The Monte Bello Estate

I cannot say enough great things about the Monte Bello. We had our ceremony and reception here and everything was perfect. The entire venue inside and outside is stunning. We hardly needed any decor because of how beautiful it was. Abbey, Katie, Sarah, and Courtney were so... Read More great to work with. They answered all of our questions in a timely fashion and were beyond accommodating. The food and cake were both great. All of our guests could not stop talking about how great this place was and what a gem it was. I could not be more thankful to have found this place because they truly helped our vision become reality. I would recommend them to everyone!!

I cannot put into words how amazing the Monte Bello estate and their staff are! I fell in love with this venue instantly and knew I couldn't get married anywhere else. Abbey was a rockstar! She was so great to work with! She answered all my questions and emails promptly and we... Read More had constant contact. She was always so friendly and helpful. The whole staff is so professional. The estate is gorgeous! My guests were so happy and had nothing but wonderful things to say about the staff, the venue and the food! I wish I could go back and do it all over again because everything went extremely smooth and it truly was the wedding of my dreams! I highly recommend this venue to anyone who wants something other than a banquet hall. Your guests will rave about everything especially the food. People can be so picky with food but I did not hear one negative thing. Shoutout to Ali Tucker! Again, my whole wedding day was amazing, I could go on and on about how wonderful everything was! Thank you to everyone at the Monte Bello!

I cannot say enough wonderful things about this venue and all the staff!!! The Monte Bello Estate was the ideal venue for our wedding (June 3, 2017). After the wedding, we were hearing for weeks from our guests that it was the most beautiful and fun wedding they had ever been... Read More to. The estate has SO much to offer a bride and groom. There are endless backdrops for gorgeous and unique pictures. Abbey, Katie, & Sara were fantastic. They were so patient and courteous with us. They are truly a good team that knows what they're doing. Your wedding day is in safe hands with them!!! I wish we could relive our day over and over because it was perfect. I don't think any other venue could have given us the special day that we had.

My husband and I had our dream wedding at the Monte Bello Estate. The Monte Bello is really a perfect venue, it is spacious and gorgeous and feels like you are at a garden mansion estate. You can choose to get married outside or inside, and they have a beautiful glass tent for... Read More the reception. They are constantly making improvements to the venue; in the year since we booked, they added chandeliers, an outdoor bar, among other improvements. We looked at 12 other venues in Chicago, but we could not get close to this amount of space in the city. The staff at Monte Bello were incredibly responsive and kind through the entire year, although we knew they had so many weddings before ours. They answered all of our messages promptly, and welcomed us warmly to the venue multiple times when we came to show it to our families or needed additional planning meetings. I also loved all the add ons they had to make your event more personalized, we added on s’mores and yard games, and our guests raved about both activities. The day of the wedding, we knew that the staff was there making sure things ran smoothly, but I also appreciated that they trusted us to take care of the space and we mostly in the background. It made it feel like we owned a mansion for the day. Sara and Abbey were especially amazing and made the whole experience stress free, I highly highly recommend the Monte Bello and need one of my friends to get married there so I can go back!

WOW! What an amazing venue. Besides being BEAUTIFUL, everything ran so smoothly on our big day. The staff was so nice and made sure everything was perfect. Our guests loved the food and are still raving over the scenery at the estate. Leading up to the date, I was very happy... Read More with the whole process. Everyone was super responsive to all my questions and very helpful. Thank you Monte Bello for hosting my dream wedding, my husband and I are still so happy!

We recently had our wedding at Monte Bello and we couldn't have been any happier with how it turned out. The venue and grounds are beautiful and you can tell they take a lot of pride in making sure everything is perfect. They've recently added an outdoor bar, bonfires and more... Read More chandeliers in the tent. All of which made the venue even more amazing. Throughout the entire planning process everyone has been friendly and very quick to respond to emails. They have three package options and a list of add ons that help customize your wedding. The food was good and you have quite a few options. The cake is included in the package and was amazing! You get to try a lot at the tasting and can choose from a long list of flavors. You also get to customize the design. I would highly recommend renting the estate for the day as well. The bride and groom's suite are incredible and great places to get ready and hang out for before the wedding. The ceremony site with the gazebo was one of the main reasons we chose the venue and we're so glad the rain held out so we could get married outside. They do have a back up option if it does rain which accommodates 150 seats and has a beautiful view. But it does seem a little cramped. The only thing I could think to complain about is the carpet in the tent was a little dirty. I noticed it during the tour but with the lighting/tables/decor I didn't even notice during the wedding. They also do not have a "day of coordinator" to cue your ceremony/help set up/direct your vendors. This was something we chose to get separate so we didn't have to worry about it the day of. While it's not the most budget friendly venue, you will have the piece of mind it's money well spent. Our guests were very impressed and like us, many had never been to a wedding at a venue like this. Overall the Monte Bello Estate is whimsical, romantic and I would highly recommend it.

