The Woman's Club of Evanston

ated the perfect backdrop for a day we will always remember. We are especially grateful for the care and attention your team showed throughout the process. Every detail—from the welcoming atmosphere to the graceful surroundings—helped make the celebration truly special for our daughter, her husband, and all of our guests. Thank you again for opening your doors and making this milestone in our family’s life so memorable.

imal. It is good to remember that this is a historical building so if you are looking to throw a rager-type wedding, I would not recommend.

d looked at venues in Chicago, but most family would be coming from the Northern Suburbs or flying in via O'Hare, so expanded to Evanston, as venues for 100+ people (initially planned ~170, final count 140) were hard to come by for a reasonable price. Gretchen, the manager, was lovely every step of the way. We are not local to the area, and she was so kind to work with us through virtual tours and an on-site visit with a kind member. Upon request, she provided us a list of vendors that she had a positive experience working with previously (I believe 3 of our primary 4 vendors were on the list, and all were amazing!). The venue does have a preferred list of caterers, and we found this to be a huge help -- rather than price comparing every caterer we could fine, we had a very reasonable handful to consider. The venue was convenient, the hotel block was within walking distance so no one had to worry about driving, we took our photos by the lake, and Evanston had plenty of cute restaurants for non-wedding related meals. Some of our out-of-town visitors still opted to stay downtown and make a proper Chicago trip out of the weekend, which was fine, just a rideshare away! We held both our ceremony and reception on site, so once our guests arrived, all they had to do was hit the bar and have fun. The space looked great without much decoration. This wasn't a priority for our budget, so we had very limited flowers/other decor, and it had great light and beautiful features throughout! I don't want to plan another wedding, but if I did, I would have it at WCOE all over again!

th and elegance of the building. We had our entire event on the first floor and got married in front of the beautiful fireplace. There were so many great backdrops for photos. Gretchen, the WCOE manager, was lovely to work with, so positive and helpful. This is a very special place, and we highly recommend!

space was so beautiful and functional for our 120-person wedding, but it could accommodate a larger wedding too. We had our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception at the Club, and everything flowed beautifully.

petence, love, and support for us throughout the process; every interaction reassured us they knew exactly how to hold an amazing wedding in their spaces. Coordinating with vendors and supporting guests all went smoothly on the wedding day. The flow of the evening from cocktail hour on the main floor to the dinner and dancing upstairs in the ballroom made for an easy transition and prevented the festivities from feeling spread too thin. We had over 170 guests and each space comfortably held the whole group. As a cherry on top, the building is stunning, augmenting photographs inside and outside. Our guests greatly appreciated being able to walk a block back to the hotels afterwards--it is truly a walkable, wonderful venue to use for your wedding.

t make it an easy decision. We got married at the Alice Millar Chapel of Northwestern University, just a 5-minute walk from the Women’s Club. Our guests enjoyed the cocktail hour on the first floor, which is beautiful, spacious, and unique, with plenty of room for mingling. The upstairs area, with its large windows and uplighting, provided a perfect space for dinner and dancing. It’s impossible not to fall in love with the club immediately! The management is incredibly helpful. Ms. Gretchen Oehlschlager is amazing to work with and always provides useful tips and guidance. For catering, you can choose from a list of approved caterers. We chose Froggy’s and were very pleased. Gretchen also introduced us to a day-of coordinator, Ms. Krys Juleen, who made our wedding day much less stressful. We considered other venues in Evanston, but the Women’s Club of Evanston made our decision easy.

ations in every conceivable way. It was just flawless, and it felt like we didn't have to do anything at all. The space is beautiful, comfortable, and inviting--both the downstairs cocktail area and the upstairs dining area. It looks like where we went to college, and it couldn't be more charming! Thank you, Woman's Club, for everything!

ng with The Caterist.

chen and her team were absolutely wonderful to work with from day one. They were so accommodating of all of our requests/questions and were extremely available and communicative throughout the process. Their warm hospitality was evident from the start, and they overall made the planning process seamless and fun!

ssed with how lovely the WCE space was and knew that it would be the ideal venue. However, we also realized how important the management would be in the nearly year-long planning process. WCE did not disappoint in any way! From booking through the reception, Gretchen and her staff were super organized, professional, timely and kind! Gretchen makes you feel like you are the only client she is working with! Her warm and friendly personality is so calming amidst all the details of the wedding planning process. The venue itself has recently been renovated with modern touches, but in keeping with its classic charm. Our planner and florist really enjoyed working in the space and incorporating the venue’s charming details and décor into their floral/décor plans for the cocktail area and ballroom. Another key selling point is the WCE location – walking distance to hotels, restaurants and all that downtown Evanston has to offer. Our out-of-town guests were so glad that they could easily walk back to their hotels at the end of the night! All in all, WCE is a winner – I would give it more than 5 stars if I could. Thank you Gretchen and WCE for making our daughter’s wedding reception a most memorable evening!

