The Woman's Club of Evanston Reviews

We held my daughter’s wedding reception at Woman’s Club of Evanston this past Saturday and it was truly amazing! When we first started exploring venues, we were immediately impressed with how lovely the WCE space was and knew that it would be the ideal venue. However, we also realized how important the management would be in the nearly year-long planning process. WCE did not disappoint in any way! From booking through the reception, Gretchen and her staff were super organized, professional, timely and kind! Gretchen makes you feel like you are the only client she is working with! Her warm and friendly personality is so calming amidst all the details of the wedding planning process. The venue itself has recently been renovated with modern touches, but in keeping with its classic charm. Our planner and florist really enjoyed working in the space and incorporating the venue’s charming details and décor into their floral/décor plans for the cocktail area and ballroom. Another key selling point is the WCE location – walking distance to hotels, restaurants and all that downtown Evanston has to offer. Our out-of-town guests were so glad that they could easily walk back to their hotels at the end of the night! All in all, WCE is a winner – I would give it more than 5 stars if I could. Thank you Gretchen and WCE for making our daughter’s wedding reception a most memorable evening!

My daughter and her now husband had their wedding last Saturday night. The Woman’s Club was the first and only venue we looked at. From the moment we stepped in we knew it was the perfect for us. Gretchen the manager was so helpful through the whole process, she was never too busy to answer any questions we had and helped with recommendations and even ideas for our event. The venue is beautiful and has a classic charm. My guests were so impressed with how beautiful it was. We had a cocktail reception on the first floor and reception on the second. Being able to use the entire club is a bonus. Centrally located in downtown Evanston my guests were able to choose from a few different hotels and it’s a quick Uber in to the city for other guests that stayed downtown. Highly recommend.

We just had our wedding at the Woman's Club of Evanston and it was absolutely perfect. The venue is an ideal location, easy to walk to from the various nearby hotels which made it super convenient for our majority of out of town guests. It is also near restaurants and shops like (whole foods, cvs, starbucks and target) if you need any last minute items or a caffeine fix. Gretchen was a joy to work with and helped us seamlessly navigate the process even though we live 2000+ miles away. Could not give higher praise.

Some of the highlights of the club include getting to use the entire space for your event -- you are not sharing it with anyone else which was a huge plus for us. The inside is also beautiful and has an old school romantic charm to it.

My daughter and son-in-law were married here on 9/3/22. The wedding couple were one and done after touring the venue. We booked the whole venue and were so pleased with everything from start to finish. All the renovations were just as lovely as we had been promised they would be. Such a perfect setting. The ceremony was held in the ballroom and then we had the cocktail hour on the main level. When we returned to the ballroom for the reception, we were in awe of how beautifully and quickly it had been flipped. We received so many compliments on venue. From the start Gretchen was hands on, very communicative and answered the many questions that we threw at her. Arthur and Briana were the staff on hand for the wedding day. They were so hard working and everything ran so smoothly. We could not be happier and would gladly recommend the WCOE.

Our August 20 wedding at the Woman’s Club of Evanston was perfect! We held the ceremony in the music room and had cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres downstairs, which worked out great. The music room was just the right size for our 90 guests. The ballroom upstairs was gorgeous and the up lighting looked fabulous. Many of our guests commented how lovely the venue was. Gretchen and her team were fantastic and all of our needs were met. We could not have been more pleased with the Woman’s Club and we highly recommend it as a wonderful wedding venue.

The Woman’s Club of Evanston was the perfect venue for our summer wedding. Our guests loved the downstairs space for the cocktail hour with beautiful artwork as well as various seating options - they couldn’t believe there was also a wonderful space upstairs. The ballroom was perfect for dinner and dancing - the stage was a huge hit with the band. The new “uplighting” was also a very nice addition to the ballroom.

Gretchen was extremely helpful every step of the way. I appreciated her quick communication, as well as knowledge of Evanston, the building and vendors. She was extremely kind! I highly recommend the Woman’s Club of Evanston.

Working with the Woman’s Club of Evanston on our April 2022 wedding was wonderful. From the time we first looked at the space, Gretchen was helpful and thoughtful, especially considering the unexpected changes as the pandemic continued throughout our planning process. Gretchen was conscientious and kind, and kept the safety of our guests, vendors and staff in mind throughout. We felt confident we were in good hands throughout our time working with Gretchen.
The venue itself was the perfect place to host our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, and we appreciated it all being in one building, with parking across the street, a hotel down the block, and nearby public transit, which made it easy on our guests. The historic building is beautiful, great for photos, and hardly requires much decoration, while also being modernized to be very accessible for people with disabilities, all the technology we needed for a slideshow and DJ, and all-gender bathrooms for our guests. We also appreciated the affordability of the venue, and the opportunity to choose our vendors and personalize our event.

The Woman's Club of Evanston was a dream venue! The location is great, especially for out of town guests. The building is gorgeous and it's so nice having the entire building to use for photos, ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. Gretchen was a wonderful partner as we navigated planning our wedding, balancing vendors, dealing with COVID and changing regulations. She was quick to respond, always so kind and gracious.

