Walden

I’ve photographed multiple weddings at Walden throughout the seasons, and it’s truly one of the most versatile venues in the city. The space is a blank canvas that can transform to reflect any couple’s style. The rooftop offers an incredible skyline view, perfect for a first look or couples portraits. It’s a one-stop shop with an amazing team! Every coordinator I’ve worked with has been kind, organized, and helpful. The location is close to downtown and tons of great photo spots which is ideal. I always look forward to photographing here! @melissaferraraphoto

We got married in March 2025 and let me tell you - Walden is worth every cent. We had looked at a couple locations in the Chicago area, like the Old Post Office, Bridgeport Art Center, and Rockwell on the River, some very beautiful locations however for us it was an easy decision on The Walden. The location was accessible and easy, the venue was gorgeous and dramatic and highly customizable, the planning team was knowledgeable beyond words, and the amenities were top notch. But the part that made the investment so worth it, were the intangibles. Every person in our lives who got married always told us the same thing “your day flies by, enjoy every minute you can.” And that was the intangible that The Walden provided. The Walden provided a day for us to soak up every minute, every detail, every happy moment, without a worry in the world. Our coordinators and planners, shoutout to Alyssa, Kalila and Hannah, for helping us plan the most fun day ever. They made planning so easy and bearable. They strategically spaced out all the To Dos so it was not overwhelming and truly made planning so much fun. I always joked with friends and family that wedding planning was the easiest part of my 2024-2025 year. During the day of our wedding I did not worry about a SINGLE thing. We had a coordinator and planner throughout the entire event, who knew every detail, where every vendor needed to be, when they needed to arrive, who needed to be where and the list goes on. My husband and I were able to soak up all the happy vibes the whole day. We both got to soak up the morning with our people, enjoy every laugh and joke throughout the whole day. When it was time for our 1st look, we had the ability to live in that moment and truly enjoyed getting married that day. We both were able to soak up each other’s time as well as spending it with our guests. Every second, every detail, was carried out exactly how me and my husband envisioned it. They brought our vision to life. The intangibles that The Walden provided for me and my husband and our entire wedding is what makes them unlike the other venues. Their team truly cares about you, your vision, your wants, your happiness and everything that comes with your day. Their team was so professional, so precise, so deliberate and just a well oiled machine. They really know what they are doing. The most valuable thing they provided was allowing my husband and I to enjoy our day together and with our people, knowing that our vision was going to be carried out exactly how we hoped. Also side note, the FOOD and DRINK were 20/10. We still get comments today about how delicious their food was and how GOOD their drinks were.

We had our wedding here in November, and I cannot recommend this venue enough. It truly is a one-stop shop! From the moment we signed our contract until the last guest departed, the planning team guided us through every step, ensuring a seamless experience. They coordinated all our outside vendors—hair, makeup, DJ, photography, and more—so that on our wedding day, we could simply show up and enjoy without any stress. We customized our menu, with fresh, on-site catering that our guests absolutely loved, and the cocktail selection was exceptional. The entire staff was incredible to work with, and I can’t imagine having celebrated our wedding anywhere else in the city!

I went to a wedding a couple weeks ago and I must say everything was absolutely perfect! The ceremony took place upstairs and the reception and cocktail hour was on the first floor. The food, drinks and service were fantastic! One of the best weddings I’ve been to in my lifetime. And I’m old as hell.

We got married at the Walden in October and had a great time working with the Walden and our planners, Kalila and Ally. They use a project management app so it’s easy to keep track of your timeline and to-dos. It comes with catering and a full bar. They have cocktails on draft in addition to the signature cocktails, which guests loved. The food was also great. On my wedding day, I didn’t have to think about anything except showing up. They coordinated with all the other vendors and helped set everything up, steamed our dresses, set up breakfast and lunch while we were getting ready. Everything ran so smoothly. The space is beautiful and has a large suite that my bridesmaids and I got ready in. The roof made for the perfect spot for our first look and sunset photos after the ceremony.

Words cannot express how grateful my husband and I are for choosing Walden for our wedding. From our tour day 1, through the planning process, to the wedding day, the team was incredible in all aspects and we can’t thank them enough. We were so fortunate to work with Hannah and Alyssa- they were attentive to detail, patient, communicative and so down to earth. They made the planning process a breeze and enjoyable. The day of the wedding was completely stressfree which made me relaxed as a bride and truly able to enjoy the day. The facilities are immaculate from the ceremony space, to the getting ready room, to cocktail hour/dinner space and the rooftop where we had sunset pictures. Our friends and family keep raving about the amazing food and service. In addition, they were blown away by our room reveal. Our wedding was beyond our wildest dreams and we cannot recommend the Walden enough for making it possible!

I've shot two weddings recently at Walden and each time it was a smooth and enjoyable experience! Kalila was an amazing planner, she's the perfect mix of detail oriented, organized, professional yet also super friendly, hilarious, and fun to be around. The space makes every wedding look fantastic! Overall just a lot of ease. Would recommend this venue to anyone!

100% would recommend Walden for a stress-free wedding experience!!! We knew Walden was our venue when we read about their full-service wedding packages including planners, kitchen/bar all under one roof. After we toured the venue, we could not wait to have our wedding here! Our main planners were Hannah and Briscel, and we had the pleasure of a 3rd planner, Ally with a last-minute day-of staffing change. Hannah and Briscel took the stress out of wedding planning, keeping us on track with every detail and vendor. Ally made sure the wedding day ran seamlessly. One of the best things we loved about working with the planners was their recommendations for local vendors (floral, DJ, photography etc.). Their assistance contacting and coordinating calls/quotes from vendors was also a huge help. Every possible detail regarding the wedding was accounted for, so we were certain nothing would be missed along the way. Now for the fun part, our wedding day was absolutely perfect and better than we ever dreamt. The coordinators kept us on schedule and sent an itinerary in advance, so everyone knew where to be and what was coming up next. They handled all of the communication with vendors and all the little details, so we could fully be present on our wedding day. We did not have any moments of stress, or panic, and was rarely asked any questions or to do any tasks. The Walden team set everything up for us from the welcome sign to the memorial table and of course the gorgeous reception room. It’s like suddenly we got teleported into our Pinterest vision board! A big shout out to Nick and Matt, the kitchen and bar staff. They were absolutely amazing! The drinks were awesome, the bartenders could make any drink guests wanted including mocktails. The food was incredible, so many guests complimented on how delicious their meals were. We also really appreciated their accommodations for various food restrictions and preferences. Overall, the Walden staff has truly thought of everything. They made the very daunting task of planning a wedding much more manageable, and made the whole day that much more special. Could not think of a better venue in the area for folks planning a wedding!!

