$8,600 starting price
151-200 guest capacity
This venue can host up to 200 guests
About this vendor
Starved Rock Lodge & Conference Center
Starved Rock Lodge & Conference Center is a charming wedding venue in Oglesby, IL. Discover the rustic elegance of this historic and spectacular setting for your special day! Unsurpassed by beauty, service, and cuisine, your wedding will take place in the timeless splendor of the 1930s-built lodge in Starved Rock State Park (LaSalle County, Illinois). The ceremony (if applicable) and dinner take center stage in our one-of-a-kind Great Hall, which has a magnificent stone fireplace and massive log timbers. Later on, let the private Starved Rock Room be transformed into a reception and bar area where dancing takes place. We offer ceremonies and receptions for both large (200 guests) and small (30 guests) weddings.
Pricing details
Starting prices
Reception:
$1,750
Ceremony:
$2,250
Bar services:
Contact for price
Catering:
Contact for price
Starting prices don't include service fees, taxes, gratuity, and rental fees. Guest count and seasonality may also affect prices. Peak season for this venue is May-Oct.
Amenities + details
Ceremony Area
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Covered Outdoors Space
Liability Insurance
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Elopement
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
Guest Capacity
- Up to 200
Settings
- Ballroom
- Historic Venue
- Hotel
Venue Service Offerings
- Bar & Drinks
- Cakes & Desserts
- Cupcakes
- Other Desserts
- Food & Catering
- Planning
Awards and Affiliations
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
4.9
out of 5.0137 reviews
Review photos
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Absolutely stunning, very accommodating, and have their flow down to a tee. Food was amazing & all services provided were excellent. Would absolutely recommend.
The Starved Rock personnel know what they are doing!!!! They coordinate 150 weddings each year. Trust their expertise. We loved the setting, and we received so many compliments on our choice of venue. The food was just as yummy at our wedding as it was at the tasting. The service was excellent. I love the fact you can get your cake anywhere you want. We have a favorite local bakery, and having a "taste of home" added to the specialness of our day. We were able to get some GREAT photos, because the park has spectacular scenery. We are sooooo glad a friend recommended Starved Rock as a potential venue. Our day was everything we hoped for and more!!! Get married at Starved Rock!!!!!!!!!!
The venue is beautiful and the food was very good. They have a very inflexible timeline for the day of which was frustrating while planning but seemed do-able, but on the day of it seemed like we were fighting them to stick to it. It's a good idea to have several people (including your DJ and any other vendors) who know what the timeline and plan is and can help correct when things go awry. The things I wish I'd known:
(1) You have to clean everything out of the hall by 11pm after the wedding. This means you and your guests will spend the night after your wedding moving things and packing. (It does say this in the contract, but it's still a rough way to end a wedding night.)
(2) They do not stick to the same schedule they ask you to. For example, they tried to start the dinner 15 minutes early because we were out of hors d'oeuvres, despite that we had a violinist there until cocktail hour ended and people were enjoying themselves.
(3) It states in the contract that they will have you cut your cake at the start of dinner and serve it alongside the dinner (cake is in the dining room so then your guests will see the cake for maybe 5 minutes before you start dinner, making me curious why anyone would ever decorate a cake to do this with) OR that you need to provide your own plates and cut it yourself. So we went with cupcakes and a very small cake and provided our own disposable plates. Despite this someone tried to cut the cake before dinner anyways, then argued with the guests and DJ about that they absolutely needed to do it anyways. AND the waitstaff then told the guests as they served dinner to go grab a cupcake when they were done, before we cut the cake. (Fortunately my mother saw this happening and stood next to the cake for 1/2 of dinner telling people we were of course waiting until the cake was cut) I was very confused about why the site wedding coordinator came over during dinner to tell us it would happen as planned. They didn't mention that you also have to provide your own forks, so our guests who opted for the cake were eating it with their hands. Some of the guests asked about it and were told we would have needed to pay extra for forks (Which of course I would have, or would have bought forks, but this was never brought up or given as an option. Why someone from the venue would interupt dinner to tell me things would go as planned but not to ask if we'd like to pay for forks I don't understand), and they cleared away dinner a bit early so they guests didn't have the forks from dinner. I'm gratful to my family and guests that they handled that on their own and didn't add stress for me, but it all seems like it was very unnecessary.
(4) We didn't have a wedding party, but one of my best friends helped me get dressed and left her car keys in the Hennepin Room. She asked the staff to let her back in so she could grab her car keys and they would not let her, and would not retrieve them for her, which left us outside unaware of what was going on, and another friend fortunately drove us to take pictures. They only ask for a list of the wedding party, and I didn't realize it was for this, so be sure to list absolutely anyone you want to be allowed into the room.
Overall it was beautiful and the guests couldn't tell anything had gone wrong. If I were choosing again though I'd pick a place that seemed excited to celebrate my wedding and make it special for us, not one where any requests felt like I was being obnoxious.
Any questions?
We had our May 2024 wedding at Starved Rock Lodge and it exceeded my expectations! The grounds and reception spaces are just beautiful! Working with Jenny up until our wedding was a very positive experience and the communication was great. All our guests had a great time and many made a weekend of it and came down early to enjoy the hiking and amenities of the hotel. Would highly recommend as a micro destination wedding!
