Your wedding day is a magical time, and many people opt to celebrate with a big group of their family, friends, and loved ones. But if you prefer a more intimate gathering with fewer guests and less stress, a micro wedding might be the perfect alternative.
Micro weddings often have fewer than 50 guests, giving the bride and groom the opportunity to spend more quality time with each of their invitees. Other bonuses, like having more choices when it comes to unique venues, more opportunities for personalization, and typically a lower cost than modern luxury weddings, make micro weddings an increasingly popular choice for couples who prefer a smaller ceremony.
With fewer attendees and more options for a venue, some couples choose to travel for their micro wedding. Giggster has some great options when it comes to wedding venues in Chicago, with choices ranging from exposed brick-walled lofts with natural light and atmospheric restaurants to spacious upscale homes and rooftop patios.
With fantastic dining experiences, vibrant neighborhoods, and beautiful outdoor spaces, Chicago is a lovely spot to host a wedding. Even micro weddings involve tons of planning, so open the Giggster app and start narrowing down your favorite small wedding venues.
Whether it's intimate gatherings or modern luxury weddings, Chicago is a great place to get married. Here are some features you can expect from the venues on the Giggster app.
We have plenty of event-ready spaces that keep the wedding planning to a minimum. If you're looking for a venue that's practically ready for you to walk down the aisle, check out our traditional churches and fully furnished designated event spaces.
Are you thinking of having your wedding outdoors? Rent a contemporary log cabin and lake house, a modern home with a private backyard and lush gardens, or a restaurant with a covered outdoor courtyard.
Make your micro wedding your own by choosing a venue with an atmosphere that suits your taste. We have wine cellars, hidden bars, and creative studios with romantic lighting and dramatic decor, as well as rustic venues with vintage furniture and so much more.
Location is always important when choosing a wedding venue, and Giggster has options all over the city. From the neighborhoods of West Town and Downtown Chicago to the shores of Lake Michigan, our Chicago wedding spaces make it easy to find a venue conveniently located for you.
Exceptional Variety & Quality: The best small wedding venues in Chicago have hourly prices starting as low as $25. With the Giggster app, you can browse up to 391 beautiful spaces in Chicago until you find one you love.
Hassle-Free Booking: The Giggster app makes finding the perfect small wedding space in The Windy City easy. Use the filters to narrow down your search and find the venue that has everything you need.
24-Hour Free Cancellation Policy: We know how stressful planning a wedding can be, but the Giggster grace period gives you extra flexibility and peace of mind. Enjoy free cancellation on stunning venues like Chinatown Industrial Studio Loft With View without extra fees for the first day after booking your venue rental. You can cancel within the 24 hours as long as the booking is made at least 48 hours before the scheduled event.
Platform Protections: With Giggster's optional platform protection packages, nothing can ruin your big day. Choose a package at checkout for benefits like free cancellation as well as liability and damage protection.
Giggster has plenty of unique spaces in Chicago that could be the perfect hidden gem for your micro wedding. But before you sign off on a venue, think about these pros and cons.
Advantages
Although Chicago's cost of living is higher than the national average, it's surprisingly very reasonable compared to other big cities. If you're looking for a location with urban sophistication, skyscrapers, and city lights, there are definitely more expensive options than Chicago.
Chicago is a big city that you can easily navigate, even without a car. The public transportation system makes moving around the city simple and can get you where you need to go efficiently, and is a better alternative than sitting in traffic.
The local food scene is one of Chicago's most loved qualities, and this vibrant city also has diverse cultural attractions. These features make finding vendors for your wedding easy, whether it's a live entertainer, catering, or a Chicago wedding planner.
Disadvantages
Although The Windy City has warm summers, winters are a different story. Cold weather and snow can make spending time outside less enjoyable, and occasionally impact road conditions, leading to even worse traffic.
It's important to note that Chicago has an elevated crime rate, although this doesn't mean the entire city is dangerous. Some areas are deemed unsafe, so make sure you do your research and be mindful when navigating the streets solo.
Chicago has a flat landscape without any nearby mountains or forests, which can get boring to look at after a while. This just means you'll have to be satisfied with a breathtaking view of the city skyline instead.
There are plenty of unique places to have a micro wedding; in fact, you might find more options for an intimate wedding than a larger ceremony. Here are some venue examples from the Giggster app.
Rustic Lofts – Spacious Venues with Character. Is your dream wedding venue a space with wood beams, a decorative brick fireplace, and floor to ceiling windows? Then a rustic loft is the perfect place for you, and the open floor plan offers plenty of space for tables, chairs, a full bar, and a dance floor.
Traditional Churches – Classic Wedding Venues. Churches are conventional wedding venues and long-established spaces to exchange vows in front of your loved ones. If you're looking for a traditional wedding venue, check out Giggster's churches and chapels in Chicago.
Elegant Mansions – Spaces with Comfort and Elegance. We can't think of a more comfortable spot to get married than at home, and our Chicago mansions and estates are both elegant and convenient. Take advantage of the on-site kitchen, bathrooms, guest rooms, and spacious property to plan wedding activities indoors and outside.
Private Rooftops – Exchange Vows Overlooking the Chicago Skyline. Rooftops are great for daytime events, and absolutely magical at night. Rent out a Chicago rooftop to say "I Do" overlooking the city, then spend all night dancing under the stars.
Atmospheric Speakeasies – Hidden Gems for Memorable Events. A local bar or hidden speakeasy is perfect for a wedding ceremony, seated dinner reception, or cocktail hour. The cohesively decorated space and built-in bar make it a fantastic place to celebrate this milestone with your friends and family.
Micro weddings have fewer guests, but there's still so much planning to do. Your to-do list should definitely include these tasks.
Refine Your Guest List – Micro weddings have 50 guests or fewer, so you'll need to be selective with your invitees. We recommend only inviting the most important people in your life first, and don't allow plus-ones to keep the guest list small.
Get Your Vendors Set Up – You'll still need all the same vendors as a normal wedding. You'll need a talented photographer for beautiful wedding photos, a caterer to serve you and your guests at the reception, and a live band to play background music.
Personalize Your Venue – Make your venue look its best with flowers and decorations that match your color scheme. Just a bit of decorating can even make a small venue look incredible!
Prepare for the Big Day – Do you have a wedding cake, have invitations been sent out, is the venue prepared, and are the vendors all available? You'll need to ensure everything's set up for your special day.
Although these types of weddings are often quite affordable, you can still cut down on costs even more. Use these tips to stick to a strict budget.
Keep track of your spending.
The easiest way to stick to a budget is to plan everything in detail. Keep track of how much each part of the day costs so you don't accidentally go overboard on spending.
Plan your wedding during the week or off-peak season.
Saturdays are the most popular day to host a wedding, so venues, vendors, and everything else often charge a higher price. Plan a beautiful winter wedding during the week, and you'll see that things can be much cheaper.
Buy things second-hand.
Wedding decorations, accessories for the bride, and even your wedding dress can be bought second-hand, and no one will know. These things can be expensive, especially for items that you'll most likely only use once, so try buying used ones to cut down on costs.
You don't need to book a grand ballroom to have a beautiful wedding celebration. Take a look at the intimate wedding venues in Chicago featured on the Giggster app for a smaller but still stunning ceremony!
