Millions of engaged couples turn to WeddingWire as their trusted wedding resource, with the largest directory of local wedding vendors in Illinois. Easily find the best wedding services in your area with detailed vendor reviews, prices and availability for your wedding day.
Founded by business trailblazer and retail icon George Zimmer, Generation Tux is the best suit and tuxedo rental experience available today, distinguished by unrivaled quality, style and variety, a digital-first, simple and convenient shopping and event management experience, and direct-to-your-door... (Wedding Dresses)
41 Winks is an event favor and gift boutique in Brooklyn, New York, that specializes in luxurious sleep masks and pillows. Their mission is to create a space where people can kick back, relax, and recharge from all the stress of their day. Self-care isn’t trendy to them, and they believe that... (Wedding Favors)
SuperJeweler.com is an online jewelry store offering wedding rings, engagement rings and other jewelry. The company was created in 1999 and is dedicated to offering affordable diamonds and gemstones. Buying directly from sources, SuperJeweler.com is also committed to getting diamonds from ethical,... (Wedding Jewelers)
Hi! It's nice to meet you. We are Menguin, an online tuxedo rental store. We're here to help take (some!) of the stress out of wedding planning. We offer tuxedos tailored to fit today's groom, with modern styles and slimmer fits. But the best part? Grooms can get fitted online and we'll deliver the... (Wedding Dresses)
High Society Orchestra is a wedding band based in Chicago, Illinois that has been serving the Midwest area since 1993. With high-energy and a personalized approach, they are dedicated to helping couples create the wedding of their dreams. Experience High Society Orchestra is an eleven-piece band... (Wedding Bands Chicago)
The Company Band is a highly-rated wedding band. When you choose The Company Band, you are getting top-line talent and versatility. The group can perform a large number of hits ranging from diverse musical styles, such as popular hits from rapper 50 Cent to chart toppers from Taylor Swift. They are... (Wedding Bands)
Plan + Gather Events is a full-service event management company based out of Saint John, Indiana, that specializes in custom events of all sizes. From day-of coordination to full wedding planning, this team can make sure that each and every event is inspiring, extraordinary, and unforgettable. The... (Wedding Planners Saint John)
Every event is a challenge, a new beginning! Understanding flowers by their size, color and shape makes your bouquet, your flower design special for your journey! We create displays that set different tones that might be used for any occasions such as weddings, bridal shower, anniversaries, and any... (Wedding Florists Chicago)
Since 2012, the professional team at Event Pros Boutique in Peru, Illinois has been designing and organizing weddings. Every little detail is important to your event and the team at Event Pros Boutique will make sure to create a design that truly reflects your vision and style. With a love for... (Wedding Planners)
Get a free informational rate packet at stlbigband.com/wire. 20% off all bookings when you come to us from WeddingWire. The St Louis Big Band with Michael Sinatra is a wedding entertainment company that travels to Orlando, Kansas City, & Chicago from their home base of St. Louis, MO. You and your... (Wedding Bands)
The Red Stiletto is a hair and makeup artist company located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, that serves Indianapolis, Toledo, and Cincinnati, Ohio, Chicago, Illinois, and Grand Rapids, Michigan. They offer on-site beauty services to couples to help them look stunning for their special day. Allow this team... (Wedding Hair & Makeup)
Wedding Planning Made Easy! Bijoux Bride LLC is a full-service event planning company based in Mount Prospect, Illinois. We've been in the wedding industry for several years now, bringing couple's visions to reality. From rustic to modern events, we do it all. We have a large inventory of decor... (Wedding Planners Mount Prospect)
An industry-leading wedding gown cleaning and preservation service located in Long Beach, California, Affordable Preservation Company helps you clean and preserve your wedding attire. Since 1913, Affordable Preservation Company consistently provides exceptional customer service and utilizes a... (Wedding Dresses)
Fun DMC is a professional wedding entertainment company based in Springfield, Illinois, specializing in musical mashups for weddings in central Illinois. The band will build a selection of songs to keep the dance floor moving, while delivering a unique experience for everyone to enjoy. Fun DMC is... (Wedding Bands Springfield)
For The Love That Needs A Thousand Words Patronart helps you capture life's perfect moments works with custom paintings created by master artists. With hundreds of professionals artists to choose from, we have created beautiful paintings of couples' proposal scenes, brides in their wedding dress,... (Wedding Favors)
Dylan Price is a guitarist in Eureka, Illinois, who performs for weddings and other special occasions. Over the past decade, he has performed at approximately 100 different venues across the Midwest. Dylan’s favorite style to play is classical, but he can also supply pop and rock ballads, working... (Wedding Musicians Eureka)