We just had our dream wedding at Starved Rock! Everything was perfect. Jenny was so helpful and answered all of our questions to bring our wedding vision to life. The entire day ran so smoothly. The venue is beautiful and scenic. I highly recommend the trolley for photos. It's so much fun! The food is amazing. We received so many compliments from our guests. Starved Rock is truly the perfect wedding venue.
There is a lot of good and bad here. I honestly can't tell you how our reception would have been here since we didn't have a chance to have it there. I was very excited to use Starved Rock as my reception even though it was not the popular choice amongst the family due to the location. I worked extensively with Katelyn. To Katelyn's credit, she was extremely attentive and courteous in all of her responses. I asked a lot of questions and always was so willing to help. She did give us a bit of week extensions on some timelines as well.
Unfortunately, in January my dad became incredibly ill. He almost died, but luckily he pulled through. My dad was paying for the majority of the wedding. I didn't want to make him pay for the wedding when he was going to be in a hospital bed for an unknown amount of time. I was devastated to cancel my reservations with Starved Rock after so much planning. I booked the venue in December and canceled early February. I knew with the contract I was not guaranteed my money back. I hoped since I was cancelling in 2024 of February for a November 1st 2025 wedding and due to the extenuating circumstances we may be able to get a full refund or at least turn the money into a weekend away for us in the future.
That was not the case.
My father-in-law felt strongly we should still have our reception. He stated he would pay for it. I reached out back to Starved Rock to see if we could get our date back, but it had already been booked. You'd think since they were easily able to book another vendor they would be more flexible and understanding about returning the money I deposited or letting us use it to stay at Starved Rock.
They were not.
Unfortunately, the whole thing has soured me on the venue. My dad almost died, and we are buying a house, and starting our lives, so losing $1,200 dollars is far from ideal. You'd just hope for more understanding. I think the venue would be lovely if you were able to do your wedding there but just hope no life events happen that require compassion.
Our experience with Starved Rock Lodge was absolutely incredible, from start to finish. The picturesque and nature filled outdoor area and cozy indoor lodge provided the perfect backdrop to have our dream wedding, creating an ambiance that was both enchanting and romantic. The venue is well maintained and the staff was not only professional and accommodating, but also went above and beyond to ensure every aspect of our day ran smoothly. Jenny was our contact and I cannot say enough good things about the work she put in and kept straight for our wedding, and was extremely responsive to all the questions we had along the way in our 1.5 years leading up to the wedding. Being an all inclusive venue was a major plus as well and really made the entire process so easy to have our wedding there. We had an alternative wedding as well and felt more than welcome that it is an accepting venue for whatever you want or need for your wedding. Working with the preferred vendors as well made everything so easy, as Starved Rock has great communication and rapport with them, so it was even less to worry about. The food was also outstanding and we also had guests comment on how it was the best wedding food they've had.
Our guests (and us) are also still raving about the incredible atmosphere and beauty of Starved Rock, making it a truly unforgettable and perfect choice for our day!
Had our wedding here in October of 2023 and it was amazing,food was great,everyone was professional and so nice and without the help of their team I’d have probably gone insane.lol.the scenery is breathtaking for photos and all around a venue that is worth every penny
Our wedding was absolutely magical,they handled everything including food and catering for the day of and was so respectful about diet allergies etc…would absolutely recommend to anyone,took the added stress of planning and cut it in half without their help I’d have probably gone mad.
Our wedding day was an absolute dream at Starved Rock State Park! Our day of coordinator Jenny helped us with so much planning along the way, and the staff was so supportive on the day of our ceremony! The food was delicious, the wedding site was gorgeous, and the entire package was so affordable!! If you are looking for a place that feels like nostalgic summer camp, we recommend!
The girls at starved rock helped us plan the most beautiful wedding ever! They went above and beyond to make it perfect for us even with the last minute changes we made. The price was just right and very affordable and we had the most beautiful valentines wedding anyone could ask for.
From start to finish everyone at starved rock was amazing and very communicative. Hannah and Katelyn were the absolute BEST. I planned my wedding in about 5 months, so it was pretty stressful. I felt so bad emailing Hannah with a MILLION questions but she was so kind and patient. The scenery is obviously beautiful, but the lodge and outdoor patio give it a more intimate feel. We had Suez’s linens and things hang drapery and lights which really elevated the lodge. The venue is a decent size without feeling too big. We had about 90 people and the space was perfect. We also loved having the patio available (a lot of our guests like to smoke cigars) during the reception. The wait staff was ON POINT. idk who trained them, but they did a GREAT job. I’ve never been to a wedding with better service. The food was pretty good and the guests enjoyed it! Starved rock is an older venue and has a cabin type feel but you can decorate to make it more modern/elegant or more rustic. For the price, and everything that is included this is a great venue. The only thing I wish is for the drapery to be included because I do think that made a huge difference. I can’t speak highly enough for all the staff at starved rock. Overall we had an amazing wedding and I can’t thank them enough. The vendors they work with are also amazing! Highly recommend working with the vendors they are familiar with, Hannah pointed us in the right direction which helped tremendously. Thank you starved rock!!!!!
We just got married at Starved Rock on December 1st and it was amazing! The staff is so kind and helpful and made our day perfect. The food is amazing and the space for the wedding is so beautiful. They made our wedding perfect and we couldn’t recommend Starved Rock more.
