The Wicker Park Social Center in Highland, Indiana has been entertaining wedding guests since June of 1927. During this time, they’ve serviced hundreds of weddings and receptions. If you’re looking for a facility that’s right over the Illinois/Indiana border then Wicker Park Social Center may be ideal for you.

Initially, we had a hard time finding this venue. The address to this facility says they’re on Indianapolis Boulevard but take note the main entrance is actually on Ridge Road.   Once inside the common grounds you’ll want to follow the signs that will lead you to the Social Center. If you can get to the park entrance you’re halfway there.

As you make your way inside the social center, you’ll notice of the dark mahogany walls and the charming and cozy fireplace inside the main foyer. There is also a complimentary coat check for those cold and breezy days.

The dining rooms inside the Wicker Park Social Center can be divided up depending on the size of your event and how many guests you plan on having attend. If you choose to use the full facility you’ll have enough seating for about 400 people. This large dining room features two full service bars for quick drink service, an outdoor patio with a view of the pond below, a large dance floor providing plenty of room to bust a move and lots of windows that provide plenty of natural lighting.

There is also an outdoor gazebo that works wonderfully for wedding ceremonies. This beautiful chalk white gazebo sits on the water’s edge and provides a perfect backdrop for any wedding ceremony. This is why we chose Wicker Park as our number one pick for an outdoor wedding ceremony in Northwest Indiana!

The preferred caterer at the Wicker Park Social Center is Dining Solutions.  They are relatively inexpensive and have a very diverse menu.  We’ve personally worked with them quite a few times and they are very courteous and accommodating. Their food was also delicious. For more information contact Bridget from Dining Solutions below…..

Wicker Park Social Center
8554 Indianapolis Blvd.
Highland, IN 46322
(219) 923-3830

Check out additional reviews on our Chicago Banquet Hall page.

DiNolfos Banquet Hall in Mokena and Homer Glen is our number one pick for banquet halls on the south side of Chicago. This family owned business has been around since 1976 and has serviced thousands of events. Both Dinolfos facility’s are very modern, clean and unique.

DiNolfos Mokena: This is the original DiNolfos facility and it’s ideally located near the corner of 191st and LaGrange Avenue, just south of I-80. Being just off the expressway, makes this location very accessible. There’s also plenty of free parking for you and your guests.

Upon entering the Mokena facility, you’ll be greeted by their large oval shaped lobby with two beautiful winding staircases that lead upstairs to four private bridal party suites. These staircases are incredibly popular for bridal party pictures. Along with the staircases, DiNolfos also offers a free coat check and a cash bar in the lobby in case you happen to arrive early.  Sweet!

The DiNolfos Mokena location can be divided into 4 different banquet rooms by use of portable walls. So whether you’re having a smaller wedding with less than 100 or a large corporate function with 1,000+, the staff at DiNolfos Mokena can accommodate.

Speaking of the staff at the Mokena DiNolfos, you’re going to absolutely love them! Chris, Bart & Meghan are the event planners here and they’re incredibly talented at what they do! We’ve seen them work hand-in-hand with their clientele to ensure every aspect of their reception has come together. Chris, the facility owner, even periodically checks on the bride and groom to make sure they are completely happy. Now that’s customer service!

For more information on DiNolfos in Mokena check out there contact information below…

DiNolfos Mokena
9425 W. 191st Street
Mokena, IL 60448
708-479-1919

DiNolfos Homer Glen: is the newer of the two Dinolfos facilities and is located on 159th Street right off of I-355. This centrally located banquet facility is also ideal for anyone attending your event.   No need to worry about parking either!   There are plenty of free parking slots available.

Upon your immediate arrival, you’ll be greeted by a member of the Dinolfos staff. They’re there to welcome you and make sure you feel right at home.  Free coat check is also available during this time in case you don’t feel like holding your belongings all night.  Now if you happened to have shown up a little early for your party, no worries! Along with plenty of seating in the lobby, there is also a cash bar and a groomsmen room which is packed full of high-definition TVs. You’ll never have to worry about missing your big game!

Did you know that DiNolfos Home Glen features two private wedding chapels on the second floor of their facility? Now you can have your ceremony and reception at the same location. Each chapel seats 105 people comfortably and is equipped with a sound system for amplification.

