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Pricing information

Price range: $8,000 - $32,000 Price range: $4,000 - $32,000
Couples usually spend $22,000 Couples usually spend $12,000
Ceremony
$1,250 starting price
Ceremony
$1,250 starting price

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Attributes highlighted by couples

Quality catering
Guests comfort
Amenities

About

On WeddingWire since 2008

Makray Memorial Golf Club, inspired by the majestic Scottish castles, is nothing short of a fairy tale wedding venue. Nestled in a tranquil landscape, our venue showcases classic castle architecture with its imposing stone walls, arched doorways and lush ivy which exudes an aura of ancient splendor and romance. Our venue is surrounded by our prestige 18 hole golf course, beautifully manicured with areas filled with vibrant flowers, tranquil water features and idyllic spots for those stunning photo memories. The Oak Terrace Grille is our on-site restaurant that compliments this luxurious venue with our award winning executive chef, a great option for hosting a rehearsal dinner.

Facilities and Capacity
The interiors are adorned with period inspired furnishings to enhance the historical charm, while modern amenities ensure comfort and convenience. We offer three distinct on-site ceremony sites at our venue, each with a unique backdrop allowing you to choose your perfect setting to say 'I DO.' Our exquisite grand ballroom accomodates up to 240 people and the large windows and French doors keeps the space open and airy. As the sun sets, an overhead chandelier lights the room with a romantic and cozy glow. We have a beautiful wrap around veranda connected to the ballroom that overlooks the golf course and is private for you and your wedding guests.

Services Offered
The staff at this country club make couples feel as welcome and taken care of as possible. They do this by offering the following services:

  • Event Coordinator
  • Bridal suite
  • Cake
  • Chairs
  • Linen
  • Centerpieces
  • Photos on the golf course
  • Cleanup
  • Three ceremony sites
  • Event rentals
  • Liability insurance
  • Parking
  • Setup
  • Tables
  • Coat check
  • Food tasting
  • Valet


Other Services
This venue hosts bridal showers and engagement parties for couples as well, in addition to ceremonies and receptions.

History

Makray Memorial Golf Club is a privately owned, public golf course. Formerly known as Thunderbird Country Club since 1962, the course was closed in June 2002 for complete renovation. The revamped course opened in spring 2004 and a magnificent new clubhouse followed with its completion one year later. Upon re-opening, the course was renamed in honor of Paul Makray, the owner until his passing.

To give you some background on the building, the light fixtures around the building range from 1798 to 1930. The majority of the light fixtures were originally gas burning, but have now been converted to electric. Many of the fixtures come from various areas in Kentucky. However, the copper lights in the corridor on the main level are from the New York Subway 1920. The iron gates that you see in the Golf Shoppe and in the Grille are from the Old Burnt Tavern in Garrad County, Kentucky circa 1798. The beautiful faux finish paint in the corridors throughout was created by Painted Illusions located in Lexington, Kentucky. It is a very unique process using two different colors of paint.

Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

No

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

1,250.00

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

1,250.00

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Bridal Suite
Chairs
China
Clean Up
Event Planning
Flatware
Glassware
Linens
Parking
Set Up
Tables

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Cake Cutting
Server(s)
Wedding Cake

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

Bartender(s)
Champagne Toast
House Liquor
House Wine
Open Bar

What is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue?

20

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

1

Describe your venue:

Ballroom
Banquet Hall
Country/Golf Club

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party

What event services do you offer?

Clean Up
Event Planner
Event Rentals
Get Ready Rooms
Liability Insurance

What catering services do you offer?

Cocktail Reception
Dessert
Hors d'oeuvres
Outside Cake
Plated
Server(s)
Stations
Tastings

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Cash Bar
Champagne Toast
House Wine
Liquor License
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink
Specialty Beer
Specialty Wine

What event items are available?

