Ravenswood Event Center

I want to get married at Ravenswood Event Center every year! I'm way overdue with my review, but REC was AMAZING! As an out of town bride, they accommodated my every need and were very responsive. I had the pleasure of working with Aly, Veasna, and Jen throughout my wedding planning and day of. They worked around my schedule to view the location multiple times for multiple family members prior to committing. I'm BEYOND grateful to REC for making my wedding day stress free, gorgeous and so much fun. They are a one stop shop (linens, flatware, chairs, tables, day of coordinator, onsite chef, etc.). They provide a day of coordinator (doc), which is basically a wedding planner. My DOC supported me with every detail, every day throughout the process and day of my wedding day. They made my wedding the most incredible day possible. I would get married at the REC every day if I could. Did I mention, their Chef is SPECTACULAR. For my tasting, they listened to my wants/needs and went way above and beyond. You will want to relive every moment when you get married at the REC. Thank you REC team! :)

The Ravenswood Event Center was incredible to us, and our wedding was beautiful as a result. We booked the venue shortly before the COVID pandemic, hopeful that things would pass by the time our wedding occurred this year. While COVID has not gone away, Veasna and the REC were nothing short of spectacular in helping us make our wedding happen! Andy was great with the menu, making whatever we wanted and plating everything beautifully, and our guests greatly enjoyed everything. Veasna was flexible and helpful as we made our decisions and worked through the details. We ended up having two waves of people in order to get to see as many people as possible safely while staying under the COVID restrictions in Chicago, and the REC was able to accomodate that plan with poise. Plus, the venue was beautiful! Thanks to everyone at the REC for the great job and for helping our wedding become a reality!

Our wedding would not have been what it was, with Aly and Jen and Ravenswood Event Center. The space is beautiful and unique and the right amount of industrial. Everyone was blown away by the space. Aly made our planning process so easy! She was so accessible and answered all of our millions of emails promptly and with all of the info we needed. It’s a BYOB venue which is a huge plus! All the booze you want and a huge savings. We were nervous about the food seeing as we had obviously never eaten anything from them, but daaaaaaaaang it was good! All of our guests RAVED about the food and the presentation was restaurant quality. So pretty! Jen pieced together the most amazing and delicious menu. The weeks leading up to the wedding can be so stressful and there’s a ton of moving pieces. These ladies made it feel as easy and stress free as possible. The rehearsal went smooth and they ran the day of like a well oiled machine. Thank you thank you thank you REC for allowing us to throw the wedding of our dreams!

We are so happy that we chose to celebrate our wedding at Ravenswood Event Center (REC) which is so much more than just a wedding venue!! First of all, the space itself was beautiful and was one of the first things that sold us (we had cocktail hour on the 3rd floor/Atrium, dinner on the 2nd floor/Loft, then went back to the 3rd floor/Atrium for dancing!) The massive windows, natural light/view of the sunset, and magical twinkling café lights created the coolest vibe that our guests loved as well. Second, Aly is the best coordinator ever! From the very beginning, she was super on top of every detail and helped us to create the day that we’d dreamed of. Not every wedding venue has a built-in coordinator, and it was so comforting knowing that Aly was there to help everything run smoothly, and she was awesome to work with as well. Third, THE FOOD. Ask anyone who’s ever attended a wedding here, it was amazing. We opted for family style which our guests loved, and we still have people telling us how great the food was. I don’t think you can beat the value REC provides compared to other wedding venues in Chicago (a reasonable price for a beautiful, unique space, an extremely attentive coordinator, the BEST food, and a full staff… amazing!) Thank you so much to the REC staff!

My husband and I had our wedding at Ravenswood Event Center on 6/22/19 and we could not have been more happy with the experience. The team is wonderful to work with. In all our meetings Aly was really prepared and also offered great suggestions on vendors and how to make our day run smoothly. All this planning really showed during our wedding! We received so many compliments on the space and we did not need much decor to make it interesting and unique which was important. The food was great and being able to choose and bring in our own alcohol was a game changer. Absolutely would recommend to anyone looking for a great place to have their wedding in Chicago!! Thank you to Aly and the team for an amazing day we will never forget!

I had my ceremony, cocktail hour, and the reception at Ravenswood and could not be happier with the venue, staff, and overall service provided. Jen H. was our coordinator and I don’t know how we would have done it without her. She was on top of every detail, communicating with me for months before and vendors for the weeks leading up and day of. I could go on and on about all the details of the service she provided. Not only was was their service 5 stars, but guests were coming up to us about how cool the actual space was. Our photographer loved taking pictures in the space as well. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