We held our December 2024 wedding at Walden, and we have nothing but good things to say about working with the Walden team. Throughout the entire process, the entire team was very responsive, whether it be related to planning, food, bar, etc. Walden provides full-service wedding planning, which was immensely helpful. We worked directly with Krystle and Briscel during our planning, and they were great. They're warm, fun, and open. The Walden team set us up on Basecamp, a project management tool, which was extremely helpful. It laid out all the tasks we needed to complete and suggested timelines for completing them. The day of the wedding went off without a hitch - our planning team created a detailed schedule for us and ensured that we stuck to it, so we weren't stressed. Service the day of the wedding was on point, and we got many compliments from our guests on the quality of the food and beverages. We highly recommend hosting your wedding at the Walden!

I don't even know where to begin. As a former wedding photographer I found Walden while shooting a wedding years ago and was blown away by the space and service. When we got engaged they were the first venue I contacted for a tour and every single step along the way has reaffirmed that there's no team I would rather have for our wedding. Maria, the owner was so fantastic for the first walk through and all of the communication was thorough and quick. Matt, the bar manager was phenomenal and everyone raved about our welcome and signature drinks. He worked with us to come up with exactly what we wanted and they tasted phenomenal. Forever in love with our fall welcome drink and my Prickly Pear Mojito. Nick, the co-owner and head chef was SO prompt with his responses and the food was to die for. As a former wedding vendor I know wedding food is typically sub par and that was 90% of my deciding factor for where we booked. EVERYTHING is amazing. He even worked with us to do items off the menu with our request to bring in some of our culture. Loved every second of it and was so sad when I had to accept we're done with their cooking. The service team, literally all of them from start to finish were the most exceptional people I've encountered. So thorough, caring, and attentive. Never did I have to wait or wonder where anything was or what was happening next. They checked on us non stop and were always ready with another drink or hors d'oeuvre. Truly exceptional. Finally, to our two amazing planners. I don't have the words. Krystle and Alyssa MADE our day, week, year. Always ready to provide input, be a sounding board, and go the extra mile. Plus, they have incredible taste in music and hometowns lol. Just speechless with you two. All of our gratitude and love forever. All in all just absolutely exceptional. We are so sad our day is over but have been raving about you every minute since it started and will be for years to come. Everyone has been floored with the beauty you all created. THANK YOU! Lots of love, The Zdravev's

Our wedding day was incredible and it wouldn't have been possible without the amazing Walden team - specifically Krystle and Briscel. We worked with Briscel throughout the planning process and she was our day-of coordinator as well. She brought the best vibes possible - I felt totally confident about every aspect of our day and her fun personality totally put me at ease. We received endless compliments on our wedding with people specifically calling out the space (and how nice it was to have everything in one location) as well as the food/bar.

The best decision we made while wedding planning was booking Walden as our venue! The venue itself is a beautiful blank canvas that you can make every square inch reflect your wedding day vision. Having an on site kitchen where all meals are freshly prepared and made to order was huge for us! The last thing we wanted to offer our guests was an average tasting re-heated meal...but that is not what you're getting at Walden! Nick & Matt, the kitchen & bar managers, made sure that all of our guest's dietary restrictions & allergies were accommodated appropriately. Everyone kept telling us how great our food & specialty cocktails were! No one went home hungry after our wedding. The BEST thing about Walden is the full service wedding planners you receive when you book your date. We thought hiring a planner would be out of our budget....but Walden provides you with a planning team at no extra cost! (I can't believe other venues don't offer this) Our planners, shoutout to Briscel & Krystle, were a blast to work with and made planning our wedding EASY! Who else can say planning was easy?! The two of them were always available when we had questions, consistently provided top quality vendors within our budgets, and made us feel like we were actual royalty. Briscel & Krystle took our initial vision and inspiration boards and made everything we wanted come true for us on our wedding day. They were always SO organized and top of every detail and all communication with our vendors. I could go on forever about how lovely and helpful they were!! The day of our wedding was so seamless and coordinated...I kept waiting for something to go wrong but literally nothing did. The day was PERFECT. Everyone knew when & where they had to be, we didn't have to worry about if our decor was set up correctly because we knew we were in the best hands possible. If you are looking for a stress-free wedding day where you, as the couple/hosts/MVPs can basically be a guest at your own party...do yourself a favor and book your wedding at Walden. You won't regret it! :)

I attended a wedding at the Walden this past weekend and it was amazing. Not only did the grooms rave about the process being seamless and actually fun-- but the drinks and food were spot on! The chicken and beef both were cooked to perfection, the cocktails were sublime and merlot was delish. Staff were professional and welcoming. The venue itself is uber convenient. A one spot shop-- upstairs for the ceremony, downstairs with a cocktail hour space and reception spot. It's bright and airy. The Walden is a phenomenal spot to host an event! Check it out.

Where do we even begin with Walden Chicago? All we have is gratitude and love for this venue! From our first inquiry with Maria pre-engagement, to our amazing planning journey with Kalila and Ally, we felt taken care of every step of the way. Walden itself is the perfect wedding venue. All of their spaces from their rooftop with a surreal Chicago view, their second floor ceremony space with impeccable lighting, their getting ready spaces for both ladies and gents, to their gorgeous and spacious reception space, everywhere we went with our guests felt magical. Now onto Kalila and Ally; we could thank them enough. From the moment we were paired and begun planning, they felt more like besties than anything. They were there to answer every question, complete every request, and help calm every nerve on the day-of, with constant laughter along the way. We will never forget them and all that they did to ensure our special day went as smoothly as possible! Thank you so much, Walden Chicago; we love you!

100% would recommend Walden for a stress-free wedding experience!!! We knew Walden was our venue when we read about their full-service wedding packages including planners, kitchen/bar all under one roof. After we toured the venue, we could not wait to have our wedding here. Our main planners were Hannah and Briscel, and we had the pleasure of a 3rd planner, Ally with a last-minute day-of staffing change. Hannah and Briscel took the stress out of wedding planning, keeping us on track with every detail and vendor. Ally made sure the wedding day ran seamlessly. One of the best things we loved about working with the planners was their recommendations for local vendors (floral, DJ, photography etc.). Their assistance contacting and coordinating calls/quotes from vendors was also a huge help. Every possible detail regarding the wedding was accounted for, so we were certain nothing would be missed along the way. Now for the fun part, our wedding day was absolutely perfect and better than we ever dreamt. The coordinators kept us on schedule and sent an itinerary in advance, so everyone knew where to be and what was coming up next. They handled all of the communication with vendors and all the little details, so we could fully be present on our wedding day. We did not have any moments of stress, or panic, and was rarely asked any questions or to do any tasks. The Walden team set everything up for us from the welcome sign to the memorial table and of course the gorgeous reception room. It's like suddenly we got teleported into our Pinterest vision board! A big shout out to Nick and Matt, the kitchen and bar staff. They were absolutely amazing! The drinks were awesome, the bartenders could make any drink guests wanted including mocktails. The food was incredible, so many guests complimented on how delicious their meals were. We also really appreciated their accommodations for various food restrictions and preferences. Overall, the Walden staff has truly thought of everything. They made the very daunting task of planning a wedding much more manageable, and made the whole day that much more special. Could not think of a better venue in the area for folks planning a wedding!

