12 Stunning Small Wedding Venues in Illinois to Say "I Do"

Midwestern lovebirds looking to plan a micro-celebration, you're in luck—there are so many incredible small wedding venues in Illinois to choose from. Intimate wedding venues in the state range in style and location too. Illinois offers urban Chicago spots, estates in the city suburbs like Glenview and Oak Park and diverse venues in cities and towns well beyond the Windy City too. Most of these small intimate wedding venues in Illinois have indoor and outdoor spaces as well, so if you're looking for varied settings you'll have plenty of options.

The Homestead 1854 in Plano, Illinois

Photo: The Homestead 1854

The Homestead 1854 is a 19th-century estate inspired by Tuscan villas and rife with small spaces to host your intimate Illinois wedding. On the property's two acres, you'll find several outdoor ceremony spots including a path surrounded by a hedge maze, the front lawn and a covered patio. For weddings of 50 guests or fewer, take advantage of the inside of the Homestead where there's a variety of cozy spaces including a library, bar, room, foyer and dining room.

• Guest Capacity: Outdoors: Up to 125 guests; Indoors: Up to 50 guests

The Grove Redfield Estate in Glenview, Illinois

Photo: The Grove Redfield Estate

The Grove Redfield Estate is a small gem of a property located within the Grove—a vast nature preserve north of Chicago. By renting out the entire vintage craftsman-style home you'll have access to several indoor spaces, the largest of which is the great room, which seats up to 50. Outside on the grounds, there's a covered pavilion, a forest-set gazebo and a reflection pond.

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• Guest Capacity: Outdoors: Up to 115 guests; Indoors: Up to 50 guests

Vrooman Mansion in Bloomington, Illinois

Photo: Vrooman Mansion

This central Illinois bed-and-breakfast and event venue has everything you need for a beautiful backdrop to your wedding day. The 19th-century Italianate-style home maintains much of its original vintage character throughout its event spaces, which include a front porch, dining room, study and music room. Weddings also take place on the grounds, and lastly, Vrooman Mansion has seven guest rooms plus a carriage house that makes for the ideal honeymoon suite for newlyweds. The small wedding venue in Bloomington, Illinois can accommodate up to 75 guests.

• Guest Capacity: Up to 75 guests

Co. 614 Events in Utica, Illinois

Photo: Co. 614 Events

Co. 614 Events is set in downtown Utica right near Starved Rock Nature Preserve—the country's most visited state park and an ideal location for portraits. The small wedding venue in Illinois has a cozy main event hall, which features original 19th-century brick, warm lighting and large windows, plus a getting-ready suite with vintage flair. Additionally, while the venue can accommodate up to 75 guests, Co. 614 also offers special wedding packages for weddings of up to 25 and 35 guests.

• Guest Capacity: Up to 75 guests

The Lone Buffalo in Ottawa, Illinois

Photo: The Lone Buffalo

Are you and your love beer aficionados? The Lone Buffalo might be the venue for you. The restaurant is part of local craft brewer, Tangled Roots Brewing Company, and the venue features large copper brewing kettles, high ceilings and abundant brick. There are two main event spaces—a private dining room that seats up to 40, and the second-floor lounge, which seats up to 80. You can bet guests will be satisfied with the wedding menu too, which might include dishes like bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers and flatbreads.

• Guest Capacity: 40-80 guests

Bricks & Stones at Camp Aramoni in Tonica, Illinois

Photo: Bricks & Stones

Bricks & Stones at Camp Aramoni is an elevated small rustic wedding venue in Illinois set on a boutique campground. Camp Aramoni's renovated 1870 event space features a grand hall with a fireplace, high ceilings and a built-in bar, plus getting-ready suites and an outdoor pizza oven. Couples can also tie the knot on the grounds in a ceremony on the deck or under the neighboring pavilion. At Camp Aramoni, up to 50 guests can stay for the weekend in 11 climate-controlled glamping tents and enjoy pre and post-wedding activities such as hiking, biking and canoeing.

• Guest Capacity: Up to 75 guests

Pleasant Home in Oak Park, Illinois

Photo: Pleasant Home

This 30-room 19th-century mansion is set in Mills Park and features 30 rooms filled with gorgeous woodwork, stained glass and other historical details. Most of the entertaining space at Pleasant Home is on the first floor, which seats up to 100 and also connects to a front porch where many couples hold their wedding ceremony. Super-small weddings can also use the mansion's smaller rooms like the library and the reception room which both seat up to 20. A final perk: Pleasant Home has a distinct package for weddings of up to 50 guests.

• Guest Capacity: 20-100 guests

Wandering Tree Estate in Barrington, Illinois

Photo: Wandering Tree Estate

Wandering Tree Estate is unique in that it offers a sprawling landscape of 10 acres, but only allows for intimate gatherings of up to 50 guests. The venue truly takes advantage of its setting: It's primarily an outdoor venue where nearlyweds host all parts of their wedding on the grounds. Many couples have their ceremony in front of the lake, but the venue is also known for its varied gardens, which are not only gorgeous but also feature a working model train track that adds a hefty dose of whimsy to the property. The small outdoor wedding venue in Illinois also has a getting-ready cottage with a pool where you and your wedding party can prep for the day.

• Guest Capacity: Up to 50 guests

Loft Lucia in Chicago, Illinois

Photo: Loft Lucia

This small wedding venue in Chicago, Illinois simply could not be chicer. The two-floor urban venue features an event space on the lower floor with exposed brick, large windows, a marble bar and wood flooring. Then, on the upper floor of Loft Lucia, you'll find a modern, landscaped rooftop terrace that connects to another indoor space with a second marble bar via large accordion doors. Hold your ceremony and cocktail hour upstairs with dinner and dancing on the lower level, or for even smaller celebrations choose the outdoor venue on the upper level exclusively.

• Guest Capacity: Up to 120 guests

Company 421 in Mahomet, Illinois

Photo: Company 421

The owners started Company 421 to address a gap in the intimate wedding venue market—so needless to say it's the ideal venue for small weddings in Champaign County. The venue has a homey yet elegant feel with abundant brick and large windows that face out to Main Street in downtown Mahomet. Company 421 offers planning services too and hosts pop-up weddings several times a year. On those days, the venue provides three two-hour time slots for couples to gather up to 40 guests for a low-key celebration.

• Guest Capacity: Up to 50 guests

Blumen Gardens in Sycamore, Illinois

Photo: Blumen Gardens

Blumen Gardens is a nursery with a gorgeous indoor-outdoor event space. While it can host up to 200, the small wedding venue in Illinois couldn't feel more intimate. The two primary event spaces include the elegant yet industrial Garden Room, which features tall ceilings, brick walls and twinkle lights, and the courtyard enclosed by brick walls and filled with plants and greenery. The venue also has a getting-ready suite and allows couples to use the nursery's many lush backdrops as part of their photo sessions too.

• Guest Capacity: Up to 200 guests

DeSoto House Hotel in Galena, Illinois

Photo: DeSoto House Hotel

Have your small wedding at one of the oldest operating hotels in Illinois—DeSoto House Hotel. The venue in downtown Galena near Grant Park and Galena River has been open since 1855 and maintains much of its vintage character. In addition to its 44 guestrooms, the venue has several smaller event rooms to host your wedding day events with capacities ranging from two to 25. There's also a ballroom and a four-story atrium courtyard that can each hold up to 120.

• Guest Capacity: 2-120 guests