The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is one of the world’s great orchestras, founded in 1891 and led across its history by legends like Georg Solti, Daniel Barenboim, and Riccardo Muti. What fewer couples know: Symphony Center on Michigan Avenue is also one of the city’s most elegant wedding venues, where your celebration unfolds in the same halls that host the world’s finest musicians.
Hosting a Wedding at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
The Spaces
- The Grainger Ballroom: the signature reception space, with classic elegance and windows overlooking Michigan Avenue and the Art Institute.
- The 9th-floor club: a stylish setting for cocktail hours above the city.
- Flexible scale: spaces suit everything from intimate gatherings to full-scale celebrations.
Filming Weddings at the CSO
We filmed Kristina & Lucian’s wedding here, with cocktails on the 9th-floor club, dinner and dancing in the Grainger Ballroom, and fireworks over the lake to end the night. The location is a filmmaker’s gift: the Art Institute gardens are across the street for portraits, Michigan Avenue’s architecture frames every arrival shot, and the ballroom’s classic detail glows on camera. Few venues put a wedding this deep in the cultural heart of Chicago.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra Wedding FAQ
Can you get married at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra?
Yes. Symphony Center hosts weddings in the Grainger Ballroom and its club spaces, from intimate ceremonies to large receptions.
Where do couples take photos near the CSO?
The Art Institute and its gardens are directly across the street, with Millennium Park and Michigan Avenue’s landmarks minutes away.
Is the CSO good for wedding films?
Wonderful: a classic ballroom, Michigan Avenue grandeur, and the Art Institute gardens next door make the whole day flow within one cinematic block.
Getting married at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra? We know the ballroom, the light, and the block. Check your date →