The Art Institute of Chicago

AI is an exception venue for Chicago weddings. We were married in July outdoors on Bluhm Terrace. We held cocktails in Terzo Piano and had our reception in Griffin Court. Top notch space and top notch service. From the security guards at the entrance all the way up through bar tenders, servers, captains, operations managers, our exceptional Event Producer Ashley Beam and our Sales Manager Stefanie Coyne, we couldn't have asked for better. Thank you to the full team and we will always recommend AI to our closest friends and family!

While this venue is definitely a SPLURGE (most of the cost is via catering and decor vendors with their exclusive list), it was absolutely breathtaking. AIC’s service is impeccable as they were so flexible and accommodating throughout the planning process. Stephanie and Ashley were especially amazing - thank you team so much for all of your help!!

This was the ONLY venue we visited as the Art Institute is my favorite place in the city of Chicago since I was a little girl. When we walked into the Stock Exchange Room, my husband saw my face light up as I tried to hide my giddy excitement and knew THIS was the place. Stefanie was our first contact and couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating, having both come from planning/event backgrounds we came with lots of questions that Stefanie was ready to answer with confidence. Once we signed our agreement, our coordinator Katy seamlessly stepped in, taking us through the best tasting we could have imagined, we felt so special and the ability to walk around the Art Institute after was a cherry on top. Day of both Stefanie AND Katy came by to wish us well, and there was a another wedding going on in the Modern Wing. It was a small gesture but meant so much to us. Being able to walk up on Michigan Avenue in the misty, warm glow of the street lamps between the iconic Lions and into the Grand Staircase where beloved friends and family were waiting was an experience like no other. It's such a unique venue that allows out-of-town guests a chance to see one of the best (the best in our minds) museums in the world up close and personal, a private little show. The staircase was stunning and being able to walk through the Impressionism Gallery was like nothing else --Caillebotte, Monet, Seurat... it was surreal and perfect. Being able to give our guests that extra special treat of a walk they'd remember was so special for us. The food was spectacular -- it was hard for us to decide what to get as bride and groom because all three options we had were amazing and the hors d'eouvres were beyond delicious. We had a few allergies (Celiac's, nuts...) and the team was so accommodating with the requests. The bar package is also amazing, as a sommelier, I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of wines available and they were even able to swap out the domestic beer for our family beer of choice as well as add a special Scotch and soda option for some of our family members. Again, a small gesture that meant the world to just three guests but that's something we're so happy we were able to give. I cannot express how much I loved our wedding -- marrying your best friend, surrounded by friends and family -- and to do so in such a venue...truly unforgettable. AND they provided us a complimentary membership for the next year, so many visits to come relive the magic of that night.

My wife and I had our reception in the Chicago Stock Exchange Room and cocktail hour on the Grand Staircase. Katy, Stefanie, and the rest of the team COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE ACCOMMODATING. They were absolutely wonderful throughout the entire process. Made everything so easy. Their staff the day of was great. Food was phenomenal. And our guests LOVED walking through the impressionist gallery on their way to the reception. I would highly recommend the Art Institute to anyone who wants to deal with a first class staff and be in such a historic venue for their event, whether it's your wedding, work outing, etc. Thank you again to Katy and Stefanie!

If you are looking for an amazing and extremely elegant venue for your wedding, look no further! We opted for the historic wing of the Art Institute for our September wedding and it was one of the best decisions we made. Katy and Stefanie were both out of this world fantastic! Both of them were so incredibly nice and helpful from our first visit to the wedding day. Our guests cannot stop raving about everything from how gorgeous our cocktail hour in the Grand Staircase was to how cool it was getting to walk through the museum to get to the incredible Old Chicago Trading Room. From the management to the wait staff with Bon Appetit, everything was outstanding. We HIGHLY recommend the Art Institute for an unforgettable and gorgeous wedding!

Our wedding could not have been more fun or felt more magical. We love the Art Institute and somehow the space became even more special after hours for our wedding ceremony and reception. Katy Krantz, our AI coordinator was incredibly helpful, organized, and kind. She made wedding planning easy. We can't say enough good things about our great experience working with the museum and Bon Apetit.

I am so glad we picked the AIC as our venue! Everything about the experience was incredible. Leading up to the wedding, all of our visits were fun and informative, and the tasting was an unexpectedly special experience - the food is delicious and the chef was incredibly knowledgable and present with us. The museum has a lot of rules (reasonably) but they are all stated up front in the contract process, and Stefanie/Katy are very open with communication and willing to make things work. We had a wedding for about 200 people, with the ceremony in the modern wing lobby, cocktail hour in Pritzker Garden, and the reception at Terzo Piano/Bluhm Terrace. We also had a gallery viewing during cocktail hour which I highly recommend! On the day of, the entire team at the museum (from security to bartenders + everyone in between) was SO friendly and warm - I literally had security guards cheering me on getting ready to walk down the aisle, which was a needed moment of laughter! Stefanie and Katy were incredible throughout the whole process, from our initial emails to Stefanie, to Katy giving me a pep talk before walking down the aisle. We still have friends telling us how incredible the venue was - I could not recommend it more highly, with zero reservations. The ease of the whole process, the friendliness and attention to detail of the entire staff, and the museum itself helped make our wedding so incredibly special with no bumps in the road or issues at all along the way.