We had our wedding at the Monte Bello Estate this past May. The entire experience was great and I couldn't recommend the venue more. Abbey was the venue coordinator we worked most closely with and she was very professional and helpful throughout the process. She was also... Read More extremely patient with all of the questions my mom threw at her! The grounds are beautiful and the weather was PERFECT! We could not have asked for a better day. They were also very accommodating with allowing our dog to be a part of the wedding. We've received many compliments since then about how beautiful and fun our wedding was. I only wish that the outdoor bar area would have been finished in time for us to utilize it because I've seen the new pictures and it looks great. I also appreciated Abbey personally coming by several times throughout dinner service to make sure my drink was full!

We had our wedding August 5,2017. Everything was amazing. Everyone was so easy to work with and answered all of our questions throughout the process! We would highly recommend them!

My wedding day could not have gone any better!! The venue is so elegant and the staff is amazing! Abbey helped us make our day special and help us with anything we needed.

From the moment we saw Monte Bello, I knew this was where I wanted our wedding. My husband and I really enjoyed working with Courtney. She's very accommodating and was quick to help/respond when I had a question. Both the outside and inside are absolutely beautiful! The food... Read More is also amazing. It is pricey, but you get what you pay for :) Even with the most expensive package, many things are extra to add on (everything is in the contract, read it carefully). We added on a few cases of champagne and cordials to have a champagne bar at our reception. The only thing that was a bit disappointing at our wedding is that this was not put out for guests the way we had discussed and most of the champagne wasn't used. Other than that, everything was amazing and we had tons of compliments. It was everything we could have dreamed of!

When I saw that such a beautiful, magical, and relaxing venue known as The Monte Bello Estate existed in the suburbs of Chicago, I was over the moon excited. I had my wedding at this venue in July and am thrilled that my fiance and I chose this out-of-the-ordinary place as our... Read More wedding venue. We decided to have our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception at the estate and our guests seemed to really appreciate the ongoing flow of the day. With our wedding in July, the grounds at the estate looked pristine. Our guests were constantly telling us that they loved our choice of venue. Prior to the day of my wedding, I enjoyed working with Abby and Katie to plan the menu, tent layout, and linens for the day. They provided exceptional insight into what would look amazing and be most pleasing to our wedding guests. My reasons for not giving this amazing venue and staff a 4 out of 5 star review is because when it came time to clean up after the reception, my parents and bridal party were responsible. Plus, my husband and I felt that the basement and bridal room could have been better equipped to make us and our bridal party more comfortable. Thank you to The Monte Bello Estate and its staff for making our wedding day a real fairytale!

I cannot say enough amazing things about our wedding at Monte Bello Estate! We were looking for a unique wedding venue and we found it! The grounds are absolutely gorgeous and the inside of the house has cool little details. Our wedding guests raved about the beauty of the... Read More venue! All of the decorations turned out exactly how I expected and it looked incredible. They've added some cool chandeliers inside the tent that added something special. Working with Abbey was great and she was very responsive along the way. There were many emails with many many questions, but she always responded to them all and we sorted out every little detail! The food was great and we received many compliments on that as well. They helped set up all of our extra decorations and assisted in packing them all up at the end of the night. We rented the estate to get ready in and loved the gorgeous bridal suite that was perfect for pictures. The guys loved the downstairs game area, which also made for some amazing pictures. The reception was definitely not cheap, but you get what you pay for! We wanted the best of everything which unfortunately cost us more than budgeted. I think you could have a beautiful wedding there for a reasonable amount though. Overall the experience was great and I highly recommend the venue! I wish we could do it all again!

Monte Bello is absolutely beautiful. Abbey was our main contact and she was so responsive, friendly and helpful. All of our guests absolutely raved about how gorgeous and cool the venue was. The food and drinks were also really good. We had just under 250 people. The capacity... Read More is 275 but that would have been really tight. There are a few restrictions about set up time and needing to clear out everything the night of that made it a it more stressful/rushed to get set up and taken down. That said, I would definitely choose Monte Bello again in a second. It really built in the beauty and elegance so we could just show up and have fun!

The Monte Bello Estate gave me my dream wedding. This place is so beautiful, non traditional, and the staff is AMAZING! If you are looking for an affordable diamond in the rough, the MBE is the place! Abbey and Katie were awesome. Any questions I had throughout the entire... Read More process were answered quickly and cooperatively. The bridal suite is the master bedroom of the house converted into a classic/ vintage style lounge area with a gorgeous bathroom. I had hair and makeup artists come the day of for my bridal party and we had plenty of room to get ready. (I had 9 girls stand up!) We planned on getting married outside, but unfortunately it was raining. We quickly moved the ceremony site into a different room of the house. It was beautiful! I got so many compliments from my guests that I was happy it rained. The food is also outstanding. I have a pretty critical family when it comes to food at weddings, and they loved it. The apps, the main dinner, and even the cake. (Caramel cake with caramel frosting) I do not have one bad thing to say about this place. The basement is converted into a "man cave." My husband and his groomsmen we able to relax, party a little, and get ready in a completely separate space from me, and without the fear of running into each other before the ceremony. The grounds, the house, the outdoor patios, and even the inground pool make this the most unique place for a wedding.

