Artifact Events

My wife and I cannot highly recommend Artifact Events enough. Jen and her team are the absolute pinnacle of helpful vendors. Beyond being an incredibly unique space our experience working with this venue had absolutely no blemishes. Jen was extraordinarily responsive to us even as we shifted headcount, layout, and plans all the way up until the last minute. She provided very useful feedback and insights into what aspects of the reception and layout worked for the space and our vision. Above all else Jen and her team were absolutely flexible to whatever requests we made, this came to be our most highly prized quality when dealing with vendors in the wedding planning process. Artifact Event's openness to vendors not strictly listed on their recommended list is part of what attracted us to them as many venues in Chicago are quite firm on this. This turned out to be indicative of their general approach to event planning. This allowed us not only to plan the event of our dreams right down to every minute detail but allowed us to substantially bring down our budget. The Artifact Events team was as helpful and present throughout the event as well. They were generous with allowing us as much as access as possible to the space to load and unload all of our decor (so long as it did not conflict with other booked events). We visited the space at least half a dozen times prior to the event (including to practice our first dance on the dance floor). To repeat myself, I cannot recommend them highly enough. For reference: we utilized the North Hall.

We held our June 2024 wedding at Artifact Events - South Entrance and couldn't be happier! From the moment we saw the space we fell in love. The space is absolutely stunning and we loved that we had the courtyard space for our outdoor ceremony. We worked with Jen leading up to the event, and she was so prompt with answering all our questions and we knew we were in good hands! Jen is very detailed oriented and we knew that everything would come to life exactly as we planned. We received so many compliments on our venue and we are extremely happy with our choice!

We held our June 2024 wedding ceremony and reception at Artifact Events - North Side, and we couldn’t have been happier with our choice. From the moment we toured the venue in October 2023, we were captivated by the multiple levels, stunning chandeliers, and the beautiful natural light that filled the space. The entire venue was incredible and even better than what we envisioned for our big day. The staff (shoutout to Jen and Pete) at Artifact Events was incredibly helpful and responsive, promptly answering every question we emailed to them over the course of several months. Their professionalism and attention to detail gave us confidence that our wedding day was in good hands. It was also reassuring when we mentioned our venue to our vendors, and they consistently responded with, “Ooooh, that space is so beautiful,” followed by, “The staff is so great there.” The Artifact Events team has a stellar reputation, which is exactly what you want on your wedding day. We definitely felt supported and knew they would do whatever it took to ensure our day went smoothly. Overall, Artifact Events exceeded our expectations in every way. The combination of the breathtaking and unique venue and the exceptional staff made our wedding day truly unforgettable. We highly recommend Artifact Events to anyone looking for a beautiful and well-managed venue for their special day.

Artifact Events was hands down the BEST choice we could have made for a venue. We wanted more than anything to have a classy, Chicago wedding & this venue knocked it out of the park. We had the full building buy out. And our guests raved about the fact that we had the ceremony, dinner & reception in different areas of the venue - which made it feel like a whole new experience each part. It made for such a unique, magical experience. Everyone we worked with at the Venue was top notch and A+ ... especially our POC Jen who did such an incredible job communicating & making sure everything was perfect for us from start to finish. We felt like we could reach out and make anything happen. All-in-All... if you want the best wedding of your life in Chicago.. choose Artifact Events

The North Building was the perfect place for our wedding. Jen was great to work with. Our guests loved that each part of the wedding was in a different area. And of course it is beautiful inside. The bartenders also got a lot of compliments from our guests. As this was a Southside wedding, they were busy. But the drinks were great and there was never a line.

We were in the north building and the venue alone is completely stunning! We received so many compliments just from the space. We worked closely with Jen who was incredible throughout the process! She helped with any concerns and was amazing throughout the walkthrough. She gave us ideas, told us how things typically go, and asked questions we did not even think about! It was an absolute dream and they made us feel heard and executed everything we wanted!

