Wilder Park Formal Garden
Elmhurst, IL
| Venue type | Garden & Conservatory |
| Location | Elmhurst, IL |
| Published price | From $800 |
| Capacity | Up to 130 guests |
| Setting | Outdoor |
| Event type | Ceremony only |
What the venue publishes
Wedding package starts at $800, based on a two-hour maximum. Additional chairs are $2 each. Reservation requires a signed contract and $400 deposit; full payment due 30 days before the event. Available May through October, Friday evenings and weekends.
$800 is the lowest published rate for this space. Day, season, and residency can move it up.
Included per the venue's site
- 40-foot hexagon tent
- 50 white chairs
- on-site staff
- rehearsal
- engraved paver brick on Elizabeth's Friendship Walk
Operated by the Elmhurst Park District; garden ceremony site accommodates up to 130 guests.
Published on epd.org, checked August 2026. Fee schedules change, so confirm before booking.
Where this price sits in Chicago
$800 is the 13th lowest published starting price of the 18 venues listed in the Chicago metro. The metro median starting price is $510, and 5 of the 18 listings publish a higher starting price than this one.
Among the 5 garden & conservatory listings in the metro it ranks 3rd lowest, against a median of $800 for that type.
What the capacity costs per guest
The source publishes a capacity of 130 guests. At $800, filling the space works out to $6.15 per guest for the site fee alone, before the license, an officiant, food, or rentals. The median published capacity across the 9 Chicago listings that publish one is 75 guests, so this space is larger than the metro median.
Cheaper published prices in Chicago metro
These listings in Chicago metro publish a starting price below $800.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Naperville Riverwalk Grand PavilionNaperville, IL · Park & Pavilion | $600 | not published |
| The Morton Arboretum - Fragrance GardenLisle, IL · Garden & Conservatory | $600 | 50 guests |
| Chicago Park District Outdoor Wedding Ceremony PermitChicago, IL · Park & Pavilion | $420 to $950 | not published |
Other garden & conservatory listings in Chicago
Same venue type, prices closest to this one.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| The Morton Arboretum - Sycamore RoomLisle, IL · Garden & Conservatory | $1,000 to $3,000 | 60 guests |
| Fabyan Japanese GardenGeneva, IL · Garden & Conservatory | $200 to $250 | not published |
| The Morton Arboretum - Thornhill Arbor Room & Founder's RoomLisle, IL · Garden & Conservatory | $3,000 to $4,000 | 130 guests |
Marriage license in DuPage County, IL
The venue fee above does not include the license. Elmhurst sits in DuPage County, IL, and these are the terms that county publishes. Checked September 2026.
| Issuing office | DuPage County Clerk's Office421 N County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL 60187 |
| License fee | $35the license fee of $35.00. We accept cash or check payment. Credit/debit card payments are accepted with a 3.5% transaction fee. |
| Waiting period | 1 day |
| License valid for | 60 days |
| Who must appear | Both parties, in person |
| ID required | A valid government issued identification with proof of age: a valid U.S. driver license, U.S. state ID card, U.S. passport or U.S. military ID. Applicants without one of those must present two alternative documents such as a certified birth certificate. |
| Appointment | Not required |
| Apply online | Application available online |
| Same-day issue | Issued the same visit |
| Ceremony at the office | OfferedCourthouse weddings must be scheduled through the online Wedding Ceremony Registration before the license is issued, because the Clerk requires a confirmed ceremony date in order to issue the license. No ceremony fee is published on the Clerk page. Ceremony questions go to 630-407-8232. |
| Witnesses | None required by statute |
Source: dupagecounty.gov, ilga.gov
The online marriage application must be completed before the couple comes to the office. Marriage licenses are issued Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. only, and no appointment is necessary. Licenses become effective the day after they are issued and the Clerk states plainly that it cannot waive the one day waiting period. A license issued in DuPage County cannot be used in any other county, state or country, so couples must confirm the venue address falls inside DuPage. The physical license is handed over at the counter, but it does not become effective until the next day.
How the metro prices out
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