Chairs
Chair Covers
Dance Floor
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Chocolate Fountain
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Valet
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
March
April
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Reviews of Makray Memorial Golf Club

4.8 out of 5 rating
4.8 out of 5 rating
86 Reviews
97% recommend it
  • Quality of service
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.8 out of 5 rating
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

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Makray Memorial Golf Club is highly praised by multiple reviewers for its exceptional service, beautiful venue, and delicious food. The dynamic duo of Leeza and Laurie, the catering sales manager and manager of banquet sales, are described as professional, easygoing, and went above and beyond to ensure a seamless and stress-free experience. The banquet staff is praised for their efficiency, skill, and kindness, and guests appreciated the well-maintained grounds and stunning backdrops for outdoor ceremonies. The food, prepared by Chef John Hennessey, is highly acclaimed for its innovative elements and customization options. Overall, reviewers highly recommend Makray Memorial Golf Club for weddings and other celebrations.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Makray Memorial Golf Club is highly praised by multiple reviewers for its exceptional service, beautiful venue, and delicious food. The dynamic duo of Leeza and Laurie, the catering sales manager and manager of banquet sales, are described as professional, easygoing, and went above and beyond to ensure a seamless and stress-free experience. The banquet staff is praised for their efficiency, skill, and kindness, and guests appreciated the well-maintained grounds and stunning backdrops for outdoor ceremonies. The food, prepared by Chef John Hennessey, is highly acclaimed for its innovative elements and customization options. Overall, reviewers highly recommend Makray Memorial Golf Club for weddings and other celebrations.

Nicole
Nicole J. Sent on 12/23/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Dream Wedding Venue