Artifact Events is a one-of-a-kind venue! When you walk into the space, the large-scale light fixtures and the interesting architecture of the building take your breath away. We held our daughter's ceremony and reception on the North side in early December and it was an absolutely perfect night! We had the ceremony and cocktail hour downstairs and dinner on the upper level with dancing and dessert back downstairs. The guests really enjoyed the moving party! The three beverage packages have something to offer every budget. We went with the third tier and we were extremely happy with the array of offerings. Christine and her team went above and beyond to help us plan an amazing wedding. Between recommendations on setup, vendor referrals, and answering my many questions, Christine was professional, sweet, and customer-focused. I highly recommend Artifact Events for any event - especially a wedding!

Artifact Events is truly a stunning venue; we got so many compliments on the uniqueness and beauty of the space! The staff was attentive and flexible to all of our requests and their response time was so fast. Truly the best part was how excited the staff seemed for us on our special day. Cannot say enough great things and would truly recommend to anyone!

We had our April 2023 wedding in the south venue of Artifact Events and it was absolutely perfect. Jen was incredibly professional and friendly from the day of our first tour, throughout the entire planning process and the big day. She was always prompt to respond to my many emails and always willing to talk through any questions or thoughts I had. Artifact Events was also very accommodating to us and our vendors, willing to find solutions and help us set up everything how we wanted and making recommendations when requested. The day of the wedding their staff were incredibly professional and helpful - they helped guide people around and answer any and all questions, assisted with all ADA accommodations requested by individual guests, and the bartenders were amazing - no long lines and people were able to quickly grab drinks and get on the dance floor! Finally the space itself was beautiful - we had rainy weather and were able to do photos throughout the space before the ceremony. Our ceremony was beautiful with the soft light from the rainy day, and the layout provides a beautiful natural flow to the event. Every space made for a beautiful backdrop for our professional photos and the ones our guests took throughout the night. In the end there is nothing I would have changed about having my wedding at Artifact Events - the entire experience was perfect, from the beauty of the venue to the professional and top tier service provided by the entire staff.

We can’t possibly say enough good things about artifact. Christine was so helpful throughout the entire process leading up and was very responsive to all my questions. She was very thorough on our final walk through and made sure everything was set up exactly how we pictured it. The bar staff at our wedding were professional and fun. Venue manager Pete checked in with us several times throughout the night to make sure we had everything we needed. The venue is so beautiful and our photos are amazing. This was the perfect venue for us and we had so much fun.

This venue is absolutely stunning, and they have the staff to back it up. All of our guests agreed! We were in the North Space, where the flow of our wedding was perfectly arranged - ceremony downstairs, cocktail hour upstairs at the gorgeous bar, then dinner and dancing downstairs. The bridal suite is fantastic, and the ladies' restroom is a thing of fantasy. Christine and Jen were great at answering any questions we had thoroughly and in a timely manner. As any bride can attest to, getting quick responses from vendors is very appreciated!

We had our wedding at Artifacts Events in December. What a beautiful space l, and their team is so great to work with! Jen was always so quick to respond and helped us in making sure our wedding's setup turned out perfect!

I had my wedding at AE last month and it was absolutely amazing. When looking for venues, we immediately fell in love with AE and the overall aesthetic. It is a venue where you really don't need to add a lot to the space to make it beautiful - because it already is. We received so many compliments from our guests on the venue itself and the bartenders (which is provided by AE). And of course I can't forget to give a shout out to Christine & her team. She was extremely easy to work with throughout the entire process. Christine was always quick to respond to our numerous emails with questions and was able to make accommodations with some of our preferences. This includes having our pup attend the ceremony as our flower girl which really made our day extra special!

You can't beat Artifact Events. The space is absolutely gorgeous. Working with Christine and Jen was a breeze. Everyone was so kind. They provide their own bartenders, and I heard from multiple people at our wedding it was the best bartenders they have ever had a wedding.

