How much do venues that seat 50 or more cost in Chicago?

Across the 9 Chicago listings on this page, published starting prices run from $95 to $3,000, with a median starting price of $800. The cheapest is Emily Oaks Nature Center - Program Room in Skokie at $95 to $120. Every figure comes from the venue's own pricing page or a public fee schedule, checked in August 2026.

What is the cheapest of the venues that seat 50 or more in Chicago?

Emily Oaks Nature Center - Program Room in Skokie, at $95 to $120. Rental fees do not include the marriage license, an officiant, or anything you bring in.

Which parts of Chicago have venues that seat 50 or more?

The 9 listings here sit across 6 cities in the Chicago area, including Lisle, Oak Brook, Skokie, Various sites, Cook County, Elmhurst, and Wheaton. Some rates are lower for residents of the city or county that owns the site, so check whether a resident rate applies to you.

Are these Chicago venues indoor or outdoor?

Both. 6 of the 9 have an outdoor ceremony or reception area and 6 have indoor space. Outdoor sites almost never include a rain backup, so ask what happens to your fee if the weather turns.

Are these prices current?

Each listing shows the date its price was checked against the source, most recently August 2026, and links straight to that source so you can confirm it yourself. Fee schedules change, peak-season and weekend surcharges are common, and nothing here is a quote. Confirm with the venue before you book.

9 wedding venues in Chicago that seat 50 or more

Illustration of venues that seat 50 or more in the Chicago area — Illustration. Not a photograph of any venue listed on this page.

Fifty guests is where most micro-wedding venues tap out, so the sub-$5,000 options that hold a real crowd are almost all public pavilions and halls. Every listing below is a real Chicago area site with a price published by the venue itself or in a public fee schedule, checked in August 2026. We do not publish estimates, and we do not take a cut of what you book.

Listings: 9
Cheapest: $95 to $120
Median start: $800
Highest start: $3,000

Cheapest is Emily Oaks Nature Center - Program Room at $95 to $120. Prices last verified against their sources in August 2026.

The mix here is 4 garden & conservatory, 3 estate & historic home, 1 other venue, 1 park & pavilion, spread across 6 cities in the metro. Filter by price tier, guest count, indoor or outdoor, and ceremony versus reception below, then open any listing to see its source link.

9 of 9 venues

Emily Oaks Nature Center - Program Room

$95 to $120

Skokie, ILUp to 60

Other VenueIndoorCeremony + reception

Program Room (full room, capacity 60): $95 per hour / $120 per hour (dual rate tiers, not specified as resident/non-resident on the page). An outdoor shelter/campfire area (capacity 50) is also available at $55-70/hr but is limited to non-profit groups in 2-hour blocks.

Forest Preserves of Cook County Special Event Permit (Picnic Groves)

$312 to $341

Various sites, Cook County, ILUp to 100

Park & PavilionOutdoor

$25 application fee plus Special Event Permit fee for a group of 25-100 people: $287 (resident) or $316 (non-resident), for a total of $312-$341. Larger groups cost more (101-200: $339/$373; 201-399: $469/$516). A $250 security deposit applies for groups of 25-399. Not-for-profit and veteran organizations may qualify for 50% off base fees; bookings Monday-Thursday (excluding holidays) get a 25% discount.

The Morton Arboretum - Fragrance Garden

$600

Lisle, ILUp to 50

Garden & ConservatoryOutdoorCeremony only

Fragrance Garden ceremony site: $600 flat rate for every rental period offered (Friday evening, Saturday daytime, Saturday evening, Sunday daytime, Sunday evening). Ceremony chairs are an additional $5 per chair for all outdoor venues. No indoor backup space is offered for ceremony-only bookings.

Mayslake Peabody Estate - Ceremony Only

$700 to $900

Oak Brook, ILUp to 120

Estate & Historic HomeOutdoorIndoorCeremony only

Ceremony-only pricing: Portiuncula Chapel Interior (seats 49) $700; Portiuncula Chapel Rear Grounds (seats 60, May-October only) $750; Mayslake Hall Living Room or Library (seats 85) $900; Portiuncula Chapel Front Grounds (seats 120, May-October only) $900.

Wilder Park Formal Garden

From $800

Elmhurst, ILUp to 130

Garden & ConservatoryOutdoorCeremony only

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.

The Morton Arboretum - Sycamore Room

$1,000 to $3,000

Lisle, ILUp to 60

Garden & ConservatoryIndoorCeremony + reception

Sycamore Room rental rates: Saturday daytime $1,000; Sunday daytime $1,000; Friday evening $2,000; Sunday evening $2,000; Saturday evening $3,000.

