Ovation Chicago
Planning your next event at Ovation in Chicago can be a breeze with these insider tips from BW Studio + Events. Our team absolutely loves working with this venue because it’s essentially a blank slate and the owners are so supportive of our client’s needs. Couples can host both their ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all in the same room with a quick flip from their catering service. Stunning high metal truss ceilings and open spaces are able to be sectioned off with gorgeous cream curtains. And all of their built in amenities make the space truly seamless. More on all of those amenities below.
In House DJ Services & Sound System
Ovation is fortunate to have its own in-house DJ Services through Style Matters, the brain child of owners Bethany and Spencer Lokken. All of their entertainers are highly trained, skilled, and completely “music-obsessed” as they say! Truly a joy to work with teams that are so familiar with the spaces they perform in. Their DJ’s also perform outside of their venues, but that’s a little secret we keep to ourselves.
The space is also outfitted with a state of the art VOID system, custom designed to their space. And the sound is truly fantastic. No giant speakers or cords running all over the room on this dance floor! Once, we suspended a disco ball from their dancefloor and really look this space to the next level!
Don’t forget the Grand Piano
The Ovation cocktail room is also home to a stunning Steinway Model B Grand Piano which can be played for cocktail hour or dinner. Hiring a pianist is a splurge worth making. Such a delight for guests!
The 1959 Rolls Royce
Always with the best parking spot, immediately in front of the building, Ovation’s Rolls Royce can be a quick getaway car after your ceremony or just an amazing photo opportunity as you cruise around Fulton Market into the West Loop post ceremony. Definitely something none of our clients ever miss out on!!
Custom Built In Bar & Counter
One of our favorite features at Ovation is the built-in bar and counter. No mobile bars or buffet lines with messy linens. These built in spaces are intentional and absolutely gorgeous! The bar is purposefully positioned directly across from the DJ booth so guests can easily mingle back and forth from the dance floor to the bar without ever missing a beat. The 30’ long bar can host a dinner buffet or a sweets buffet and cake after the dinner reception is over. One night we even covered it with trays of ice and canned iced coffee, it was a HIT!
Lounge Furniture
A budget buster for many couples, but an included amenity at Ovation, the lounge seating!! Beautiful Restoration Hardware furniture fills out the cocktail hour area and can be moved around to suit the needs of your event size. Always appreciated by guests looking to take a load off of their dancing feet!
In House Graphic Design + Video Wall
Custom graphics can be key to pulling the room together! Whether it’s a large monogram, a seating chart, or a slide show, Ovation has two locations for you to showcase information your guests need to feel at home. One screen is positioned in the dining/ceremony space, and the other perfectly in the cocktail/dancing area, so have some fun with it! We’ve used these signs for digital seating charts, dinner menus, and even ceremony programs.
200” Projector
And if those screens aren’t enough for you… there’s also the 200” projector on the dining room wall!! This is best used as silent movies or graphics for dinner to add a little ambiance for the evening. But again, let your imagination run wild! It’s your night.
Vintage Photo Booth
So many couples want to include a photo booth into their wedding day, but thankfully Ovation has a super unique one already set up in the space. It’s a funky vintage 1982 photo booth that not only prints out cute 2x6 prints for guests, but you get all of the digital copies after the event too!!
Retractable Track and Drape
As mentioned, the in house track and drape system can basically create two completely separate rooms at Ovation! And allows for visual separation as your catering team flips one side of the room from ceremony to dinner while your guests enjoy the cocktail hour on the other side. Plus side, it cuts down on echo and noise, too.
Private Wedding Suite & Powder Room
No venue is perfect without a wedding suite and private restroom… Ovation of course has both, tucked away on another floor away from guests and prying eyes. Fun vintage furniture and lots of space for your wedding party to leave their bags and extra pairs of shoes.
Only let your VIP’s know where this room is located!!
Basic Amenities
Ovation has twenty five of their custom 8’ wood dining tables, and four of their custom 4’ tables. These can be used in any arrangement for dinner. There’s also a giant built-in buffet along one side of the room so you don’t have to waste tables on a buffet! Typically, the smaller tables are used for sweetheart tables! Ovation also has 10 adjustable cocktail tables and 200 black tolix chairs for your use.
Coat Check
Always valuable in the chillier months, there's a classy little coat check right off to the side of the entrance. No roll away coat racks here!! You could staff it if you like, but in the off-season we have it as self use.
Game Room
When the Rolls isn’t parked inside the garage, you have a fun little space for ping pong, foosball, darts, or bags! All of those can be optional depending on the style of your event.
Open Catering List + BYOB
Thankfully, Ovation has a super flexible vendor list that allows you to bring in a wide variety of catering companies to suit your culinary needs. We’ve done everything from plated meals to wood fire pizzas in this space!! Their gorgeous bar can also be stocked DIY, which is an amazing cost savings to couples as they can use companies like Prestige and Garfield’s to drop off and pick up whatever drink services they prefer.
Prep Kitchen
Not the most glamorous part of the tour, but your catering team will be thrilled when they see this giant prep kitchen they have to work with!! Thank you, Ovation. We salute you.
Event Liaison
Our favorite person at Ovation, your event liaison! Your BW Studio planner will work closely with this person to coordinate your final walkthrough, discuss specific needs with vendors, and keep the day on track! Like two sides of your coordination coin, we are there for you.
Security & Gated Parking
Features to make you feel safe and at home while dancing the night away!
Nearby Recommend Hotels
The Publishing House Bed and Breakfast
Hyatt House West Loop Fulton Market
Contact Info:
Address: 2324 W Fulton Street, Chicago IL 60612
Phone: 773.278.3467
Website: https://www.ovationchicago.com/
Email: info@ovationchicago.com
Capacity: 200
Did we mention they own another venue called Greenhouse Loft?
More on that another day!! Thanks for reading.
Vendor Team: Venue: Ovation // Photo: Victoria Saint Martin Photography // Florist: DIY Family // Catering: Wooden Paddle // Late Night Snacks: Hubby's in the Doghouse // Cake/Sweets: Vanille Patisserie // Entertainment: Style Matters DJ // Photo Booth: Ovation // Hair & Makeup: Blush and Braids Beauty Bar // Dress: Jenny Yoo NYC // Bridesmaids: Reformation // Suits: The Black Tux // Signage: Caroline Devane & Letterwood Company // Hotels: Nobu Hotel & Emily Hotel // Transportation: Chi Town Limo // Rehearsal Dinner: Carnivale // Brunch: Tapster Tasting Room // Planning & Styling: BW Studio + Events