We used the north side for our wedding and it was beautiful! The chandeliers and the string lights are a perfect touch! Our signature drinks were a Sazerac and an Espresso Martini and they were so tasty!!! A great place to be married :)

An amazingly beautiful venue with an equally amazing coordination team! Our wedding was here last weekend and it was a dream. Christine and her team were so responsive and supportive in working with us/all of our vendors along the way - in fact, most of the vendors had worked in the space before, so the day-of logistics were a breeze. They have a fantastic preferred caterer list and are not overly prescriptive about which vendors you work with for decor, etc. - a huge advantage over many other Chicago venues. They were the first spot we visited in a list of almost 15 venues and we didn't even bother visiting others - we booked immediately. The venue's beauty obviously speaks for itself, and the collection of artifacts are great for photos, both inside and outside. The Ravenswood neighborhood is also great - much more of a neighborhood vibe than downtown, which our out-of-town guests enjoyed. It's also nearby public transit plus there's a fair amount of street parking out front. I cannot recommend this space enough!!

Our daughter was married at Artifact Events, and the venue was perfect! Renting out the entire space made for an evening that flowed easily and, of course, lent itself to the most amazing photos! Christine and her team were incredibly supportive during the planning process, flexible (think never-done-before groom motorcycle entrance!), and a great resource to ensure every detail was in place!

I love, love, LOVE Artifact Events! It is the most stunning space with so much character and so much charm. My husband and I booked the south side for our vow renewal in October, and couldn't have been happier with the variety we were able to achieve. From our ceremony upstairs, to our cocktail hour in the back, or our dinner and dancing in the front - AE was able to accommodate all of our needs. Additionally, Christine Lund (AE GM) was a pleasure to work with. Our only complaint was in the execution of moving the bar from the cocktail space to closer to the dancefloor during dinner. This was a decision that was made during our final walkthrough but it did not happen on the night of the event. Nevertheless, we loved AE, our vendors had nothing but incredible things to say about their interactions with Christine and team, and our guests raved about the space. Would definitely recommend this venue for your wedding needs!

Absolutely gorgeous/unique loft-style venue. Super flexible and accommodating assistance throughout the process. Would definitely recommend !!

If you're looking to party in a cool, modern industrial loft, Artifact Events is the place for you. We got married on the South Side of the venue, and our guests could not get over how gorgeous it was! We fell in love with the venue the first time that we visited, and it looked like a dream on our wedding night when all the decorations came together. Thank you to the entire Artifact Events team, especially Christine, for their partnership and collaboration throughout our wedding planning process.

We are so thrilled that we chose Artifact Events for our wedding ceremony and reception. Christine and her team were always ready to answer our questions and give suggestions about what would work best for our wedding in the AE space. The staff was extremely helpful on our wedding day and the bar team was wonderful during our reception. We can't recommend Artifact Events enough!

Artifact Events was the PERFECT venue for my wife and I to get married in on 3/7/2020. Everyone who works there has been such a pleasure to work with and made our entire process easy. We used the North Atrium and it was honestly our favorite thing about our whole wedding. All of our guests loved the industrialized look; it was so romantic and comfortable for our guest count of 175. Christine was very enjoyable and professional to work with. It helps that our vendors all worked in the space before - we did not have to worry about a thing before we arrived. We highly recommend using this venue!

We were so proud to host our wedding at Artifact. We rented the North Atrium, and it was absolutely perfect. Christine was friendly, professional, and easy to work with. She was always available to answer questions throughout the planning process. It was easy to coordinate with vendors. A beautiful venue, and friendly staff. We never had to worry about any wedding details on the day of the event. They made it easy on us! I would highly recommend this venue!

Our venue search was pretty much over before it began - as soon as we walked in, my fiance saw the look on my and my sister's face and knew that everywhere else was going to pale in comparison. Lucky for us, it was everything we needed, and at a comparable/reasonable price for a venue that can hold 200 in the city. Sachiko was responsive and professional, and was proactive about communicating changes to the space as it transitioned from being an antique store to solely an event space. The space is accessible, felt both bustling but not too crowded at 175 people (200 might have felt a bit tight but manageable), and they were very flexible about dropping in to look at the space, dropping wedding items off the day before, etc. My only drawback is that it is a little dark - and the additional lighting that pretty much every wedding example that we looked at in the space will add about $2000 to your budget. Otherwise, it was an absolutely perfect space that was unique, impressive and just what we had in mind for a city wedding!

