Magic & Love is in the Air at Loft on Lake

Whether you are looking for a venue to have your ceremony, reception, or both, this refined and turn-key Loft venue is located in the West Loop, the trendiest area of Chicago. Loft on Lake offers a unique interior that can be transformed to the exact look and style you are dreaming of! Utilize your own resources or take full advantage of the fabulous affiliates that work with Loft on Lake. Below is a detailed Bridal Guide for referencing as you plan the big day.

Included Amenities

The rental includes the "Grand Loft" for a 10 hour period. Also included are the cocktail lounge, transition hallway, bridal suite, chef's kitchen, catering prep areas, coat room, and handicap-accessible restrooms. Loft on Lake provides up to 15 - 66" rounds as guest tables, 6 various sized rectangular tables, 2 highboys, and 3 black sectional leather lounge couches. We include chandeliers, uplighting, bistro lights, WIFI, a 52" flat-screen TV monitor, and 2 parking spaces. 1-4 Loft on Lake staff members will be present for every event which includes: a Venue Liaison, Loft on Lake owners, and/or an event photographer.

Wedding Guidelines, Policies and Requirements

Catering Requirements

The Loft on Lake team is always available to help with any and all vendor selections and to provide tips and guidance to help achieve a flawless event. We’ve create partnerships with some of Chicago’s best caterers that will deliver premium services and products making it easy to facilitate your ceremony and reception.

All of our Catering Partners are familiar with the space and can help guide you through room placement, rentals, and customized menus. They’re also pre-approved for you and they have all the proper licensing and insurance requirements on file with us already.

Tables & Chairs Provided

Loft on Lake provides all the table types you’ll need for your event, including 66” round guest tables, 6ft and 8ft banquet tables and cocktail tables! We also have 150 Natural Wooden Folding Chairs included with your rental, or you may opt to rent Chiavari chairs in 6 different colors for just $6/each. You’ll work with your caterer to choose whatever color/texture linens best fit your style. Your caterer will help guide you through your rental options and provide you with a customized quote! We will coordinate rental delivery/pickup with your caterer so you won’t have to.

“Loft on Lake was the perfect venue for our wedding. The setting was gorgeous and because of its natural urban beauty, required very little additional decoration.”

-Rachel

Cocktail Hour

Our cocktail room is separated from the Grand Loft space. It is beautifully lit by natural light streaming through windows and lined with elegant chandeliers of different sizes. Cocktail hour falls between ceremony and reception, and this room serves as a transition space while the Main Space is flipped. It can serve as a lounge during dinner reception and dancing.

"I LOVED this venue. I planned my wedding from out of state and Loft on Lake made it simple. They also have a list of approved vendors that know how to work in the space and flip a room from Ceremony to Reception w/out a hitch. Its one large room w/ a small front room. Takes about 50 min to flip the room. Meanwhile guest do cocktail hour in the front room." -Beata

Venue Representatives

When you book your wedding at Loft on Lake, we’ll be available throughout your planning process and in touch with you and your vendors, and present for sign-offs on all scheduled deliveries and pickups at the venue. You may request the Rep to be present during on-site meetings with family and/or vendors, at rehearsal, and on the day of.

"They are absolutely wonderful to work with! Cheryl/Jessie are very responsive, easy to coordinate in terms of wedding activities for the weekend of, coordinating with all of our vendors and answering any question throughout the planning process." -Angela V.

Deposit Policy

50% of the venue rental fee is due at contract signing to reserve your date. The balance is generally due 4 months out from your wedding date. We will hold your Credit Card information on file as your security deposit, it is not transacted in advance.

"From Los Angeles, I had to plan our 150 person wedding in just 2 months. I didn't even have a chance to see the space before choosing it. I went by pictures, reviews, price and gut. Loft on Lake = Jackpot!" -Julie M.

Flexibility

We strive to be as flexible as possible to help you create your dream wedding! We’re always on hand to offer vendor recommendations, schedule site tours, final walk throughs and help coordinate details and deliveries on the big day.

"They were flexible with the times our vendors could come in to set up for our Friday night Sangeet. We loved the space and it was perfect for our event. We could not have been happier with the staff and the space at Loft on Lake." - Ajay

The Loft on Lake Team

Loft on Lake is family-owned and operated! The Garrett family is a creative team of photographers, videographers, designers, and creative directors. With businesses in the West Loop for over 20 years, we’re committed to our neighborhood and the wonderful events we’re fortunate to be a part of!

“The space is family owned/run and that was a big plus for us in choosing an organization to work with. We feel so fortunate to have partnered with Loft on Lake for our big day and would highly, highly recommend them!" -Courtney

Deliveries & Pickups

We understand how crucial to your time and budget deliveries and pickups can be, so we are flexible! We can work with you and your vendors ahead of time to ensure scheduling for your deliveries and pickups are on the calendar. Clients, event planners, and vendors must coordinate with the venue as to when they can enter the space prior to their event. We typically open the space at 11 am Mondays thru Saturdays, so please schedule deliveries and pickups after 11 am on days we are in the office. Depending on our availability, sometimes we allow for deliveries to arrive a day early and even allow for pick-ups days later - providing event scheduling permits! Email or call us to schedule. 