Our wedding was on July 29th! Starved Rock was our second venue visit, and once my husband and I talked with Hannah Cook, we immediately signed the contract! We are very outdoorsy people, so SR was the perfect choice for us! The fact that your ceremony, reception, and lodging is all in one place, was really the icing on the cake for us! Hannah Cook was beyond helpful. She was always there to help and answer any questions we had! We had so many complements on the beauty of the venue! Most of our guests made a weekend out of it and got to enjoy the beautiful hiking and views! We love hiking at Starved Rock and now it will forever be a special place to us and bring back great memories when we are back!
I recently got married on 7/16 at Starved Rock and everything was perfect! First, being able to have someone always there to answer questions was great. I worked with one of the coordinators and she was fantastic. She always emailed me in a timely manner and always was there to answer all of my questions. When the big day came, the weather ended up being great, and my outside ceremony made things more personal for my guests. I had so many family members tell me how our wedding was great including our reception. It was very accommodating throughout. One of the best decisions I made was choosing Starved Rock as my venue and it also makes for great pictures! :)
We got married at Starved Rock on May 27th. We planned for the wedding for more than a year in advance. The wedding staff at the Lodge were very professional and were readily available whenever questions came up. We worked with Jenny who was patient and had answers for any questions we had. We had timelines and a clear cut budget throughout the process.
On the day of the event the staff were available for any issues and Jenny was an excellent point of contact when things did come up. The food was excellent, and we received a lot of compliments from guests about the steak that was served. We had a gorgeous day and our guests could take some air outside when the dancing got too hot. We had an excellent experience and definitely recommend Starved Rock for a wedding venue!
My husband and I loved our wedding and reception at Starved Rock! The lodge was a beautiful setting and we loved every minute of it. Jenny was great to work with for all the details of our wedding. She did an excellent job from start to finish in planning and making sure everything ran smoothly and coordinating with vendors. We highly recommend Starved Rock for a wedding venue!
I photograph weddings throughout Illinois (Ernst Jacobsen Photography) and have photographed several weddings at Starved Rock. If you are looking to "get-away" and feel like your wedding is in a different part of the country, this has to be one of the locations you check out! The beautiful lodge is surrounded by rustic cabins spread out amongst the trees which provides for a lovely, cozy place to spend the weekend. Starved Rock Lodge provides lovely indoor and outdoor venue options for the ceremony, numerous pre or post ceremony photo locations around the property (or in a canyon!), plus a warm and intimate reception room in the lodge itself. For a vibe that is out of this world ... or at least out of Illinois ...I would highly recommend checking out Starved Rock. The location and venue is amazing. Highly recommend!
I can’t say enough amazing things about our experience with Starved Rock Lodge and having our wedding there this past Friday 10/28. It’s one of mine and my husband’s favorite place to visit! So to have our weddings here just made sense!! Hannah in sales is an amazing person, she has been helping us for over 2 years to make sure we have the most perfect day!! Thank you!!!
Starved Rock will always have a special place in my heart!!! Looking forward to coming back soon!!
We had been booked with starved rock for 2 years! From day one Jenny from the sales and event team was amazing to work with! She answered every question I had. Pulled strings for me many times. She was truly amazing to work with. As well as the rest of her team. During the wedding day she checked on us many times. The food was delicious and our guests have been raving about it since! The price was great! We cannot recommend Starved Rock enough! Highly recommended! Thank you to Jenny and her team for making our day so smooth!
We just cannot get over our special day at Starved Rock! You can trust that you will have a beautiful day that will go flawlessly with everyone at Starved Rock Lodge, especially Jenny R! There are so many perks to this venue. From having the space right away at 8am, the Hennepin room, awesome serving staff and bartenders, to being able to take leftovers, having them cut and serve the cake, putting appetizers on our table before dinner to make sure we got some, a waiter that made sure we had drinks and anything else we needed during dinner, trolley service for the guests, and SO much more. I could go on and on about all the perks that you don't see at many venues. And of course, the beautiful scenery! Although the lodge is still open to the public during your event, it still feels extremely private and I enjoyed having separate rooms for those that wanted to dance and others that enjoy sitting and talking plus having hikers/the public giving their well wishes was one of my favorite parts of the day. I would recommend Starved Rock to anyone and everyone.
I can’t say enough good things about starved rock! Not only is the scenery and lodge absolutely breathtaking, the staff and sales team are amazing! The ladies in sales were always there to answer any questions or make last minute changes at my request. Also the food and cake they provide is so delicious! I keep getting compliments from guests about how great the food and cake was. I also planned my special day very last minute, and they provided me with a list of vendors for everything you could think of, and all the vendors they had listed were amazing!
I wish I could rate Starved Rock Lodge more than 5 stars! From start to finish in the wedding planning process, Starved Rock made everything easy and our day ran flawlessly due to them and our other amazing vendors. I mainly worked with Hannah, and she did an amazing job! Hannah is so kind, very professional, got back to all of my emails quickly, and explained everything so well that I knew we were in good hands! While I mainly worked with Hannah, I also spoke with Tiffany a couple of times throughout the planning process, and Jenny was there for the night of our wedding. They are an amazing team that are all so kind and do everything they can to make sure you have the perfect day. The pricing at Starved Rock is fair for the wedding industry! I looked at several other venues that would have charged double what they did at Starved Rock, and would charge for extra add ons like signature drinks and other little things, which were all included in the package we got through Starved Rock. Not only will you have a great team to work with, and fair prices, but you will also have AMAZING food! Our guests raved about the food, whether it was the hors d'oeuvres or the main course, we got nothing but compliments, and are still receiving them weeks after the wedding! Before the wedding we got to have a tasting and try all of the food, it was delicious then, and was just as delicious at the wedding. Do yourself a favor and get the ribeye! Starved Rock Lodge is also undoubtedly beautiful. You could not ask for a more perfect location if you are looking for an outdoor/boho/rustic aesthetic for your wedding day. I could go on and on about how much our guests and us loved having our wedding at Starved Rock Lodge, but you need to find out for yourself and book through them!