The building is simply beautiful and it was very reasonably priced for the value (including the chairs, tables, dinnerware, etc.) The addition of the new up lights made the space look spectacular. Our guests loved the venue. We highly recommend the Woman's Club of Evanston for your wedding!

The Women's Club of Evanston is a gorgeous venue for a wedding, with a first-floor space for cocktails and a second-floor ballroom for ceremonies and reception dinners, all with a kind of understated-elegant decor which would work for a huge range of wedding styles. The venue manager, Gretchen, was delightful and patient and remarkably willing to accommodate last-minute changes of plan necessitated by the changing COVID situation. I couldn't think of a complaint about either the venue or its staff if I tried.

My husband and I are Northwestern alumni, and we knew we wanted to be back in the area for our wedding. My now husband had to find a venue alone because I wasn't able to be in the area, and the Woman's Club has been absolutely perfect in working with me virtually and helping my husband organize. They were always quick to respond by email, answered every question we had, and have been the kindest, most understanding people we have had the pleasure of working with.

Wedding planning has been stressful for us (and for businesses!) due to COVID. We had to make a ton of last minute changes, including having the ceremony at the Woman's Club, due to policy changes at our prior site. It was no problem at all--literally no fuss. For the rehearsal, they had set up the room so we can preview what it would be like for the ceremony, INCLUDING the piano for our musician to use as we practiced walking down the aisle. They also provided chairs/tables, and a microphone and lectern for the ceremony too.

We also couldn't be bothered with grand decorations, because we were so tired of planning a wedding for the second time (first attempt in 2020 derailed by COVID), but the best part is you don't need them. The Woman's Club is beautiful. There's a wonderful garden just outside for photos (not to mention the front door), a beautiful 1st and 2nd floor sun room, and the ballroom is perfect with plenty of space for larger weddings and a dance floor.

They also have a great list of vendors who they have worked with closely. We had the husband's parents on standby for coordinating because we didn't have a wedding coordinator--but you don't need one. Our caterer who knows the Club very well had everything on lockdown, and it makes clean up a breeze.

I really can't say nice enough things. It was so easy to work with the Woman's Club, and I would encourage everyone to have both the ceremony and reception there. It will simplify your life, and also be absolutely beautiful. So many thanks and warm feelings to the Woman's Club for making our day perfect!

The Woman's Club of Evanston is a beautifully, classic wedding venue in the heart of downtown Evanston, Illinois. It's also a great value because you have the entire building, newly redecorated during Covid. Staff is wonderful...efficient, professional and flexible. Our wedding guests were very impressed! Check it out. You won't be sorry.

I’m so happy we selected the clubhouse of The Woman’s Club of Evanston as our venue for our wedding and reception. Dana was wonderful to work with and was able to help guide us in the details of planning our big day. The space provided separate spaces for our cocktail hour, ceremony and reception, with a stage for our band, which is what attracted us in the first place. I love the history and the architectural beauty of the Clubhouse, which provides a beautiful backdrop to your wedding photos. And when my wife and I understood that our rental fees enable The Woman’s Club of Evanston to focus on charitable giving in the community, we ended up being very proud to have selected this as our venue.

The Woman's Club was a beautiful venue and so easy to work with. The team recommended phenomenal vendors and helped make the day of our wedding go so smoothly. They were even very understanding and helpful when we had to make a last minute change to our ceremony. We are so happy we chose the Woman's Club and so thankful for how they helped make wedding planning such a stress free process. Would highly recommend them.

My wife and I were married in October 2018. Our ceremony was up the street in the Alice Millar chapel, and we held our reception in the Woman's Club of Evanston. The Woman's Club ended up working out perfectly for us! Our cocktail hour was held on the first floor, and dinner & dancing was upstairs in the main banquet hall. The venue was beautiful, the staff was easy to work with, and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out.

Our September wedding was at the Woman’s Club of Evanston and I worked with Dana to make our event come to life. She was both professional and fun to work with, and helped design and coordinate exactly what I wanted the day to look like. The team was extremely helpful and responsive to all questions throughout our year of planning. On the day-of, Michelle, the Manager, was our coordinator and she was the best. She went above and beyond and worked with all of our vendors to ensure everything flowed well and looked stunning. The venue is beautiful and all of the guests commented on how much they liked it. The stage was perfect for hosting a live band and the staff were very amenable to working with our band ahead of time to ensure they had everything they needed to perfrorm. Family and friends are still commenting on how much they loved the whole event and how easy it was to take public transportation to or park. Overall, we couldn’t be happier with how the day went or our experience planning. Thanks, Dana and Michelle!

We loved having our Sunday afternoon (4:30) wedding at Evanston Women's Club. They were extremely responsive and open to our visiting the space as many times as we wanted. They worked seamlessly with all of our vendors. And, the space is gorgeous!

The only initial frustration was that we couldn't have our rehearsal there because they were setting up for a Saturday wedding. But it wasn't a big deal; we ended up reserving a meeting room for free at a nearby hotel that was part of our room block.

