The Blackstone, Autograph Collection Reviews

This venue is UNREAL--- every single person told us how amazing the location was, how beautiful it was, and how comfy the beds were. But for us, it was so much more. Starting with the service of the best wedding coordinator Carly there ever was. She helped us with every single detail, was super professional, and patient when we had updates and made sure our day was literally perfect. The servers (food and bartenders) were also 10/10 oh and the bell HOPS! Amazing!! The venue has these old bones with modern touches. One thing we were worried about was the food because we signed the contract before we tried the food. WELP! Worried for nothing, the food was amazing. The bridal suite and suite for the groomsmen were a total dream! Super spacious!! Anyway, I would pick them in every lifetime. There were no issues, they were on the timeline, and it was a perfect day!! They genuinely care about you as a couple and even more so your guests.

With so many options for a downtown Chicago wedding, we were so lucky we stumbled upon the Blackstone. They do EVERYTHING for you. I had no idea where to start with caterers, linens, outside vendors, etc., so the Blackstone was the perfect one stop shop. Not to mention the ballroom is gorgeous, the food was fantastic, and the staff was so easy to work with. We worked with Kelly Smith and she is just a dream. She answered all of my questions and was there on the day of to coordinate deliveries, tell vendors where to set up and make sure everything ran smoothly overall. I can't tell you how many people complimented us on our wedding, when in reality, the Crystal Ballroom speaks for itself and the Blackstone staff handled everything effortlessly. I can't recommend the Blackstone and Kelly enough, our wedding was absolutely perfect and it's such a compliment to hear the same from our guests. I wouldn't change a thing from working with this amazing team and want to attend more weddings here.

We had our wedding at the Blackstone on 2/29/20 and it was PERFECT!

The hotel itself is so beautiful and every single guest commented on that. From day one the hotel was responsive and easy to deal with. We planned the wedding from out of town and they were very flexible and helpful.
The day of-everything was so smooth! They were very attentive to our needs and even changed some things last minute. We are forever grateful for the Blackstone and Blackstone staff. They helped us pull off our dream wedding day!

I can't say enough good things about this venue, our catering manager (Kelly Smith), and the staff. Kelly was so helpful and always there to answer the millions of questions I had. The hotel is gorgeous and well worth the price; you don't need much decorations because it's beautiful by itself. The hotel rooms are so chic, clean, and can come with some amazing views. The food is sooo good and the service is impeccable. I could go on and on. We're so happy we chose to have our wedding here. It was a dream come true!

I love love love The Blackstone! And it's pretty much all thanks to their events coordinator, Kathryn Colbert.

First off, the hotel itself is stunning. The decor is a perfect display of Art Deco glam that gives that wow factor the moment you step into the lobby. Yet, the guest rooms are crisp and modern. I got ready the morning of my wedding in The Blackstone's "Smoke-Filled Suite" and it was absolutely perfect. I was apprehensive about the old-world style (a stark contrast to both the Art Deco lobby and modern guest rooms), but I didn't even notice it day-of. And all anyone could say when they saw the space was, "Oh. My. God." I seriously wish I had a recording of my mom when she first stepped foot inside the suite! Sweeping views of Lake Michigan, two bathrooms, four separate spaces, and a TV in the bathroom mirror? What's not to love?

But what really made The Blackstone stand out was the service. Kathryn left a welcome note in each of our getting-ready suites as well as my parents' rooms. And leading up to the day, she went above and beyond to make sure my grandparents had a proper, handicapped-accessible adjoining room and that all the last-minute add-on reservations received the same room block welcome amenities. She worked with us on Marriott points, welcome bag details, and early check-in requests. And all the while did so with the upmost professionalism and kindness that went unrivaled throughout all my wedding planning.

I'm so so happy to have hosted my wedding hotel block here. And I'm already looking for a reason to come back!

We held our wedding reception at the Blackstone and could not have been happier. The whole thing was a fairy tale- from the Suite to the ballroom, Jessica at the Blackstone made our weekend unforgettable. She was so easy to work with and made the process so easy. We wanted an “all inclusive” package, and that’s what we got! Everyone raved about the food and decor! I would recommend the Blackstone to anyone!

I can’t say enough great things about this venue. They were overly accommodating, affordable and everything went off without a hitch. The team at the Blackstone is the best in the business.