My wedding venue was one of the most important things to me when planning my wedding. I researched every venue possible, finding a handful that were good options. My husband and I went to tour a couple of my venue choices, and as soon as we got to the Monte Bello Estate, we were... Read More sold. The grounds are just beautiful, and the tent was exactly what I was looking for. The estate itself is very well kept as well. When my husband saw the basement, where the groom and groomsmen get ready for the day, he was hooked. He didn't want to look at any other venues, this was it. And that was totally fine by me, because I was in love! Abbey, and the rest of the team at the Monte Bello were a pleasure to work with as well. They are all so sweet and helpful, and will answer any questions you may have. I highly recommend renting the estate for the day. You get more time to relax, get ready, and explore before your wedding begins. I do wish "renting for the day" allowed you to arrive even earlier than it permits, but it still gives you extra time on the day of. The food at the venue is delicious, and it’s so nice that you don't have to bring in your own catering! The cake is definitely the best part of catering. All the flavors were so delicious, it was hard to choose! But seriously, if you are considering the Monte Bello Estate as your wedding venue, just go visit and see for yourself. It is even more incredible in person. I will say, it is pricey, but so worth it. Hands down I would choose the Monte Bello over and over again. From the ceremony arch, to the fire pit by cocktail hour, to the breathtaking tent for the reception, you will not be disappointed, and neither will your guests! I will forever love the Monte Bello Estate.

Finding a venue in the Chicago area that fits a fairytale/mythical/nature themed wedding can be quite difficult, but Monte Bello definitely takes the cake! My husband and I booked the venue before any of the recent renovations were done and we loved it then. Now, after several... Read More major changes, the estate is definitely a place out of one's dreams. Our wedding was on a Sunday in October 2016 and we rented the estate for the day so we did not have to worry about anything. The outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour to our reception in the tent was nothing sort of magical. Abbey and Suzanne were both wonderful in helping us before and during the big day. I highly recommend Monte Bello to any woman who, like me, dreamed of a fairytale wedding in the woods.

Monte Bello was absolutely amazing. We held both our ceremony and reception at the venue, and our wedding was nothing short of magical. We rented the venue for the day and we're able to get ready in the bridal and groom suites. Food is incredible. Our guests were blown away.... Read More Would absolutely recommend!

Outstanding in all aspects! The staff at Monte Bello was dedicated to making the day perfect in every aspect - they really do go out of their way to help and to be accommodating. Suzanne and Abbey were EXCELLENT and so patient with us, not only throughout the whole planning... Read More process but also during the wedding. The venue itself is absolutely beautiful, and there were many different places to take pictures- both inside and outside. It is such a unique and gorgeous setting to have a wedding, or any event for that matter. We loved the updates that they have done since we first visited the grounds. The pool and patios are beautiful. Lots of guests gathered around the bonfire pit later on in the night too . Many of our guests were commenting on how great the food was, that it was unlike typical wedding food. There were lots of options for us to choose from as well. Overall the staff and the service was amazing. All of this combined made our wedding so much fun and everything went smoothly. And our guests loved the venue as much as we did!

