Joliet Union Station

estions I had. The venue is absolutely gorgeous, the food is delicious, and we are still getting compliments on how much everyone loved the unique venue. It was also reasonably priced when you compare it with other vendors in the area. We are so happy we chose Union Station for our big day and highly recommend it. Everything was just perfect and they're so accommodating!

ommunicative, and extremely responsive to all of my questions. She worked so hard to make sure we had everything we envisioned on our wedding day and just made us feel so at ease throughout the planning process, knowing that we were in such good hands! We loved everything about the process, from our initial tour of the space, to our tasting (the food is SO good - much better than any classic "wedding" food) at Mistwood Golf Club, emails and meetings with Audra, the ceremony rehearsal, and, of course, our wedding day itself. There are so many stand outs about the venue- there are so many spaces within the building that are unique and special. We loved having our ceremony downstairs and the aisle going down the grand staircase to the actual aisle is so unique and cool! Guests then headed upstairs where there is a great separate space (amazing detail work and glass ceiling/windows looking into the ballroom) where they could pick up their escort cards and drop off gifts before heading into the grand ballroom. The space is so stunning and beautiful on its own! We rented emerald napkins and chair ties through the venue and they turned out stunning. They also allowed us to bring in our own gold chargers, which was great. We also ordered uplighting through the venue, which was very affordable and added a great ambience to the ballroom. The venue does have some acoustic challenges due to the stone materials of the building/high ceilings, so make sure you are working with a DJ who knows the space (we used Ray Jones of Sounds Abound who had worked there before and was excellent). The service during our wedding was excellent and our guests were very well taken care of. We had two excellent catering managers (Melissa and I think Taylor?) who kept things going and made sure we as the bride and groom were taken care of all night. Every aspect of the food was amazing, from the soup shooters to the salad, to entrees, our donut wall, and late night pizzas! Audra helped us to estimate how many donuts/pizza we would need for our number of guests, which was extremely helpful. We also ended up having our rehearsal dinner at McWethy's Tavern (Mistwood Events owns Union Station) and it was excellent!! Very convenient and close by the venue. We will be reliving our wedding day for a long time- the staff at Joliet Union Station worked so hard to make sure we had everything we wanted, and it was the best feeling on our wedding day to just sit back, relax, and enjoy the day. I cannot recommend this venue enough!!! Hoping one of my friends will get married here so I can experience everything again. :) Thank you!!!

and amazing throughout our wedding process! Whatever I needed she was there. The foot was OUTSTANDING. We had guests rave about how beautiful the venue was and how great the food and drinks were. The music did echo, but that’s just because the structure of the building. Joliet Union station will forever be a special place to us! ❤️

s. Always very nice, professional , and on top of things. She was a huge help in making the whole process stress-free. There was nothing that we didn’t love about this venue. Highly recommend !

found The Grand Ballroom, we instantly knew we had to have our reception there and we our beyond happy that we did. Working with Taylor and Melissa was a delight, they are super helpful, patient, kind and responsive! I would honestly recommend to anyone who is looking to book an event at The Grand Ballroom, do it, you will not regret working with such an amazing staff!

inator as well! She was so patient and kind, and made sure our day went smoothly. The chef and kitchen staff were also SO GREAT. Food came out warm, and we got SO many compliments from our guests for how great the food was. The Chef also customized a late night snack for us, and it was GREAT. I highly recommend Joliet Ballroom for your reception venue, it's stunning and the team is AWESOME!

k with- she was always so kind and patient with us and all of the questions I had during our long engagement. She was always very detailed and prompt in her responses, willing to meet with us whenever we needed, and always presented different options and ideas! We are going to miss working with her! The team that worked the night of the wedding was absolutely amazing. Everyone was very polite and on top of everything! Whether it was setting up, taking down, service, etc. there was always someone around if there was a question. If you are on the fence about the venue, I highly recommend that you go check it out in person so you can see for yourself how special the space is and the potential it has to be the wedding of your dreams!

ded answered. Venue, staff, and food were amazing. Thank you for making our day perfect!!

g throughout this wedding planning process and I know we would not have survived the stressing planning without her help. We can't wait until our big day in a few months!

rovided and enjoy their time in the historic ticket booth area for drinks & laughter ! Soon our guest would go upstairs for a plated dinner with us. Dinner was great ! Our chef & our event planner made sure the head table and our guest were all accommodated with drinks & food. It was a beautiful day in April ( which we had no idea how it was going to turn out being Illinois )& even up to the day off the wedding, Brett said they could accommodate the reception area to be outside. The staff did not stop providing their services until everyone had cleared the room. They helped getting center pieces boxed to wrapping up the cakes. Brett, the even planner, is amazing ! He’s truly on top of everything and replies to all your questions n emails in a timely matter. The whole time I worked with him, I knew he was giving me honest answers and his full attention. He is a person that excelled at his job & I would pick this venue all over again because as a bride, he & everyone there made wedding planning smooth and easy. Thank you so much Brett, & all the staff at the Joliet Grand Ballroom, our day was phenomenal!!!!