We have a private parking lot behind the venue, accessible by Fulton St. or Ada St., where deliveries and pickups are received. Our street-level double-wide back doors make the load-in/load-out process very easy! Bring your own dolly with you if you have lots of items. Remember to call ahead of time to make sure we are there to receive the delivery or pickup. We have a ring camera at the back entrance, you can also call or text 312.860.3166 and we will let you in.

"We literally cried when we picked up decorations a few days after our wedding! We're going to miss the venue and the Loft on Lake family so much!" -Shawna G.

Lighting

Loft on Lake provides sufficient and romantic lighting included in your rental! ALL lighting included is on dimmer switches. We have numerous chic chandeliers of various sizes hanging in the cocktail room and transition hallway. Strands of cafe lights hang from the timber rafters in the Grand Loft space. Industrial up-lighting with exposed electrical conduits are positioned surrounding the perimeter of the room. Candles are acceptable (no tapers) as long as candles are encased in glass cylinders/vases. Our preferred event production vendors can provide additional lighting in different focal areas throughout the venue for elegant illumination. 

"Our wedding was on a winter evening and the space glowed with warm, charming lighting. We didn't even need extra lights! Many of our guests remarked how warm and pretty everything looked when the reception was set up." -Wedding Wire

Draping

Decorative draping as a beautiful backdrop for your ceremony or for other purposes is carried out by an event production company specializing in draping services. Loft on Lake does not provide ceremony backdrops. We have white satin draping at the entryway of the Grand Loft space; a sheer polyester white drape that can be used as a room separator or backdrop, and grey draping covering and surrounding the kitchen area towards the back of the space where the caterers work. We recommend taking a look at our preferred event producers page for event draping.

"The main area truly provided a blank slate for us to create our ceremony and reception visions. The exposed brick and skylight helped to create a very soft and romantic evening." -Sarah M.

Decor

Decor professionals are exceptional in bringing your vision to life and will work to create a beautiful space for your wedding day - one less thing for you to worry about! Whether you’re hiring a professional event production team, an event planner, florist, or creating some DIY elements, having extra hands dedicated to this is highly recommended! We’re very DIY-friendly and will do our best to accommodate special requests for decor setup scheduling. Please check with us first on your DIY decor plans.

"Chicago weddings can be expensive, but Loft on Lake provides a nice option where you can do a lot or just add some flowers and additional lights like we did - the space itself is gorgeous and really doesn't need a lot of extra work." -Zach T.

Chef's Prep Kitchen

Your caterer will be utilizing the prep kitchen and additional catering prep room throughout your event. Having the kitchen is a great perk for you and the caterers. Caterers love it because having a kitchen on-site makes their jobs so much easier. It saves you a bit of money too since caterers might need to charge you to bring portable kitchen equipment and food prep appliances. The food is always prepared freshly on-site here at Loft on Lake, a huge advantage! Expose the draped-off kitchen to use the large granite island for food display, buffet station, late-night snacks, or desserts. 

"There's a state-of-the-art kitchen in the back that makes me envious since it has things my own kitchen does not have." -D Pham

Capacity

We recommend up to 150 guests for a seated dinner reception, with our sweet spot coming around 125 guests. For a cocktail-style reception, we recommend up to 200 guests.

Your caterer will setup all of your tables and chairs according to the floor plan, fully execute a room flip from ceremony to reception (if needed), and will cleanup and put all the furniture away at the end of the night.

Since we’ll square away all of these details ahead of the big day, your job will simply be to show up and have a great time!

"The space was the perfect size and was extremely versatile, we were able to make the space look exactly how we wanted!" -Nick

Room Flip

For Wedding Ceremonies & Receptions, we use the cocktail room and transition hallway for guests to enjoy cocktails immediately following the ceremony, while the Grand Loft room is broken down and then set up for Reception. Our preferred Caterers are experienced and trained for the 'room flip' and make the transition look incredibly easy! Your guests will enjoy cocktails, conversation, and passed appetizers for one hour and then be amazed upon entering the Grand Loft Space totally transformed for the reception!

"The space was beyond perfect! The aesthetic of the room - exposed brick walls, barrel-vaulted skylight, timber beams - perfectly enhanced our vision for the ceremony and the dramatic transformation for the reception." -Matthew S.

Bridal Suite

Loft on Lake has a large Bridal Suite located off the cocktail room for the Bridal party to get ready or freshen up before walking down the aisle. It can be used as a private room to store personal belongings such as coats and gifts during your event. Equipped with a full-length mirror, a vanity sink, storage cubbies, lounge furniture, makeup table with seating, a natural light window, and soft lamp lighting create a relaxed ambiance for everyone to enjoy.

