JW Marriott Chicago

eous hotel in a great location. We have to especially highlight Erin with the events team. Every single detail, she heard and executed better than we could have imagined. One of us cannot have gluten, and Erin made sure everything at the tasting and at the wedding was safe for me to eat. As we are two brides, she made sure we both got a bridal suite to get ready in with our bridesmaids and they were immaculate. She even found something we had left behind over a WEEK LATER. She is incredible and we are SO grateful to her and the entire JW Marriott team for making our wedding actually perfect.

owntown/River North area that can accommodate 250 for a wedding, but none matched the combination of value, historic beauty, and a dedicated & coordinated team that is so client-focused as the JW Marriott downtown. From our first jaw-dropping peek at the remodeled exquisite Burnham Ballroom (after viewing over 20 other nearby venues), the JW instantly “vaulted” into first place. But first we had to get through the contract negotiating process, and Anita made that stress-free. She is extremely knowledgeable, professional, responsive, candid and friendly, and is empowered to make most contract tweaks without constantly having to get approvals from others. The JW also offers a choice of various incentives to make the package even more attractive. And when you consider that nearly everything is included and onsite, the JW is a surprisingly good value over some of the trendy raw spaces. Once the contract was signed, Anita handed off the ongoing coordination to Bridget Kalsch and her team. Bridget is experienced, calming, patient and low-key, keeps track of every detail, has great and practical suggestions, and is uber-responsive to e-mail. Chef Lori was also incredibly amenable to tweaking recipes (in view of our restrictions). We were expecting “wedding food,” but we and our guests were all blown away by the presentation, preparation and portions. From appetizers through to the "Afterglow" of late-night snacks, everything was unique, plentiful, memorable and delicious. Jackie and her team made everything go smoothly on the day-of. We had thrown another wedding in the Loop just 11 months before and the JW team exceeded every expectation. Even our planner said he’d never seen a wedding for 250 people go so smoothly, with no hiccups. We are admittedly a high-maintenance client, and appreciated all of the following. • We had many dietary restrictions/preferences, and specialty elements we wanted included, and they made everything happen. • We needed to accommodate a large number of out-of-towners, and Patricia made the process painless and seamless. • The fourth floor setup, with its multiple breakout rooms and large hospitality suite adjacent to the Ballroom, is extremely convenient and flexible for before, during and after the wedding. • The bridal suite was spacious, gorgeous and flowed through to the adjoining guest room, so the large bridal party had plenty of space to relax and get ready (including hair and makeup) the morning-of; the hospitality suite was a perfect place for the groomsmen to get ready and for an afterparty for the bride & groom’s friends. • The historic lobby and second floor of the hotel provide an elegant backdrop for portraits/photos. • The Encore team, headed by Bob Heise, which handles the AV and the sophisticated lighting options for the Ballroom ceiling, was creative and helpful. • Unlike some high-profile ballrooms in the Chicago area, the Burnham Ballroom, with its arched ceiling, is acoustically perfect. We’re done planning weddings, but we’d strongly and enthusiastically recommend the JW! They went above & beyond in every way.

est feel so special. I would recommend everyone to have their wedding here. We are still getting compliments from our guests on the amazing weekend. The bartenders in the lobby bar did a phenomenal job entertaining throughout the weekend. The chefs' food was spectacular- everyone's food was cooked to perfection and allergy preferences accounted for. We had 221 people and the food was amazing for each and every one. Bridget Kalsch and her team made sure that everything throughout the whole planning process was exactly in line with my vision and offered their knowledge and detail oriented suggestions which made the day go by so smooth. The wait staff was extremely professional and curated an amazing experience for each guest. The bridal suite is absolutely gorgeous and allowed for plenty of space to get ready in. All the new renovations gave the ballroom a very elegant and modern sophistication as well. We also worked with Bob from Encore entertainment who set helped set the lighting and design mood for the evening. I would give the JW Marriott 10 stars if they allowed because everything was that perfect.