other than the typical ballroom and a place with a separate space for our ceremony and reception (and cocktail hour if we could do it). We were on our way to sign with what we felt was our best option but wanted to go see this place first. Within five minutes my husband turned to me and said, we have to do this. This place is beautiful and unique and you'll be the only wedding happening there. We were able to have our ceremony in the lobby area in front of the ticket booths, the cocktail hour on the balcony and the reception in the ballroom. The weather cooperated and people were outside on the balcony all night when they needed a break from the dancing or the noise. The food was great and I can't say enough about how great Brett, the coordinator, was. He was great at answering all my questions leading up to the wedding and was so on top of everything the day of. I barely saw him but he was hustling because I heard so many compliments from our family and bridal party about how great he was. He helped make sure our ceremony went exactly as planned and kept the whole night on schedule. At one point we couldn't find my toss bouquet and he found it right away. He knew everything that was going on and made sure everything went perfectly. Everything looked beautiful and went off without a hitch. I highly recommend this venue!

oom is an excellent value based on the price, the selection and quality of the food, the size of the venue, and the extras it comes with such as the chiavari chairs & valet. Not to mention they are LGBTQ friendly! The event coordinator, Brett, was timely with his responses through the planning process, friendly, helpful, and most importantly accommodating. We had 20 people cancel the day of the wedding and more than a few unaccounted for guests show up. Brett & his team took care of everything so nobody was without a seat or a meal. If that's not exceptional service I don't know what is. 

the day before. They also were flexible on the payment plan. They let me pay more in advance. The venue is huge. I fell in love at first site. I got the entire downstairs area for my cocktail hour, the grand ballroom and the platforms/ balconies on both sides. I also had my own bridal suite room just for me to use. They provided the food and drinks. I had the plated option. My guests were waited on like we were in a real restaurant and I had an open bar. The food was amazing. The dinner menus are customizable for price and taste. They allowed outside vendors for my cake and music. They have many options for tablecloths available at an additional price. The views and architecture are amazing. Very photogenic, our pictures came out gorgeous. They even allowed me to have a sparkler send off upstairs on the platforms. And it’s handicap accessible. All my guests raved about the beauty of the venue and the food. The only con is that it echoes in the ballroom but we had a pretty good DJ that was able to offset the echos. And we were not able to hear any trains inside.

in station charm, but provides an elegant, non-traditional setting. Windows and glass doors line the walls allowing natural light to illuminate the ballroom. There is an outdoor balcony we chose to host our cocktail hour on, essentially giving us two spaces for guests to linger throughout the night. The bridal suite provided a nice escape for the bridal party throughout the night and was more than enough room to store all of our items. Dinner was served promptly, no guest was kept waiting, and each request was met by the servers and bartenders. Brett, the coordinator, was our primary contact. He is worth his weight in gold. He answered every question, promptly responded to every email, allowed us to walk through the venue every time we asked, and accommodated all of my very detail oriented requests without hesitation or without making me feel like I was asking too much. From the moment I contacted the venue to, throughout the whole reception, to the week after our wedding, Brett continues to make everything run smoothly. Overall, Brett was a pleasure to work with and went above and beyond our expectations. I could go on for days; Brett and his team made sure everything was taken care of and not one thing was missed. I could not have imagined a more perfect day and highly recommend Joliet Union Station!

ique aesthetic and history that you just can't get in a made-for-weddings-banquet-hall. It was unique, gorgeous, had an outdoor balcony, and soo much natural light thanks to the surrounding windows and glass doors. We had 200 invitees and everyone thought it was absolutely stunning. There is a brewery just down stairs that was perfect for guest that arrived early, and an outdoor cocktail hour made everyone feel relaxed and ready for fun. As for the staff we mostly dealt with Brett who is one of the most easy going and helpful person you could work with. And trust me, I can be pretty specific with what I want, and Brett was amazing at making it all happen, usually even better. He rolled with my family's less than conventional surprises and was accommodating in basically every way. Even their preferred vending list scores an A++. All that being said, the venue was just shy of being perfect. Since this was a train station and not a made-for-weddings-banquet-hall, there are compromises you will have to make, specifically sound quality. The ceilings are impressively tall making room for gorgeous chandeliers and wonderful photos, but the sound suffers, even with Djs that say they know how to deal with that specific space. Music sounds just fine on the dance floor and ok everywhere else, but don't expect to be able to hear speeches or announcements unless you are directly on the dance floor. However! this is not the case for live music. We had a mariachi that shined thanks to the venue’s reverberation and even sounded amazing on the balcony. Overall, I loved my wedding day, and I love my photos of this beautiful hidden gem. If you envision an elegant, bright, and stunning wedding, this is definitely a place you should consider!

our family.

y walked me through every step of the process and answered all of my questions thoroughly. They were reasonably priced and very easy to work with. The food was fantastic, the staff was nice, and the venue was beautiful! I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for a reasonably priced venue in the southwest suburbs.