We had our ceremony and reception in the Nichols Board of Trustees Suite, which was the perfect space for our intimate wedding with about 40 guests. The floor to ceiling windows with a gorgeous view of the skyline really make the space special, and it was a gorgeous backdrop for our morning ceremony and brunch reception. The food was delicious (several of our guests said it was the best food they’d had at a wedding, ever!) and the day of team (wait staff, bartenders, coat check, security, etc) were all friendly and professional. Stefanie was great to work with throughout the initial booking process, and Katy (the event producer) was incredible. You can tell they both love what they do and are genuinely excited to help you with your special day. They are both prompt, thorough, and knowledgeable. Katy made the process of coordinating with our outside vendors (florist, cake, musicians, etc) seamless and easy. One of our favorite parts about having our wedding here, and in the morning on a Sunday, is that we were able to take pictures in the museum before it opened to guests. We got some really gorgeous photos both inside the museum and in the gardens. We had a beautiful day and we definitely reccomend the venue and Stefanie and Katy without hesitation!

Beautiful wedding venue. We hosted our wedding reception at AI and utilized Bluhm Terrace for cocktail hour and Terzo Piano for dinner and dancing. We had about 200 people and it was the perfect size for the venue. We have gotten nothing but rave reviews about the venue and food from our guests. The partially covered terrace was a big plus. It rained a night a little and guests were still able to go outside and utilize the terrace. Katy was amazing and so helpful. She goes above and beyond for her clients.

Absolutely fantastic wedding venue! We held our wedding a couple of weeks ago at the Grand staircase with the reception in the stock exchange room and loved everything about it. Katy and Stephanie were complete professionals and wonderful to work with. The food was amazing and served perfectly. The late night bites were a hit as well! Our guests loved the uniqueness of the venue and haven't stopped taking about how beautiful it was. We can't thank them enough for everything and would highly recommend the AIC as a wedding venue!

The most amazing venue! We had our ceremony and cocktail hour on the Grand Staircase and reception in the Chicago Stock Exchange Room. Almost six months later and we are still getting compliments from our guests on the unique venue (especially the private gallery viewing!) and fantastic food. Stefanie and Katy were wonderful to work with -- detail-oriented, responsive, and patient with all of our questions/concerns throughout the planning process. The AIC (understandably) has lots of rules, but Stefanie and Katy were super helpful in making sure nothing inhibited our plans. They were well-coordinated with our planner and vendors on the day of, we truly had nothing to worry about but enjoying ourselves. Can’t recommend the AIC enough!

If you're looking for a show-stopper space for your wedding, then look no further! My husband and I did a lot of research on all of the great wedding venues available in Chicago, and everything that the AIC offers in their package is the one to beat. The team at the AIC is superb! They are knowledgeable, competent, and highly professional. We had a wonderful time planning our Event Producer, Katy Krantz, who was an absolute dream to work with. She answered all of our answers in fine detail. We had our ceremony and cocktail hour on the Grand Staircase and the reception in the Chicago Stock Exchange Room. All of our guests would not (and still won't) stop raving how beautiful the space is, how delicious the food was, and how unique the venue choice is. Note that the AIC recommends that you have at least a day-of-coordinator to execute your wedding. I could not encourage this more. Moreover, I would also suggest having at least a team of two coordinators on your wedding day, as the space is large with a lot of walking in between. It's better to have two people in two places at once!

IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS! Having our cocktail reception in the Grand Staircase, a private viewing of the Impressionist Exhibit, to come looking above the dinner reception in the Modern Wing... guests were not only pleasantly surprised but just floored at how beautiful it was. Although we missed the cocktail hour because we got to take pictures on the bridge (in front of the best view of the city as our back drop) everyone complimented the cocktail hour, and the food throughout the reception. It was consistent and exactly what we had at the tasting. FEW RECS: a super elegant touch was having desserts passed around by servers. As people are dancing the night away, desserts were at our fingertips instead of confined on a table in one area. Also, having one huge bar! Right under the staircase. Marriage is about bringing families together and I was so happy that this layout of the dinner reception allowed everyone to congregate at one bar, right in front of the dance floor! Katy Krantz was amazing and was super responsive to any questions and concerns I had! The security and service was impeccable! I wish I could do it all over again!

Our November 2017 wedding at the Art Institute was everything we could have hoped for and more. Stefanie Coyne and Katy Krantz were wonderful to work with and helped us with all of our crazy questions and ideas. The day of the wedding the entire staff (from Stefanie and Katy, to the venue security to the waitstaff at dinner) was so helpful and gracious to us and our guests. They made sure everything went smoothly and we were able to enjoy every minute of the wedding. Our guests loved everything from the delicious food to being able to view a gallery to the incredible views of the city. My husband and I highly recommend the venue if you are looking for unique space with tons of character and class.

The Art Institute paid attention to every detail. They made my daughter and son in law’s day perfect!!

We had our wedding reception in the Chicago Stock Exchange room and cocktail hour in the grand staircase and couldn't have been happier with the outcome. We worked with both Stefanie Coyne as well as Katy Krantz who were phenomenal. In the months leading up to the date, I corresponded with Katy regularly who was always prompt, very pleasant, and efficient and she helped us ensure the night ran smoothly, which it it. Highly recommend this team and venue!