We could not have been happier with our decision to get married at Walden! From the moment we booked our date, the planning process was made seamless and actually enjoyable thanks to the incredible built-in planning team, Kalila and Ally. Having coordinators included in the cost of the venue was such a valuable bonus, and they truly made all the difference. Kalila and Ally were there with us every step of the way, staying on top of every detail for our 18-month engagement/wedding planning journey. They reached out to vendors, followed up on our behalf when needed, and offered spot-on recommendations that perfectly suited our vision and budget. Their guidance and expertise helped us make the best choices, and their input kept us calm and organized. On top of their professionalism, they were so down-to-earth and fun to work with, bringing energy and laughter to every planning session and making the entire experience even more memorable. One of the highlights was the collaborative online planning tool we had access to as part of booking Walden. It kept everything organized in one place, allowing us to easily stay in touch with our planners, track tasks, and manage finances and contracts. It was loaded with helpful resources, making planning a breeze. Walden provided us with much more than a beautiful venue. They gave us an incredible planning experience and an amazing team that felt like family by the time the wedding arrived. The entire wedding party and all the family members who were there the entire day of the wedding had nothing but amazing things to say too...they were all shocked at how much support we had throughout the entire day to the point where we did not have to lift a finger. And don't even get us started on the food and bar...we've never been complimented more in our lives. We were shocked at how insanely good the food and drinks were at our tasting party months before the wedding, but we were curious if it would live up to the hype on our actual wedding day where we had 216 guests. It might've been even better on our wedding day! Guests were raving about our food and drinks. We were told by nearly every guest that it was the best food they've ever had at a wedding, bar none. We even had sober people come up to us and go on and on about how amazing even the mocktails were. The only thing we regret is being too excited and not having enough of an appetite to truly enjoy dinner as the bride and groom. But even so, our planning team made sure the servers packaged up our entrees so we could take them home a few days later when we came back to the venue to pick up our belongings. Honestly, there are a million other reasons why we'd recommend Walden for your wedding venue, but this is already getting to be too long of a review. Basically, if you're looking for an all-inclusive venue where you're genuinely taken care of every step of the way, we cannot recommend Walden highly enough! Thank you, Kalila and Ally, the entire bar/service staff, and truly just everyone at Walden for helping make our wedding day everything we dreamed of and more! P.S. - Make sure you get golden hour photos on the rooftop at Walden...we are soooo delighted with our photos from up there.

When we first toured Walden for two years ago, we had our heart set on having our wedding. The venue is absolutely gorgeous and comes with full event planning and kitchen services! SO MANY of our guests complimented the quality of the food and especially the drinks and bar service!! Special shoutout to Kalila, the lead planner and Briscel, the coordinator for making it the wedding of our dreams. We were planning most of our wedding remotely and it was all possible because of the amazing recommendations and support we received from Kalila and Briscel. As with any important event, we had big and small questions on every single detail of our wedding but they were super patient and supported us along the way until we were able to make decisions. They fully understood our vision and worked with us closely at every step to make it all happen.

What a venue!!!! Truly we can't recommend Walden enough for your wedding - this team thinks of absolutely everything and is there to help support you, celebrate you and ultimately ensure you (and your families!!) have zero stress on the wedding day. I couldn't imagine going through the planning process without this team's help. Ally, Briscel and Kalila are GEMS of humans and the ultimate hype team to have behind you on your wedding day. Communication was clear, the team was responsive, and the planning process was so smooth. If I could give 10 stars, I would!

My husband and I were engaged in September 2022, and we booked Walden in November 2022 for our March 2024 wedding. Walden was the last Venue we toured and there was no question in our minds that we were booking with them as soon as we got in the car to drive home. I have an intense, "Type A" personality. I'm very particular with decor and planning. Many of the other venues we visited in Chicago...the reps were late, couldn't answer basic questions, led the conversation with budget, etc. Nowhere was molding what we were looking for. We received a personal recommendation for Walden and were put in contact with Maria. We took the tour and were given ample amount of literature and pricing to answer all of our questions. Maria was also very responsive with follow up questions. One of the coolest perks of signing with Walden is that it comes with in-house, full-time planners. This is incredibly rare, and we were ready to retain a separate planner as we were touring different venues in the city. Our lead planner, Kalila, and event coordinator, Alyssa, were nothing short of phenomenal. They were attentive, patient, experienced, organized...they had great suggestions and recommendations for when we were narrowing decisions down for all the things. I cannot tell you how many times I'd ask, "is this worth it" or "am I being too extra," and they would tell me the truth and they never guided me in the wrong direction. We had a very specific and eclectic vision for our wedding, and it was executed better than I ever imagined. Finally, the space/day itself. We had AMAZING food and alcohol (all done in-house at Walden, which we taste tested), espresso martini shots, late-night food brought in, hanging flowers and plants, hundreds of candles, a live painter, black draping, chandeliers, a CO2 cannon, our planners there holding our hands the day-of...EVERYTHING! I barely lifted a finger. I felt like an absolute queen. Given my personality, no one could believe how calm I was, and I thank the entire Walden team (especially Kalila) for that. I was able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the hell out of my entire day and weekend. We heard from a lot of people that this was the best wedding they've ever attended. We think so, too. If you're looking for the coolest, most efficient, cost effective, and trendy Chicago wedding venue, look no further. Walden is your answer.

Walden was the PERFECT choice for our November 2024 wedding! From our initial tour and consultation to our final meeting, my (now) husband and I felt heard and supported. Our planner, Kalila, and our coordinator, Katie Rose, went above and beyond to ensure everything was thought of and taken care of from connecting us with vendors to helping us make some tough decisions. We truly could not have done it without them. The day or crew, the wait staff, and the bar staff were also exceptional. We received so many compliments from our guest about how amazing the night was, especially the food and drink. We could not recommend Walden enough for your special day!

The entire Walden team was great to work with from the site visit to the tasting to executing our fundraising event- everything was seamless. Thank you for making our fundraiser a great success!

The Walden team was hands down the best team we could have ever worked with for our wedding! We could have never planned such an amazing event and weekend on our own. From the contracting process through planning to the wedding day, the planners and the extended Walden team (food, bar) were absolutely amazing to work with. The planners offered really amazing and insightful options and ideas for vendors and design/decor, and kept us on track with all the planning elements. They did not leave anything out! One of our favorite nights with the team was the tasting, where we brought out families to taste the food & drink options and see various linen, lighting and decor options. Not to mention, the space itself is beautiful! My bridesmaids and I got ready in the bridal suite which was perfect. We loved that the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception/dancing spaces were distinctly separate - no "flipping the room". 12/10 would recommend the Walden to anyone looking for a wedding venue!