could to make sure everything was executed flawlessly. The Woman's Club of Evanston does have a list of preferred vendors for catering and security. Catering options had a range of prices and cuisine. She explained that they had preferred catering and security since those vendors are extremely well equipped to help in everyday. Overall, my day was fantastic and the spaces that the Woman's Club of Evanston have are unmatched.

perfect for us. Gretchen the manager was so helpful through the whole process, she was never too busy to answer any questions we had and helped with recommendations and even ideas for our event. The venue is beautiful and has a classic charm. My guests were so impressed with how beautiful it was. We had a cocktail reception on the first floor and reception on the second. Being able to use the entire club is a bonus. Centrally located in downtown Evanston my guests were able to choose from a few different hotels and it’s a quick Uber in to the city for other guests that stayed downtown. Highly recommend.

charm & character. We were able to host both our ceremony and reception in the upstairs ballroom, and the downstairs was used for our cocktail hour while the ballroom was changed over. This was very convenient and worked wonderfully for us and our guests. Gretchen, the venue manager, was so incredibly kind, helpful, and accommodating...it was truly a pleasure working with her. She also connected us with a caterer from their approved list, J&L Catering, who knew the room very well and did an amazing job on all fronts. We would recommend The Woman's Club to anyone looking to plan a wedding or throw an event. It is a very special place.

l and is well designed for weddings. Such a great time working with here!

been more friendly or easy to work with. We highly recommend it!

nd answered every question we had promptly. The facility itself is lovely and allows various options for personalizing the space. You will not go wrong with an event at The Woman’s Club.

so told us how helpful the staff was and how much they enjoyed the space. We had 115 people at our wedding and it felt like plenty of space, and we loved using both floors to break up cocktail hour and our reception. Probably our favorite thing about the venue is how well-decorated it is on its own, which let us pare back our decoration budget by a huge amount. We also worked with one of the venue's preferred caterers (J&L Catering), who was extremely familiar with the space and the staff, and gave us so many helpful tips and tricks for making the most of our event. The venue is also very public transit accessible and close to two hotels, as well as a number of bars and restaurants, making it convenient for our local and out of town guests.

tarted planning, the WCE approved vendor list made the process so smooth as they had plenty of options all of which were vetted and great! Everyone loved working at the venue and was familiar with it. Having the whole place to ourselves was so wonderful for our guests and they loved the beautiful details in both the Tea Room where we had our cocktail hour and the ballroom where we held our ceremony and reception. The building is so elegant that it required very little decoration beyond florals and spoke for itself. The ballroom had just been refinished and was beautiful for the event. We had 150 guests and tables and the dance floor fit comfortably without feeling too crowded or spread out. We are so happy to have spent our special night at the WCE!

recently restored but keeping true to the early 20th century architecture and styling. The upstairs ballroom was perfectly suited for both our ceremony and reception dinner, where the downstairs parlor was used for an intimate cocktail hour during ballroom flip. Gretchen at the Woman's Club was a joy to work with from beginning to end. Gretchen communicated clearly and was kind enough to give us a virtual walk through of the venue while we were living abroad; after seeing the venue and speaking with Gretchen, booking the Woman's Club was an easy choice! The Woman's Club does have a list of approved catering vendors, but we were very happy with the caterer we chose from that list. If you're looking for a charming ambiance and a contact who is professional and easy to work with, look no further than the Woman's Club!

l and thoughtful, in particular considering the unexpected changes as the pandemic continued throughout our planning process. Gretchen was conscientious and kind, and kept the safety of our guests, vendors and staff at the forefront during the entire process. We felt confident we were in capable hands throughout our time working with Gretchen. The venue itself was the perfect place to host our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, and we really liked that it was all in one building, with parking across the street, a hotel down the block, and nearby public transit, which made it easy on our guests. The historic building is beautiful, great for photos, and does not really require much decoration, while also being modernized to be very accessible for people with disabilities, all the technology we needed for a slideshow and DJ, and all-gender bathrooms for our guests. We also appreciated the affordability of the venue, and the opportunity to choose our vendors and personalize our event.

e way during our entire engagement period - explaining everything, coordinating with all our vendors, and answering questions in a timely response. Plus, the venue is gorgeous and we have some wonderful photos. Highly recommend hiring a piano player to play their baby grand piano during cocktail hour.

