Rent a mansion in Chicago for a wedding reception

Are you looking for a historic mansion that has been turned into a wedding venue, or a mansion that is typically not used for this that you could hold your reception in? For the former, start with the vendor tab. They'll have people to explain what they have an what you have to rent. For the latter, try airbnb. Look for one that approves events.

I would caution against Airbnb because it's their right to cancel on you for any reason at the last minute. You're just not protected and can lose a lot of money from your other vendors. Might not happen but the risk of a nightmare situation would be too much for me.

I know some venues in Chicago but you can't rent them for the weekend. As ljb said, airbnb is all I can think of but they could cancel. A lot of the mansions I saw on airbnb said things like "no shoes" or "no music after 8." It could be an inexpensive option if all goes perfectly. If you're ok with it just being a venue, check out peerspace.com.

How many guests are you having and what sort of wedding are you thinking? If the guest count is low *and* you get approval from the host, you *might* be able to do Airbnb.

Have you considered renting a mansion for your guests, then having the reception at a restaurant somewhere nearby? It's Chicago, for goodness' sake. Cabs and public transit are plentiful, not to mention the city is easily traversed on foot. It's a food destination in and of itself, and food made on site tends to be better than trucked-in catered food anyway.

FWIW, the areas with mansions tend to be a bit farther afield from downtown. Prairie Street and the Gold Coast are the closest to downtown I can think of offhand. Lincoln Park isn't downtown, though it's still reasonably close. Hyde Park is another solid option, but a pain in the butt via public transit and cabs aren't plentiful down there. Farther still are Northwest Side neighborhoods such as Old Edgebrook, but the vibe there is practically suburban.

I wouldn't do air B&B. There was a story about a girl in NJ last year who lost their whole amount plus their venue when the venue cancelled. One of my colleagues could step in and cover them, but it was a nightmare.

Try wedding-spot.com or herecomestheguide.com.

Not sure what mansions would be near downtown. Stan Mansion is a venue up north that might have the vibe you are looking for

ETA you can't stay overnight. How many guests?