"Very unique place! You get the space for 10 hours and there are so many different things you can to with the space! Great for a small wedding." -WeddingWire user

Rental Rates

Weddings on Fridays & Saturdays are full 10-hour rentals, so whether it’s ceremony + reception, or reception only, you’re welcome to use your 10 hours however you like! Rates change per day, per Holiday, and by capacity. If you’re looking for a ceremony-only rental, you are limited to certain time constraints, or to a Sunday for a lesser hourly rental rate. *Rental rates have changed for covid related capacity restrictions. Contact us for current rental rate information.

"We had our wedding here and it was perfect and reasonably priced."-Trey C.

Coat Check

We provide coat racks, hangers, and a coat closet (depending on the season and number of guests, the private suite can be used as a coat room instead) Your guests can do a self-service coat check, or you can coordinate with your caterer or planner to provide coat check services and attendants.

"I truly cannot imagine my big day having been anywhere else in the city (or the world) after having it at Loft on Lake" - Yelp user

Parking

There’s free street parking surrounding the venue, although construction in the growing West Loop is unavoidable! We suggest parking in a public garage around the corner on Ada just north of Fulton Market Street. Drive-up rates are available, but we highly suggest having your guests pre-pay for parking, it’s less than $10/car after 4 pm and on the weekend! Also, feel free to consider offering valet for your guests through VIP Valet or Valet Descartes!

Valet must be arranged additionally. The venue does not coordinate these services. See our list of valet vendors.

Event Scheduling

All events must conclude by 12:00 am. A typical timeline for ceremony & Reception we often see on the wedding day is:

• 11 am - Loft on Lake opens

• 11 am-3 pm - Vendor delivery window

• 2-3 pm - Caterer arrives and begins setup

• 4-5 pm - Wedding party arrives at venue

• 5:30 pm- Guests arrive (1/2 hour before ceremony)

• 6 pm - Ceremony begins (15-30 minutes)

• 6:30-7:30 pm - Cocktail hour (1 hour after the ceremony)

• 7:45 pm - Wedding party announced, welcome speech

• 7:45-9:45 pm - Dinner reception (1.5 to 2 hours long)

• 9:45-11:45 pm - Desserts, dancing, & photo booth fun

• 11:45 pm - Last call

• 12 am - Event concludes

• 12-1 am - Catering cleans space while guests exit

• 1:15 am - Loft on Lake performs a final inspection

Continuing the party? Award winning Bars & Restaurants on Randolph St. and Fulton Market are great late-night alternatives right in the neighborhood!

Transportation

Typically guests will cab/Uber/Lyft/shuttle to and from the venue. Public transportation is just blocks away from Loft on Lake. The Green/Pink line station at Lake & Ashland is less than 2 blocks West. CTA Bus #9 Ashland & Lake is also less than 2 blocks West. The Lake & Morgan Green/Pink line station is less than 8 blocks East. Some of our preferred hotels offer shuttle transportation packages! See our list of hotel accommodations and inquire about transportation offered by the hotel. Shuttle busses, trolleys, limos, special getaway cars, and elderly or handicapped drivers can park in our private parking lot. Valet is NOT included but is permitted. 

"Conveniently located near the Green/Pink lines for guests taking public transport also close to the Loop's hotels. It is also close to a few big bars in the West Loop (Kaiser Tiger, Bottom Lounge) that can host a large group for after-wedding drinks." -Zach

Rehearsals

We allow a complimentary one-hour rehearsal with your wedding party the night before your wedding or any day during the week prior to your wedding day (provided the date and time are available).  We recommend scheduling your rehearsal long before the week of your wedding so we can reserve this time for you. If your officiant is not experienced and needs assistance during the rehearsal or procession, either a member of your wedding party, planner or our on-site venue Liaison can extend services to Day-of coordination and take lead.

"The staff and owners were great to work with, from allowing us to leave items there the night before to letting us drop by and show people the space throughout our engagement to even noticing that I was really hot during the reception and offering to turn down the heat." -Sarah

Live Music or DJs

We welcome all wedding entertainment and music styles of your choice. Wedding Bands, DJs, quartets, duets, soloists, guitarists, harpists, even pianists (we have a piano on-site you can rent!) We do have a list of recommended music talent in the vendor section you can refer to if you'd like, or feel free to utilize the musical talent of your choice! Loft on Lake does not have an internal sound system so DJs and Bands must provide their own sound equipment. Loft on Lake will provide a 6ft table for DJ setups, just make sure your caterer orders linen for the table!

"The space was the perfect size for our 150 person wedding and was extremely versatile, we were able to make the space look exactly how we wanted! Highly recommend checking out this wedding venue!" -Nick

Choose your own bar selection

Loft on Lake allows for you to BYO alcohol however you'd like. Whether you've purchased through a liquor store or our caterers, we ask that you coordinate with us when scheduling alcohol delivery to the venue so a representative is present to accept the delivery. If you are providing your own alcohol, remember to provide your purchase order listing to your caterer, so they know what alcohol they are working with and what you are supplying so they can supply the remaining bar amenities.

"We had the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception at Loft on Lake - it was a wonderful one-stop shop venue for our entire wedding day!" -Zach & Ady

Additional Services & Rentals

The below items are not included in your rental, but are available at Loft on Lake for additional costs.