Golf or country club
A ceremony on the lawn or by the water, then dinner in the clubhouse. Ask what the package includes hour by hour, whether golfers or members are around that day, and where the ceremony moves if it rains.
Chicago north suburbs venue guide
Updated
Chicago north and northwest suburbs wedding venues: clubs, banquet halls, and costs
North of the city, Evanston and Lake Forest have historic houses and clubs near the lake. Out toward O'Hare, from Des Plaines and Itasca to Arlington Heights, Bartlett, and Streamwood, weddings happen at golf clubs, banquet halls, and hotels. Most of these venues sell a package with their own kitchen and someone to plan with, and they cost less than a wedding in the city.
We've gathered details on 15 venues in Chicago's north and northwest suburbs. Pick a starting point and Sage will rank them for your day, with cost estimates wherever the venue publishes its prices.
What should you budget?
Venue and food for 100 guests
$14k
Typical estimate
A typical cost for the venue and food on a Saturday, lower than the $18k typical across Illinois.
$8,300–$19k
Typical range
Most venues here land somewhere in this range for a hundred guests.
These are our estimates, not quotes from the venues. Most venues here quote a price per guest that already covers dinner, so the number is close to what you'll pay for the venue and food. Expect about 30% on top in service charges, admin fees, and tax.
What changes the math here
A package at a lower price, with the venue's own kitchen
Clubs, banquet halls, and hotels out here run weddings every weekend. The price per guest covers dinner, the staff, and usually a coordinator, which keeps both the total and the to-do list short. What you give up is the choice of caterer: very few venues here let you bring your own. If a particular restaurant or cuisine matters to you, check that first.
- Charge for the space only
- 7%
- Let you bring your own caterer
- 7%
- Provide a coordinator
- 89%
- Have rooms for guests
- 27%
Against 18% across Illinois. Almost every quote here includes food.
Of the venues that say either way, against 23% across Illinois. Ask whether you can taste the menu before you sign.
Of the venues that say either way. Ask whether it's full planning or someone on the day.
Right on the property, against 20% across Illinois. Most are resorts and hotels.
Club, hall, or North Shore house
Three kinds of suburban wedding
Banquet hall or hotel
Big ballrooms, all-inclusive packages, and some of the lowest prices around Chicago. The hotels near O'Hare can put up guests who fly in. Ask whether another wedding is in the building that day and how many rooms you can hold.
North Shore house or club
A historic house or women's club in Evanston or Lake Forest, with more character and usually a higher price. Some rent just the rooms, so ask what the price covers, which caterers you can use, and what the house rules are.
What changes the shortlist here
Three decisions to make early
Taste the food before you choose the room
Since the venue's kitchen will almost certainly cook your dinner, the menu matters as much as the ballroom. Ask for a tasting, what's included per guest, and whether they can handle any dietary or cultural needs you have.
Match the ballroom to your list
Venues here typically publish a capacity around 250 guests. A hundred guests in a room built for twice that can feel sparse, and a food and drink minimum is usually set with a full room in mind. Ask about smaller rooms and what the minimum is on your date.
Plan for guests who fly in
O'Hare sits in the middle of this area, so out-of-town guests can land and be at the hotel in minutes. North Shore venues are easier for guests coming by train, since Metra runs up the lakefront to Evanston and Lake Forest. Either way, ask each venue which hotels it works with.
Places worth a closer look
Six north and northwest suburban venues to start with
These include golf clubs, resorts, a banquet hall, a lakeside restaurant, and a North Shore estate, priced in different ways. Open a venue to see its pricing, capacity, spaces, vendor policies, and other planning details.
Villa Olivia
Bartlett · Up to 250 guests
Planning and décor come with the venue
Under $15k · Venue Fee + Catering
See pricing and policies
Lincolnshire Marriott Resort
Lincolnshire · Up to 650 guests
You can bring your own caterer or use theirs
Catering Est.
See pricing and policies
Eaglewood Resort & Spa
Itasca
Guests can stay on site
Under $15k · Venue Fee + Catering
See pricing and policies
Armour House at Lake Forest Academy
Lake Forest
Outdoor ceremony, with an indoor space if it rains
$35–50k · Venue Fee + Catering
See pricing and policies
Foxtail on the Lake
Des Plaines · Up to 80 guests
Includes a day-of coordinator
Catering Est.
See pricing and policies
The Mirage Restaurant
Schiller Park
Guests can stay on site
Under $15k · All Inclusive
See pricing and policies
Get a shortlist for your vision and budget
Tell Sage about your day: your guest count, your budget, and anything you can’t compromise on. You’ll get a ranked list of venues, with why each one fits and what to double-check.
Sage the Date reads each venue's own published details, including pricing, catering and alcohol rules, music curfews, rain plans, whether you get the whole property, and how many guests each space holds. Every estimate uses your guest count. When a venue doesn't say, we tell you instead of guessing. Searching is free and doesn't require an account.
Before you book
Three questions worth asking
- What does the price per guest include, and what gets added at the end for service charges and tax?
- Can we do a tasting before we sign, and can your kitchen handle our dietary or cultural needs?
- Is there another event in the building that day, and which hotels nearby do you work with?
How this guide is built
Sage reads each venue's own published pricing and policies, puts different kinds of quotes on the same footing, and estimates the cost for 100 guests. If a venue doesn't say something, we treat it as a question to ask, not a no. Venues can't pay to appear or to rank higher here.