The venue was gorgeous and we didn't have to bring in any decorations because it was beautiful as is.

We used the Woman's Club of Evanston for our wedding in November of 2017. We needed a venue that could work for the entire day, from ceremony through reception. We looked around the Chicago area for venues that could hold enough people for the entire day and struggled to find exactly what we had imagined. The moment we walked into the Woman's Club we knew it was the venue for us! The building itself is beautiful and served as a wonderful place for both a ceremony as well as the party that followed. It was large enough to have everyone move downstairs for the cocktail hour and use the upstairs ballroom for both the ceremony and reception. Elizabeth was our point of contact and she was nothing short of spectacular. We didn't have the money to afford a separate wedding planner, and she helped make sure everything went smoothly. As the stress mounted she was always there to quickly provide answers or suggestions, and in the end everything came together beautifully. Thank you to both Elizabeth and the whole team at the Woman's Club of Evanston for making our day special!

We chose the Woman's Club of Evanston because it is stunning and versatile. We wanted a venue not too formal but with lots of characters. Even though we only had the first floor, there were plenty space to have the ceremony, cocktails, and reception. The event coordinator, Elizabeth, was amazing! We live in California but communication was never a problem. She was very flexible to show us the venue as much as we needed, work with our friends/family and very responsive to any questions. She also helped coordinate on our big day. Everything went great so that we got to spend some quality time with only our family. We are so happy to have our wedding at the Woman's Club and have Elizabeth to be part of it. Thank you for a special day!

We cannot say enough great things about Woman's Club of Evanston! The event coordinator, Elizabeth Anderson, was so helpful and accommodating throughout our wedding-planning process, and on our wedding day too! We had a wonderful experience with WCOE, from start to finish.

When my husband and I first got engaged we thought we would want to have our wedding in my parent’s backyard. We both have huge Chicago Irish families, and my mother’s response was: “there is no way I am letting that many people use my bathroom” Thus began our search for a place that could fit all of us, while still feeling comfortable and personal. We looked into the Chicago park district which has so many beautiful options, but for us it was too expensive considering what is (or isn’t) included while having to use their vendors. A friend suggested we check out the Woman’s Club, and I knew as soon as I looked at their website that I would love it. I called immediately to inquire about Memorial Day weekend where I was connected with Elizabeth Anderson, WCOE’s Event Coordinator. Elizabeth generously put a slightly extended hold on the day for us so that my parents, then fiancee and I could find a time we were all available to come in together an see the space. It is big, gorgeous and so reasonable considering everything that is available for use such as the entire space, tables, chairs…. Elizabeth was incredible to work with and super kind and helpful. All night our friends and family raved about the gorgeous space which was in walking distance to our hotel - the Hilton Orrington - which was another highlight to our weekend. It was great to be in a hotel so close to the WCOE and the beach. Another benefit to having a wedding at the WCOE is that the money we spent on the venue went directly to such an amazing organization and group of people. The women involved in WCOE do so much for their community and reading through the long list of volunteer work, grants and community outreach programs on their website is very inspiring. We could not have asked for a better venue, location or total experience for our wedding.

Book it! This place has so much character and the staff is super friendly and accomodating!

The Women's Club of Evanston combined the warmth and attention you expect from a small club with the ease and confidence you expect with a much more expensive commercial enterprise. Elizabeth with events planning not only responded quickly to requests, she also reached out with pre-emptive suggestions and possibilities. The Club recommended Jerry Carlson of That Special Event who provides perfection with a smile.
My daughter said it was 'the happiest day of her life' and I think you, Women's Club of Evanston.

We are so glad that we chose the Woman’s Club of Evanston for our wedding ceremony and reception. (We had ~135 guests and rented the full space.) From the charm of the downstairs area and sun porches to the high ceilings and amazing natural light in the ballroom, the venue made our wedding look classic and elegant with barely any decorative effort needed from us. We got countless compliments from our guests about how beautiful the space was. The location was also perfect as it was easy to get to for our Chicago friends but less expensive than staying downtown for those who traveled here.

Without exception, every communication we had with Elizabeth through the planning process was clear, prompt, professional and kind. On the day of the wedding, she and her assistant Colin went above and beyond to make sure we and our guests were comfortable and taken care of (including bringing me endless cups of tea, as I had laryngitis!). They were very flexible and accommodating throughout the process. Our other vendors (Froggy’s, Binny’s, Toast & Jam, Smilebooth) all worked seamlessly with the Woman’s Club to make the day run smoothly.

A minor reason that we chose the Woman’s Club that we ended up really appreciating is that many other venues we considered consisted mainly of one large room, while the Woman’s Club has two floors and multiple smaller side rooms, seating areas, and lounges. This extra space meant that guests who needed to step away during the wedding (a bridesmaid who needed to nurse her babies, a friend with health issues who needed to lie down and rest) were able to have a comfortable and private space. It also meant that we had plenty of lovely locations to take pictures despite rainy weather.

Overall we couldn’t have been happier with our choice of venue, from beginning to end, and our wedding day was absolutely magical.