Dan Brown(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 18-06-2022 My husband I had had the pleasure of hosting our wedding ceremony and reception this month at The Crystal Ballroom. We had booked back in August of 2021 with Amy. She left several months later but Jessica who took over was just fantastic. Jessica and the whole team made it very easy to make all the decisions needed ahead of the wedding, then arranged everything so the rehearsal and day of were everything we could have hoped.Everything looked absolutely beautiful and they did a great job with the decorations we had brought the day prior. We each were given our own suite (really a small one-bedroom apartment) to get ready, and Jessica had it stocked with drinks and snacks, brought us a steamer and anything else we asked for. We were able to use the rooftop terrace for a lot of photos with the wedding party and family. We also walked less than 10 minutes to the lake with our photographer and did couples photos there, so the location was very convenient for that (we did all the photos before the ceremony). The ceremony was set up beautifully and the team swapped the ballroom to banquet incredibly well during cocktail hour. The bartenders were fast and made fantastic cocktails, including two unique signature cocktails we created. They even went out of the way to track down Ecuadorian aguardiente to use in one of them, which was highly appreciated by his family who had traveled from Ecuador. The food was stellar, with many guests complimenting it. During our tasting the chef gave us some suggestions that ended up changing what we originally were thinking but in such a delicious way. He even did an off menu plantain appetizer for us for cocktail hour. During dinner no one's wine glass was ever close to empty as the staff seemed to be everywhere all the time. The cake (included in the package) was absolutely gorgeous. Overall we would highly recommend the Crystal Ballroom for anyone's wedding. They are just the nicest people (many of our guests commented on how friendly the staff were), and go out of their way to make everything very easy and low-stress. Thank you Jessica and the whole team for an amazing day! Reviewed on 28-06-2022
Hillary Kenyon(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 18-09-2021 We had the most beautiful, fun, and stress-free wedding reception thanks in part to Crystal Ballroom.I came across Crystal Ballroom in December 2020 while frantically searching for a reception venue after our original venue cancelled our date for September 18, 2021 due to COVID. That's when I met Amy who was very helpful with setting up a venue tour and tastings for an out-of-state couple planning a wedding from 2000 miles away. Originally there were some planning details missed in email correspondence, but that all got cleared up by the day of the wedding. Speaking of that, one of the definite perks of the venue is a dressing room for the bride's use all day to get ready. Amy was there bright and early offering coffee and mimosas for myself and bridal party. Amy and the staff did an amazing job decorating the ballroom and lounge-- it fit my vision perfectly.I loved the cocktail hour and dinner--- the food was incredible and the servers and bartenders were very professional and attentive. Crystal Ballroom worked with all of our vendors to make sure my husband and I and all of our wedding guests had an amazing time. We definitely had the best party/wedding ever. Our only complaint is it went by too fast... Reviewed on 06-10-2021
Carolyn Klocek(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 27-04-2019 On first glance, the timeless elegant ballroom took our breath away. We were looking for a venue that was intimate, warm and inviting. The Crystal Ballroom delivered on all fronts. We had both our wedding ceremony and reception at the Ballroom. Meredith and all of the staff members were wonderful; no small detail was over-looked. Planning and communication leading up to our day was timely and efficient. The Ballroom is perfectly situated in downtown Evanston; close to bars, restaurants, shops, etc.. Our guests had to simply walk across the street to the hotel at the end of the evening. Day-of, we utilized the two bridal suites to take our time getting ready on-site. It was so great to have hair and make-up come to us. Stress free prep! Meredith had our fridge stocked with our favorite drinks and plenty of goodies. The ballroom itself is spectacular, we did not feel the need to decorate much beyond flowers. Cocktail hour took place in the stylish lobby & foyer., with two bars. Returning to the Ballroom for dinner and our reception---it was breathtaking! And, the food! So so good. Above and beyond the standard wedding fare. Our guests all really enjoyed their meals. Overall, we received so many compliments on everything :) We truly cannot say enough good things about the Crystal Ballroom and our wedding. We would 100% recommend! Reviewed on 08-05-2019
Rali Anguelova(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 27-07-2019 The Crystal Ballroom & Lounge is absolutely amazing. When we walked in, we knew immediately that this is our place to get married. Recently renovated, very classy and nicely decorated. Working with Meredith has been very stress free. Meredith has been very helpful in guiding us through the process and making sure that we are checking off the tasks needed to be done consistently. We find it very easy to work with her and we really like that she is so positive and full of energy. The food is phenomenal! We did the food tasting and we were so impressed both with the presentation and how delicious it is. We cannot wait for our guests to try it and be amazed. The staff here is very friendly and the chef came to meet us during the tasting to ensure that we enjoyed everything. I cannot wait for the wedding day because I know that we are in good hands at this venue. I could not have wished for a better place for a reception and I have and will continue to recommend this hall to anyone getting married! Reviewed on 27-04-2019