Starved Rock Lodge was an absolutely wonderful venue to hold our wedding and reception. While we weren't able to hold ceremony outside due to weather, it was still outstanding. The set up and arrangements were perfect and everything ran so smoothly. Hannah and the entire staff were the best!
We had our dream wedding at Starved Rock! Our coordinator, Hannah, was awesome and so helpful throughout the planning process. We received so many compliments from our guests on our choice of venue, and it truly fit our vision for the day perfectly.
Starved Rock Lodge is an absolutely gorgeous place to get married! All of our guests commented on how amazing the fireplace and rustic woodwork looked, and it was funny how many were thrilled to see wildlife (deer) up close on the drive in. Jenny Roulston was our coordinator and she did an incredible job! She initially gave us a Zoom tour (we booked two months into Covid), and later was happy to show us around in person too. When we came in for our tasting, the chef made us an extra entree that hadn’t been in our initial choices (the fried chicken) and we loved it so much we went with it over a different option we were considering. All of the food options are delicious, you can’t go wrong with any of them! Leading up to the wedding, Jenny was on top of everything, and she was very flexible with our adjustments as we determined our final headcount. Jenny was there on our wedding day, checking in with us in the morning to make sure we were good on the schedule and throughout the day to make sure everything was perfect for us. She even made sure the extra desserts were saved for us so we could take them with us. We used the trolley to go out to “Wedding Cove” for pictures despite the 20 degree temperatures and it was so beautiful and an easy 10-15 minute hike. The driver was very friendly and helped us get some pictures on the back of the trolley when we returned to the lodge. The entire staff were great to work with - we found it super cool that we each had a personal server when it was time to eat, before the rest of our party helped themselves at the buffet. If you’re looking for a venue with amazing photo opportunities year round (did we forget to mention the waterfalls?!!), with stunning interior decorations, delicious food, and very friendly and helpful staff, as well as great accommodations, in a location that feels like a destination wedding yet is conveniently close to Chicago, choose Starved Rock! Highly recommended!
My husband and I got married at Starved Rock Lodge in October 2021 and it was an absolute dream. I cannot express enough how much we loved our special day. Hannah Cook was our coordinator and was phenomenal to work with. She made everything so easy for us from start to finish, and was always super approachable and responsive when answering our million questions. Their catering is on site and they have a set schedule for everything, which makes the day so efficient and flawless. Having the lodge on site for guests too makes it extra amazing and felt like our own mini destination wedding for the weekend. Once we arrived there on Friday we didn't have to leave the entire weekend as everything is on site: ceremony, reception, pictures, even the rehearsal dinner if you would like. Not to mention, Starved Rock is BEAUTIFUL. I would pick Starved Rock Lodge a million times over. Thank you for everything.
Everything about starved rock was amazing. Hannah was our wedding coordinator, and she was amazing . We had a long engagement so we had been planning for years. Everything was fantastic the venue, food , the hospitality. We fell in love with this venue when my wife took me on a trip to a place she went to as a kid and we both fell in love with it. They do almost everything in house so made planning so easy. From the delicious food , to the appetizers, to the drinks, all the way down to the wedding favors. Our wedding day went so smoothly. We can’t thank the team their enough.
Starved Rock Lodge did an amazing job with our wedding! They are real experienced professionals there and know how to make a wedding go smoothly without worries or hassle. They also have awesome & useful optional add-ons, such as a great trolley ride to take photos around the park, a wedding day breakfast, etc. The Lodge has a historic/rustic cabin vibe that already looks very cool, so we really didn't need to add much decor. So many of our guests commented on how much they loved the venue's atmosphere. We also really appreciated that they offer a wide variety of dinner/bar package options so that you can pick good food for different types of budgets. Since the building is a state facility that is used to lots of visitors, it is a very user-friendly venue with lots of accessible ramps, plenty of bathrooms, etc. The event managers there are also so experienced that we didn't need to hire a wedding planner or coordinator to keep the day going smoothly. I would absolutely recommend Starved Rock Lodge to other couples; this venue is worth every penny!
Starved Rock Lodge was the absolute dream wedding venue for us. Not only is it gorgeous, but it has everything you need in a venue—included catering, a rain-day option, PLENTY of reception space, lodging, and more. We worked with Hannah for about two years and she was so amazing. I must say I emailed her A LOT with questions and she always had a quick response and expert advice. We felt so taken care of the entire process and everything was just so easy with Starved Rock. It was a huge bonus for us that they set up/took down the tables, chairs, ceremony area, and flatware for us as well. Not to mention us and our guests RAVED about how good the food was! Our wedding was the most magical day and Starved Rock provided the absolute perfect backdrop for it.
My husband and I just had our perfect wedding at Starved Rock on 01-03-2020. The staff was so helpful on the day of the wedding and answered all of our questions leading up to our big day. The lodge was beautifully decorated and so romantic. We cannot brag about the catering services enough! We keep getting compliments about the food and cupcakes. We are so happy with how everything turned out. So very thankful for the staff for making our wedding absolutely perfect.