The Walden is not only an amazing venue, but it's the people who work there that really made our entire experience shine. The level of care they provided from the beginning of the grueling venue search process to the final month leading up to the wedding, to the day of, is few and far between. Our wedding day was literal perfection. I got to work mainly with Briscel and Hannah throughout the process and two more planners on the day of. Briscel did the literal most to make my wedding day a picture perfect dream. Additionally, the catering and bar staff were next level. They worked with us to customize the menu and drinks exactly to our liking. Guests were freaking out about how good the food was, which was really important to us. Overall, 10/10 would recommend Walden, I wish I could give them more than 5 stars!

Working with the Walden team was an absolute dream. Each person we interacted with (especially our planners Erika and Katie Rose!!) was so friendly and knowledgable, and made the daunting process of planning a wedding seem easy:) The tools and the support they provide are there from day one, and Everyone was so passionate, from the bar team, to the catering team, and of course the planning team-- having everything in-house was the best and made the day-of run so so smoothly. It's been a little over a week since our wedding and we haven't stopped receiving compliments on the food and the drinks. My partner and I are based in London and weren't able to attend the tasting event, so the big day was the first time we were trying everything. And WOW. We were not disappointed. We couldn't have asked for a better experience and would recommend Walden over and over again.

10,000% would recommend! The space, the planning, the catering and bar - all amazing and all included in one. The venue is gorgeous and perfectly designed for an all in one wedding day. With the bridal suite and separate spaces, the whole day moves along smoothly from one space to another. On top of the space, the planners and all the staff are wonderful and so easy to work with. As a bride not inclined to be excited about the planning aspect of getting married - I couldn't have asked for more from our planners! They kept us on track and handled the coordinating with the outside vendors both during planning process and on the wedding day (a HUGE help). We loved the bar/catering experience - starting with the tasting party with both our parents, which was such a wonderful event and way to taste the food and drink options. All the drinks and food were delicious (our guests raved about both!), and the team was flexible and accommodating of allergies and preference substitutions.

How to even begin - the first time I talked to Maria, the owner, on the phone, I knew that Walden was special. I had been emailing and talking with other venues and no one had been as friendly, kind, and personable. She wasn't trying to sell me her venue, she was trying to get to know me, my relationship, and what my vision for my day was. When I first toured the venue, I walked in and told my fiancé that I knew it was the one. It is absolutely beautiful - even if it is completely empty. The exposed beams, the brick, the gorgeous bridal suite - its dark and moody while also having the bright gorgeous windows during the day. Over the course of the next year, I worked with a few of the planning team members - Erika and Briscel being the main two. Erika was our lead planner and she was on top of every little detail - constantly answering my questions, helping direct the vendors, and finalizing all the planning down to all the small details. Love a type-a person like myself! Having been a bridesmaid in multiple weddings, the planning services that Walden provides are highly worth it. They made the day, week and month of the wedding easy and less anxiety provoking for myself and my family. I was able to relax and just enjoy my day while the planning team truly took over all of the little details. I didn't have my phone with me for most of the day because I trusted that Erika and the team would handle all of the details and communication between vendors and family. I want to shout out Kristen as well - she was our opening planner and she was a true hero all morning. She busted her butt getting things set up in the morning, made sure that my bridesmaids and I all felt comfortable and was so genuine and kind. She was communicative with the morning vendors and made sure to keep us in the loop on what was going on when the photographers and other team/family members got there. For what most wedding guests care about - the food and drinks! The tasting was an absolute blast - make sure to take thorough notes! My family and I enjoyed this night so much, getting to taste all the various drinks, appetizers, entrees that were served. It makes it really hard to decide when everything tastes as good as it does. Matt and Nick were really helpful in deciding and they walked us through all of our decisions to ensure that we made the right choices for our combinations of food and alcohol preferences. I can keep going, but overall my wedding day was perfect and I am so grateful for the Walden team for helping make it come true!

We got married a week ago at Walden and I cannot say enough about how positive an experience it was! Krystle and Alyssa (our dream team of planners) were our saviors throughout the entire planning process. I hadn't planned on using a full service planner until I found out Walden included them in the venue rental and now I can't imagine planning a wedding without them! They truly made the entire process fun, even during the more stressful parts. The rest of the Walden team is equally as amazing - the catering staff delivered some of "the best food we've ever had at a wedding," as many of our guests raved to us! The bar team also ran such an efficient operation that there was rarely ever a line for drinks, so rare at a wedding! Both teams worked with us to accommodate special requests and really felt like they prioritized making our day feel unique and special. The space itself is gorgeous and requires very little extra decoration, which is a great money saver! The separate spaces for ceremony, cocktail, and reception really made each part of the evening feel special. One of my favorite parts was the getting ready room - so rare to find in a Chicago city venue! My girls and I all had the best time getting ready in the space and it made for a very relaxing morning to already be on site. I could write 1,000 more words about how amazing this venue is but trust me when I say that if you want to alleviate as much stress from planning your big day as possible - Walden is the venue for you!!

Truly can't say enough about our experience with Walden. Truly outstanding! From our first meeting with Maria to our goodbye with Erika the night of my daughter's wedding, it was an exceptional experience. We felt well cared for, heard, and supported throughout. Our Walden team, led by the incredibly talented Erika Baumgartner, could not have been better. From reading vendor contracts to giving advice re: photo locations to running the day of the event skillfully, we loved working with these professionals. Going into the day of her wedding, my goal was to ensure my daughter, who had worked so hard to make every decision and detail all along the way, didn't feel any stress or anxiousness. I wanted her to have the day she imagined and be able to enjoy every moment of her special day. With Erika and her team taking the lead, that happened for all of us! Erika coordinated with all of the vendors, made sure Catharine's wishes were followed, and took care of any hiccups along the way. Good news: the vendors we selected ensured the hiccups were few and minor! The meal and bar selections were on point and the service was incredible. As we said goodbye to Erika at the end of the evening we were all a little sad to be parting ways...she'd become such a part of the planning and we were so grateful for all the ways she made it an event to remember for a lifetime!

We just had our wedding here on 5.3.24. It was an incredible experience at Walden! We felt very overwhelmed looking at venues in Chicago, and once we got to Walden, we felt a sigh of relief. Maria made us feel so comfortable and confident in the Walden team. The space is so lovely. We loved the way the light came into the ceremony space, and how it was elevated industrial chic. Exactly the vibe we were going for! The bar is huge and such a fun focal point for cocktail hour and the reception. The reception space felt like a great blank canvas while also not being too blank where you need a ton of decor to fill it up. We felt pretty quickly that this was the place for us. Once we signed, we got set up with Krystle and Ally for our planning session and they were so fun and bubbly and made us feel so excited for the whole process!! They made us feel special and feel good about what needed to happen along the way. I was super nervous about the planning process and they truly made it easier. The basecamp platform to track every single step and item made everything feel transparent and clear on what's involved. Plus, they would nudge whenever I was being slow to respond or avoid making certain decisions :) Exactly what I needed to keep us on track!! We got so excited when we got to meet with them because they really made it all feel fun. Which again, was my biggest worry about planning a wedding. Alyssa came in the month prior to our day and became our lead planner, and she was amazing!! Very calm, cool, collected and made us feel like everything was under control. Which it was!! Day of ran so smoothly, and no one made me feel bad when I wanted to change things around or get their help with something. The food and bar staff were incredibly accommodating and professional, we got a ton of compliments from our guests on the whole experience. Can't say enough nice things about the people, venue and experience. My husband and I had such a wonderful and fun day. We couldn't be more grateful for Walden!