Enzo Custom is a bespoke wedding suit tailoring service anchored in New York, with showrooms in Beverly Hills, Chicago, Washington and Philadelphia. Enzo Custom is committed to providing the highest quality of material combined with excellent service and competitive pricing to bring couples their... (Wedding Dresses)
If your vacation of a lifetime is a honeymoon in Greece, or one of our award winning Greece Vacation Packages, then you can consider us your Greece honeymoon experts. We understand that your honeymoon isn’t a one-size-fits all endeavor and will work with you to create an experience that fits your... (Travel Agents)
Shana Rae May Photography is a full-service wedding photography company based out of Princeton, Illinois. Shana, the owner and lead photographer behind this passionate business, is dedicated to helping you with your planning process from start to finish. In addition to photographing your wedding,... (Wedding Videographers Princeton)
Stephanie Bassos (of Bassos Weddings) is a Chicago based and destination wedding photographer, specializing in personal and candid fine art wedding photography using mostly natural light. She is also a commercial, editorial, fashion and portrait photographer who has been shooting since 2007 at... (Wedding Photographers Chicago)
Illinois is a land of contrasts. It's one of the most populous states, yet includes vast expanses of beautiful, uninhabited territory. It has one of the biggest & boldest cities in the U.S. (Chicago), but also exemplifies main street USA with hundreds of small towns and villages. And even the state's climate can contrast itself within a matter of minutes. Illinois weather is notoriously unpredictable during certain times of the year (more on that later). For soon-to-be-newlyweds, Chicago offers everything for a perfect Illinois wedding: world-famous architecture, historical sites, trendy neighborhoods and literally hundreds of wondrous Chicago wedding ceremony and reception venues. The entire city is a wedding photographer's dream. Chicago is also located in the heart of the state's Great Lakes region, particularly the Lake Michigan waterfront. The entire northeastern portion of Illinois is always a popular spot for wedding planners. The Illinois countryside includes hundreds of miles of Mississippi River waterfront, as America's most famous waterway forms the state's western border. Also, the Ohio River forms the state's southern border with Kentucky, giving Illinois two of the most storied rivers in American history. Many couples plan accordingly, with rustic steamboat-themed wedding celebrations on the rise. Other state highlights include Peoria, located in the north central part of the state, and Champaign, which is located almost due south of Chicago. Champaign is home to the University of Illinois, and many alumni plan their Illinois wedding in and around the Champaign region. Springfield, the capital, exemplifies Illinois' Midwestern character, and is another area currently en vogue with wedding planners.
If you're planning a wedding in Illinois, keep a close eye on the weather. Summers can be steamy, and Illinois winters can be absolutely unforgivable, (especially in the northern part of the state, due to lake-effect snow). Many couples choose to play it safe with their Illinois weddings, opting for spring and autumn celebrations. But all four seasons are wedding worthy times of the year. Keep all of your options open; there are few states that offer the wedding-ready venues, natural scenery, small town serenity and urban excitement of Illinois. Fall foliage, sparkling blue lakefront areas, sweeping architectural masterpieces, rolling river valleys - Illinois has everything a wedding planner could want in terms of photogenic backdrops. And that means deciding on a color can be a difficult task. Try to match your tone with the surrounding season and locale, or go for bold contrast to mix things up.
The cost of an Illinois wedding varies greatly across the state. While the state sales tax is 6.25%, local and municipal taxes (we're looking at you, Cook County and Chicago) can nearly double the base rate up to 11%. Generally, prices head south when you literally head south from Chicago. A wedding in the city of big shoulders will demand a big price tag. Only Los Angeles and New York City weddings cost more than Chicago. Swanky Chi-town venues can cost upwards of $300 per person, once catering costs are figured in. However, that doesn't mean all Illinois weddings are mega-expensive. In fact, the state stacks up favorably with other affordable locations in the United States. Weddings in Peoria, Springfield, Champaign and other mid-sized Illinois cities are considered average or slightly above average. Illinois' wedding décor possibilities are fitting of a state with so much to offer. Unique Chicago wedding catering options in the Land of Lincoln include everything from hearty country fare to elegant, sophisticated urban dishes. For décor, you can do it yourself or choose an Illinois wedding decorator.
Illinois wedding license requirements aren't terribly stringent, like other states. The cost of your marriage license ranges from $15.00 to $30.00, with Chicago and Cook County licenses in the upper range. There is no waiting period to receive the license, and only a 1-day waiting period from license receipt to wedding day. Keep in mind, an Illinois marriage license expires after 60 days, so make sure your venue, caterer, photographer and all other logistical considerations are taken care of well beforehand.