My husband and I got married at Ravenswood Event Center just over a month ago and we couldn't have chosen a better place! My husband and I fell in love with the coolness and uniqueness of the space the minute we step foot inside. It isn't just your same old ballroom that's for sure! We utilized all three floors (atrium, loft and showroom) for our wedding and received numerous comments from our guests on how much they loved the space. Aly was our coordinator and she was amazing to work with! She was always willing to answer our questions, responsive to emails and on top of every detail. She went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed even arranging a little private time for my husband after the ceremony with champagne and appetizers to take in the moment. As she said, it will be the only time you will be alone all night and boy was she right! We definitely felt very at ease that our wedding was going to go off without a hitch with Aly around! The food that Ravenswood produces is to die for. From our initial tasting to our wedding day the food was impeccable. When we were first looking at the venue Andy said to us he doesn't just want to be the best wedding food you have ever had he wants to be the best food you have ever had. Just wait till you try it! It is AMAZING! I almost wish they would open up their own restaurant just so I can back and eat our amazing wedding food again! Overall, I would highly recommend Ravenswood Event Center to anyone that is thinking about having their wedding or special event there!

I cannot say enough positive things about Ravenswood Event Center. The moment I walked into the door to the showroom before the reception started, it absolutely took my breath away! We used the atrium and loft space for our cocktail hour and the showroom for dinner/dancing. Where do I even begin! After our first meeting with the staff, we knew right away we had found the location we wanted for our reception. Andy made us feel comfortable and did not try to make us add things we didn't truly want to pay for. Aly was our coordinator, and let me tell you, as a couple with demanding full time jobs we were able to plan the entire wedding without a separate planner and this is all due to her amazing help. She recommended other vendors to us (photographer, florist) which we ended up using and they also did a great job. She coordinated everything the week of, despite us sending probably hundreds of emails, and she didn't get a single detail wrong. The venue was gorgeous on the day of and we did not have to spend a lot of extra money to make it look so great. The food, as many have said, was the best wedding food I have ever tasted -- and I have had many guests tell me the same! Using Binny's for the alcohol provided a peace of mind that other venues often are unable to. We did not run out of a single type of alcohol. The bartenders and other staff were extremely friendly and helpful. The space was clean and if we needed anything throughout the night someone was there to make it happen. The space more than comfortably fit our 206 person wedding. Andy and the rest of the team never made us feel like we were pressured into spending more than we felt comfortable and they stuck very close to our original quote, there were no surprises from a budget perspective or an event perspective! Additionally, there is plenty of parking and I was unaware of any guests having issues with it. I would wholeheartedly recommend REC to anyone considering it!!!

R.E.C. was a dream venue for us. Nothing needs to be said about the space itself; it is stunning. So much so that you almost don't need additional decorations. We used the atrium for the ceremony, went downstairs to the loft for cocktail hour and dinner, and then back up to the atrium for dancing. We were lucky enough to have perfect weather, so the two outdoor decks were in play and it was incredibly gorgeous all around. The space was extremely clean as well. The staff at R.E.C. was incredible. Andy is a genius when it comes to the food - we had the tasting and knew immediately we were going to let him cater it. Many of our guests expressed afterwards that it was the best food they've ever had at a wedding, and I tend to agree. Andy accommodated a late request for a special late night dish (mashed potato waffle cone) and it was PERFECT. The presentation and delivery of food to the table was seamless and on point. Bartenders were quick and friendly. Aly was a machine in the days leading up to the wedding, and especially for the day of stuff. We were calmed knowing she was in charge of the logistics, and it couldn't have went any smoother in terms of the transitions from floor to floor. Every step of the way for the planning was made easier by her quick, informative responses. She made sure our details were carried out to perfection, and the result was truly amazing. To be honest, it's hard to even pick specific things during the wedding she did that made it so perfect, because it just WAS - due in large part to her coordination and direction. Bar lines were never long, people had easy access in and out of the dining room, and she even made sure we got to sample the appetizers right after the ceremony. We used many different vendors and Aly coordinated with all of them for us. The ability to use Binny's for the alcohol saved us a ton of money, and it meant we had no fear of running out of booze. Drop off and pick up before and after the wedding were seamless, and we were also able to use the space briefly the day before for a quick ceremony rehearsal. All in all, it was an A++ experience and I would highly recommend this venue to anyone and everyone. A lot of our guests have since told me it was the best wedding they’ve ever been to, and I believe that is due mostly to R.E.C. Five stars!

Ravenswood Event Center provided us the wedding of our dreams. We had 150 people in the Industrial Ballroom and every time my Wife and I met with either Andy, Aly or Jen, they each made us feel like we were their most important client and would drop everything to fulfill any of our requests. The Ravenswood staff was impeccable and were incredibly attentive to not only us, but our guests, as well. The kitchen was superb and made sure our dinner was not just another wedding dinner. Oscar put together several food stations so people could get up and mingle and eat as they pleased...also the late night snack was homemade pizza cakes (my absolute favorite!). If you are planning to have your wedding in Chicago and having a hard time figuring out where to hold your ceremony and reception, do yourself a favor and choose REC. From your first walk through to the last dance, REC provides a celebration that is guaranteed to be an unbelievable and unforgettable experience.