Wow!!! Two years ago, my husband and I began our journey searching for a venue. We knew we wanted a unique space with an amazing food and beverage program. After a ton of research to find the perfect venue, we stumbled on Walden and felt the connection with the venue immediately and knew that this was going to be the place we got married. The venue is a combination of rustic, and modern chic. It is an amazing space that you can make it your own. There is also an onsite scratch kitchen and bar that will cater all your requests and help prepare you an amazing wedding menu. Our planning experience with the Plum and Ivy Wedding team blew our expectations out of the water. From our initial call with Maria, to touring the venue, to the planning process with Briscel, and to the end of the wedding everything was beyond what we ever imagined. There are no words to describe how amazing it was to work with the planning team, especially Briscel, our lead planner. She is organized, creative, professional, funny, caring and always willing to lend an ear for advice. During the planning journey, Briscel was extremely accommodating and always responded to our requests and needs right away. Walden uses a platform called basecamp which took all the stress out of planning a wedding. Everything was detailed and organized with due dates for all the tasks that need to be completed. Briscel was amazing at communicating through basecamp and always helped guide us to complete things and provide advice where needed. Nick, the executive chef at Walden from Real Kitchen, was so talented. He was able to meet all our special food requests and diets. And not to mention the food was extremely tasty and very different from any other wedding food we had ever had. Lastly, Matt, the bar manager. Matt was fanatics when we tasked him to make our favorite drinks for the wedding. He nailed it when making the Grizzly Smash and Espresso Martinis Shots. He also did an amazing job at helping us select the wine, beer and cocktails that would pair well with our food. On to the day of the wedding, everything was PERFECT. Perfect doesn't even begin to describe the experience we had. From the moment we got to the venue to leaving at the end of the night, the team took care of everything. They did not miss a beat to make sure all the details were in place and everyone was having a good time, fed and had a cocktail in their hand. Overall, Walden was an amazing wedding venue and would highly 100% recommend it to others!!!

We recently had our wedding ceremony and reception at Walden and it was a dream from beginning to the end. Everything was PERFECT. The venue itself was beautiful. We had access to the entire building from early morning till the end of the night which was part of our package. We had our ceremony on the second floor and cocktail hour and reception on the first floor. They had an elevator for easy access for our grandparents. The best part was the rooftop with the overlooking view of the city of Chicago where we had our first look, portrait photos and pictures with our wedding party. Also, we can't forget to mention their bridal suite. It was absolutely gorgeous! It had a station for our glam team which made it easier for everyone to get ready. They also had the conference room for the groom's party to hangout. We also had a pleasure to work with the Plum & Ivy wedding planning team. They used this amazing platform called Basecamp, which made it easy for us to communicate with the entire team and helped us with the planning process. Dagne was our lead planner with Briscel as our event coordinator. We have nothing but great things to say about these two. Both of them were very helpful and organized. Dagne was very professional and communicative with us and helped us in every way possible and made our wedding go smoothly. It couldn't have gone any better. She even helped us find vendors who can accommodate our pricing and needs. I personally had a great time working with Dagne throughout the planning of our wedding :) Nick, the executive chef at Walden from Real Kitchen, was amazing. He was able to accommodate some of our guests with special diets. The presentation of all the dishes were great. We received a lot of compliments from our guests about how tasty the food was from hors d'oeuvres to dinner time. Our night wouldn't have been as special and memorable without their delicious food. We also can't forget to mention Matt, the bar manager. We were amazed how the bar turned out. Matt was really nice to let us name our signature drinks. We received a lot of compliments from our guests about how tasty the drinks were from the Polyjuice Potion to the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster and all other drinks. Overall, Walden was an amazing wedding venue and would highly recommend it to others!!!

Back in September, the Walden turned my daughter's dream wedding into a reality! We were so grateful to have this all-inclusive venue with it's built-in wedding planning team, and top-notch culinary/bar service be the extraordinary setting for our daughter and son-in-law's marriage ceremony and reception. Our planning team and "day of " support team led by Krystle provided an invaluable service of guiding us every step of the way. Throughout the months of planning and the weeks leading up to the big day we felt truly valued thanks to Krystle's genuine desire to help create the most beautiful day for her couples and their families. Krystle's attention to details, warmth, joy and calm demeanor are attributes that were so appreciated and will always be remembered. So many of our guests shared exceptional compliments about their meals, cocktails and attentiveness of the servers during the reception. The Walden team also took exceptional care of items we brought in to add to the tablescape which isn't surprising considering they do their best to go above and beyond in all that they do!

"We're engaged!!!" While every couple loves getting to share this exciting announcement, it can be scary to pivot from just-engaged bliss to sitting down and seeing all the work that needs to be done to actually plan a wedding! The stress and the pressure we found ourselves facing with wedding planning truly dissipated once we found The Walden and were paired with Krystle as our Wedding Planner. Krystle is one of the most patient, thoughtful, and thorough project managers that helped us bring our ideas to life and our vision to a reality. Throughout our 18-month engagement, Krystle kept us on track, confident in our decisions, fielded our 1 million questions with poise, and made the road to the most special day of our lives one to cherish and remember. The Walden team as a whole was extraordinary in their professionalism, transparency, and kindness, and we know for a fact that we would not be looking back on or wedding day with such comfort, if not for Krystle, Ally, and the Walden as a whole. They truly have thought of EVERYTHING, and are the reason we were able to remain fully present throughout the entirety of our big day. While unfortunately we don't plan to have the opportunity to work with them again, we recommend them with our whole hearts!