One of the most unique spaces in the city! I loved having our wedding there and was thrilled to work with Sachiko. She was able to concisely tell me what I needed and how to set up the space. She was wonderful to work with and I couldn't get enough compliments on our venue. People LOVED IT!

Had our wedding here. Everything about this venue was wonderful and the full buyout was perfect for our guest count at 251 people. If you are looking for a very Chicago and industrial vibe (which we were able to make very elegant with our decor), this venue is the way to go!

We had our ceremony and reception at Artifact Events, and it was everything we dreamed of. The venue is so unique and beautiful, and we loved having the ceremony in the outdoor courtyard before bringing the rest of the reception inside. Sachiko was wonderful to work with and did a great job working with us and the rest of our vendors to keep things on track and organized.

This was the perfect venue for our wedding. We booked the Southside + Courtyard, and there were so many options for how to utilize the space. The space has interesting architectural details and great natural lighting. It didn't take much to make the space look beautiful on our wedding day. Our venue coordinator (Sachiko) was easy to work with, organized, and thorough. I would absolutely recommend this venue.

Mark and I could not have asked for a better venue. It was the perfect combination of unique, but also a blank slate so we could create the wedding of our dreams. Lots of space to have each portion in a different area and great natural light! Christine was amazing to work with and the venue worked so well with our planner. Wouldn’t have changed a thing!

Great venue! It was everything we wanted in our vision - unique, eclectic, and the architecture/décor decorated the space enough without needing much more than a bit of lighting and some flowers. It was everything we wanted for our guests - free easy parking, large dance floor, dance floor space separate from dining space, easily accessible bar, space for guests to sit and enjoy the music even if they aren't dancers, easily accessible bathrooms. Can't say enough about Artifact Events - we loved every minute and received so many comments from guests on how much they loved the space! For prospective brides and/or grooms - we had 270 guests and did a partial buyout including North Side/Atrium and courtyard only (no one booked the southside, so we had access to the courtyard).

This. Venue. Was. Everything. It started and ended with this fantastic place. We got married on the South side. It was simply stunning. We loved having space to spread out, having the ceremony, cocktail hour, and dinner/dancing all in separate spaces. The space itself was a fantastic mix of industrial and rustic. The only down side of the venue was the larger set of bathrooms are on separate floors. There is a single occupancy bathroom on the upper floor so we made it work. Moreover there was an elevator for folks to use. It certainly did not negatively impact the night! Christine was superb. She was prompt with all responses, accessible, and super easy to work with. From our first meeting through the actual event, she was great. We highly recommend this venue!

This venue is absolutely stunning. Once we looked and it our wedding couldn't have been conceivably anywhere else. Christine was amazing to work with! Very professional, had wonderful ideas and extremely helpful. Christine was attentive and answered all of our questions and was extremely flexible and easy going. Took the stress out of planning. I cannot recommend Artifacts enough!

We've loved visiting Architectural Artifacts for years, so the space holds a special place in our hearts. We wanted to share this unique experience with our friends and family for our wedding. We choose to have our ceremony in the courtyard and the reception in the North Atrium, where guests are allowed to wander among the trinkets. Overall, our experience was great. There was a bit of confusion when our original contact left, and we had to adjust a few plans (no projected music in the courtyard due to neighborhood guidelines, no sparklers) but the team was SO helpful to find ways to work around the challenges. Yes, we were still able to have our live band play and be heard in the courtyard win-win! In the end, we were delighted with how everything came together. Liz is just wonderful to work with. Plus, the venue is just beautiful and is unlike any I've ever seen.

