Chicago Gaelic Park

” request and truly helped make my day magical. Ericka was our point of contact on the wedding day, and we honestly couldn’t have done it without her. She made sure everything ran smoothly and answered every question with kindness and patience. We had a New Year’s Eve wedding, and it was always my dream to have a balloon drop. Gaelic Park had never done one before but was excited to take on the challenge—and they absolutely delivered. They truly made my wedding day dreams come true.

dding. Poor communication, lack of professionalism, & inadequate internal coordination left us frustrated. When we signed our contract, we worked with the banquets coordinator who had over a decade of experience here. She left shortly after we signed & we were never formally introduced to her replacement, only learning of the change when I called months later. From that point on, communication was difficult, requiring multiple attempts, long hold times, even calls rerouted back to the main desk. The “hand holding every step of the way” vibe marketed on their website didn’t occur. I initiated almost all communication & had to remind them twice to schedule our tasting & approve our floor plan. It genuinely felt like we were forgotten, just 1 of the many weddings this season. The 1st major issue involved the bridal suite. During our tour, I was told we could get ready there. About 7 mos. before the wedding, while booking hair & makeup, the new coordinator assured me on the phone that we could access it “as early as we need it.” This was reiterated again at our tasting. Our vendor timelines were based entirely on this information. However, the week of the wedding, a second, newer banquets manger/coordinator, appeared into the mix and said we were no longer allowed to get ready in the suite until a couple hours before the ceremony. This reversal was DAYS BEFORE the wedding, despite multiple confirmations, & caused significant anxiety & last min. logistical changes for our vendors, wedding party, & family. This could & should have been avoided with accurate information & consistent internal communication. Lesson learned: get everything in writing! The 2nd issue occurred after the wedding. We were told multiple times that we could retrieve our decor the day after the wedding. At the end of the night, a floor manager informed us that everything had to be picked up only 9-10 am. Despite the inconvenience literally the day after our wedding, my husband & I arrived only to find no banquet staff present & their office locked. The staff present was kind but just as confused as we were. Another example of internal miscommunication!  When we finally retrieved our belongings, our custom bar menu signs were missing. I was going to offer them to the venue to use for future events but they helped themselves. Additionally, we used an audio guest book & clearly labeled the shipping box “Do not throw out.” This was the only box we did not receive back. I had to quickly find a replacement to ship it back before our honeymoon due to their error.  Lastly, multiple guests reported that the coordinator was unprofessional, rude, & snappy with them. Professionalism toward guests is a baseline expectation. I’m not looking for anything in writing this, in fact I’m relieved to never talk to them again. Luckily, despite these issues, the wedding went well & everything came together in the end. However, the unnecessary stress caused by unprofessional conduct & poor communication was a significant & avoidable headache. For these reasons, I would not recommend this venue.  If you move forward, ensure everything is documented in writing. Their “contract” is an invoice bundled with food package details and does not protect you from last min. changes or conflicting information.