My name is Lisa Ware and I am the Director of Business Development & Special Projects at Catering by Michaels. I have been writing each week about our journey through COVID-19. This is about my personal experience as we have been living through COVID-19 in our business. If you have not yet read the previous episodes – be sure to start from the beginning!
The team behind the shared-use commercial kitchen space, Kitchen Chicago, presents The Fairlie — Chicago’s newest wedding venue.
Located on Bell Avenue in the West Loop neighborhood, The Fairlie opened its doors to the public this spring, just in time for the summer wedding season.
Upon entering the space, you’re greeted by the floor-to-ceiling entrance vestibule, which provides a beautiful view of the outdoors.
As you advance further inside The Fairlie, you’ll find an event space that covers 15,000 square feet across the main floor and mezzanine levels. If you want to plan a grand entrance, you can actually drive a car inside: made possible thanks to the garage door entrance!
All of this space makes The Fairlie a great event space pick for corporate events and expos — though it was created to cater to weddings first and foremost.
The first level of the space can be used for a wedding ceremony. Conceptualized with an industrial-chic aesthetic in mind, the focal point of this space is the fantastic wrought iron staircase located front and center. It’s ideal for creating a dramatic entrance for the bride as she walks down the aisle.
Whether or not you have experience working with catering companies, it can be hard to choose the best service option for your specific event. What’s the difference between full service and delivery? Let’s break it down and take a look at each different service type and what they include.
Here’s a quick visual summary via an infographic:
And now we’ll take a more in-depth look at each…
We’re lucky to have so many amazing venues in our network, giving you direct access to a variety of unique backdrops to complement any type of event.
As part of our ongoing “Chicago Venues We Love” blog series, we recently spoke to Jazmine Gonzalez, Owner and President of Loft 21, to get the lowdown on Chicago’s newest and most awe-inspiring event space that can be transformed time and time again.
We have seen clients use Loft 21 for many different events this first year. From mitzvahs and weddings, to corporate and charity galas. We have even done baby showers, 1st birthdays and 50th birthdays. It is incredible seeing how each client transforms the space to fit their vision.
My personal favorite is an event where the client comes in excited to be creative. There are so many amenities with Loft 21 — from the divisible space, tables & chairs and my favorite feature, the technology. It really allows the client to put their personal stamp on their event.
We have built the 31,000 sq ft venue to be an event space with a distinct blend of industrial and ultra-modern design. With state-of-the-art sound, lighting, 11 giant screens, and 15 mechanical walls, a client can truly transform the space to be personalized every time. There are so many amenities including; tables, ghost chairs, linens, lounge furniture and more. We have a VIP suites, 4 outdoor terraces, private parking and are surrounded by a nature preserve and trails. With 4 trap doors in the ceiling, guests are in awe when aerialists come down to serve drinks and sweets. Truly a dream venue allowing the client to design their event to fit their style.
Summer is the perfect time for a picnic! Picnics are a great way for corporate businesses to give back to their employees and show their gratitude for all their steadfast hard work. If you’ve been chosen to plan your company’s annual picnic, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together the below tips to help you save time, money, and unnecessary headaches.
Here’s how to plan a company picnic with as little stress as possible.
Easier said than done, right? We understand that it’s not always realistic to carve out extra time to plan a company-wide event when you still have your regular job duties to attend to. That’s why we strongly recommend putting together a schedule that realistically addresses the complexity of putting together such a large-scale event. This will ideally go back 5-6 months before your planned picnic date to give you enough time to secure a venue, hire a rock star caterer, and give employees enough notice to clear their schedules.
The trick here is to find a caterer who has the experience needed to take this off your plate. And it’s a bonus if they have partnerships with picnic venues — that way you can scratch two important to-dos off your list right away, and then breathe a sigh of relief!