taken care of. You can have your ceremony and reception on site. They cater the food themselves on site (and I was told by mostly every guest it was the best wedding food they have ever had, even the best steak they have ever had, period), the table settings are provided, cake, and an entire list of suggested vendors for services not provided by The Grand Ballroom. The venue itself is beautiful and is really a hidden gem in Joliet. Many guests had no idea there was such a breathtaking space at the old train station. Leading up to event was stress free and they guide you in every way. The day itself was seamless. The staff accommodated all of our needs. Tracy was absolutely amazing. She was wonderfully supportive and just really loves her job. We were thrilled with her and even my bridal party thought she was just amazing. I really can't recommend her enough. We were so happy with how our day turned out!

ith this indecisive bride. The food, cake, security, and alcohol are all done through the venue so I did not have to worry about coordinating vendors. The food is outstanding and there is no way anyone should leave hungry with the portions of food. No way that we could have beaten the price if we had to deal with individual vendors; nor could we have gotten the same quality that we did here. We were told numerous times about how gorgeous this venue is and I could not agree more. The cathedral ceilings and massive chandeliers set the perfect atmosphere for what we were trying to achieve. The ballroom is a warm and inviting space that is massive in size but managed to convey the intimate wedding that we were hoping for. I cannot say enough wonderful things about Lori and this venue and would definitely recommend this venue to everyone!!

ere so accommodating. The food was plentiful and outstanding. The bar service was great. At the end of the night the staff packed up all of our centerpieces, gifts. etc and loaded it into our cars. We could not have asked for anything better. It is in a train station. But once you are up in the ballroom you'd never know it. While the views from the balcony aren't much to look at, it is a huge balcony. Great for cooling off after working up a sweat dancing. Great for smokers. (I'm not one, but many of the guests were) Wonderful day all around.

o everything from the initial tour to visiting a week before the wedding to finalize everything. She took the time to make sure we had all our questions answered and was more than willing to go above and beyond to create our vision. I can not imagine having our wedding at any other venue. It was so unique and that was exactly what we were looking for! The building is so beautiful so it didn't need a lot of decorating which helps cut down costs. And open bar all night!!! You can't argue with that!! Thanks Lori and everyone at the ballroom!!!!

how nice it is to see a bride acutally enjoy her wedding." Lori and her staff took care of every detail to make our day perfect and worry free. Make sure you listen to her suggestions and recommendations of vendors as well, she won't steer you wrong. The food was great, the booze was flowing and the venue is beautiful. You can't go wrong having your wedding at Joliet Union Station.

food was wonderful. We had the option of chicken or salmon. I had salmon and LOVED it, totally moist. The baked bone-in chicken got good reviews as well. There were four-five asparagus on the plate. The potatoes were delicious. The portions were large. The plating was nicely done, with a rose petal detail. The appetizers were yummy, even better than on tasting day. The wait staff did make an effort to find me, the bride, and make sure I ate. At one point I ordered a drink from the bar and was pulled away for a picture before I got it. The bartendar brought it out to me bc I had forgtotten about it. We had no trouble or interference from the commuter traffic. I was worried when we booked this venue about the construction around it. It was completely a street away and did not even play a factor. Another wedding was in the station taking picures and there was enough room for us not to collide. Guests loved the balconey even though it was 30 degrees. Nice referesher from dancing. Had it been nicer I think more people would have stayed on the balconey. Lori and staff do a great job making sure the Ballroom does not smell like a train station. The security guard made sure my uncle made it safe to his car with all the wedding cards. I loved having my wedding here. Many of my guest loved the unique venue. I would do it over again and again.

e cheapest we found, and the site manager Lori was flexible and easy to get in touch with whenever we had a question. She also had a lot of great suggestions and seemed to really care about making our wedding day perfect. We were allowed to bring in a LOT of our own decorations, including candles. My only concern was that the ballroom has a reputation of being too loud, but on Lori’s recommendation we booked Manna Music and the sound system was excellent. We got so many compliments on the atmosphere, food, and cake (which we also booked through Lori). Overall, the experience was amazing!

as really personable and easy to work with. She always answered all my questions and was easy to reach by phone or email when I needed her. I also liked that the surrounding areas of the venue provided a lot of interesting places to take photos so that saved us time from traveling to another location.

m is gorgeous! Highly recommended.

t during the planning and also the day of the event. The venue itself is gorgeous. The tasting that Lori offers to the bride and groom is mouthwatering. We chose the apricot chicken and it was soo good. The food was so delicious. would recommend The Grand Ballroom to everyone.

s delicious and they made sure everyone got enough. Highly recommend the venue!

y was crowded. because it was a nice day we were able to make use of the balcony which provided guests to walk around outside. at the tasting the food was deceptively great but at the actual event the food was subpar; but fairly decently priced compared to other venues; $37 per plate for steak. guests said they enjoyed it but me and the groom were not as pleased. overall i was very happy with it.

science. We couldn't have asked for more.

ht for it. It uses the same catering company as the patrick haley mansion, so the food is just as good but has a much better price. And Lori is fantastic, she will make sure everything is right for you.

que and elegant.

do whatever I wanted for centerpieces and decor.;If you have guests that aren't able to climb stairs the elevator in the building is in an awkward location but once they are in there are private bathrooms for the reception area only.