My husband and I just got married at Starved Rock Lodge in December 2019. The lodge (both inside and outside) was beautifully decorated for Christmas which was a nice added bonus for our wedding. My family and I have been coming to Starved Rock for over 20 years and I have seen a lot of weddings there and I knew I wanted mine there too. Jenny, the wedding coordinator, was AMAZING the entire time planning the wedding. She answered phone calls and emails promptly and was a joy to work with. She and the other Starved Rock staff truly made our wedding day feel very special.
We knew that Starved Rock was exactly the venue that we wanted as soon as we visited to check it out. It is BEAUTIFUL and the staff is so helpful and kind. Everything turned out exactly as we imagined and we could not be happier with our decision to choose them!
I just had my wedding yesterday and I couldn't be more pleased with Starved Rock. The guests were all in love with the atmosphere and kept commenting on how beautiful it was. I was blown away by the overall amazing job of the staff. From the planning to the momment we checked out it was great. Thank you everyone!
I had a great experience with Starved Rock. They really help me coordinate my dream wedding. The day of our wedding coordinator was there checking in and assisting with anything we needed help with. Hannah was our wedding coorninator and was absolutely great! we had exchanged emails frequently and had always gotten back to me in a timely manner, which I really appreciated. She was there the day of making sure that everything ran as smoothly as possible. It helped me stay calm, knowing everything was getting taken care of. Our guests and my husband and I had an amazing time and the staff what nothing but nice and helpful. One downfall we did have was running out of one of our draft beers not long after cocktail hour, right before the bar opened back up after dinner. We just had to swtich to bottles, which isn't a huge deal- we were just looking forward to having draft beer. It did not by any means ruin our night or experience there. We love them!
We had our wedding and reception at Starved Rock and were so lucky to work with Jenny. It was an absolute delight. They truly take care of everything! Jenny was so knowledgeable, friendly, and efficient. I received so many compliments about how much the guests loved the food, the cupcakes, the gorgeous venue in general. Many of my friends couldn't stop raving about how much fun they had. My husband and I are from Chicago but honestly wouldn't dream of having our wedding anywhere else. Highly recommend and feel so lucky that our wedding was here. Can't say enough! If you want a fun, beautiful, worry free wedding look no further.
We just had our wedding there and literally planned it in 2 months. From start to finish, everyone was professional, supportive, and very friendly. Our wedding day was more special than we ever imagined because of all the help and support from Jenny R. Everything was absolutely perfect!
We just had our wedding at Starved Rock this past weekend. It was perfect. I worked with Jennie L and she was so wonderful. I had a long engagement so I was bothering Jennie since 2017 and the wedding was in mid 2019. She was so kind and so quick in responding even for the little stuff. We couldn't of asked for a better wedding coordinator. The location -- beautiful. We got married at the Sunrise Shelter at Starved Rocked and it was perfect under the trees. We had so many compliments on the food, the site, just everything. Food was amazing!!!! From the cocktail hour food to the late night munchies, everything was amazing and all while staying in budget. We received so many compliments. You can't go wrong booking your wedding here.
We had our wedding here in March and were very pleased with the choice of Starved Rock as a venue. Several guests commented that they liked how the venue seemed rustic/outdoorsy but also formal. Having the Lodge in the same place made everything easy for out of town guests. We did a catered breakfast in the Lodge dining room the morning of the wedding, which worked out really well.
Jenny helped us with the planning; we were very happy with the service. Everything went really smoothly and was very professional. We also felt that Starved Rock was reasonably priced compared to some of the other venues that we looked at, and we found the bridal expo helpful in finalizing our vendors.
Our wedding was absolutely perfect at the lodge! From the beginning of planning to the day of, everyone was very accommodating and great to work with. Jennie was wonderful and went out of her way to make sure we had the best day. It is definitely a beautiful location for a wedding and our photos are gorgeous. Also, I have never heard SO many compliments on food from a wedding!! Everything was delicious and tasted just like it did for our tasting.
I recently got married at Starved Rock in January of 2019 and all I can say is WOW, I will NEVER forget it! Such a memorable place to celebrate love. All of our guests are still talking about how good the food was and what a wonderful location it was to have our wedding. All of the staff were very easy to work with and very accomodating to our needs/wants. Anything that we asked about on our wedding day it was immediately addressed and the day ran very smoothly! I would highly recommend Starved Rock Lodge to anyone thinking about getting married! It is also very very reasonable for what you get!
I cannot recommend Starved Rock enough! They did an amazing job on my sister's wedding. They were incredibly organized, professional, prepared, and welcoming. Jenny was a huge help to my sister and my parents; answering countless phone calls and giving reassurance and guidance. She and her team were also incredibly accommodating to our family members with physical and mental disabilities. The venue was beautiful with great food and activities for guests to enjoy before or after the ceremony.
Could not have asked for a better experience for our wedding!!! The whole staff made us feel so welcome and special! Thank you to Jenny and crew for all your help, support and attention to detail. I wish I could go back in time and relive the day!! Thank you for everything!!!
