Much like everyone planning a wedding throughout covid, things got turned upside down. My fiancee and I planned to get married on our day even if it was just the two of us and an officiant in our living room. Luckily Chicago moved to Phase 4 and we were able to have a downsized covid safe wedding at the Loews Chicago Terrace. All workers masked at all times. Patrons masked at all points indoors, and once outside and in your own private space, people were able to take them off and there was plenty of room to socially distance.

Our photographer recommended the Loews when we were first looking for a venue because in her words "of all the places I've worked, I've seen them pull off the most incredible events". Originally they had an event on our date, but with Covid we figured we'd check to see if they were open and doing smaller events. Less than a month to the date we secured the space and planned everything with them and they did an INCREDIBLE job.

I stayed in one of the Lakeview suites to get ready. It was plenty big enough! Great rate as well. We had 40 people on the terrace. They had plenty of space for people to spread out. Several highboy tables, two different couch areas, 3-4 round tables with linens. Plenty of room to stand, mingle and spread out. They also had a tent set up which saved us from a two minute rain storm, but I was more interested in to save from the mid-summer Chicago sun/heat.

All servers, managers, bartenders wore masks the whole time. The food was served by servers behind a partition. The restaurant kitchens aren't open yet, but they have partnerships with a few restaurants. We used Luella's Southern Kitchen and we had so many people tell us it was the best wedding food they'd ever had. Melissa with the Loews and Darnell from Luella's knocked it out of the park!

Again, can't say enough good things about my experience with having our micro-wedding at the Loews!

After looking and pricing out several venues, we went with the Loews Chicago Hotel. Quite simply, it is a beautiful space and offered the best bang for our buck. 90% of our guests were coming from out of town and had never been to Chicago, and we wanted a place that really would give them a great experience as well as make our wedding memorable. The first catering manager we met with, Megan, was great. She worked with us, and put together a very competitive package for us, and gave us a few bonuses as well. Unfortunately as we got close to our date, she left and Leah stepped in, and I am happy to say, the Loews didn't skip a beat.
Leah honored everything Megan had promised us, and then some. The entire Loews staff was friendly and really made us feel special. The hotel itself if new, modern yet classy looking. We had our wedding in the Sullivan ballroom, and unlike most places, their linens and chargers are very decorative, and the room itself was the perfect size for our wedding (110 people) and made it feel intimate, without tables being on top of each other. Leah partnered with our wedding planner and made sure the room looked perfect for the reception and dinner. And speaking of dinner, the food is amazing. We had our tasting at Rural Society, the restaurant in the hotel, and while we knew the food was good, we received an unbelievable amount of compliments on the food, both the appetizers and dinner, from our guests.
With a Starbucks, great lobby bar "ETA," and the aforementioned Rural Society, in addition to Leah and her great staff, the Loews Chicago Hotel was the perfect venue for our wedding.

Our wedding (10/11/15) was the best day of our lives and this can be attributed to the tremendous customer service this hotel offers their guests:
-Catering Manager, Shannon, was extremely detail oriented throughout the entire planning process. Not one thing was missed and she made us feel that on the day of, we had absolutely nothing to worry about.
-What all our guests keep talking about was the food. Chef did an amazing job!! Everyone ate everything and said the chicken entree was not only the best wedding dish they've ever had, but the best chicken they've had EVER.
-The Banquets team led by Hernando, Director of Banquets, were the stars of the night. Hernando leads and directs his team like a conductor leads an orchestra. Everyone is in synch and no one misses a beat. He made sure the courses were served and plates were cleared at the correct times. It was apparent that everything was planned out and his team new exactly what to do and where to be at any given moment.
-Gabriel was our server for our sweetheart table (bride and groom) and he made us feel like a king and queen all evening. Our cocktails were replaced by fresh ones even before we realized they were getting low. He was gracious and a true professional.
-Travis, a banquet server, went above and beyond and gathered some special items we left around the ballroom and delivered them to our hotel room. He was also our server during the tasting and had great energy, huge smile on his face at all times, and was very friendly and attentive.
If you are looking to get married in Chicago, look no further than the Loews. They have the people, services, location and amenities that will provide your guests with an unforgettable experience.
Other benefits:
-The rooftop for cocktail hour and photos. You can’t beat the views and the city lights. There is a dedicated set of elevators to get guests up and down in a timely manner.
- There is a park in front of the hotel that we also used for photos.