Elevate your next Chicago meeting or event by working with women-owned businesses that are savvy in assisting planners. They’re ready to lend their expertise to everything from venues to catering, gift ideas, and a range of on-site services.
Venues
ERIS Brewery and Cider House in the Irving Park neighborhood offers several spaces for events, accommodating 20 to 250 guests. Areas in the ornate 1910 building, which was once a Masonic Temple, include the semi-private brew deck, mezzanine, outdoor patio, and a buyout of the main dining room that features 20-foot-tall ceilings. ERIS can customize menus for events — be sure to include its acclaimed, made-on-site beer and cider. The brewpub fare ranges from baked soft pretzels to brisket sandwiches, butternut squash pasta, and vegan meatloaf.
The historic Mae District offers interesting architectural details, including late-1800s steel beams and exposed brick. Its 10,000 square feet of space can accommodate 500 people standing or 250 seated. An open-air terrace and smaller spaces inside the two-story South Loop landmark are perfect for lunch meetings or dinners. Mae District’s concierge team can help with event planning needs, from catering to furniture, lighting, and more. The elegant venue is located just a few blocks from McCormick Place.
The family-owned Galleria Marchetti in West Town has a 1920s European feel, and can accommodate large-scale gatherings like outdoor receptions for 1,200 and seated banquets for 400. Spaces include The Pavilion, a 6,500-square-foot tented ballroom; the Il Cortile courtyard, created to resemble Piazza Pio II in Pienza, Italy; and the 3,000-square-foot indoor Montecantini Room, with an antique bar and travertine floors. Smaller spaces are also available. Customizable menus and off-site catering coordination are part of the venue’s services.
Catering
Responsibly sourced ingredients and local flavors dominate the menu items from Paramount Events in Avondale. In fact, Paramount uses over 40 herbs, edible flowers, and greens grown organically in their own greenhouse. Drop-off and full-service catering are offered at over 120 Paramount venue partners, serving from eight to 5,000 people. The full-service option includes food, beverages, equipment, linens, and professional servers and bartenders. Culinary options include plated dinners and serving stations.
Two sisters, Mary Nguyen Aregoni and Theresa Nguyen, and their mother, Mama Suu, helm Saigon Sisters Vietnamese restaurant in the West Loop. Saigon Sisters can accommodate 35 people seated or 60 reception style. They also cater off-site meetings and events. And orders can be coordinated through their Chicago French Market location. Catering menus feature flavorful Vietnamese and Thai options that include banh mi, pho, and curries.
Atzimba Catering and Events specializes in providing authentic Mexican and pre-Hispanic cuisine for events of nearly any size. Owner Atzimba Perez, who doubles as the chef for Chicago’s Mexican Consulate, uses indigenous staples in her traditional recipes. Menus can include green mole dishes, pastel de tres leches, chicken or dark chocolate tamales, Argentinian empanadas, and more. A perfect drink pairing is the atole de mezcal, a corn masa-based hot beverage made with white chocolate, milk, and mezcal.
Gift ideas
Shop online for wine-related gifts from Love Cork Screw. You’ll discover a selection of red, white, and rosé wines with fun and inspirational labels like Be the Light, We Go High, and We’re Movin’ On Up. Peruse the selection of wine-scented candles and body butters. The Full Monty package includes wine, a candle, and body butter. Handcrafted home goods and gifts from The Lampley are also available on the site.
Attendees will appreciate an original, food-focused gift from Here Here Market. The online marketplace features a collection of items from up-and-coming culinary talents. Shop by creator, occasion, flavor, activity, and ingredients. Top products include the Female Founders Food Collection with seven woman-made products, including sweet almond-coconut granola, spicy lemongrass sauce, and chocolate hazelnut spread. Or order bottles of The Original Chicago Sauce so attendees can take a taste of the city home with them.
Meeting planners in search of customized gifts should consult with BasketWorks. Choose from an array of all-occasion packages that include goods like Chicago-themed items, wine and cheese, cookies, coffee, charcuterie, chocolate, and much more. Tell BasketWorks your vision and they’ll design gifts emblazoned with your brand’s colors and logo — informational pieces can be tucked inside, as well. Recipients will no doubt remember the personal touch and attention to detail.
On-site services
The team at Ethos Event Collective helps planners manage even the smallest details to help make an event memorable. They can find venues, tours, team building experiences, exhibitors, sponsors, and ways to make local connections. ETHOS consultants can also secure gifts, speakers, and transportation. And they can provide staffing, including registrars and IT professionals. Using technology and innovative research-driven practices, ETHOS can also get feedback quickly from those attending your event.
Enlist the experts at e3 Photography to document your event while capturing images and video of people, exhibits, and wow moments. From every angle, they’ll help convey the personality of your brand. From speakers on the stage to breakout sessions and lively receptions, e3 brings a fresh perspective to reflect attendees’ excitement and an event’s overall vibe.
Bring wellness and pampering experiences to your meeting or event with Spa In Your Space. Hand and foot massages paired with paraffin treatments are popular choices. Several treatments at its Oxygen Bar, which uses a commercial-grade oxygen concentrator, include an O2 glow detox, guided meditation, and light therapy. Fun options include a nail art bar or a fragrance bar where guests can create their own signature scents. Or opt for The Wellness Lounge, staffed by wellness coordinators offering a suite of services.
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