use for photos, ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. Gretchen was a wonderful partner as we navigated planning our wedding, balancing vendors, dealing with COVID and changing regulations. She was quick to respond, always so kind and gracious. The building is simply beautiful and it was very reasonably priced for the value (including the chairs, tables, dinnerware, etc.) The addition of the new up lights made the space look spectacular. Our guests loved the venue. We highly recommend the Woman's Club of Evanston for your wedding!

space is so beautiful even with very little decoration.

indoor winter wedding day photos turn out looking sunny and perfect. The historic space is simply so elegant and well-maintained, you can't go wrong! We already thought it was the perfect space for our wedding when we toured it in June 2020, but some recent cosmetic updates made it even better by the time our big day rolled around on 1/15/22. It was so convenient to be able to have our ceremony in the ballroom, cocktail hour downstairs while the caterer and our coordinator flipped the space, and then the reception back upstairs in the ballroom. Not only did it save everyone travel time, no one had to venture back out into the January cold until the party was well and truly over! We also barely brought in any decor because the space was already so gorgeous on its own; a few glass-enclosed candles, some table runners, and wireless battery-operated uplights to set the mood for the dance floor later in the night was really the extent of it. The ceremony and the reception looked absolutely magical simply because the ballroom itself is so beautiful. Working with the Woman's Club and all their vendors was great. Gretchen was the venue coordinator, and she responded promptly to all our emails and stayed on top of all necessary communication, especially regarding any updated COVID regulations. Working within the Club's recommended caterers list was also very easy, and we highly recommend Catered by Design, who did a fantastic job. The on-site kitchen for catering was really great for making sure our food was delicious and didn't get cold before it could make it out to the tables! The Club's BYOB policy with no corkage fee also made it super easy for us to save a little by going through Binny's and getting a refund on the unopened bottles. On top of ALL of that, it was so great to know that our money was going toward such a wonderful, active philanthropic organization that makes a difference within the community. So not only did we find the Woman's Club 100x more beautiful and historic than any Hilton, we got to feel good about supporting a wonderful group! We really can't recommend this beautiful venue highly enough!!

veral side rooms that can be utilized or shut off depending on party size. They also have a large kitchen available for caterers and a large amount of equipment (tables of various sizes, chairs, dinnerware) available for use. Every staff member we interacted with was very helpful, responsive, and great to work with.

all I can do is offer up these photos.

They were a wonderful host and were very accommodating. We highly recommend them for your event!

the frontlines, they offered an affordable package of local vendors ready to go! We we’re able to swap out mostly anything to customize our special day. They all stepped in and took the reigns so that we could relax and truly be present in the moment. We will cherish these memories for a lifetime!

the details of planning our big day. The space provided separate spaces for our cocktail hour, ceremony and reception, with a stage for our band, which is what attracted us in the first place. I love the history and the architectural beauty of the Clubhouse, which provides a beautiful backdrop to your wedding photos. And when my wife and I understood that our rental fees enable The Woman’s Club of Evanston to focus on charitable giving in the community, we ended up being very proud to have selected this as our venue.

understanding and helpful when we had to make a last minute change to our ceremony. We are so happy we chose the Woman's Club and so thankful for how they helped make wedding planning such a stress free process. Would highly recommend them.

organized and professional, answering our questions (and calls from our parents!) It was the perfect size venue for our guest count of 170. There are adorable side rooms, which we used for photos and during the cocktail hour. The upstairs stage was perfect for our DJ. Everyone felt comfortable in the space, which was our main priority!

nd was not responsive in the beginning stages. It took a long time to get a contract. She left, then we were a folder passed along and forgotten. Then we worked with Dana (who on site ended up spending most of her time by our security guard), she never introduced herself in person until the end of the wedding. Michelle was very accommodating, however, at times during our site visit did not hide her judgements on our wedding. She was the best part of the experience. Overall, loved the venue and do not regret getting married here. But, I wish the planning experience up to the event was easier with the staff.

d) and we were able to supply our own alcohol, which is a huge cost saver. They made sure everything went smoothly and we didn't have to worry about anyting.

available and willing to help us with any of our needs. The space in absolutely stunning and I would recommend this space to anyone who wants to get married at a venue with a vintage feel!

: “there is no way I am letting that many people use my bathroom” Thus began our search for a place that could fit all of us, while still feeling comfortable and personal. We looked into the Chicago park district which has so many beautiful options, but for us it was too expensive considering what is (or isn’t) included while having to use their vendors. A friend suggested we check out the Woman’s Club, and I knew as soon as I looked at their website that I would love it. I called immediately to inquire about Memorial Day weekend where I was connected with Elizabeth Anderson, WCOE’s Event Coordinator. Elizabeth generously put a slightly extended hold on the day for us so that my parents, then fiancee and I could find a time we were all available to come in together an see the space. It is big, gorgeous and so reasonable considering everything that is available for use such as the entire space, tables, chairs…. Elizabeth was incredible to work with and super kind and helpful. All night our friends and family raved about the gorgeous space which was in walking distance to our hotel - the Hilton Orrington - which was another highlight to our weekend. It was great to be in a hotel so close to the WCOE and the beach. Another benefit to having a wedding at the WCOE is that the money we spent on the venue went directly to such an amazing organization and group of people. The women involved in WCOE do so much for their community and reading through the long list of volunteer work, grants and community outreach programs on their website is very inspiring. We could not have asked for a better venue, location or total experience for our wedding.

h the ceremony and reception, and the downstairs space for cocktail hour. It was the perfect amount of space for our 130-person wedding, including a dance floor with a live band. The rental rates are reasonable, especially considering that dining tables, chairs and dishes are included. They also have many other miscellaneous items you can borrow, such as easels, votive candles, a music stand, etc. They allow you to purchase your own alcohol for the event, which can save you a ton of money by allowing you to return any unopened bottles. For Jewish weddings, they do allow for kosher catering. Elizabeth, their event coordinator, was very friendly, professional and knowledgable. She answered our questions promptly and offered useful suggestions.

s doing my fair share of freaking out. But hats off to Michelle at the Woman's Club. She kept us informed, letting us know every few minutes what she'd heard from ComEd. She even ran out in the pouring rain to chase down the ComEd truck and tell them they had to restore our power first. I couldn't ask for anything more from a venue. Because of the storms, we didn't get to take pictures outside, but the gardens are beautiful. The inside is so beautiful that I didn't feel like we were missing out. It's such a unique space, you don't need any more decorations. The staff was great and answered any questions we had. We loved the space, and everyone went above and beyond to make sure we had a great experience.

s our reception venue and it was perfect, even for our small destination wedding of only 75 guests. The location of WCE to Northwestern University's campus, restaurants, hotels, shops, public transportation (Metra/El train) is all in walking distance - no need to have a car if you are from out of town! Caitlin, the Event Coordinator with WCE, was a breeze to work with as well. She is so sweet and very organized :) Would highly recommend this venue for anyone looking to hold a wedding in beautiful Evanston, IL!

owed us to visit the venue to take measurements/see the space a few times. We did have some complaints from guests that the wedding seating setup had lots of blind spots--something I would have hoped they could have warned us about as they recommended the setup. Also, make sure to have a sound guy--they have limited resources. Overall a great experience and a good price. they do require a hefty damage deposit but return it within a week of the event.

ion in the ballroom, and it worked perfectly for both parts of the event. Everyone on the staff was so helpful, kind and extremely easy to work with. The Club is also a relatively affordable spot for the pricey Chicago area—and you get to bring your own booze, which helps cut down on costs quite a bit.

. As part of her wedding team, I was sent an email from Lisa, the facilities manager of WCE, to go over details about unloading, parking, and set up for her reception. One of the details I did not appreciate was that we were not able to get into the venue until the day of the wedding, to be specific 3 hours prior to the reception. I found that very inconvenient that we could not access the site the evening prior to begin set up of various decorations. I understand though that this may just be their own policy, and was very willing to work with them. What I found the most disconcerting was Lisa's attitude. I found her to be abrasive, rude, and not pleasant to work with. When we got to the venue promptly 3 hours prior to the reception to begin set up, we briefly parked our car in the front. We were extremely early, there was no other vendor or car in site, and we were parked outside for a total of 25-30 min before I got an abrupt phone call from Lisa. This was the first time I had talked to her, and I assumed she was calling to make sure we had arrived there OK and to see if we needed any help. Well I was wrong. Without so much as a welcome, she demanded that we move our car immediately, stating we were blocking a fire lane, and in so many words, reprimanded me for not remembering that point in the email she had previously sent out. We rushed back to move the car, and as were trying to figure out where to park the car, Lisa (who I still had not personally met) stuck her head out of the door to again berate us about moving our car immediately! At this point I was shocked by the abrasiveness of this lady! This was not the only moment that was stressful. Every single conversation afterwards with her she continued to be curt and unpleasant to work with. She snarkily reminded me more than once that any questions I had were noted in the email she had previously sent out. Although I was there only as the bride's florist, she came up to me to inform me about various details, including clean up, disregarding the Bride's request that another lady was actually the point person for the evening. Overall, the venue itself was beautiful, and a wonderfully historic building to have a wedding reception at. The caterer was amazing (and my life saver that night)! I would just beware of the facilities manager when considering this place!