If you are looking for an iconic Chicago location with impeccable service, attention to detail, and customization options for your big day, your search stops at the Blackstone Hotel! We worked with Ellie as our on-site coordinator. She was super sweet, organized, and responsive to all of our various requests. She was diligent about following up with us to ensure that we had various requested information and making sure we stayed on track with key decisions we had to make. One of the many reasons why we chose the Blackstone was because we had at our disposal a wedding package that allowed our guests to choose from 4 dinner options. Ellie knew that food and wine were very important to us for our wedding, and when it came time to do the dinner/wine tasting, they did not disappoint. We found that we liked different sides paired with different main dishes and they allowed us to mix-n-match various combinations. However ,with us being big oenophiles, Ellie suspected that the original wine options at the tasting may not be up to our liking and offered for us to do a private wine tasting with the beverage director Bob. During our food tasting we were able to meet Bob. He is very knowledgeable and has a true enthusiasm for his job! When we first met Bob, we discussed what elements of the wines they had we did not like and we shared with him examples of wines we did like. When it came time for the wine tasting, Bob had 10-13 wines waiting for us and in flavor profiles we really liked. Bob gave us some very wise guidance and helped us pick out a suitable chardonnay, as this varietal is not high on our list of favorites in general but he pointed out that many people do like it and know it. Ellie was a real professional when it came to working with our day-of planner and other vendors. Overall we had an amazing experience and cannot wait to go back for our 1st Anniversary!

The Blackstone was a wonderful wedding venue for our January 2018 wedding, and we can't thank the Blackstone and our events Manager, Ellie Lowe, enough. Ellie was wonderful to work with, the Blackstone was a beautiful venue, and our guests thoroughly enjoyed having such a true 'Chicago' experience. My wife and I would highly recommend the Blackstone to couples seeking a classic venue with a beautiful ballroom, the character of which far exceeded that of more modern (/boring) hotel ballrooms. Would 100% book the Blackstone again. Thank you, Ellie and the Blackstone team!

Jessica and the Blackstone team were incredible. She was very patient with the many questions we had and was so sweet the entire time. She made sure that every detail was perfect and we couldn't have been more pleased. The venue was picture perfect thanks to their hard work!

We loved loved LOVED having our wedding here! With the help of the amazing Jessica Plundo, we had the wedding of our dreams at a great price (especially for a historic downtown Chicago hotel). She ensured everything went perfectly, and that we were able to have all the upgrades we desired. The food was better than any wedding food I've ever had. It wasn't wedding food -- it was gourmet. The size was perfect for our 150 guests, and the seamless transition between the Art Hall cocktail hour and the Ballroom reception was great. All of our guests were so impressed. If you want a beautiful historic venue for your wedding, an easy inclusive option (so many things are included!), and for your wedding to look and feel like a $100,000+ wedding, get married here!

Jessica was absolutely wonderful to work with. She was professional, went above and beyond to ensure everything was planned, properly executed on the day-of, and even followed-up. We originally had another space in the cards, though Jessica's warm, professional character, along with a few other members at the Marriott, convinced us otherwise! The tasting was efficient and enjoyable. The day-of was absolutely perfect. She coordinated the flowers, cake, and worked with the DJ. I was so nervous walking into the ceremony, but just looking at her knowing she knew what she was doing put me at some sort of last second ease! We had both our ceremony & reception there. They were quick to flip the ballroom. The cocktail hour was super. She'll ask all the right questions, make sure things are going according to plan, and was helpful at our rehearsal as well! The venue itself is unbelievable.

Old school glamour and class meets modern luxuries and finishes in this gorgeously-remodeled hotel.

When we first began scouting venues, I was actively opposed to a hotel wedding -- I felt most ballrooms looked the same, and I wasn't interested in the typical hotel catering fare. The Blackstone shattered my prejudice with their uniquely breath-taking ballroom and unbelievable catering menu (overseen by the head chef at Mercat a la Planxa). The venue, with decor that offered endless options for portrait backdrops, and the menu sold me.

Of course, these are just the first luxuries offered to Blackstone wedding parties. Included in our wedding package were above-average linens, seating, and place settings, a custom wedding cake, complimentary lake view upgrades for the parents of the bride and groom, and, best of all, a Presidential suite for the bride and groom... for the night of the wedding AND the night before! I can not overstate the luxury and style of the Heaven suite. I almost cried when I saw it, and DID cry when I had to leave. 48 hours wasn't enough time for me to sit in all of the chairs in the suite. We hosted our friends for an impromptu party in the living & dining room the night before. Words don't do it justice.

