The Best Wedding Venues in Northwest Illinois
Illinois is a lovely place to say “I do.” The Prairie State boasts some of the most beautiful countryside in the U.S., with idyllic rolling hills, wetlands, forests, rivers, lakes, and plenty of farmland. Then, of course, Illinois also has a rich culture, incredible food, historic architecture, and bustling cities like Chicago-- so whether you’re looking for a city feel, a country feel, or something in between for your dream wedding, Illinois has it all.
If you’re searching for a wedding venue in beautiful Illinois, you have plenty of exceptional venues to choose from. So, to help you narrow things down as you hunt for your perfect wedding venue, below, we’re highlighting some of the very best venues in our neck of the woods, Northwest Illinois. Read on to get a closer look at the best wedding venues in Northwest Illinois.
The Standard
Location: Rockford, Illinois
Guests: Up to 260
Availability: Year-Round, Daily
The Standard is a rooftop wedding venue that offers a sophisticated atmosphere and fantastic city views. The Standard is home to a spectacular outdoor event space, their breathtaking rooftop, which features skyline views historical downtown Rockford, IL. Then, this Illinois wedding venue also boasts several stunning indoor spaces, including a beautiful second-floor dining room with exposed brick walls, a rooftop conservatory, and a luxe bridal suite. With its picturesque city views, elegant crystal chandeliers, stately columns, and exceptional in-house cuisine, The Standard is an utterly chic place to say “I do.”
The Gardens of Woodstock
Location: Woodstock, Illinois
Guests: Up to 180
Availability: Year-Round, Daily
The Gardens of Woodstock is a beautiful outdoor special event space that’s open all year round. At the Gardens, you’ll wed in a serene space that features landscaped grounds, a lagoon, a waterfall, and, of course, a lovely garden. The Gardens of Woodstock has a fairytale-esque beauty that makes this wedding venue sublimely charming.
Prairie Street Brewing Company
Location: Rockford, Illinois
Guests: Up to 300
Availability: Year-Round, Daily from 7AM to Midnight
Prairie Street Brewing Co. is a sizable, hip brewery that’s home to several event spaces. Their Barrel Room, their largest indoor space, is the go-to home of wedding receptions at Prairie Street, while their Ice Cellar and their Malt Room offer unique and gorgeous supplemental spaces for your wedding. Then, Prairie Street Brewing Co. also boasts a breathtaking outdoor space, a dock with a majestic view of the Rock River. This expansive dock can seat up to 300 guests, so it provides plenty of room for your guests to watch you tie the knot in the great outdoors.
The Pavilion at Orchard Farms
Location: Rockton, Illinois
Guests: Up to 450
Availability: Year-Round, Daily
The Pavilion at Orchard Farms is the ultimate rustic-chic wedding venue. The Pavilion, this gorgeous country estate’s 10,000 square feet banquet hall space, features an elegant masonry fireplace, chandeliers that suspend from timber beans, Chiavari chairs, and large sliding glass doors that open to the rolling country hills outside. Alongside having some truly spectacular decor, The Pavilion offers superb cuisine. This all-inclusive event venue is exclusively catered by Henrici’s, which provides upscale farm-to-table fare that will be carefully tailored to your tastes for your wedding day.
Chestnut Mountain Resort
Location: Galena, Illinois
Guests: Up to 350
Availability: Year-Round, Daily
Escape to a serene mountain resort for your wedding at Chestnut Mountain Resort. This resort has a luxe mountain country club vibe and some incredible scenery. The Resort sits atop a bluff that overlooks the beautiful Mississippi River, which makes a gorgeous backdrop for your big day. The Chestnut Mountain Resort offers two outdoor wedding locations, the Sunset Garden and the Grand View North Pointe. Both of these breathtaking spaces overlook the Mississippi, ensuring your guests will be treated to a scenic view no matter which space you choose for your wedding celebration.
Franchesco’s Ristorante
Location: Rockford, Illinois
Guests: Up to 350
Availability: Year-Round, Daily
Franchesco’s Ristorante is a lovely restaurant venue that’s known for their exceptional service and, of course, their exceptional in-house catering. This family-owned and operated restaurant and event space offers a personalized and effortless experience (they’re happy to help with wedding planning), incredible Italian fare, and a beautiful event space. The grand ballroom at Franchesco’s is an elegant venue with exquisite high ceilings, a grand wooden bar, and plenty of room for you and your guests to tear up the dance floor during your reception.
The Barn at Allen Acres
Location: Rock Falls, Illinois
Guests: Up to 260
Availability: Year-Round, Friday at Noon to Sunday at Noon
The Barn at Allen Acres is a rustic wedding venue that boasts a beautiful, authentic barn. The restored Dairy barn at Allen Acres, a 3 ½ acre farm, was built in the 1920’s and it features classic red siding with white accents. You can host your wedding ceremony outside The Barn, with the cheerful red barn as your wedding backdrop, then move things inside as you celebrate during your reception. The interior of this lovely barn space features a high vaulted ceiling, buttressed walls, and a balcony space. If you wed at The Barn, you’ll have access to The Barn itself, then you’ll also have access to a second small barn, a gazebo, a fire pit, and all the decorations at the farm. You can use the barn’s barrels, horse troughs, wash tubs, carriage, and many other decor items to amp up the rustic charm of this already idyllic venue.