Skip to main content
Weddings

About

Thorton Distilling Company is a wedding venue located in Thornton, Illinois. We would be honored to host your big day here at Thornton Distilling Co. TDC is centrally located just a short drive south of Chicago. The rich history of our distillery dates back to 1857 when John Bielfeldt built the Bielfeldt Brewing Company here on the scenic banks of Thorn Creek.

Facilities and Capacity

Located next to the largest forest preserve in the region, our building is the oldest standing brewery in Illinois and one of the oldest in the US. The building once housed Al Capone's largest bootlegging facility during prohibition and has survived through fires, floods, a tornado, and even a government raid during Prohibition in the 1920s. Thornton Distilling Co. has now been restored to its former glory with modern amenities. The space offers an industrial-chic style that is both timeless and elegant. Standing as a testament to Chicago's enduring spirit, this venue is proud to share both its history and unique experience with couples celebrating a new chapter of their lives together. There is plenty to both see and explore at Thornton Distilling Co. Light floods into nearly every room, illuminating the brick and steel structure with an ethereal glow.

Services Offered

Couples who are seeking a truly outstanding and memorable venue are encouraged to reach out to discuss their wants and needs to find a solution that is tailor-fit to their wedding occasion.

illustration popular

Venues you may like

See other venues that are popular with couples right now

Frequently asked questions

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

Yes

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

$4,500

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

$3,500

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

No

Which of the following are included in the starting site fee?

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

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

Server(s)

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$32

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

Bartender(s)
House Beer
House Liquor
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink

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

10

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

3

Describe your venue:

Banquet Hall
Brewery
Historic Building
Winery

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Bar Services
Catering Services
Clean Up
Event Rentals
Get Ready Rooms
Liability Insurance
Outside Vendors
Wifi

What catering services do you offer?

Dessert
Family Style
Hors d'oeuvres
Plated
Server(s)
Stations
Tastings

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
House Beer
House Liquor
Liquor License
Open Bar
Premium Liquor

What event items are available?

Altar/Arch
Audio Equipment
Chairs
Dance Floor
Lighting
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
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

Reviews of Thornton Distilling Company

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

Review summary

Powered by AI

Thornton Distilling Co. is a stunning, historic and unique wedding venue praised for its beautiful atmosphere and photo-friendly spaces. Couples rave about excellent communication, accommodating event staff and seamless planning, with flexible buyout options. Food, cocktails, bartenders and service consistently receive high marks from guests.

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.

Thornton Distilling Co. is a stunning, historic and unique wedding venue praised for its beautiful atmosphere and photo-friendly spaces. Couples rave about excellent communication, accommodating event staff and seamless planning, with flexible buyout options. Food, cocktails, bartenders and service consistently receive high marks from guests.

Samantha
Samantha Sent on 05/07/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Five Stars for Thornton Distilling!

My husband and I highly recommend hosting your wedding at Thornton Distilling Co! The team was great to work with and the venue is stunning - unique, fun, and makes for excellent pictures. The drinks are obviously great but so is the food. We have gotten many compliments on everything and our only complaint is that the day went too fast - wish we could live it over again.
Jessica
Jessica Sent on 04/22/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Our day was amazing!!!!

I cannot put into words how amazing our special day was at Thornton Distilling Company.
Our food, the cocktails, the staff, the venue, everything was perfection! I would highly recommend this venue to anyone!
B
Brenda Sent on 03/21/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing!!!

We had the microwedding package. Small intimate wedding of 75 people. The venue event team were so helpful in making our special day seamless. I can't say enough about how great Thornton Distilling Co. was.
5 stars!
Bella
Bella Sent on 03/08/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect Wedding Day

We realized we never left a review after our wedding last November, and this venue definitely deserves one because we loved it so much.
We rented out the entire building, which made the day feel really special having the whole place to ourselves. We held cocktail hour downstairs in the restaurant and bar area, then moved upstairs to the big hall for the reception which was perfect for dinner and dancing.
The food was delicious, the drinks were great, and our guests loved the bartenders and servers. Everyone was so friendly and attentive all night. Jessica and Arianna were amazing to work with and truly went above and beyond helping us through everything. If you’re looking for a unique venue with an incredible team, this beautiful historic building is the perfect place to celebrate a wedding.
S
Sharon Sent on 03/08/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Dream Wedding!

My daughter had her wedding at Thornton Distilling Company this past November and it was absolutely wonderful. The venue itself is beautiful and so unique. The historic space has so much character and it made the whole day feel really special. Our guests kept commenting on how perfect the space was for a wedding.
Arianna and Jessica were so helpful throughout the planning process and on the day of the wedding. They were organized, kind, and always willing to answer questions and help with anything we needed. The whole team really went above and beyond to make sure everything ran smoothly.
The bartenders were fantastic and our guests loved the drinks. The food was also amazing and we received so many compliments about it from family and friends.
Overall we had such a great experience and we are so happy we chose Thornton Distilling Company for our daughter’s wedding. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a beautiful and unique wedding venue with a wonderful team
L
Lindsey Sent on 11/20/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect Wedding Day!