Walden was an absolutely perfect venue for our wedding, we truly could not have asked for anything more. From the beautiful ceremony to the fantastic food and drinks at the reception to our superstar wedding planner Briscel, our vision and hopes for our wedding were far exceeded. We searched through many Chicago wedding venues, and one of the unique things about Walden that sold us on the venue is the wedding planning services they provide. Even though we decided on the venue a full 2 years ahead of our wedding, Briscel was assigned as our planner from the very start. She was such an amazing person to be able to talk to at every step of the process. She was always there to answer any question we had, no matter how crazy or random, and she really helped ease any worries we had at any point. She worked with each and every one of our other vendors, making sure all the little details were taken care of so that everything worked seamlessly together. I cannot overstate how wonderful and important the planning team at Walden was in making our wedding day so great. Beyond that, the entire venue is just gorgeous, and they absolutely know what they are doing when it comes to putting on a wedding. All of the food, from the apps to the salads to the main courses, was fantastic. We have gotten countless complements from our guests about the food being "the best wedding food they've ever had." The drinks were also so great, in particular our two signature cocktails which the bar team designed with our thoughts and inspiration incorporated. The rooftop pictures with the city skyline in the background were such a beautiful place to capture special moments with our photographer. There is so much more we loved about this venue, it is hard to write it all in one post. Overall, it was clear that every single aspect of the day was expertly planned and thought out by the entire team at Walden. We will look back on our wedding day with such great memories for years to come, and we would absolutely give our highest recommendation to the Walden for anyone and everyone who may be thinking about planning their wedding there.

I recently got married at Walden on 12/29/23. There are not enough words to express how incredible our wedding was and how it was the best night of our life. For starters, our planners Krystle and Briscel were incredible to work with. They helped us every step of the way and were organized and responsive. They brought our vision to life and we are beyond thankful for them. The space at Walden is stunning. From the bridal suite, to the ceremony space and reception area. The staff made the experience run smoothly and were so helpful. The Bar staff, servers, and security all were incredible to work with. All of our guests have been talking about how delicious the food was, how beautiful the space was, and how fun our wedding was. I could not suggest this stunning venue anymore! We are so thankful and grateful to have gotten married here and will remember the night forever!

We knew the Walden was the perfect place for us after meeting with Maria and seeing the venue the very first time. The staff at the Walden are so attentive and are always communicating with you, specifically our planners, Hannah and Ally. They did all the leg work for us, which honestly made wedding planning so easy. They executed our vision even better than we had imagined, and the room reveal was absolutely perfect! They made sure drinks and food were ready for us immediately on wedding day. I could not recommend this venue enough!

I wish we could give this team 10 stars. That's how AMAZING they are. I'll start with the planning/execution teams. Krystle and Alyssa were our dynamic planning duo and boy were we LUCKY. The entire wedding planning process can be daunting, awful, long, all of the negative words. However, Walden's planning team makes it easy, exciting, palatable throughout the entire process. I genuinely don't know how I would've planned a wedding without them and their Basecamp! They ensure that no detail gets left behind and it makes a HUGE difference on the actual wedding day. To that point, they made sure that everything day-of wedding went off without a hitch. If there was a hiccup, I sure couldn't tell you!! I've received so many texts following our wedding that are giving rave reviews for the day and how seamless/smooth it was. That's all Walden planning and it's a special touch you definitely want your wedding day. Now onto food and drink! My husband and I are huge foodies and we love good cocktails. We frequently treat ourselves to nice drinks and dinner (think Longman & Eagle, Mi Tocaya, Rosemary.) Everything the Walden team delivered from the tasting event to the final walkthrough to the day of absolutely blew us out of the water. This is another area we've received numerous texts from guests lauding, people can't stop raving about the food and drink. Honestly, anything you pick/the team puts together will be delicious and perfect. We had a guest with celiac disease and the team made her a special entrée that she LOVED (no small feat!) It exceeds any wedding bar and food service I've ever experienced and I know our friends and family feel the same way. Overall, this team ensures you and your partner will have the best day of your life that's worry-free, memorable and ultimately, exactly how you envision it! I cannot recommend this venue and their teams enough. Walden team - thank you from the bottom of my heart. You all made our wedding day the best day of our lives.

There are not enough INCREDIBLE things I can say about Walden and the team. First I'll start by saying Walden is not just a venue. By having our wedding at Walden, we got to work with the Plum & Ivy wedding planning team and had our own wedding planners, and we had our catering and alcohol done by Real Kitchen as part of our package. These vendors all work together as part of the wedding package, and all of it was phenomenal!! Erika and Katie were our planners, and each of them were nothing short of fabulous. They are SO organized (which I am too, so I knew I was in the right hands with them), quick to respond, have incredible taste, are kind and fun, and they knew exactly when to lean on my decision making versus when to provide their opinions. All in all, they are both absolute perfection. The wedding planning team also uses the Basecamp project management app for all wedding planning tasks and messaging, so I always knew when action items were coming up and had a place to chat with the team for questions and updates. The food and drinks by Real Kitchen were all delicious! Nick has seasonal menus that we got to taste at the tasting party, which was the second best night ever (after our wedding of course). Every single item was truly delicious, so we had a ton of options to choose from. Our guests gave rave reviews about the food and drinks as well. The venue space at Walden is stunning, with an open, modern, and industrial feel. While it has this style, it's also a perfect blank canvas to make your event your own with florals and decor. Any wedding vibe and style will look great against the Walden backdrop. The big open reception and bar area creates a nice flow, so even if you step off the dance floor you feel like you're still part of the party. My bridesmaids and I got ready in the Walden bridal suite, which was the perfect space. There was plenty of room for all the girls, the hair and makeup team was grateful for all the counter space to lay out their supplies, and the high stool chairs with the big mirrors make it feel like you're getting ready at a salon. The rooftop space at Walden also made it easy to pop up for 15 mins of sunset photos with my new husband, which I can't wait to see! To sum up, book Walden immediately. You won't regret it! :)

Can't say enough amazing thanks about Kalila, Jenny, Erin, Katie, and Briscel from the Walden Team. Also shoutout to Matt and Nick and Maria as well! We had the most beautiful wedding thanks to their team. They were so detail oriented and made us feel so at ease planning this day. Not to mention they are generally just awesome people as well.... felt like we were planning our wedding with our friends and that's all we could've ever asked for. The Walden is a must, you will have zero regrets about choosing this venue for your event/wedding.

We had our ceremony and reception at Walden on 5/20/23. Everything was perfect; absolutely no complaints! Briscel and her team (wedding planner and day off coordinators) made sure everything went smoothly without any hiccups. If there were any issues, they took care of it without us even knowing. We received endless compliments on how delicious the food tasted (thank you Nick). Nick was able to accommodate every single guest that had specific allergy/dietary restrictions. Matt and his bar team made sure all our guests did not wait long for drinks and the selection of drinks was perfect! Also, I received compliments on how well the drinks tasted! The venue itself is a beautiful space. The Bridal suite is huge, even has a shower! There is an elevator to get up and down between the ceremony and reception area which made it easy for our grandma. The security team made sure everyone got to their cars safely. Overall, Walden is an amazing wedding venue especially because of the team of people that work there. Highly recommended!!!