My son was married at the Starved Rock Lodge and we could not be happier with our experience! From the professional way we were handled from our first meeting to the last minutes of the reception were exceptional!! The wedding planning staff was there to answer all of our questions and made the wedding day go off without a hitch. The venue could not be more beautiful and we were treated like kings! The preempted out needs and when we did ask for something (a ladder to reach the mantle of the fireplace) it appeared before I got back to the room. Food and cake were both excellent and our guests were just blown away with it all. I cannot recommend Starved Rock enough to anyone looking for a venue. It is rustic but elegant at the same time. It can be anything you envision. We have stayed at 5 star hotels and resorts and this experience ranks right there with them! Great job done by all!!
My husband and I just had our perfect wedding at Starved Rock, we had the immense privledge of working with Peggy as her final wedding at Starved Rock. Every single person was incredible to work with and made us feel more like friends and family than clients. Peggy answered every single one of my questions quickly and, and always made sure to tell me to stop saying they were probably dumb questions in the first place! All of the food and drinks were absolutely amazing and each and every person that we worked with was an absolute pleasure. Mo, the pastry chef, was able to make an INCREDIBLE spread of desserts that catered to all the dietary restrictions that our guests had. We received so many compliments from our guests about the food, everybody loved it! The lodge was an awesome venue as well, with the high ceilings and stone floors it was just stunning. It really felt like we had the whole place to ourselves as well! As the night went on a fire was lit in the fireplace and the whole room just felt warm and cozy, it was the absolute perfect setting for our wedding. We also had brunch the next day which was AMAZING! It was such a hit with all of our guests, and they were easily able to accommodate everybody! We don't have enough wonderful things to say about Starved Rock, we wouldn't have had our wedding any other way, and we absolutely would do it all over again exactly the same in a heartbeat.
Starved Rock deserves every award it has earned and more! It it offers so much in terms of value, including lodging, food, scenery, reception hall(s), and friendly staff. Our guests couldn't stop raving about the food! The servers were genuinely friendly to our guests. Grounds were well kept and accomodations were made for our elderly guests to get to and from the ceremony site. Peggy (our event coordinator) ensured that our day went off without a hitch and I cannot thank her enough for making the wedding planning process as seemless as possible.
The Starved Rock team was fabulous to work with! Jenny and the other sales reps were great at answering and addressing all of our questions, and the day-of coordination made it easy to relax and enjoy everything. My *only* complaint was the AC was out in some of my guest's rooms that weekend, and it was over 90 degrees outside. But otherwise, the venue is gorgeous and it absolutely was a dream wedding. Thank you, Starved Rock!
My wife and I had the easiest time getting everything set up with starved rock. they were kind, venue was clean and all the staff was wonderful. All of our guests had a great time, it was truly a night that we will never forget.
Starved Rock was the perfect place for our wedding! We love the outdoors. Jenny and all the staff were wonderful. I couldn’t have asked for anything more!
Starved Rock was a beautiful setting. We got married in the lodge and the staff were all great to work with and low stress. Jenny made sure everything went smoothly, responded to emails quickly, and was there to help when we needed her. I was worried about traffic in the park since we got married on Memorial Day weekend, but it was really fine and not a big deal at all that it was a busy weekend at the park, so that was a huge relief. We received many compliments from guests on the venue choice.
Starved Rock is just simply amazing! We worked with Peggy and from start to finish, she and the staff ensured our complete happiness. While it rained during our ceremony, our indoor option was so beautiful that our guests didn’t even know it was our plan b! Peggy made sure to keep me calm, even with the forecasted storms looming. The food was fantastic, our cake was PHENOMENAL, the venue is gorgeous, I could go on for hours... book now! They made our wedding dreams a reality!
Beautiful, great service from the day we booked through the day after the wedding. Our coordinators were wonderful, and went above and beyond to accommodate us. We had a trolley as well, and the driver was excellent.
Gina L.
We had an amazing wedding at Starved Rock and the feedback from our guests was really positive. Our coordinator, Jennie, was very accommodating and responsive. The ceremony and reception sites were beautiful, plus it was great to have everything all in one location. Couldn't have picked a better place to get married.
Jennie Laio is everything!!! Do not have any reservations about having your wedding at starved rock. Best decision we made and Jennie walked us through it all!!! 10/10
Starved Rock was class act from beginning to end. They provided excellent communication, were on the ball with every detail that we requested. The food was exceptional, beautifully presented and enjoyed by all. The set up was complete, as requested and timely. The ambiance was perfect! The pricing was right where we needed it to be. We also reserved the Utica Room for the morning after to unwrap some gifts and say goodbye to our out of town guests. It was set up very nicely and was the perfect place for people to gather one last time before departing.
I cannot say enough about our experience with Starved Rock and their wedding team. They helped create the best day of my life. They answered all one million of my questions along the way. The food was amazing, the waitstaff was awesome, our cake (Chef Mo) was the best I’d ever had. Rehearsal dinner was here also, and it was perfect too. I could not have asked anything better. Thank you!!
Starved Rock highly exceeded my expectations of a wedding reception venue! The ladies that work in the office are crazy good at their jobs. They were so helpful in creating my perfect wedding! Anything that I asked, they were there making it happen. They were also great about some last minute changes - not once did they make a big deal or make us feel like it was an issue. Our coordinator, Peggy, even helped bustle my dress before the reception started! They give you a list of local vendors for everything which was extremely helpful (and all were fantastic). On top of that, the venue itself is absolutely beautiful. It fit our 160 guests very comfortably. The fireplace is a perfect area to decorate, and the rest of the venue really doesn't need much. Our guests raved about how beautiful the reception was. I was nervous about the background noise of the guests at the hotel, but once the reception started I didn't even notice. It is a very private area! The food was exceptional - and make sure to have Mo make your cake!! I wish I knew someone getting married soon so I could persuade them to get married at Starved Rock!