I stumbled upon Thornton on google back in August of 2023 while looking for a venue for our wedding on 11/9/24. Immediately we fell in love with the rich history that the distillery had to offer! We ended up going to dinner the same evening and when we walked in we knew this was the place we wanted to host our wedding celebration.

Luckily the next day Kim the event manager was available to discuss the various options the distillery had to offer. Kim was truly one of the most informative, timely, and friendly event planners I had the pleasure with working with. She will work with you to stay within budget and isn’t pushy by any means. Everything they offer from buffet, family style, and plated meals are straightforward.

With that said, We ended up opting for the full buyout to have the private and intimate wedding of our dreams. Thornton Distilling Company delivered that with flying colors! From the initial meeting with Kim, sitting down with her and the Chef to get feedback regarding our tasting, to day of. In fact all the staff I’ve come in contact with at the distillery are wonderful, accommodating, and top tier customer service. Special shout out to Trevor the restaurant manager and his exceptional fashion choices!

The food/drinks in both the restaurant and the catering division are what you’d expect in a high end gastropub in the city, the attention to detail and the outstanding combination of flavors will leave you and your guests stunned! I can confidently say I’ve never had better food/experience at a wedding and I’ve been to a lot of them.

Overall, the founders Andrew and Jake have saved this beautiful building from disrepair along with their wonderful staff to create an unforgettable event space. If you’re looking to have a wedding that’s more of an experience for everyone in attendance then look no further. My husband and I can look back on our wedding day and sincerely say it was perfect and Thornton played a huge role in that!
Matt
Matt Sent on 09/15/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Great Venue!

My partner and I just got married at Thornton and chose to do a full-venue buyout. Everything went incredibly and we cannot recommend Thornton enough.

Our wedding planner Kim was incredibly accommodating from our first tour of the venue all the way through our wedding day. She was responsive to all of our emails, provided suggestions, helped us with our rehearsal at the venue and throughout the entire wedding night.

Bartenders and staff were great to our guests, and did not hesitate to provide anything we needed. The food was great and none of our 142 guests ever had to wait long for a drink.

We plan to come back and visit because we love the venue so much. Thanks again Thornton!
Ines
Ines Sent on 05/01/2024
5 out of 5 rating

My wedding was 4/27/24

The food was incredible! The vibe was amazing. Thornton Distillery was everything that I dreamt off for my wedding. The Bridal suite has a mirror that touches the ceiling. We had the best wedding ever. This is a unique venue and I recommend it 100%.
Katherine
Katherine Sent on 02/03/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Top Notch Wedding Venue!

We couldn't have asked for a better experience at Thornton Distilling Company. From the moment we went to tour the facility all the way through our celebration, communication from their team was better than we could have expected. Kim Wachowski, their event manager, was absolutely top notch with her communication, friendliness, willingness to help, etc. When I reached out about needing to move up our event due to a family illness, she was absolutely wonderful about providing dates and being flexible. The venue, itself, is perfect and exactly what we were looking for. Exposed brick, chandeliers, string lights... you name it, it had it all. Our guests raved about the food on the taco bar and the staff at the celebration as well.

Cannot stress how wonderfully perfect our night was and TDC was the icing on the cake!
Kayla
Kayla Sent on 05/23/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Fantastic Venue and Incredible Staff

I cannot recommend Thornton Distilling Company enough. Kim, the event coordinator, is incredibly responsive and a pleasure to work with. The space is unique and great for a small to mid-size wedding. Our pictures were fantastic and that's largely because the venue itself is such a cool space. We got a lot of compliments on the food and the chef is also a pleasure to work with. I would consider using them again in a heartbeat for future events.
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

15

Map

Thornton Distilling Company frequently asked questions

Thornton Distilling Company includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Bridal Suite
  • Chairs
  • China
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planning
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Linens
  • Parking
  • Tables
Thornton Distilling Company includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Server(s)
The bar service starting price at Thornton Distilling Company includes:
  • Bartender(s)
  • House Beer
  • House Liquor
  • Open Bar
  • Premium Liquor
  • Signature Drink
The space offered by Thornton Distilling Company for wedding events is known for:
  • Banquet Hall
  • Brewery
  • Historic Building
  • Winery
Thornton Distilling Company offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
Thornton Distilling Company offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Elopements
  • Rehearsal Dinner
Thornton Distilling Company offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Bar Services
  • Catering Services
  • Clean Up
  • Event Rentals
  • Get Ready Rooms
  • Liability Insurance
  • Outside Vendors
  • Wifi
Thornton Distilling Company offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Altar/Arch
  • Audio Equipment
  • Chairs
  • Dance Floor
  • Lighting
  • Tables
Thornton Distilling Company is recommended by 100% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 5.0, with the same score awarded for quality of service, flexibility, value, professionalism and average response time.
Thornton Distilling Company currently offers 1 discount promotion and 1 offer promotion for wedding services.
View next Winery Weddings

Other vendors in Chicago Suburbs for your wedding

Wedding Venues