I am struggling to put into words how to thank Lindsay Gaeta and her team and acknowledge every…read moresingle detail she knocked out of the park and executed on our wedding day! Throughout the planning process there were so many little behind the scenes details she saved me time on which I am so appreciative! I will miss seeing her monthly on our planning calls! I don't plan to get married again anytime soon but I do hope our paths cross again! I am speechless about her help from the rehearsal to the very last minute of shutting down the after party!! The top 3 highlights that people mentioned to me on the wedding day were 1. Dad's speech, 2. Florals, 3. How hard she HUSTLED!!! My bridesmaids and close family constantly approached me on the wedding day with sentiments of "wow, she's good!!" She exceeded our expectations and anticipated our every move! I have close family in the hospitality business (who are the harshest critics about everything in the event planning world) and were over the top satisfied with her commitment and follow through to make the day as seamless as possible! I am sure there were many hiccups that day that were not brought to my attention and for that, I give Lindsay full credit! I was able to relax, be present and have a B+ personality that evening instead of my typical A- for all things attention to detail! I felt completely comfortable 'handing Lindsay the reigns' and entrusting she would handle everything as necessary, which she did!!!

We are beyond grateful for Kim Weinberg of LivenUp Events! From the very beginning, Kim was the…read moreultimate professional, so patient, kind, and supportive, even when I, as the bride, was feeling overwhelmed. She has this incredible ability to stay calm, cool, and collected no matter what comes her way, always finding solutions effortlessly and proactively preventing issues before they even arise. Her industry knowledge is unparalleled, and her planning experience truly shines through in every detail. From her amazing vendor connections to her creative, thoughtful ideas, Kim went above and beyond to make our wedding not just beautiful, but absolutely seamless. She kept us organized, on track, and stress-free throughout the entire process. But what really sets Kim apart is her heart. She genuinely cares about her couples, listens with empathy, and makes you feel supported every step of the way. We couldn't have asked for a better wedding planner. She is a true gem, and we feel so lucky to have had her by our side. Kim Weinberg didn't just plan our wedding; she made our dream day a reality, and we will be forever grateful.

Working with Art of Imagination and Deborah was a dream come true. They were so easy to work with…read moreand truly cared about us as people and our wedding. The venue we chose, The Rookery, works with them, and once we saw their work, we were sold. They know the venue inside and out and even gave us great recommendations when we needed vendors! I would highly recommend Art of Imagination for their professionalism, artistry, thoughtfulness and kindness!

Deborah and the decorating team at AoI were amazing to work with! Communication was clear and…read moreprompt both in-person and via e-mail. She provided recommendations, explained pricing, and was very familiar with the venue space. We were blown away by how beautiful our ceiling decor and chuppah were, and the guests were raving about it as well! Overall pricing was very reasonable, and Deborah is also extremely sweet and supportive. I can't recommend AoI enough!

Where do I even begin? My night was perfect thanks to Row 24. I was looking for a space that fit my…read morevibe and the vision I had for my 30th, and the event space EXCEEDED my expectations. The communication start to end, the bar packages that are available, and the willingness to help when one of my vendors didn't show up. The area is great and has tons of parking (paid and unpaid) nearby, safe for guests to arrive, and they provide security. They were there every step of the way and so kind. If I have any events in the future, this will always be top of my list. Here are some photos of how the space was set up for me. Hopefully this helps someone else.

I love this place, security is great, music lit, food is good and the bathroom is clean!!read more

Thank you Vance Events for planning my wedding and reception!!! Xavier and his team were very…read morepatience and listened to exactly what i wanted. They planned and excuted my events beautifully. I loved my decor, the professionalism of the team, and it let me enjoy my events without worry. Thanks again!!! Definitely recommend to anyone !!!

Vance events is the best!!!!! The compassion, the work ethic, preciseness was very appreciated…read more We did not have to worry about anything. Everything was well taken care with confidence. Thanks for making our trip to Miami a memorable one. Blessings...