I really can't say enough great things about REC. I honestly felt like I never worried about a thing through the entire process. Andy and his team (we primarily worked with Jen) are great at what they do. On the night of our wedding, I had multiple guests compliment not only the venue but also the amazing staff. They were on top of everything! We had a small bumble with our dessert vendor and one fairly drunk guest that needed a little babysitting. I wasn't aware of either issue until after the fact because they just handled it behind the scenes. Andy even followed up with that vendor on Monday morning and we ended up with a full refund on our dessert ($400+ back in the honeymoon fund!). We used the industrial ballroom for about 115 people. The space is simple, but elegant. It provides that "blank canvas" like so many of the loft spaces we looked at. But instead of stark white walls, you have beautiful bricks and wood floors that look amazing in the glow of some candles at night. We truly have NO complaints. With an event as big as a wedding, that's saying something all on its own.

I used Ravenswood Event Center for my wedding in fall 2015. The center is a cool, unique space in the city and blended aspects I liked in other venues I saw, but had them all together. Beyond the great, natural decor and ambiance of the venue, they do their food in-house. The food was great!! Many of our guests said it was the best wedding food they have ever had, and we certainly enjoyed the food greatly. For the most part the service was good. Sometimes we had to reach out a few times to get responses and there were a few things we requested that weren't perfect. While that wasn't the best, the ambiance/decor and food make up for it and lead me to recommend them as a vendor.

The staff, the coordinator, the food, and the venue was everything that I have ever imagined! I'm still at a loss of words to describe how wonderful they were to us.

We recently had our reception at the Ravenswood Event Center this past June. It truly is one of the most amazing spaces in the city! With guests who have lived in the city their whole life they were all in shock that this place was right under their noses the whole time. Not only did the guests love the space but we did as well. With the space being as amazing as it is we were even luckier to deal with Andy & his team. From start to finish Andy's team was there to help us with anything that we needed! They are truly OUTSTANDING and we are so thankful for all that they did. If you are looking for a unique space in the city for any event look no further than Ravenswood Event Center!

We had our cocktail hour in the atrium with the gorgeous large window and our reception in the showroom with the vintage collector cars. We have received numerous comments on how the space was so unique and interesting. Overall, the food was delicious, staff was wonderful, Andy and Jen were extremely easy to work with and went above and beyond and we do not have a negative thing to say about them. It was just perfect!

WOW, amazing views, breathtaking moments & ALL thanks to the ever-so-helpful staff at REC. Andy, Jenn, Aly, they are all so helpful. They add suggestions & give input & guide you every step of the way. Their service was BEYOND professional & eloquent. ABSOLUTELY recommended by me! Very happy Bride & groom & attendants... They TOTALLY help in making us feel like it's "Happily Ever After"

We could not have been more pleased with our experience at REC (aka: Billboard Factory Atrium & Lofts). The food was fantastic and the menu highly customized to our preferences. The space we used (2nd & 3rd floors only) was perfect for about 100-110 guests. We held our ceremony & cocktail hour in the 2nd floor loft area, dinner & dancing in the 3rd floor atrium. The staff was top notch and took care of - and anticipated - our needs wonderfully. We also loved that we were able to bring in our own alcohol, so we were able to "smuggle" in a microbrew that isn't sold in Illinois. It helped keep our cost down also. Ease of parking was also a plus. We didn't need a lot of outside decoration - no draping or lighting necessary; we used a lot of candles and basically let the space speak for itself.

Andy at Ravenswood was one of the easiest people I've ever worked with. For an event that, to me, seemed like the details would be so difficult to put together, Andy made it seem effortless. Everything, down to the last detail, was exactly what my wife & I were told it would be & in the end was absolutely perfect. The staff was great. The facility was beautiful(we chose the industrial ballroom/one of four spaces available). The flow of the ceremony into the reception was timed perfectly. The food was amazing. All in all, a place I would recommend to anyone looking to plan the perfect wedding.

ravenswood billboard factory aka ravenswood event center is a BEAUTIFUL venue with 3 gorgeous floors (atrium, loft and showroom) which allowed for an overall lovely wedding. we had our ceremony in the atrium, cocktails in the loft and the reception in the showroom. if i had to do it all over again, i would still do it at the ravenswood event center BUT i would not use Andy as the caterer. he is way overpriced and food and service were not great. in addition, Andy is very difficult to work with- does not get back to you in a timely fashion, etc (i.e. he did not give us our final menu until a few days before the wedding). while I thought the appetizers were great, they were late coming out. dinner meat was waaaaay overcooked and our side dish was not even what we had requested. also our cake was not served to eat guest but put on a cart in the middle of the floor (my parents did not even get to try the cake!). note that Andy does charge 10% to use an outside caterer, but if you have the money to have the wedding at this venue, shell out a few extra thousand dollars to have better catering. it will make you life and your wedding so so so much easier and better.