BOOK THE WALDEN ASAP! I got married at the Walden in June of this year and cannot recommend the venue, the planning team, and food, the drinks, and the entire experience more. My husband and I were consistently impressed with how the Walden made our wedding planning process seamless. Everything was so organized, beautiful, and we loved working with Kalila as our lead planner, Erika, and Briscel! Kalila personalized the experience and I felt so seen throughout the whole planning process. And, THE FOOD! Our wedding guests said it was the best food they've ever had at a wedding. There were so many options to choose from and the tasting party is a blast. THE DRINKS! We got rave reviews of the cocktails, had several amazing beer and wine choices, and there was never a line at the bar (seriously). On the day of the wedding, they made us feel so comfortable and confident (they even printed my vows and steamed all of the girls' dresses). So many small touches made the Walden a dream to work with. I truly cannot recommend them enough for an all around amazing wedding!!!! Thank you, Walden - we love you!!!

We have the best experience working with the entire Walden team for our September 2022 wedding. Planning Team: I have to start with Erika & Briscel, while I didn't initially plan to have full service wedding planning, it was a lovely bonus when booking with the Walden. On top of that, we got paired with two incredible planners and humans who made our day so perfectly special. They were both perceptive to our requests and helped to find absolutely incredible vendors who fit our style and budget . They helped me to earn the title of 'the most chill bride' throughout the wedding day because every detail was throughout, planned for and taken care of. They made my type-a, detail oriented heart so happy! Food/ Beverage Team: I LOVED the tasting party experience that came along with working with the Walden and team. It was so incredible to be able to taste fantastic seasonal dishes, cocktails, and wine and to be able to include our family in the process. Our top priority for our wedding was for guests to love the food and drinks offered and it was an absolute success, they are still talking about it. Matt & Nick are fantastic at what they do and we thoroughly enjoyed our day of feast. Venue: Last, but certainly not least, the venue itself was perfect. I fell in love from the second I stepped in. My husband and I commented how the venue had much of the same style as our home. There are so many touches to the space that allowed us to do very minimalistic things in terms of other decor. We loved the beautiful features of the space like the bright ceremony space, gorgeous bridal suite, dark and moody reception and cocktail bar, and high ceiling reception space with a stunning green wall. I would highly recommend working with the Walden team for your wedding day if you're looking for an elegant and modern city wedding!

The Walden was absolutely INCREDIBLE to work with! And the fact that their package gives you access to their planning team was the number one selling point for us! From day one of signing our contract to the actual wedding day and everything in between, their planning team made everything so easy and magical for us! Specifically our planners, Krystal and Alyssa, who were so wonderful every single step of the way! We truly would not have made it to the finish line without their guidance and support and are forever grateful for everything they did for us! I would recommend Walden and our planners to ANYONE! They were truly incredible and so efficient and understanding and executed everything so perfectly! I truly can't even count the number of compliments we got from friends and family day of saying how seamless everything was and that's truly because of the amazing staff and planners at Walden! If you're looking for a sign to book with Walden, THIS IS IT! You will not regret it! They are 100% the absolute best!

Words cannot express how grateful my husband and I are for choosing Walden for our wedding. From our tour day 1, through the planning process, to the wedding day, the team was incredible in all aspects and we can't thank them enough. We were so fortunate to work with Hannah and Alyssa- they were attentive to detail, patient, communicative and so down to earth. They made the planning process a breeze and enjoyable. The day of the wedding was completely stressfree which made me relaxed as a bride and truly able to enjoy the day. The facilities are immaculate from the ceremony space, to the getting ready room, to cocktail hour/dinner space and the rooftop where we had sunset pictures. Our friends and family keep raving about the amazing food and service. In addition, they were blown away by our room reveal. Our wedding was beyond our wildest dreams and we cannot recommend the Walden enough for making it possible!

We knew the minute we walked into the Walden and met with Maria that it was where we wanted to get married! Maria & the planners were so helpful and accommodating from the beginning all the way until the last minute of our wedding. Not only is the space amazing, but the planning team exceeded all expectations! We could not have pulled it off without them! We signed our contract in August & quickly planned for a March wedding. They provide checklists, vendor lists, recommendations, vendor reach out & assistance, ideas, cost saving options etc., you name it they were there to help! Also - The food & drinks were raved about throughout the wedding night by guests, and were seamlessly served. Having a full kitchen onsite & a massive bar allows for hot food, cold drinks & quick service! Hannah was our planner and Katie was our coordinator and they were so helpful, attentive, responsive, outgoing... just GREAT overall. We had a wonderful wedding and experience at the Walden and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a wedding and/or event space in Chicago!

If I could give this more than 5 stars, I absolutely would! From our first visit to the venue when it was still a construction site in January 2020, to our wedding in August 2021, everything about the space and team exceeded our expectations. The venue itself is stunning - it's got a West Loop industrial feel but with a little added warmth and character. It checked all the boxes of what we were looking for in a wedding venue, and brought our vision of simple, yet sophisticated decor to life. Booking this venue gave us the added bonus of a STELLAR team running the show! I don't know how we would have pulled off our perfect day without the Plum and Ivy planning team who truly went above and beyond every step of the way. Major shoutout to Erika who helped us make our day possible! In terms of the food - it's not very often that a wedding meal feels like one of the best meals you'll ever have, but this is definitely the case at Walden. We received SO MANY compliments from our guests on how amazing the food was and how much they enjoyed their meals (and drinks)! The seasonal meal options felt different than your traditional "chicken, beef or veggie" choices, but still approachable enough to serve a large number of guests. We so appreciate all the thought and detail the team at Walden provided to make our event spectacular!

The best wedding venue in Chicago. We toured endless venues and the minute we stopped into the Walden we knew it was the one. From the beautiful venue, the planners, the staff, food/drinks- this was a no brainer for us!!! The planning team is the best of the best- a special shoutout to Hannah, Briscel, Ally, Matt and Nick. The team was fabulous and helped us with every detail. The highlights of the night were the BEST signature drinks curated by the bar- our guests are still talking about it. As well as the champagne tower and espresso martini shots. The food was incredible and again- our guests could not stop raving about the passed appetizers and dinner. Hannah, Ally, and Briacsl made sure every single thing went seamlessly throughout the day. As the bride , I did not feel stressed or anxious once as I knew we had the best team making our dream wedding come true! Thank you Walden! Do not look any further- this is the best Chicago venue EVER.

Walden was such a perfect venue for hosting our wedding! Hannah and Katie Rose were fantastic planners and both so easy and helpful to work with. They were there to help us throughout the entire process and made the entire planning process so much easier. The food and drinks were amazing and we received so many compliments from guests on the service that was provided - the entire team is really looking out for all of the guests and doing whatever they can to make the day memorable in the best way possible. We were thrilled with our decision to host our wedding at Walden and would not change a thing!

Simply incredible, the team, the venue, the organization, the whole wedding was an 11 out of 10. The whole experience working with the Walden team was spectacular! There is a lot that goes into a wedding day and we felt fully prepared from the start with what to expect, what we needed to coordinate, and what the planning team would lead. Every agreement was reviewed and every vendor was coordinated by the Walden team before and during our special day. We did not have our phones on us and simply got to enjoy. Truly looking back it was THE most spectacular day, and it would not have been possible without the preparation and day of coordination of the Walden and their whole team.

