Cafe Brauer - Spotlight | L&G 2023
Nothing yells classic Chicago wedding from the rooftops quite the way a Café Brauer wedding does in the summer time! Lauren and Greg knew they wanted to throw a fabulous party with all of their favorite people, and they did it in style. Café Brauer is an excellent backdrop to any type of event, but it’s especially stunning when you include big group photos, a fantastic live band, and delicious late night snacks!
Iconic Front Entry
There is no better welcome sequence on a wedding day than the front entry of Cafe Brauer. Designed by Dwight H. Perkins, Cafe Brauer was completed in 1908 and originally referred to as the South Pond Refectory. With the beautiful brickwork, patinated copper and ironwork, and bright neon sign, guests will immediately know they are in the right place. Still a stunning example of Prairie style architecture, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, and received Chicago Landmark status in 2003.
L & G’s crew took wedding party photos and eventually VIP family photos in front of the famous neon signage before going inside for the ceremony.
Great Photo Locations
Couples almost always take advantage of the gorgeous photo opportunities in the area! Whether that’s sneaking over to the Beehive in the Lincoln Park Zoo or snagging some classy hotel photos before they hop in their trolley and come over. Endless options in this neighborhood.
This group chose home, Wrigley Tower, and venue for the perfect combination of downtown and cozy!
Panoramic Ceremony Views
The Cafe’s ballroom called “The Great Hall” is a stunning open space with original artwork, chandeliers, and windows! After the building fell into disrepair after the passing of both Brauer brothers, the space was lovingly restored in the late 1980’s to its current luster. Wedding ceremonies overlook the lake at the Lincoln Park Zoo, and on a nice day you can see well into the park and down towards the Chicago skyline.
BW Studio always loves it when couples do something unique with their seating arrangements at Café Brauer! L&G decided to do an arched chair set up so that guests could have a better view of the couple from their seats. You don’t have to do a ton to dress up this ballroom, but their gorgeous asymmetrical arch spoke for itself and popped against the rich brick and wood colors.
Cocktails on the Loggia
After the ceremony, guests are welcomed onto the north loggia to enjoy some quiet cocktail music, a noisy bar area, and take in the views of the lake and skyline. The loggia is enjoyable in any kind of weather due to the deep eaves, curtained side panels, and heavenly heat lamps from Tigerlily. Most couples opt for a few scattered tables down the sides of the loggia, even though most guests are too busy taking photos of the view to sit down!
Comes with a Flip
Every Café Brauer wedding comes with a cocktail hour flip!! Which BWS personally finds to be a thrilling challenge. The catering, decor, and planning team spend cocktail hour seamlessly transforming the ballroom from ceremony space to dinner and dancing!
For Lauren and Greg, we arranged two giant VIP tables on either side of the dance floor and then scattered large rounds throughout the rest of the room for the remaining guests. Once they realized they had too many people to fit at one head table, this was the perfect solution to have all of their honored guests featured while still being in the middle of the action. We also had to make sure we allowed enough room for the band and our dance party later!
Other Features of Interest
In House Catering & Bartending
Cafe Brauer has its very own in house catering team and bartending services that can keep your entire planning process hyper streamlined! Truly harkens back to the original days of Cafe Brauer as a restaurant known for its delicious cuisine. Definitely consider Tigerlily when you’re researching caterers for Cafe Brauer.
Valet Services
Depending on how much of your crew is driving, you can offer valet services to your guests and make sure they don’t have to worry about where to park in the local area! Such a hit with out of towners.
Coat Rooms & Attendants
During cooler weather, there is a giant coat room on the ground floor right as guests enter the building. Super helpful for those big puffers everyone loves to wear! As planners, we hate to see coats on the backs of chairs all night causing tripping hazards. Hang those up and make some space!
Wedding Party Mezzanine
While there is no official “bridal suite” or getting ready rooms, there is a great mezzanine that overlooks the ballroom where your wedding party can hide before the ceremony. It’s also a great place to people watch while you’re waiting to line up! Couples and their VIP’s typically hide their purses and extra shoes up here too.
Contact Info:
Address: 2021 N Stockton Drive, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (312) 742-2400
Website: https://www.lpzoo.org/private-events/
Email: Natalie - nkay@levyrestaurants.com
Capacity: Reception 500 or Seated 200
Special thanks to an amazing vendor team from L&G’s day:
Venue: Café Brauer // Photo: Louie Abellera // Florist: Burst Events // Catering: Blue Plate Catering // Bar+Alcohol: Tigerlily Events // Cake+Sweets: Bittersweet Pastry Shop // Entertainment+Photo Booth: Toast & Jam DJ's //Stationery: Minted // Hair+Makeup: Pin Me Up Chicago // Dress: Mira Couture // Suits: The Black Tux // Hotels: Renaissance Chicago Downtown // Transportation: Premier Trolley & Limo // Planning: BW Studio + Events