Danada House

$1,600

Wheaton, ILUp to 75

Estate & Historic HomeOutdoorIndoorCeremony + reception

Daytime rental (8:00am-2:00pm, 6-hour window), Danada House only, up to 75 guests: $1,600 plus an $800 refundable deposit. Rate applies Monday-Thursday and Sunday year-round; Friday daytime available January-March only.

Mayslake Peabody Estate - Ceremony & Reception

$2,550

Oak Brook, ILUp to 75

Estate & Historic HomeOutdoorIndoorCeremony + reception

Ceremony & Reception package: $2,550. Includes a 30-minute ceremony, bar/photos, dinner, and party time in a roughly 6-7 hour window (e.g. Friday/Saturday 3:00-11:30pm, or shorter Sunday windows). Reception seating for 55 (plated or buffet) or standing/cocktail space for 75.

The Morton Arboretum - Thornhill Arbor Room & Founder's Room

$3,000 to $4,000

Lisle, ILUp to 130

Garden & ConservatoryIndoorCeremony + reception

Thornhill Education Center Arbor Room and Founder's Room rental: Saturday daytime $3,000; Sunday daytime $3,000; Sunday evening $3,000; Friday evening $4,000 (Saturday evening is $6,000, over budget). A discounted 'Thornhill Package' winter wedding rate of $3,000 room rental plus catering is also offered January through April.

Not finding the right fit in Chicago?

Tell us your date, guest count, and budget. We'll email you the Chicago venues under $5,000 that fit, each with its published price and source. We don't book or hold anything, you contact the venue yourself.

Common questions

How much do venues that seat 50 or more cost in Chicago?: Across the 9 Chicago listings on this page, published starting prices run from $95 to $3,000, with a median starting price of $800. The cheapest is Emily Oaks Nature Center - Program Room in Skokie at $95 to $120. Every figure comes from the venue's own pricing page or a public fee schedule, checked in August 2026.
What is the cheapest of the venues that seat 50 or more in Chicago?: Emily Oaks Nature Center - Program Room in Skokie, at $95 to $120. Rental fees do not include the marriage license, an officiant, or anything you bring in.
Which parts of Chicago have venues that seat 50 or more?: The 9 listings here sit across 6 cities in the Chicago area, including Lisle, Oak Brook, Skokie, Various sites, Cook County, Elmhurst, and Wheaton. Some rates are lower for residents of the city or county that owns the site, so check whether a resident rate applies to you.
Are these Chicago venues indoor or outdoor?: Both. 6 of the 9 have an outdoor ceremony or reception area and 6 have indoor space. Outdoor sites almost never include a rain backup, so ask what happens to your fee if the weather turns.
Are these prices current?: Each listing shows the date its price was checked against the source, most recently August 2026, and links straight to that source so you can confirm it yourself. Fee schedules change, peak-season and weekend surcharges are common, and nothing here is a quote. Confirm with the venue before you book.

Places in Chicago that rent several spaces

These venues price each space separately, so what you pay depends on which one you book. Each page compares all of them side by side.

The Morton Arboretum3 spaces, $600 to $3,000

Guides that go with this list

What Happens at a Courthouse Wedding: Step by Step, What to Bring, How Long It TakesA courthouse wedding is two errands: get the license, then have a judge or clerk perform a short civil ceremony. Here is exactly what happens at each step, what you need to bring, who has to be there, and how long the whole thing takes.How Much Does a Small Wedding Cost? Real Numbers for 20, 30, and 50 GuestsThe average cost of a small wedding depends almost entirely on the guest count and the venue. Here are worked totals for 20, 30, and 50 guests built on published venue prices from 1,000+ real listings, plus the line items that actually move the number.What a Civil Ceremony Is, Who Can Perform One, and What It CostsA civil ceremony is a legal, non-religious wedding performed by a judge, clerk, or other authorized officiant. It can happen at a courthouse, a park, or your living room. Here is who can perform one in the states we cover, what it costs, and how it differs from a religious ceremony.21 Questions to Ask a Cheap Wedding Venue Before You BookThe questions that decide whether a low published price is actually low: minimums, deposits, surcharges, what is included, alcohol rules, rain policy, and vendor restrictions.

Narrow it down in Chicago

Courthouse ceremonies4 venues in Chicago Under $1,00014 venues in Chicago Parks and pavilions4 venues in Chicago Gardens5 venues in Chicago Historic estates4 venues in Chicago Outdoor10 venues in Chicago Indoor11 venues in Chicago Ceremony only9 venues in Chicago

Want the full picture? All Chicago venues under $5,000. Run one of these venues, or know one we missed? Add or claim a listing. Listings are free.