After your ceremony,  your guests would be invited downstairs for a time of celebration in one of the 5 ornately decorated ballrooms. Each elegantly appointed ballroom features a private bridal suite, a winding staircase, dimmable chandeliers, spacious dance floor and a full service bar. If that’s not enough, the staff at DiNolfos also offers dozens of other amenities that can be added on for an additional cost.

We recommend you contact DiNolfos today to setup a free tour of their facility!  We’ve personally had the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with Vince, Rich, Chuck and Janet at this location. They are very accommodating and will be a great asset to your reception. Don’t hesitate to contact them today to discuss your wedding needs!

For more information on DiNolfos in Homer Glen check out there contact information below…

DiNolfos Homer Glen
14447 W. 159th St.
Homer Glen, IL 60491
(708) 645-1900

For additional reviews be sure to visit our banquet hall review page!

Odyssey Country Club in Tinley Park has been around for years. They’ve serviced hundreds of weddings during this time and they keep getting better! If you’ve never been to Odyssey Country Club before, we highly suggest you check them out. Be warned though, it can be a little tricky to find.  This is especially true if you’ve never been here before. To help you out though this particular banquet facility can be found in the shadows of the First Midwest Bank Amphitheater, also known as the Tweeter Center, World Music Theatre, etc… If you can make your way to the main entrance of the theater you’ll find the country club entrance directly next door.

As you enter into the Odyssey, you’ll immediately fall in love with their grand foyer which contains cathedral ceilings, beautiful winding staircases, a large  fireplace and one of the largest chandeliers we’ve ever seen! It’s a great place for pictures especially right before the reception!  Just so you are aware though,  it can get a little busy right before the wedding so arrive early so you can get your shots before the party starts!

The dining rooms inside the Odyssey are also equally impressive. They’re incredibly spacious, warm feeling and very ornately decorated. If that’s not enough, each room also offers a beautiful view of the golf course below. This is very unique to this facility! A wrought-iron gazebo is also available on site . This gazebo is ideal for outdoor wedding ceremonies on the pond. It’s a perfect backdrop to any ceremony. Check out the picture above to get a quick glimpse!

The Odyssey Country Club also has a great menu with a full time executive chef on staff. We talked to a few of our DJs on staff and each of them said their favorite meal at the Odyssey was the mouth-watering prime rib!

For more information check out there information below…..

The Odyssey Country Club in Tinley Park.
19110 S. Ridgeland Ave.
Tinley Park, IL 60477
708-429-7400

Do you want additional venues, click here for our Chicago Banquet Hall page.

The Belvedere Chateau in Palos Hills, IL is an incredibly unique banquet facility located on the southside of Chicago.  In case you’ve never been here before this is one venue you’ll definitnly want to check out.

This castle-like banquet facility has five large and spacious dining rooms. Each room is totally unique and almost completely different from the other.  Our favorite room has probably got to be the Gold Coast room.  This room is made of glistening marble walls that sparkle with excitement!

The Belvedere Chateau also has very competitive prices when compared to other local reception halls.  We’ve actually been told by a few of our clients that they have some of the best prices in the area.  So if budget is a concern this might be a place to consider.

Our only concern was we had a hard time finding someone who spoke good English.  Most of the wait staff was Polish and spoke broken English.  At times this was challenging to coordinate certain aspects of the reception, but for the most part it was ok.  It should be noted though that our Polish friends really cook up some mean dishes.  The food at Belvedere is mouthwatering!

Check out our Jam Cam Footage below from a recent Palos Hills Wedding reception that took place on July 15th, 2011.  This reception was held in the magnificent Gold West Room inside the facility.

For more information check out there information below….

Belvedere Chateau
8055 W. 103rd St.
Palos Hills, IL 60465
708-430-1800

Do you want additional venues, click here for our Chicago Banquet Hall page.

Cloister in the Woods is the hidden gem of banquet halls in Northwest Indiana.  It’s located in Munster, Indiana just off of Ridge Road and Columbia Street and is somewhat of difficult to find at first.  The reception hall is owned by the St. Paul Episcopal Church and is actually connected to the side of the church.  So you’ll want to find the church first and then you’ll see the small gold lettered sign that says “Cloister in the Woods“.