Everyone who came to the wedding remarked about how it was like a vacation. Everything was all in one place, and it was the easiest wedding (logistically) they've ever been to. Not to mention that everyone went hiking, enjoyed the park, enjoyed the bar and restaurant. It was the perfect way to great our guests. The staff was incredibly helpful. We felt like the weddings that we saw take place there were completely different from ours. The staff really helped us have a personalized wedding without any hitches. I cannot say enough wonderful things about the team there, the ease of our wedding, they quality of service, and the investment in the couple. It was absolutely the perfect venue.
We just had our wedding at Starved Rock on Friday, June 8th, 2018. We were one of five weddings that had that weekend. Ours was the big one in the Starved Rock room with 88 guests. We had originally planned for the ceremony to take place outside but due to the rain we opted for inside. It was PERFECT, even with the rain, everything was perfect and everything went smoothly. Jenny and her staff went above and beyond! We had been gifted chair covers and Jenny and her staff helped us steam then and set them up on the chairs for the reception on the night before. The food was fantastic! My only complaint was I didn't get one of the mini beef wellingtons at the cocktail hour, they were such a hit they were all gone before I could find one. For the dinner we opted for the grand buffet, our entrees were the fried chicken and pot roast. Everyone was raving about how great the pot roast was. It was so tender and flavorful. It was well talked about all night and even the next day. Starved Rock really out did themselves! I highly recommend Starved Rock!
What a beautiful place to have a wedding!! Our wedding was on 5/27/18 and despite it being Memorial Day weekend, we had plenty of parking and space for our small wedding. We had a 30 person wedding at the canyon side courtyard, which is right next to the lodge. It was very affordable and the staff was very friendly and helpful! My only complaint would be that our wedding was about 15 minutes late in starting, due to my make-up artist being a little behind schedule. Instead of keeping calm and being helpful, the coordinator was irritated and said that we would be starting at 2pm. Respectfully, I don’t think the situation was handled very well, we were still out of the site on time and the ceremony was fairly short.If that wouldn’t have happened and stressed me out I would have given 5 stars.
We had our wedding in April 2018 & it was the perfect venue for us. The views & pictures it captured was breath taking! From the park waterfalls, to the wood carved art to the beautiful lodge - very nice. The staff was incredibly friendly & very accommodating for us & our family/Friends. They really have the weddings down to a science - I received so many compliments for food & OH THE CAKE (we used Moe from the lodge)...I heard so many compliments about all of it! We used their recommended businesses for our DJ, Officiant, Flowers, Hair/Make Up & Gave all of them 5 Stars!! Jennifer Roulston was great to work with & she even handled my last minute request of the projector with ease & that was much appreciated!
I loved Starved Rock Lodge! We had Jennie and she did a wonderful job accommodating to our needs! We planned our wedding in a little over 5 months and she did everything to make sure our wedding was perfect. She was very attentive with emails and helping answer all of our questions! I loved the lodge itself! I was worried about having the reception and the dinner area in two separate rooms but it was so amazing!!!! It really helped widen our area and let the guests have their space. We had about 120 people for our March wedding and it was so perfect! The late night pizza, the food, the drinks, the space, the trolley, the scenery everything was amazing. We did not decided to add any crazy decorations because the lodge itself and the beauty of it was enough. I highly recommend this location to have your special day! The only disadvantage of this location is that there is a minimum 2 night stay for all guests. Some of our guests did not seem to mind but most of them decided to stay at the hotels in the area. We provided the trolley and it was 100% worth it for the guests.
I honestly can't stay enough great things about this venue! Everyone was great to work with and easy to get ahold of either by phone call or email. I worked mainly with Jenny and she made everything so smooth! We used Mo for our cake and everyone loved our cake. We even had leftovers and they packed us a to go box home. We had the best day ever and I thank everyone who worked so hard to make it perfect!
I got married there this past December, and it was AMAZING. I highly recommend a winter wedding ;). Our wedding coordinator was Peggy, and she was unbelievable! First off, we were all out of town guests, and Peggy was great to get into contact with through email or phone call talking about any last minute details. Everything ran smoothly and on time, and overall the whole evening was a night to remember. It was such a snowy day and so cozy inside as we had the fire place going all night. We decided to have a smaller wedding (50-60 people), and the space still worked out so well! I was a little nervous that the venue space would feel TOO big, but it didn't! The food was incredible as well! Even some of our friends who are "picky eaters" were talking about how much they loved the food. I would highly recommend this venue!
Starved Rock did a fantastic job with everything. The venue was clean and in great shape. The lighting was great. The food tasted amazing and was at a good temperature. The wait staff was quick and very courteous. The coordinator was so easy to work with leading up to the event and then the day of the event as well.
Jenny and her team were awesome- really made our day perfect! Everything was amazing!
Don't let the star rating make you think that this place isn't GORGEOUS, it absolutely is a beautiful place to get married. But we definitely had different expectations for the venue going in. For rehearsal we had no one from the venue to walk us through it. What do we know about weddings in your venue? We were just expected to already know where we come from and where we go after. Luckily my MOH is a wedding DJ who saved the day and our photographers were able to get us up to speed the day of. We expected someone who has worked at the venue to have been there for us. That being said the food was delicious and we had a great wedding despite us not know what we were doing.
