We wanted to provide a bit of information for those of you who are going to be able to attend the wedding (which we're very excited about!), to help with trip planning.
Regarding the Wedding & Venue
Per the invitations, the Wedding Ceremony is Saturday May 16, 4 PM CST. The reception is at the same location, and cocktails & hors d'oeuvres will follow immediately after the ceremony. Dinner will be served at approximately 6 PM, and the reception will conclude at approximately 8:30 PM. Additionally, Eric and Alicia plan to continue there celebration out on the town, at a location that is TBD - details on this area (for those who would like to attend) will follow.
The wedding venue is in the "downtown" area, but can be reached very easily by car. You can map out the address below (217 N Carpenter Rd), but know a few quick facts about the location:
- Its about a 5 minutes from any exit where the Dan Ryan, Eisenhower, and Kennedy highways intersect near the loop (Chicago's main "downtown" area - also where the Palmer House Hilton is)
- If you are staying in Oak Brook (as some of the family is), it should take about 30-40 minutes to get to the venue
- If you are staying downtown (in the loop/Michigan Ave./Wacker Dr.) it should be about a 5 minute cab ride
- There is available street parking on the weekends near the gallery, and also a parking garage just 1 block south on Carpenter Ave.
When selecting a Hotel, we recommend booking as soon as possible. Our wedding weekend happens to be at the same time as the National Restaurant Convention - which is delightful for those of you with high interest in restaurants, but also a bit of a pain for Hotel reservations in the downtown area. There is availability, but we recommend reserving a room fairly early if you would like to be downtown in the City for the wedding. Alicia and Eric will be staying at the Palmer House Hilton on their wedding night - this is a nice Hotel, at a convenient location, if you are not sure of one to select.
Outside the City there will be more availability in rooms - naturally, we don't recommend waiting until the last minute to find one, but the schedule for this is slightly more relaxed. Additionally, Hotels in suburbs just outside the city will be priced more reasonably.
Regarding Flights & Car Rentals:
If you would like to stay downtown, please note that the Blue Line El will pick you up right in O'Hare Airport, and take you straight downtown to the Loop in about 1 hr (see here). If you fly into Midway Airport, you can take the Orange Line El into the Loop also in about 1 hr (see here). Additionally, parking in downtown Chicago can range from $25 - $40 a night at a Hotel. For this reason, it may not be necessary to rent a car if you flew in, and plan to stay downtown.
If you plan to say in a suburb, a car rental will be more necessary to make it to the wedding/back, and the parking should be free at your Hotel.
Please add a comment if you have any questions about logistics & the event. Also, feel free to call Eric (312-622-6650) with any questions!
We love you all!
Eric & Alicia