Once you find the facility and you’re inside you’ll never know it’s even part of the church.  Large picture windows surround the facility and you see out into the small courtyard and wooded forest behind the facility.  It’s very scenic, especially in the fall.   The layout is somewhat traditional including: A bar, dance floor, and round banquet tables. I believe the hall holds somewhere of around 200 people max. So if you’re planning a large reception, you may want to look elsewhere, but for most average size events this facility work perfectly!

When it came to the food at Cloister in the Woods they rank a solid 8 out of 10! I had the opportunity to try their beef & stuffed chicken and they were both delicious. The winner however goes to their mash potatoes!  They were delicious! A++ The food was hot and fresh when we received it, even though the reception had been delayed by a no-show photographer.

The staff at Cloister in the Woods was also very accomodating and easy to work with.  Paige, the banquet manager is one of the nicest ladys around and she’s a great asset to any bride and groom!

If you’re serious about finding a nice reception hall that wont break the bank then you have to check out out Cloister in the Woods.  Tell them Stevie From Operation Getdown sent you!  :)  Photos provided by Anna Guziak Photography.

For more information check out….

Cloister in the Woods
1101 Park Dr.
Munster, IN 46321
219-838-9900

Please check out our other reviews on Northwest Indiana Banquet Halls.

The historic Old Barn in Burbank Illinois opened its doors in 1921 providing banquets for weddings, banquets, anniversaries, and even funerals. After 87 years though they have officially decided to close their doors. The Old Barn’s owner Roy Zoppa said that because of the tuff economic times and the increased costs of food and gas, they couldn’t stay profitable.

The Old Barn in Burbank was truly a great place and will be truly missed!

For more information on additional venues check out our Chicago Banquet Hall page.

If a grand reception is what you desire for your wedding then the InterContinental Hotel in Downtown Chicago is worth checking out. The InterContinental is located in the heart of downtown Chicago on Michigan avenue. They offer an ideal combintion of modern facilities and attentive services. With over 40,000 square feet of modernized dining facilites they can accomodate anywhere from 50 to 1,200 guests.

One of our favorite rooms at the InterContinental is the Renaissance room which features an ornate Frence design from the era of Louis XVI. Our other favorite room is the Grand Ballroom which is a unique elliptial shape room with hand painted murals from around the world and a 12,000 lbs crystal chandelier. This facility fits the pure definition of “grand”.

The InterContinental is the only hotel in downtown Chicago that’s front entrance is located directly on Michigan Ave. That alone says something. Located next door to the Chicago Tribune Tower and about 100 yards from the Chicago River, this facility give you several backdrops for your wedding pictures.

For more information check out……

Intercontinental Hotel
505 North Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL, 60611

Looking for additional venues? Click here for our Chicago Banquet Halls page.

Ville de Bruno officially closed its doors on January 18th, 2010!  The Kaptur family is still is working with clients who have booked parties at Villa de Bruno; however, they will no longer be accepting new clients.  The owner, Andy Kaptur, of the facility said this  “We weren’t forced to close, but it seemed for the best”.   ”We’re recommending they go to (Munster’s) Center for the Visual and Performing Arts for banquets and for Sunday brunch,” he said. “But it’s their decision.”

Owned and operated by the Kaptur family, Villa de Bruno offers fine dining for any banquet. They are located in Lynwood Illinois, right off of Stony Island and Glenwood Dyer Road. With over 20 years of experience in the banquet industry they are still going strong. At Ville de Bruno they have three different dining rooms including the Marion room and Diane Room which accommodate 320 people and the Carmel Room which can accommodate 200. If you’re planning on having parties bigger than that, you can always rent the entire facility which holds 700 comfortably.

The menu at Villa de Brunois large and very diverse. They have everything from Prime Rib to Icelandic Cod. Each item is delicately prepared for your taste buds.

For more information check out there information below…..

Ville de Bruno
19825 Stony Island Ave.
Lynwood, IL, 60411
708 474 2144

Looking for additional venues? Click here for our Chicago Banquet Halls page.