Our August wedding at Starved Rock was truly amazing! I couldn't have asked for a better location or a better group of people to work with! Our wedding consultant Jenny was really great and she made sure our wedding day was organized and set exactly the way we wanted it! The food was good and the pastry chief made our sweet heart cake, cupcakes, and homemade ice cream sandwiches that no one could stop talking about! I would definitely recommend this venue to my friends and family for future weddings and events!
Almost everyday sine we have gotten married I have been telling people how happy I am that we had our wedding at Starved Rock. The day was absolutely perfect. I worked with Jenny R. for the majority of the planning. She is VERY attentive and helpful - gives her opinion without being pushy. The staff was outstanding and our wedding photos are so unique and breathtaking. Would recommend this venue to anyone looking for an intimate, mini getaway and nature surrounding location.
We had the most perfect wedding day at Starved Rock. We had an outdoor ceremony and our reception in the lodge. The tree-filled patio for the ceremony was beautiful and quiet. We loved having everything on site too - ceremony, cocktail hour, photos, dinner, reception, and hotel. We planned the wedding from Oregon, so having a lot of these details already laid out and in one place was very helpful.
Our coordinator, Jenny Roulston, was super helpful as well. She filled us in on all the important details right away when we booked and kept us updated with reminders about upcoming needed information or payments. She gave us some great resources for finding our vendors (photographers, flowers, DJ, etc.) that were tried and true for the Starved Rock venue. She also quickly responded to all of our tedious questions in a kind and encouraging manner.
During the actual day, we felt like we were in good hands when Jenny checked in to help us stay on time for the ceremony and made sure we had all we needed for cake cutting, dinner, and more. Basically, she appeared just when we needed her and was otherwise invisible behind the scenes.
The site itself provided great options for affordable entertainment and hiking that many of our guests arrived early or stayed late to enjoy. We lucked out with the most perfect weather!
Our day and night went off without a hitch! The only possible downside I can think of was a strange dripping/thumping noise in the wall of our hotel room that kept me awake at night. The front desk explained that it was simply part of staying in a historic building and offered earplugs - not ideal, but we had a different room the next night that had no issues.
Overall, we are very happy with our experience at Starved Rock for our wedding. It was a beautiful day in a beautiful place and we can't imagine having it anywhere else. We would highly recommend it to anyone.
I loved our wedding at Starved Rock. The staff, namely Jenny, was incredible to work with and made it so easy for us to enjoy our special day. It was fun for guests to stay at the lodge and many spent the weekend hiking and exploring beautiful Starved Rock. The outdoor venus is absolutely gorgeous and private and the great lodge is stunning for the reception. The food was excellent and the staff was very professional. I would highly recommend Starved Rock for a wedding.
I can't say enough wonderful things about Starved Rock Lodge! I got married here on June 24, 2017 and our wedding was a dream come true - it was better than I could have ever imagined! Jenny was our sales consultant but I worked with the entire sales department and everyone was so helpful - they were always answering questions (I asked them A LOT of questions, especially the last few months before the wedding) and they had great advice and input. They all went above and beyond for us- especially Jenny when our arbor broke 30 minutes before the ceremony. She had it fixed without anyone even knowing! We decided on the combo meal for dinner, chicken and beef, and people are still talking about how delicious the meal and the appetizers were. The banquet staff were all very friendly! We had about 40 friends and family stay the weekend and they all had nothing but great things to say. Starved Rock Lodge is an absolutely beautiful venue to get married at and I would highly recommend it! Thanks Jenny, Amber, Jennie, Peggy and all of the banquet and kitchen staff for helping with the wedding of my dreams.
We got married at the Starved Rock Lodge in May of 2017. I am so happy with how my wedding turned out!
Looking around at different venues, I was getting discouraged because I could never find the right fit. Paying for the wedding ourselves, we needed something affordable, but not tacky.
I went to visit Starved Rock during their bridal expo. Despite how busy it was, one of the coordinators was more than happy to show us around, go over pricing, and answer all of our questions. We fell in love, and booked then!
We were initially assigned the coordinator Tiffany. She left a few months before our wedding on Maternity leave, and we were transferred to Peggy. I was very afraid of a fumbled hand-off, but there was none. Peggy picked right up and kept the ball rolling. Peggy even helped us finish our place cards on the day of the wedding.
Although sadly I did not have enough time to eat our hor d'oeuvres, cake, or too much of our meal, I've only heard great things about the food. The dance room is really great, and provided for great times after!
As always, the photo opportunities are great, since you are in the great outdoors. And your guests who stay the weekend have great hiking opportunities.
Being the groom, I am potentially biased here, but this place provided me the best wedding I have ever been to! I recommend everyone take a look at Starved Rock Lodge for your wedding.
Starved Rock was the absolute perfect venue for our wedding reception!! The entire staff was FANTASTIC to work with - especially Jenny our wedding coordinator!! :) The food and service were both AMAZING - food was delicious and the bartenders worked so hard, no one ever had to wait for a drink! We also received great hospitality & service from the staff at the Backdoor Lounge (Bar located inside starved rock hotel) after the reception was over! The hotel prices were also great compared to all the other hotel/reception venues in the area! Future brides, I can't recommend this place enough - but call now, they book fast!!