Looking for something different for little Johnny's next birthday party? Chuck E Cheeze getting you…read moredown? Well, those of you with young un's, take notice. I recently attended a birthday party at the relatively new PlayLab for a 5 year old. A super fun and somewhat less chaotic environment than the zoo or aquarium. Lots of hands on activities for the kiddies, I'm thinking ages 10 and younger. You get admission to the regular part of the Field with entrance to the PlayLab. Of note was Jim Louderman, the Field Museum's "Collections Assistant in Zoology, Division of Insects"--in other words, the guy in charge of the creepy crawlies, aka the anti-Orkin man. I had always thought that the Field dealt only in specimens of the un-living variety, but was surprised to discover that this is not the case! Jim oversees the Field's collection of exotic (and very much alive) spidies, stick like figures, and other far out looking insects. And you can arrange to have Jim bring a selection of these wild and wacky creatures to your kid's party at the PlayLab! (A fee is involved, of course.) His number is 312-922-9410.

So much fun for small kids! This place kept a 3 year old entertained for at least two hours and…read morewould have stayed even longer. Clean, GREAT family bathroom ad better yet FREE with museum admission! Moms you can sit on a bench and they can run and play the whole time!

Class was so much fun. Ended up being my partner and I no one showed up and the small class was…read moreAMAZING. Jay was an incredible instructor so much fun definitely coming again!!!!

I attended an event with a group of 9. We signed up to make mosaic coasters. It was a great time…read morehad by all. When I got there, 2 tables were already set up for us with boxes of tiles, cutters and glue. The experience was pretty straight forward and to use the subtractive method to get our little mosaic pieces. We were given ample time to create our designs, cut and glue to our base. I can't wait to grout it and see the finished design.

Chicago First Dates has exceeded my expectations with venue choices, and quality of guys that show…read moreup. I am now dating a really great man thanks to this company! I'm an accountant by trade and consider myself fairly picky along with being a harsh critic. It was hard for me to jump back into dating after raising my daughter. It was hard not to be skeptical when considering the speed dating options... and I was for sure not going to attempt online dating. The customer service here has been nothing short of exceptional answering all questions, and standing behind their product (Thanks Jon!!) For those that like to meet face to face, but are careful to not give out personal information, this is a great option. I've been to Aloft, Neat, and Coach House for a speed dating event held by Chicago First Dates. There are usually 8 to 12 guys that show up. The girls sit, and the guys move from table to table. The majority of the men have had great qualities and were just looking for someone to meet. The company doesn't do any sort of background check, but the cost seems to keep a good quality control. I would go to an event with questions that were general, but would tell me enough about a person. By the end of 5 minutes it's usually not too hard to tell if there is a spark, and interest in moving forward to a date. Of all the events I went on, there were few that I chose to "match" and go on a date. This had more to do with me being selective and not the caliber of guys that showed up. If I could give any advice it would be to not be afraid of going to an event even if it's a bit far away. People travel from all over for example... the Schaumburg event had people from Lombard, Downers Grove, Chicago, Schaumburg, and other cities. Sometimes it is hard to hear, so I'd pull the chair a little closer to me before the event started (sitting next to the guy instead of across the table). Lastly, know if you are just looking to "date" or head into a more serious relationship. I have found all of the guys to be straight forward with what they were looking for, and very honest. Either way it's a really fun night whether you meet that special someone, or decide to go to the next speed dating event. The time goes quick, and the conversations are really fun!! Chicago First Dates is worth giving a try!!!

I would not recommend this company to anyone. This is a scam! Let's talk about canceled event after…read morecancelled event. On top of it they will cancel your event a few hours before it is scheduled. So after 4 canceled events. I finally asked for a refund. I had canceled so many plans to make their event for them to cancel last minute. When I asked for a refund they said the I didn't tell them in time and needed to let them know 5 days before the event to cancel. But on the last email they sent out for the event it said please email confirm you are going. I never emailed them and they just decided to put me on the list. So just checking my email and I see I am on the list for event I didn't sign up for seems super sketchy. So I email back saying I can't make it and asked for a refund. To get a response back the best we can do is give you a free code for another event. These events rarely happen if ever... I just wanted a refund which I rightfully deserved after that whole experience. Please if you are looking for love go to an actual speed dating company not this scam. Also yes I created an account just for this because it was such an awful experience...