Alison Chevrier(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 03-11-2018 I want to give this a 5-star review but with an asterisk. The pros of this venue are: - Amazing food - we have gotten so many compliments- Location - Historic, elegant feel - again, so many compliments- Bride and grooms rooms- AffordableThe cons of this venue are: - Northwestern football games can make getting room blocks challenging if you have guests from out of town- The staffing seems to be in flux which was really stressful (see the asterisk below)*When we selected The Crystal Ballroom, we worked with Liz. She is 100% the reason we picked the venue over some of the others we were looking at. She put us all at ease (including my mother who is very hands on and wanted to be involved/in control of many of the details). At our tasting, a woman named Chelsea was there with Liz. It was a really uncomfortable experience because it seemed like Chelsea was supposed to be running the tasting, but didn't know anything about our wedding or how weddings go at this venue. We came to find out two weeks later that Liz was leaving and that Chelsea would be taking over. In September, my mother reached out trying to pay the deposit and we got no response. She finally called the desk of The Marion and was told that Chelsea no longer worked there. Needless to say there was a significant amount of panic on our end, but Vicky (who is the property director for The Marion) stepped up and with the help of Liz (who came back to help with our event) got everything together. Ultimately the day was perfect and The Crystal Ballroom did an amazing job (THANK YOU SO MUCH TO VICKY AND LIZ - I know it was a ton of work), but because of the staffing issues it was a really stressful experience. I really hope they can workout whatever kinks there are behind the scenes because this a great venue. Reviewed on 01-01-2019
HM K(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 11-08-2018 The second we walked in the ballroom, we knew it had to be our venue. In addition, our wedding planner, Liz, made everything a piece of cake. She told us she wanted to make the entire process as fun and easy as possible, and she certainly delivers on that process. She was available whenever, the entire time, to answer any little question that arose throughout the process. Plus, she was just fun to be around.That's not to mention anything about the ballroom itself: it is absolutely stunning and the array of things you can do to customize it and make it your own is incredible. They make everything incredibly easy, their staff was very professional and respectful, and the food and cake were absolutely outstanding. Many people commented on the quality of the various foods. At our tasting, it was sincerely difficult to narrow down the various amazing options into 3 offerings for our guests.You absolutely cannot go wrong at the Crystal Ballroom. They have two spaces: one for the cocktail hour and one for the actual reception. I like that they do this because when the doors are open the guests get to see the actual ballroom for the first time and have a memorable \"wow\" moment. That's not to say the cocktail space isn't incredible, it is, but the ballroom is something straight out of a movie.Thank you for helping make our wedding day perfect. Reviewed on 21-08-2018
Troy Hunter(groom)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 27-05-2018 We had our wedding at the Crystal Ballroom on 5.27.18. Liz and her team were amazing from start to finish--super easy to work with and very accommodating. The venue was beautiful, the food was amazing, and most importantly, everything ran incredibly smoothly. One of our best decisions was going with the Crystal Ballroom! Reviewed on 06-07-2018
Laynee Viniotis(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 27-07-2019 Although we did not ending up choosing the Crystal Ballroom and Lounge for our wedding due to sizing, we loved the venue. Chelsea, our point of contact, was wonderful and came in on her day off to give us a tour of the ballroom and amenities. She went over each and every detail and even had our party greeted with champagne! The ballroom is a gorgeous indoor space in Evanston, and I would highly recommend working with Chelsea as an expert in wedding planning. Reviewed on 03-03-2018
Linda Stern(wedding party)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 18-01-2019 We had my daughter, Emily's, wedding at The Crystal Ballroom last weekend and it could not have been a more beautiful wedding or better experience. Liz, the contact at The Crystal is incredibly organized and has remarkable attention for details. She was always accessible and we always felt that we were a priorityWe looked at many venues and The Crystal was the most beautiful room we had seen. It's not massive and was just the right size for our event. I love the fact that only one wedding can happen at a time. At some big hotels there are multiple events at once making it feel a bit like a wedding factory. Here you really feel special. It does not look or feel at all like a cookie cutter banquet hall.There are two terrific suites for the bride and groom to get ready. Full kitchen, bath and plenty of room for getting dressed. The food is really amazing. We served salmon which is so difficult to get right at a catered event. The pastry chef is unbelievable. She made additional desserts that we served along with the wedding cake. We cannot say enough good things about The Crystal Ballroom. So many guests said it was the best wedding they had ever attended. Reviewed on 17-11-2017