The level of service at the Blackstone is equally extraordinary. Toni Baker, our planner, was incredibly attentive and flexible. Along with our day-of planner, she ensured that no detail was overlooked, and really went the extra mile to make our weekend perfect. She fulfilled a TON of personalized requests and made it all look seamless.

My wedding guests are still raving about our combination of gourmet passed appetizers and live-action food stations, and I can't stop looking at my sexy, posh, colorful wedding photos, taken all over the hotel. If you can afford this level of luxury, it is worth every single penny.

The Blackstone hotel was the ideal location for our wedding. The ballroom is the perfect size and our guests were able to stay in one place for the entire wedding weekend. Ashley and Jaci went well beyond our expectations for their organization, ideas, and help with planning. Our guests raved about the food during cocktail hour and the dinner and also talked all night about how seamless everything was - from the ceremony to the Art Hall and back to the Crystal Ballroom for the dinner. The dinner transitioned quickly as plates were cleared and dinner was served with professionalism and excellent service. We could not have asked for a better wedding planning process or actual wedding!! Thank you Ashley, Jaci and the entire Blackstone staff!

This is the most beautiful and spectacular hotel in all of Chicago. They truly gave me my dream wedding and I am so glad I found them. I walked into the hotel by chance and feel in love with ballroom, there is nothing else like it. They managed to keep a lot of the old feel from the original 1910 hotel and add many modern touches. The entire process was painless and overall enjoyable. The staff was amazing, the food was amazing, everything was amazing!

Just had my wedding there and I would do it all over again if I had to!! The wedding turned out absolutely gorgeous and unique. The venue is very stunning and the charm of the hotel captivated all my guests. They were very flexible and allowing me to use the ballroom later than usual. The only complaint is there responsiveness- it took longer than expected to get a response to simple questions and sometimes I had to repeat myself. I also found myself clarifying mistakes made to the wedding arrangement. But they were minor issues and no major issues. I would recommend this venue to someone who wants a romantic, unique place to have a memorable wedding!!

My only negative comment was that sometimes it took a little while to get an answer when we had questions. Everything about this venue was amazing. They were flexible, and accomodated everything I wanted (even my mom's no gluten/no dairy request!). They set up the room spectacularly and worked well with my florist (Vale of Enna), my band (Ron Bedal), as well as my linen company! I could not have been happier with this venue selection, and now the hotel has a special place in my heart, and we'll certainly be back for getaway weekends!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! (p.s. i was nervous at first about the bright red carpet in the reception hall, but it was hardly noticeable!)

I wish I could give The Blackstone 5 stars, but due to some issues, I couldn't. Many of them were solved, yet they still happened when they shouldn't have. When we toured the venue 2 years ago, we met with Jessica, who we loved as much as the venue itself! A few months after securing our date, Jessica told us we would get a event coordinator as she was being promoted, which we totally understood! Long story short, we went almost went through THREE different coordinators until I asked Jessica if she would just stay on as ours since we were 5/6 months out at this point, which she agreed to. She was great with answering all of my questions as we got closer to the wedding. During our meeting a few weeks before the day of, she informed us that their staff needed "meal indicators" to identify who gets what at each table, so basically place cards with initials of meal choices. We DID NOT want place cards for various reasons, and I only had them made for the head table as it was huge (another point that Jessica didn't recommend us doing, but they accommodated!). She said they have never had an event where some type of meal indicator wasn't used, which my husband and I found odd. We ended up agreeing to another solution which worked out fine! Our biggest issue was the costs we accrued on our final invoice after the wedding. They almost charged us the $700 ballroom fee, which is waived when you've met the minimum, which we did! If it wasn't for us reviewing it closely, we would have paid that! They also did not have 1 of our Chicago beers, which cost $3 per head, and we were told all 3 would be there. We did not want to pay the full $3 if 1 wasn't even replaced, so they only charged $2 per head instead. Although there were some issues that were fixed, they still shouldn't have occurred, and wanted others to just be aware. Overall our experience there was great, and would recommend them again because they really did work to fix the problems!

Great food and stunning hall! Great accommodation with rooms for family

Fantastic hotel. Very beautiful. Everyone was super friendly and helpful. Planning up to the event could have been better. Sometimes it would take a week to get a response and sometimes you would have to repeat yourself a few times before what you wanted done would be done.