We hosted a corporate event at The Walden and the experience was flawless. The team on site was helpful not only during the event but leading up to it as well. If you're looking for a location / venue with space, style and support - this is it! Erika and Ally helped keep our planning team sane and proactively jumped in on topics we needed more expertise on.

THE BEST OF THE BEST - We just got married at the Walden on July 11th, and we have nothing, but amazing things to say about everything the Walden has to offer. Everything from the stunning venue, to the phenomenal food/drinks, and to the flawless execution from the team. It was everything we were hoping for and more! Our lead planner, Zaire, was perfection! She made sure everything was perfect for our big day and kept me calm throughout it all. She's the sweetest and most thoughtful person to work with! I'm so grateful to the Walden team for executing such an amazing day for us, and I look forward to seeing more people book their events at the Walden!

The space, food and drinks at Walden are all EXCEPTIONAL (truly), but what puts them truly ahead of the game are the amazing people who work there. The kindness, attention to detail, responsiveness and care that the team has for their couples is unmatched, and helped make our day truly unforgettable. Food - Nick is extremely responsive and accommodating, and the food that comes out of the Walden kitchen is NOT your typical wedding food! Everyone at our wedding RAVED about how delicious everything was. They also expertly navigated some tricky food allergies that our wedding party had, which gave us a lot of peace of mind. Bar - Matt!!! The best. Walden's bev program is outstanding, and they provided us so many options for our guests to choose from. Matt also sent me the recipe for one of our signature drinks during a particularly chaotic wedding planning day, which was very much appreciated and utilized. Planning - this is the kicker. If you are blessed enough to have Kalila as your planner, thank your lucky stars! She orchestrated every single moment of our day, kept everyone in line and was genuinely fun to hang out with during the process. She has perfected the balance of having calm energy while simultaneously getting 100 things done, and I could tell she felt true joy for us throughout the whole day. All this to say - BOOK YOUR WEDDING HERE. It will alleviate one zillion of the bs stresses that wedding planning brings, and you will feel so great knowing you have the very best team of people in your corner. (PLEASE invite me to your wedding though so I can eat the food again!!!)

Highly HIGHLY recommend the Walden to have your wedding (or any event for that matter). Kalila and the Walden team made everything so seamless and stress free from the second we started working with her. This was actually the first and only venue we saw before we booked it for our wedding. On top of us getting married, we also moved into a new house a week before which was stress city to say the least - I don't know how we would've done it without Kalila. The day of the wedding it was like everything was taken care of, we could just sit back and relax and just be there and enjoy the day. The night truly was one of the best nights of our lives. The feedback we got from our guests was amazing too! Literally everyone texted us the days following the wedding saying how fun it was and how great the food was, the dessert was, and the late night cocktail. One of our guests said she is recommending this to anyone she knows that gets engaged. It was all just perfect. Thank you Kalila and Walden team!!!!

We had an incredible experience working with the Walden planning team for July 2022 wedding! VENUE: Walden is an absolutely gorgeous venue located just a few minutes from our home, which was incredibly convenient. It is also next door to our favorite brewery - Midwest Coast, where we hosted our after party. The upstairs space was the perfect intimate backdrop for our ceremony and the elegant, modern reception space held our 240 guests comfortably. FOOD/BEVERAGES: The food was INCREDIBLE! We went with the Miso Salmon and Brisket for our entrees, and our guests are still talking about the meal week later. The signature cocktails were amazing and the beer/wine list was the best I've seen offered a wedding. We had so much fun at the tasting trying everything. Matt and Nick are great at what they do. PLANNERS: We truly can't say enough positive things about the planning services at Walden. It is incredibly unique to find a full-service venue and planning team that actually goes the extra mile, and Walden absolutely does. Erika held our hand through the entire process and was responsible for recommending some of our favorite vendors that we would not have found otherwise (Band - Funktastic, Floral - Thistle and Plume, Video - Sauer Productions). She completely understood what we were looking for and steered us in the right direction. The day of team was also exceptional. They thought of so many sweet details, like sending us home with slices of the pies we served for dessert, that meant a lot to us. I would HIGHLY recommend working with Walden if you are looking for a modern, Chicago wedding. Wish we could do it all over again!

We cannot say enough good things about Walden! From the touring process to the day of, they were so helpful and communicative. Once we decided to go with Walden, we knew we made a good decision and that was clear even after our wedding day. Hannah was our lead planner and she was a DREAM. She really understood our vision and helped bring it to life. Hannah and Katie were there from start to finish to answer our questions and give advice. They recommended great vendor partners and made that communication process seamless as well. On wedding day, we have tons of guests tell us that the food was the best wedding meal they have ever had. The drinks were great and there was never a line at the bar. The wait staff were incredible. It was worth every single penny. 10/10 experience, and I would recommend them to any engaged couple looking for a great venue.

Where do we even begin to thank the team at the Walden Chicago for helping make our wedding day not only so incredibly special but also run so smoothly?! From our assigned planner, Kalila Harris, to the catering chef Nick and his team, to the bar manager Matt and his team, to the security, each and every person helped in playing a part in our big day. When we first toured the Walden with one of their owners Maria, we knew it was the venue for us. Not only were they upfront with their pricing and all that the Walden had to offer but their venue was physically unlike any other space we had seen (and we had toured a bunch!) We wanted an untraditional wedding venue in Chicago and Walden checked off all of our boxes. They had separate spaces for each event (getting ready bridal suite, ceremony, cocktail hour and reception), in house catering (with AMAZING food options that our guests are still raving about!) and a full service bar (martinis, old fashioned, Malort....you name it!). They also have a rooftop which provided perfect views of the Chicago city skyline for couples/wedding party photos! We signed with the Walden in December of 2022 and had our wedding in May of 2023. The short timeline was initially stressful but the Walden's wedding planning team (included in the rental price!) helped assure that it was as relaxed of a process as possible. They provided us with timelines, vendor recommendations and so much more (calling vendors, spell checking invitations, reading through contracts, etc). On the day of our wedding, everyone at the Walden made us feel so incredibly special-especially our planner Kalila and day of/closing planners. Kalila went above and beyond from answering are 1000+ emails, to helping set up our personal items/decor, to decorating our donut cake-we can not thank her enough! Kalila became like a friend to us and made sure that our special day was as memorable as possible. Thank you Walden Chicago for giving us the most perfect day and wedding planning process imaginable!

We had the most incredible wedding day experience, and we attribute that to the Walden staff and venue. They were so supportive and helpful through the planning process, with reviewing vendors and working with them on our behalf. The day of, everything was timed perfectly and they reduced our stress so much! The food and drinks were so delicious, and our guests have been raving about it. If you want a wedding that you and your guests will fully enjoy, with the support of a dedicated planning team, Walden is the best choice.