I highly recommend Artifact Events as a beautiful wedding venue! Our guests loved the space (we used the courtyard for the ceremony and the south side rooms for our cocktail hour and reception) and we had more than enough room for our guests to dine and dance. The coordinators were fantastic to work with, great communicators during the planning process, and helped us think through any questions with thoughtfulness to ensure our day was perfect. The only reason I couldn't give 5 stars was communication day-of. Since the items on display are for sale, there is a chance that an item you love could be gone by the time your event rolls around. We planned our whole ceremony around a gate in the courtyard that ended up being sold and I wasn't told until the morning of my wedding after I had noticed it gone during our rehearsal. This caused a lot of scrambling for our wedding party and florist the day of. We ended up getting a beautiful replacement, but make sure you continue to ask about any pieces while you plan.

We could not say more good things about this incredible space and the team behind it that makes it tick! We got to work with both Liz and Christine, and at every step of the way, they were there to make suggestions, recommend other vendors, help us think through night-of flow, and just generally encourage us on our wedding planning journey. Our guests were totally blown away by the space (we used the South Loft: upstairs for our ceremony, back room with skylights for our cocktail hour, and Ravenswood Room for dinner & dancing). The simplicity, rustic feel, and beauty were everything. We highly recommend this amazing place!

Artifacts Events is a perfect wedding venue! Strolling through the shops during cocktail hour is unique. The setting is beautiful and spacious. Service was extraordinary. Everyone at my son's wedding raved about the venue. Classy, classy, classy!

We did one of our elopement shoots and quick ceremony here after having been in to browse over the past few years. The space is absolutely stunning. Your photographer will thank you because there is no uninteresting nook or window or object in the antique mall. The team was helpful and welcoming, we had such a good time!

We had our daughter's September wedding and reception at AE and it was absolutely perfect. It's an amazing magical space with an urban chic feel, exposed brick and super high ceilings; the perfect backdrop for our event. We had the ceremony outside in the courtyard, followed by cocktail hour in the lounge area off the courtyard. The dinner and dancing was in the atrium on the north side of the space, with sit down dinner and a large dance area. Christine and Micah were both very professional and easy to work with, and the entire event was perfect. We really lucked out with the weather and were able to have the ceremony outside but one of the things I really liked about AE is the rain plan would have required no compromises. There are several indoor ceremony options that are all viable and beautiful.

Venue aesthetics: 5-stars Response time from coordinator: 5-stars Price: 3-stars Communication & Professionalism: 3-stars Location and accessibility for guests: 5-stars Our pictures turned out awesome, our guests and family members marveled at the venue space, we loved our wedding day, but it definitely did not go off without a hitch. There were many details throughout the process that, despite over-communication, did not occur as planned. First, we had two different coordinators throughout the process. The first quit about a month after we signed, and we were assigned a second. So, beware of the high turnover - many of your conversations will be lost, so get them in writing as much as possible. Second, we reserved the entire venue ($11,000) so that we would be able to utilize the south hallway for a cocktail hour, the patio for photos, the atrium for the ceremony, Ravenswood Room for dancing, and the South Loft for dinner. However, three months before the wedding, we visited on a whim and noticed that the south hallway was bulldozed to the ground and that the courtyard was a disastrous construction zone. We were given no warning (or discount...) about this. After approaching our coordinator about the unpleasant surprise, we were told repeatedly that the construction would be complete by our wedding date, but it most definitely was not. The venue eventually relented on moving a large tractor out of the way to allot just enough dusty ground space for a few wedding party pictures against the north courtyard wall. Sadly our 75-degree wedding day had to be spent entirely inside, despite reserving and paying for this courtyard. Our cocktail plans had to be rearranged, causing more headaches for our other vendors to flip the spaces (i.e DJ & caterer). Third, we had also discussed many, many other details for the evening from requesting mummy artwork to be moved out of the entrance to developing a highly-edited and detailed floorplan for the ceremony. However, many of these details must have been forgotten about or miscommunicated. Because of this, venue workers and even guests were literally pulling more chairs out from behind the curtains to set up for standing guests just 10 minutes before the ceremony. Quite embarrassing and irritating, especially for paying such a high price for the space. Also, our family photos were unfortunately the worst we had because of an atrium lighting mistake. Overall, the venue is STUNNING and made for a dream wedding space. Our guests had a blast and a few have gone back to purchase items from the store. But, it was very stressful the day-of to notice how many things did not go according to plan because of venue miscommunications that we worked for days and months to prevent from happening. We expected better service for a very expensive wedding. (written by Rebecca F., the bride)