We celebrated our marriage with friends and family at Makray Memorial Golf Club on October 1, 2022 and it was an absolute dream! Our theme was “Autumn in the Mountains;” commemorating where my husband and I met, lived, adventured, and fell in love out West in Colorado. I have included a detailed venue review below, but if you are looking for the condensed version…I highly, highly, highly recommend this amazing venue with its impeccable service, exquisite food, gorgeous surroundings, and the creation of memories that will last a lifetime.
Venue Team
The dynamic duo of Leeza and Laurie (L&L) were the best to work with – they were exceptionally professional yet easygoing and went so above and beyond their titles of Catering Sales Manager and Manager of Banquet Sales, respectively. From the initial tour in early 2021 all the way through our last dance on 10.1.22, L&L treated my family and I with respect, sincerity, humor (lots of perfectly timed “dad” jokes), and transparency. I worked directly with the duo on each aspect and detail in the planning process from inception to execution. I live out of state, so communication was very important to me when selecting a venue, and L&L were always available with timely emails and phone calls. They were our contacts throughout the entire experience, including our “I Do” day. We did not hire an external wedding coordinator or day-of coordinator as L&L superbly provide that service as well (included in the “package”). I cannot write enough accolades to express how seamless and stress-free L&L made our entire experience…seriously the BEST duo to work with and I am so grateful they were the two on this wedding planning journey with me!
Onto the banquet staff. Two words…absolute pros! The entire team was efficient, skilled, and kind. This well-functioning and professional team had zero issues with service and many of my guests commented on how they felt so well taken care of by the team, especially my guests with special dietary needs. The bartenders were swift and friendly, and my guests experienced little to no wait times for drinks. We even had a guest unknowingly leave her phone on the balcony at the end of the night, and a banquet staff member found it and ran it outside to her before she left. The entire team went above and beyond to ensure we had a wonderful experience.
Venue
I would describe Makray as the perfect blend of mini castle and elegant ski chalet. From the stunning stone vine-covered exterior, to the classic and cozy interior with modern upgrades, this venue is an absolute dream for many different aesthetics. The comprehensive venue package included the gorgeous ballroom with newly renovated balcony, refinished dance floor (which is huge and a beautiful dark stained wood), two built in bar stations with access via ballroom and pre-function space, round and rectangular tables, banquet chairs (can upgrade for Chivari however the “in-house” chairs were much nicer than other venues I toured, did not look like office chairs, were comfortable, and the dark green padding even blended nicely with my color palette), conveniently located bridal suite, elegant grand stairway, intimate pre-function space with beautiful wood floors at the top of the stairway featuring a fireplace and piano nook, elevator, plenty of parking, and so much more!
There were 2 outdoor ceremony sites to choose from, both offering stunning and magazine-worthy backdrops. We elected for the “Lake Site”, and it did not disappoint. The more intimate of the 2 sites, it was a bit of a longer stroll from the building, however the venue provided a golf cart/driver to assist guests if needed (this came in handy with elderly attendees). The grounds were immaculate and well-maintained, and the backdrop to our ceremony included the lake and lovely tall rye grass (perfect for our fall themed wedding). Included in our package was a guided golf cart tour to the wooden bridge on the course for photos with our entire wedding party.
Food and Drink
My husband and I are total foodies, so this was an important consideration for our venue selection. Makray has amazing food and drink options. Chef John Hennessey elevates the typical wedding food offerings and provides innovative elements to each dish. This humble and talented Chef has many career accolades and experiences, my favorite being his time spent as team chef for the Chicago Cubs!
Our first experience with the cuisine was at our tasting which included SO MUCH FOOD. The tasting was not a separate cost as it was all included in our package, and we were able to adequately taste all options we considered for our day. My parents, sister and bridesmaid accompanied my husband and I, and the entire experience lasted a few hours. We never felt rushed by Leeza or Chef, and they paired the tasting with marking items off the planning checklist such as linens, timeline, etc. We had several options to try for each course which included a soup, salad, and entrée. Our cake was also included in the package; however, it was provided through Lovin Oven Bakery, a local establishment that provided a separate tasting experience.
Each course at Makray was customizable, for example Chef and Leeza suggested an off-menu pomegranate vinaigrette for our salad instead of the raspberry vinaigrette to better harmonize with our overall menu. For our main entrée, we could select the combination of meat, starch, vegetable, and sauce that we wanted, and after tasting the wide-variety of options, we elected for the chicken piccata with angel hair pasta (with Romano cheese, fresh basil, and oregano), honey dill carrots (which were an off-menu creation of Chef’s that he came up with the day before our tasting!), and lemon caper butter sauce. This paired exceptionally with our tomato bisque soup and club house salad of field greens, pomegranate vinaigrette, candied walnuts, Gorgonzola cheese, and sliced apples.
We also elected to upgrade our package to include passed hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour, a few reception surprise snacks, and a late-night bites. Everything was excellent and our guests raved that the food quality was wonderful!
S
Skylar S. Sent on 10/10/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect wedding experience

Leeza and Laurie at Makray were truly wonderful to work with! The whole staff really helped make sure that our wedding day was absolutely perfect. They were very kind, patient, and attentive to detail. The venue was gorgeous and the food was amazing. We are so glad that we chose Makray for our wedding!
M
M. Hanrahan Sent on 12/27/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Wonderful christmas wedding

Beautiful venue. Great and extremely helpful staff. Excellent food. I would go back in a heartbeat.
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Awards

86
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2023 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2014 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2013 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2011 Winner

Deals

Professional Network & Endorsements

4 Endorsements
Peter Wynn Thompson Photography Peter Wynn Thompson Photography Wedding Photographers

I love working at Makray. Wonderful staff and a beautiful location to shoot in the Northwest suburbs. The clubhouse and course are an amazing backdrop for photographs. If you're planning on getting married in the NW burbs, this should definitely be on your list.

Fred Fox Studios Fred Fox Studios Wedding Photographers

We absolutely love working here. It is beautiful and the staff is always great to work with. We can't say enough good things about this place.

AGS Event Creations AGS Event Creations Wedding Florists

I had a privilege to design a wedding at Makray Memorial Golf Club in Barrington. I was very impressed with this facility. As a vendor they are fantastic to work with. Every one was extremely nice and helpful to our team. Also, the grounds of this venue are amazing. Thank You for being a fantastic vendor to work with!

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