Recommended by a Chicago florist that I had previously worked with, Ricardo helped our non-profit…read moreplan a 35th anniversary gala of over 200 people at the South Shore Cultural Center. From the moment of our introduction over the phone, I knew from his calm voice, and how he asked questions and listened to our needs to the end of the evening where we attained our fundraising goals, that he was the perfect event planner for our team. With committees made up of people inside the org and board members, Ricardo was able to guide us through the rough parts as well as the enjoyable moments too. At the end of the evening comments such as, "the org. has hit their stride, stellar event, I know this was a lot of work but it was so much fun," were spoken to me not only from attendees but the org staff as well. Thank you again Ricardo, for leading us through the process from start to finish! It truly was a successful night lifted up by the planning, decor, lighting, and vision you and your team helped us while making the process very enjoyable at the same time!

From the owner: Effecto Events is a comprehensive event design and production company based in downtown Chicago,…read moreserving clients in the city and surrounding suburbs. Our expertise in event production is enriched by meticulous attention to detail, innovative design concepts, and the synergistic collaboration with our esteemed vendors and clients. Our commitment is to excellence, ensuring every event is executed to perfection.

Great hotel to stay at if you have a conference at the convention center. The room was very…read morespacious, clean and the bathroom was decent sized. I also loved the view of the city! Wish there were better food options at the hotel but I enjoyed placing daily market delivery orders and enjoyed the Starbucks!

So my reviews specifically for The tap room, which I went to an event at. The initial experience…read morewas pretty nice. The space was great well kept and very open. The staff was friendly and The attention at the bar was pretty quick initially. They also had light food which was all very good. It was served in chafing dishes and worked well for the event. Where the place really lost stars for me was in the taking of drinks. When I was about 3/4 finished with my first drink, the bartender asked me if I'd like another. I said yes and they got me a second but then grabbed my unfinished drink and dumped it. Which I was mildly annoyed at. Then close to the end of the event. They were cleaning the bar and I was sitting there talking with someone and I had finished about a 40% of my current drink and while I was talking they took my drink dumped it! They could have said something to me or just said hey. We're wrapping up. Are you still drinking this? But no, they just took it while I wasn't looking and cleaned the bar area. This is completely unacceptable. Enough for me to never come to a place like this again. I get it might be the end of a long day, but if you're guests have a drink, you should not be touching that drink unless they say they're done if it's closing time, which it wasn't when this happened about 20 minutes before the event ended. You should say hey We're wrapping up are you going to finish that? And I can see if you were maybe cutting someone off however, it was my third drink of the night and they had already dumped a quarter of my first one and I didn't even finish half of the 3rd.

Enjoyed a wonderful stay at the Kimpton Gray Hotel while in town for a play. We visited in February…read moreduring a stretch of very cold weather, but from the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with warm refreshments like hot tea and cocoa. The hospitality was exceptional throughout. The location is also ideal. It was about an eight-minute walk to the theatre and despite the chilly temperatures, we were able to walk to several nearby spots. The hotel features a few bars and a rooftop restaurant, which added to the experience. I especially loved the many cute, cozy seating areas throughout the property--perfect for chatting, relaxing, or enjoying a bite before heading up to the room. Overall, a 5/5 experience. I would absolutely stay here again!

Reception was very kind and helpful…read more The decor of the room itself is very confusing. There was artwork next to the toilet of a garlic bulb (which looks a lot like an onion) and the words "Keep calm it's just garlic". What a weird thing to have in the bathroom?! The coffee/tea area could definitely be expanded. I didn't want to wait in line, so I just went out for caffeine.