My husband and I had our June 2016 wedding ceremony and reception at Architectural Artifacts (aka Artifact Events). Overall, I'd say that we were 100% pleased with everything that occurred on the day of the event (5-stars), but the venue and its representatives were a recurring source of anxiety in the weeks and months leading up to the event (3-stars). The venue itself is wonderful. It's an antiques store that has numerous large pieces from buildings in Chicago and elsewhere. The open style and exposed brick of the event areas give the illusion of an outdoor event while your guests can enjoy the A/C (key for our wedding, which turned out to be the hottest Saturday of the summer). We used the Atrium space for our ceremony and reception, while the cocktail hour utilized the patio (guests were also able to explore the upper floors of the store during cocktail hour). On the day of the wedding, everything went off without a hitch. The staff was incredibly helpful and professional. Our guests were happy, comfortable, and intrigued by the unique space and decor. The pictures turned out amazing. We had a blast, and at no time was anything at the venue an issue. The planning process did leave quite a bit to be desired. I'd rate it the single greatest source of stress during the lead-up to the wedding. The venue could not guarantee the building's availability for a Friday evening dress rehearsal (they reserved the right to rent it out Friday night, and we didn't want to take the chance of having to find an alternate location a few weeks before the event). It didn't help that we had 3 separate event coordinators throughout the process (i.e. 2 coordinators quit or were released during the 13 months between when we signed our contract and the date of the wedding). As a result, some of the details we discussed with our first coordinator were renegotiated at various moments through the process. Part of the appeal in choosing this venue was the added perk to use various artifacts from the store as part of our decor. We were told that most items would be available, but the largest items in the store could not be moved for an event. When we actually provided our list several weeks before the event (could not finalize this earlier because the inventory changes), we were told that over half the items on our list could not be used, including many of the smaller items (which would be stolen by our guests, we were told) and the books (which was a focal point in our wedding theme). With two weeks remaining before the event, we thought we may have to make major adjustments to our decorations. Ultimately, the venue relented on the books, but there were some stressful moments before this was agreed. Please be aware that some of the other policies mentioned in online reviews may have changed in the last few years. During one of the management changes in 2015 or 2016, we learned that the venue would no longer allow external liquor to be provided, and couples would need to purchase liquor through the venue (thankfully, we were grandfathered in on the old policy, because it was specified in the contract). The ability to purchase our liquor through Binny's was one of the few areas where we could significantly reduce costs (and customize to our hearts desire), so it's sad to hear that this will not be an option for couples going forward.

We had our November 12th wedding reception at this venue and it was absolutely perfect. It's an amazing space with the wood floors, exposed brick and super high ceilings. It was the perfect backdrop for our event. We had cocktail hour in the smaller space off the courtyard and used the main Ravenswood room for our reception. It comfortably seated about 160 for a sit down dinner and a large dance floor. The experience working with Christine was flawless and she made sure our day was perfect. We wish we could do it all over again! Highly recommend!

We had a wonderful wedding at A.E. last Saturday. If you are looking for a unique venue that your guests will be amazed at this is the venue for me. I have gotten compliment after compliment about the venue. The venue was easy to work with, and beautiful.

I had my wedding here about a month ago and it was fantastic! It is such a cool venue, all of our guests were very impressed! We worked with Christine and she was great, she answered all my questions and e-mails promptly which is great from the perspective of a stressed bride! I couldn't have been happier with the whole experience and would recommend it to anyone!