C T(groom)4 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 08-07-2017 We were married this past summer at Evanston Crystal Ballroom. We had the marriage planned out years in advance and secured our date early - but to be honest it was tough communicating at first with ECB because they had switched event coordinators and this had not been communicated to us. However, once we started working with Liz, things got much easier. She was helpful, pleasant, and forthright. The venue itself is incredible - they offer two suites for the bride and the groom the day of which was super helpful. The bridal suite is especially nice, with a rooftop as an amenity to hang out and take pictures. The alcohol selections were great, and reasonably priced. The food was excellent - scallops and mushroom gnocchi are great dishes. The cake company (Baking Institute) they work with leaves some room for desire, but that is not the fault of the venue. The ballroom itself is gorgeous, and the staging room - the library - was a favorite. The flow of the day was smooth, and we had to do zero cleaning. They flipped the room from the ceremony to the reception in under an hour, and we appreciate the help and support with holding our belongings until the day after the wedding. Overall, we are glad we were married at ECB and would recommend to couples. Reviewed on 12-11-2017
sara rose(not set)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 26-08-2017 Liz and the entire Crystal Ballroom staff were absolutely wonderful to work with. I truly enjoyed their attention to detail, responsiveness to e-mails, and ability to make us feel like we were family. The night of the wedding was perfect from start to finish - Liz personally brought us appetizers and cocktails to welcome us when we first arrived after a long photo session. We received so many compliments on the food, service, and surroundings. Thank you thank you thank you! Reviewed on 14-10-2017
Lorilyn Prestidge(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 03-09-2017 5 STARS! We just had our wedding at this beautiful venue over Labor Day weekend. It was perfect in every way. The entire team at the Crystal Ballroom was wonderful. Liz and Linda helped us plan our event and the entire staff put it together. Even though we got a bit off the original time schedule, the guests never knew because the staff worked seamlessly to adjust and keep all the elements in place. Thank you Crystal Ballroom for giving us the best day of our lives!! Reviewed on 17-09-2017
Brittany Hammer(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 22-04-2017 We had our wedding reception at the Crystal Ballroom in April! When we saw the Crystal Ballroom on our tour we immediately fell in love. It is a gorgeous room and the staff is so accommodating. We knew it was the perfect place for our wedding! The food and service is impeccable! We had a great time at our tasting session and received many compliments about the food from our guests :)And Liz is just perfection! She is so easy to work with and thinks of every single detail. She went above and beyond for us and I couldn't be more thankful for all her help. Thank you for everything, Liz! Reviewed on 23-07-2017
Amanda Huels(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 25-03-2017 We absolutely loved working with the staff at The Crystal Ballroom. They were attentive to our vision for our reception and very responsive to any last minute requests or questions the week of the wedding. As an out of town couple that was very important. Our guests stayed at the Hyatt House down the street and great location between these two created the best experience for our wedding guests. Reviewed on 07-04-2017
Mallory G.(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 01-10-2016 We had our wedding reception at the Crystal Ballroom on October 1, 2016. It was beautiful, well run and all came together perfectly. While we did have a little bump in the road with staff changing in the final months before our wedding day, in the end, we couldn't have dreamed up a more perfect night. Most of our planning in the year prior to our wedding was done through Matthew, who is no longer with the ballroom. In finding out that he had left, I will admit there was intense fear, panic, and even anger. It was an unfortunate and difficult situation, which may not have been communicated about in the best manner. However, from our very first interaction with Liz, the new ballroom manager, we were put at ease with her professionalism, confidence and knowledge of the event industry-including having been involved with many events at the Crystal Ballroom prior to working there. She was calm in discussing all of our panicked concerns. It became known to us quickly, that our event was a priority; including making sure the transition meant no detail was missed.The staff at Crystal is incredible. From the staff running the bar, the servers and the chef, everyone ensures the night is of 5 star quality. The food choices are wonderful. It was important to us to not have typical \"wedding\" food, and we were very pleased with what was offered to us. After having our tasting, it came up multiple times how we were most excited 1) about being married and 2) to eat the food at our reception!The Ballroom itself is beautiful, we often talked about how it didn't matter what decor we brought in because it was breathtaking on its own. The neutral tones and mirrors allow for a variety of color palettes to be brought in and highlighted to truly match any taste. One of my favorite moments was when Liz gave us a sneak peak of the room before all the guests entered. To have 3 minutes of \"calm\" with my new husband and see how flawlessly the room had come together was amazing and unforgettable. I would highly recommend the Crystal Ballroom to anyone getting married. It is beautiful and there is nothing even close to comparable on the North Side of Chicago. It is because of the Crystal Ballroom that we could have our dream wedding reception! Reviewed on 19-10-2016
The Crystal Ballroom & Lounge in Evanston on the map
Meet the The Crystal Ballroom & Lounge in Evanston Team
Jessica Moore (Events Director)
I have been in multiple aspects of the wedding industry for the last 6 years. I also have personal experience planning my own wedding which put me in the mindset of things couples think about when getting married. This is the most wonderful and yet sometimes the most stressful time of your life. That being said, this is exactly where I come in. It is my job to make sure your day runs super smoothly here at our venue. My team and I will make sure to take care of everything you need before you even know you need it! All you need to focus on is the love of your life!