As a Chicago day-of wedding coordinator and planner that has worked more than 100 weddings, we have worked at so many amazing wedding venues in the city of Chicago and have so many that we absolutely love. Whenever anyone asks us though what our favorite wedding venue is though, the first one that comes to mind is always Salvage One in Chicago. If you are planning to have a unique wedding venue that is fun, cozy, and large enough to host all of your guests, Salvage One is definitely the one to book. Here is everything you need to know when you’re looking into Salvage One as your wedding venue for large guest counts below.

The Space

What’s really cool about this venue is truly how many spaces they have throughout the whole venue. The Courtyard is the outdoor back area that has exposed brick, natural ivy walls, and one of the most iconic spots for photos being the “Chicago” lights that are great for night-time photos. This space is great for an outdoor ceremony or cocktail hour too if the weather is nice with the capacity being between 200-250 guests. There is a built-in arch that makes it nice and easy and even some fun, unique features in the outdoor space like the custom bathtub fountain that we love.

On the first floor, there is an indoor ceremony space that works perfectly with the pews already inside to make it nice and easy. The capacity is 175 for the seated space and 250 for standing space that guests really love, as you can wander the area to see what’s available at the shop! The first floor is also great for a cocktail hour, as there is so much space to roam about and two main, large, vintage bars that are great to grab a drink while you peruse the warm, unique venue space. You really don’t have to add anything to this area since there is already so much seating and table space available.

On the second floor, the reception space is truly one of our favorite spots. If you’re looking to have a dance floor, the capacity is 250 for guests to also have seats for dinner. What really is our favorite part about the experience here is that the guests all eat dinner at the antique, wooden tables and chairs. This really makes it feel like an intimate dinner party with your closest people while still being able to maintain a large guest list for your wedding and not feel cramped at all. You can pick between two different setups for the dance floor and table locations, although our favorite way to do it is to have the dance floor under the disco ball. There are also two stages great for a live band or DJ in either location and are close to power sources. In the evening, this space gets that romantic, dark lighting that couples hope to create but without having to do much!

There is also a wedding suite that has two adjoining rooms with a larger common area on the second floor. This is a great place that your wedding party can hang out - or, it’s a perfect place for you to take a moment alone with your partner for some private drinks and appetizers after the ceremony. The capacity in the suite is for up to 60 guests though, so there’s PLENTY of room for your whole wedding party to gather before the ceremony! We absolutely love the vintage furniture throughout the whole space, but many couples hang out in here and get some beautiful photos next to the large windows.

About Salvage One

By day, Salvage One is an antique shop in a warehouse that has over 60,000 square feet of pure vintage pieces. They have actually been in business since 1979 as the first retail store in Chicago to sell architectural “salvage”. The venue itself is in between West Town and West Loop in the warehouse district which is great because there is always some sort of free street parking available.

The large windows are great to light the space during the day and the antique pieces being used for the venue’s tables, chairs, lighting, and more definitely makes Salvage One the most unique venue in the city. We are completely biased as it is truly our favorite venue in Chicago, but we really can’t help but love it because of the eclectic furniture and unique decor that it has for you and your guests.

Many of our couples don’t plan on doing any photos offsite and want to use the entire venue for a beautiful variety of photos - you don’t even need to go off into the city! There are so many good spots throughout the venue and in the outdoor Courtyard for pictures to last a lifetime.

Flow

Even though the space is large, when you book an event at Salvage One you get it all to yourself. You can come earlier in the day for photos on any of their three floors or in the garden courtyard, but you have to keep in mind that there are patrons to the store still there until it closes at 5pm. Many couples come early for photos while vendors begin their setup and as guests arrive. You and your wedding party can hang out in the wedding suite until it is time to head to the first floor for the ceremony, either indoors or outdoors.

Your guests will come to the space and be directed to the coat check area if needed and to the ceremony. Once you’ve said your “I dos”, most people then have their cocktail hour on the first floor and use one or both of the massive vintage bars already in the area. The guests love wandering around and seeing all that the venue has to offer during cocktail hour - we always are hearing guests talk about how cool of a wedding venue it is!

One more unique thing about this venue is that they can use their large, 2-3’ letters to make your last name or a cute phrase that is personalized for your day. They usually ask you for a few options, like your first letters of your names or your last name in case they don’t have the letters you need in stock! It’s such a cool way to make the venue your own though that the guests love as they head into the reception.

Then, your guests are brought to the second floor to find their seats at the amazing, vintage, antique tables. There’s a prep kitchen on this floor that’s great for the catering team that you select off of the required options for caterers - which are all amazing to work with. You can have all your formalities from your tables like a grand entrance from the suite into the reception room, speeches from your seats, and then direct your attention to the dance floor for a great time!

Salvage One is definitely one of the only wedding venues in Chicago that allows you to store your personal items at the venue the day before the wedding and to pick it up the day after. The only rule is that it can’t be food, drinks, or florals/greenery, but this means you don’t have to figure out that logistical piece prior to the wedding day which is such a weight off of our couples’ shoulders!

Amenities

The venue itself is a gem, but they have a lot of amenities that are helpful for a smooth, simple wedding experience:

Full venue buyout
Free street parking
A/C and heating
Coat rack for coat check
Wedding suite
Prep kitchen
Guaranteed tables and chairs for up to 175 guests (if you have more, you might need to rent tables and chairs from your caterer)
Venue security and staff onsite
BYOB with the alcohol served with a licensed bartender
Disco ball for dance floor if desired
Storage of personal items/decor the day before the wedding and to pick up the day after
Unique, 2-3’ letters to put on out for your wedding reception

It’s one of the only venues that allows you to do a rehearsal onsite as long as it’s usually between ~10am-2pm the day before the wedding. It also is one of the only venues in Chicago that allows your leashed dogs into the space before the food service begins! So you can take photos in your wedding venue with your pups, which is definitely an added plus. And one last thing that couples love about this space is that they have multiple card boxes and easels you can choose from, which means you don’t have to rent or buy them yourselves!

Pricing

Salvage One does not have their pricing on their website, so you will need to inquire for their pricing information and to schedule a tour to see it for yourself. We guarantee though, for a large, unique, incredible wedding venue in Chicago, it is well worth it!! Reach out to Salvage One by filling out their contact form here.

We see the good, the bad, and even sometimes the ugly for wedding venues and experiences for Chicago weddings, and picking a wedding venue that you love is really important for setting the tone for your wedding day. We highly recommend Salvage One if you’re looking to have a large guest count but still want a unique wedding. You really can’t beat the warm, fun, eclectic space that provides so much and has a wonderful experience for your guests. We absolutely adore this venue and absolutely love when we get to work here!! If you want a personalized, unique experience for your wedding, Salvage One is most definitely the best Chicago wedding venue. You can reach out to them by filling out their contact form on their website, emailing them at events@salvageone.com or by calling 312-733-0098.