The Monte Bello Estate is a wonderful venue. Magical is how I describe the grounds. The space and grounds are well maintained by the staff they have. Since this location had many names, and many owners I was happy to see that the latest owners were making very nice... Read More improvements to modernize the space. The bridal suite is a girls dream and very special. I had to deal with 3 people while I was being contracted. Out of the three I had to deal with Suzanne is by far the best! She is responsive, action-oriented and genuine. Sara was definitely hired because daddy owns the location, but she is in no way qualified to run the space. Very flaky, forgetful and needs a lot more guidance on event planning and execution. She wrote our wedding date wrong when we first signed. Lord. Very nice but not qualified. Abbey is very organized, professional and structured. I had to call her out many times on inconsistent contract details, the dance floor placement, lack of a floor plan, no actual wine vendor list, etc. She remained professional but I think she quickly realized that they needed a refresh on their contract. We got into it via email a few times but I think moving forward she will make an effort to know her brides and grooms to make the process a little smoother. Read your contract and get all pricing ahead of time. Suzanne is wonderful. She always made sure we were in lock step on the day, agenda, vendor flexibility, and really wants to make it the day of our dreams! A true gem out of the bunch! I had a wedding planner that did an incredible job planning for me on the day of with the coordinator. Ali. The in-house chef is a doll. Her and I had to speak because my venue coordinator could not communicate properly at the time. Our breakfast for dinner inspired meal was delicious. Our guests raved about the wonderful attention to detail that the chef paid. Only negative I had was some bruised fruit but as a bride and groom it would have been nice to have a plate warmed in the back. The groom suite needs a major overhaul on furniture but the space is fun for a man cave. It does have a mildew smell and I think could be a little brighter. The reception space is beautiful. Obviously a huge concern is tents and water. We had to buy glade plug-ins for the day before and if the wedding since there is definitely mildew or mold inside that rug when we visited nearly each time. They need to level the floor in the entry and if it rains the carpets near the doors are soaked. There is a lot of slant in the space and it is tough for slipping, wheelchairs and elderly Guests. The outdoor patio, and fire pit are lovely. In terms of alcohol, they need to get an actual list of wine they can provide. I was able to get all of what we wanted, but it was a struggle with a list of names and no varietals. Example: The list says Neiman Marcus... what does that mean? Cab, Chardonnay, Rose? The cocktail outdoor space is not lit up so if you plan to have guests outside you need to arrange for lighting and heating if it is cold. Overall, this location is a 5. I only gave a 4 due to the frustrating experience I had with a few of the venue coordinators. There is great flexibility with vendor selection which is awesome!! All of ours were great!! Our day was a dream come true. Our photographers captured such an elegant evening and all of our guests loved the space. It truly is one of a kind. 5 Star on the Venue. Thanks

The Monte Bello Estates are whimsical, romantic and the perfect place to get married! The staff there are so helpful and always there when you have a question. On the day of my wedding they were eager to make this the best day of my life and they succeeded. Suzanne and Abbey are... Read More so cheerful and knowledgeable. If you choose Monte Bello you will not be sorry!

Great service, staff & beautiful venue. We received so many compliments from the guests. Indoor ceremony space is as pretty as the outdoor space which is necessary for a wedding in this region. Although it is pricier than other venues we considered, it was a worth it.

Beautiful venue! Very courteous, prompt, professional staff! Food and natural setting exquisite. There isn't a need for too much decor, because the grounds and venue fairytale-like atmosphere is pretty on its own! My husband and I were very pleased with each time we visited our... Read More venue- for everything from the food tasting to the final walk through. The staff is so welcoming- you feel like family. We would highly recommend the Monte Bello Estate for your wedding. It will be unforgettable in every way!

Our wedding was a memorable experience thanks to the help of the Monte Bello staff, they very accommodating of our needs and helped us with every step during the planning process. They even were gracious enough to help us sort out some last minute changes during our wedding... Read More reception. We would highly recommend this venue not only because of its beautiful setting but also because of its caring and dedicated staff.

The Monte Bello exceeded my expectations in offering a beautiful and stress-free wedding reception site. The venue itself is magical! The exquisite views and beautiful décor truly makes this venue one of a kind. The staff was incredibly helpful - specifically Abbey. Her... Read More professionalism and upbeat personality allowed me a chance to enjoy the planning process. She made herself available numerous times during the planning stage to meet in-person to discuss every detail. No question or ask was too much and the attention to detail and customer service was exceptional. It was very nice to have an opportunity to meet with the estate owner as well and to my surprise he made an appearance on our special day just to make sure everything was to our liking. The vendors (DJ, photographer, videographer, florist, etc.) all spoke very highly about the venue and venue staff, mentioning how seamless the coordinating was. Guests continue to rave about how delicious the food was as well as the large portions. Everything from cocktail hour appetizers, to dinner and cake was topnotch. The tasting was a blast and the food was just as delicious day of as it was on our tasting day. It was especially wonderful to have the cake included in the package. Again, less stress! The wait staff was very professional and attentive to all of our guests. One even volunteered to get my bouquet from the bridal suite when she noticed I was without it. To say we had a wonderful day is an understatement. I am so very thankful for all of the hard work and dedication that the entire staff of the Monte Bello exhibited. I highly recommend this venue for any upcoming celebration.

I just had my reception at the Monte Bello Estate one week ago. This venue is amazing! Absolutely gorgeous landscaping surrounds this beautiful house. The staff at the Monte Bello are extremely accommodating and helpful during the planning process. We worked mostly with Abbey to... Read More plan our day and she always got back to me promptly and we felt that we got great individual attention. If you have a request, they will make it happen! During the reception multiple staff members came up to me and my husband to make sure we had everything we needed or wanted. Also, we chose to add s'mores stations to our package and it was a HUGE hit! Everyone loved it. All of our guests keep telling us what a great venue it was and what a great time they had at our reception! I can not say enough good things about the Monte Bello Estate!