to partake in the festivities AND we are definitely not planning on going Irish route for the lunch LOL

MANY THANKS!!

Any help is

Re: HELP! Civil Ceremony @ Clutural Center. Need Recos Florist, Restaurant...

  • I too am looking at doing this on 4/28, so I can't wait to see the responses.
  • Here is a list of restaurant I sent out to another bride for suggests for her rehearsal dinner. All of these restaurants have private rooms/ spaces and different levels for food and drink packages.

    Roys
    Quartinos
    Park Grill
    Bin 36
    Osteria Via Stato
    Wildfire
    Harry Careys
    The Gage
    Chicago Q

    Carnivale

    For cakes, I am looking at Tipsy cake and Take the Cake. I have also heard Bittersweet is good.


    Can you probably go to Nordstrom and get your make up done at any make up counter pretty cheap. But if you want air brushing I would use beauty on Call. They come to your hotel/ house and arent horribly expensive.


    If you only need flowers for you, have you considered using Costco? I hear they are very responsible.

    BabyFruit Ticker
  • I would recommend Greek Islands in Greektown.  We are doing our rehearsal dinner there (also about 60 people) and their prices were super reasonable for a private room and full meal.  Quartino is also good, maybe Maggiano's?

    Good luck!
  • For bakeries, try Luscious Layers. They are relatively small, but we got our cake there and it was awesome! They have really interesting flavors. 
  • Orso's is terrible -- had two really awful experiences there.
  • Thanks to those who have responded so far! 

    The wedding takes place between 10:30-11:15 so I am just wondering if I could have someone doing my hair and makeup at say 7:30

    I really want a pretty bouquet but I am finding on a lot of florist websites that they have minimums for weddings...however I wondered if I just called and explained if they'd be willing to do the two items and have me pic them up in the morning.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_illinois-chicago_civil-ceremony-clutural-center-need-recos-florist-restaurant?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:72Discussion:feb61bf2-9d34-4c14-8197-802962fb3085Post:cd1177d5-8950-4704-b9ce-5e19c75804c7">Re: HELP! Civil Ceremony @ Clutural Center. Need Recos Florist, Restaurant...</a>:
    [QUOTE]Thanks to those who have responded so far!  The wedding takes place between 10:30-11:15 so I am just wondering if I could have someone doing my hair and makeup at say 7:30 I really want a pretty bouquet but I am fin<strong>ding on a lot of florist websites that they have minimums for weddings...however I wondered if I just called and explained if they'd be willing to do the two items </strong>and have me pic them up in the morning.
    Posted by allieblahblah[/QUOTE]
    I think this is totally do-able. You might even be able to walk in the afternoon before and ask them to make you something on the spot, if you're not too picky about the type of flowers used. A bouquet and a bout will keep overnight. We did all of our own flowers the Friday afternoon before our wedding and everything looked great the next day.<div>Also, check out Flor de Monte (last time I checked, she didn't have a minimum). </div>
  • I thought about doing this, but we are going a different route for our small (under 30 people) wedding.

    Pollen up in Ravenswood (I know this is nowhere near downtown) had said they could do a bouquet or two for me if I picked them up.)

    I was thinking about doing a lunch reception at Sixteen in the Trump building had we done the Cultural Center civil ceremony. Might be harder with 60 people, though. I know they had a semi private space that would have accomodated our group.
     
    I thought about Carnivale but I do not think they are open for lunch on Sat.

    The contact person at Frasca is great. The quote I had from her a few months ago was : To use Frasca privately from 3-5 PM, the food and beverage minimum would be $2200. If you wanted to use it from 3-6 PM, the minimum would go up to $3200.

    I contacted LOTS of places when I was looking to do a lunch thing on a Sat. Private msg me if you want to talk through email. I saved all the emails I got from restaurants.
  • I am also interested in the civil ceremony offered at the Cultural Center.  Has anyone already booked/secured their date & time? How hard is it since they only allow you to book 60 days prior.  What times are offered? Thanks.
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards