Rehearsal Dinner

The Carter

Ceremony & Reception

The Carter Chicago

Ceremony

Reception

Our Wedding

Wedding Party

The Night Before

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6TH, 2024

Join us to kick off the wedding weekend celebrations!8 PM - 11 PMBurnt City Brewing417 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 We're gathering at Burnt City Brewing on Friday night for a fun, relaxed evening and would love to see anyone in town who wants to stop by! Lots of craft beers on tap will be available for purchase, so it will be a great time!

Wedding Day

Saturday, December 7th, 2024

Ceremony3 PMThe Carter Chicago1948 West Fulton Street, Chicago, IL 60612Cocktail attire Reception3:45 PM - 10 PMThe Carter Chicago1948 West Fulton Street, Chicago, IL 60612 After Party10:30 PMThe CrossRoads Bar &amp; Grill1120 W Madison Street, Chicago, IL 60607

Itinerary

Thank you so much for joining us in Chicago to celebrate!&nbsp;

Getting Into Chicago

For those arriving from out-of-state, we recommend flying into Chicago O’Hare airport, which is about a 30-60 minute drive to the West Loop/Fulton Market area where the venue and hotels are located, depending on traffic. Rush hour traffic in Chicago can get pretty bad, so if you have flexibility, that may be something to consider when planning flights.&nbsp; Uber and Lyft are typically easy from the airport. For a public transportation option, the Blue Line towards Forest Park goes directly from the airport into the city and may be a walk or short Uber depending on your hotel (the Racine stop is about 0.6 miles from the Hyatt House). Alternatively, you can rent a car, but something to keep in mind is that most hotels charge an overnight valet fee. We’re planning for all events and activities related to the wedding to be accessible by Uber/Lyft. For our more local family and friends, the Metra train in combination with an Uber should get you to the venue. There is a also a parking lot at The Carter that can accommodate up to 30 cars if you would prefer to drive.

Hotels

This is where Helen &amp; Brian and the wedding party will be staying! It’s about a 5-10 minute drive from The Carter and is central to many fun restaurants and bars. We have reserved a discounted room block here that you can book using the website link below. Please note that there are a limited number of rooms available and the rate expires on November 1st, so we recommend booking early!

Hyatt House Chicago / West Loop-Fulton Market

Travel & Accommodations

Christkindlmarket

A festive German Christmas market (actually based on the Christmas market in Nuremberg Germany and the biggest in the US), this is definitely a holiday favorite and worth checking out if you have the time!

Second City

Second City is a Chicago comedy club that was the starting point of many well-known comedians and SNL cast members. They usually have special holiday shows and for those sticking around for the weekend, you can make a night out of it by grabbing dinner in Lincoln Park and taking a walk through the Zoolights at the nearby Lincoln Park Zoo.&nbsp;

Other fun activities for those that have a little extra time or want to explore more of Chicago: Chicago Bulls or Blackhawks game, visit Willis Tower, museums (personal favorites are the Art Institute, Museum of Science and Industry, and the Field Museum), Christmas shopping on Michigan Ave, the riverwalk, ice skating at Millennium Park.&nbsp;

Food & Restaurants

There are tons of great restaurants in Chicago so you really can’t go wrong, but for some classic Chicago deep dish pizza we recommend Lou Malnati’s or Giordano’s!

Things to Do

Registry

Photos

Transportation

For getting to the venue, the best way will be to take an Uber/Lyft as there won’t be a shuttle. The ride should only be 5-10 minutes depending on which hotel you’re staying in and we recommend sharing with other guests if you’d like, so that you can arrive together! The same goes for leaving the venue after the reception ends. Alternatively, there is a parking lot at the venue that can accommodate up to 30 cars for those that would prefer to drive.

Attire & Weather

Formal cocktail attire. We encourage you to dress up (feel free to wear long dresses!), but want everyone to feel comfortable in what they’re wearing. The venue is fully indoors, with an outdoor heated patio available depending on the weather. That being said, Chicago can be really cold in December so we definitely recommend wearing a warm coat (there will be a coat check) and bring whatever other winter gear you need, especially if you plan on walking around outside during the trip.&nbsp;

Kids & plus ones

While we love all of the little ones, the venue has a limited amount of space and so the wedding and reception will be adults-only. We hope that this provides a fun night out/weekend for the parents! If you do travel to Chicago with your kids, we will have a list on the website of local babysitters that we know and trust, who would be happy to step in to help. Due to limited venue capacity, we have decided to keep plus ones to those that we know and/or serious partners. It should be indicated on your Save the Date and Invitation if you are permitted a guest, but if we missed anyone that you would like to bring, please reach out!

RSVP

You can RSVP under the "RSVP" tab on our website! Even if you told us that you'll be coming to the wedding, please still RSVP online so that you can choose your dinner option and let us know if you have any dietary restrictions etc.

Helen & Brian

Helen & Brian

Photos