Chicago Elopement Wedding Packages

Creativo offers Elopement packages and planning in downtown Chicago. All packages include photography, officiated ceremony, and optional use of our studio venue Creativo Loft, or we can plan your services to take place at various parks or alternate venues in downtown Chicago. From there we can coordinate a customized package of services for you with options including flowers, cake, and additional photography time.

Starting Rates:

$1000 - Couple Only

$1500 - Couple + up to 10 guests

To receive an estimate and request a date, please click here to visit our main website and fill out our Elopement Request form.

CHICAGO MICROWEDDINGS AND MINI WEDDINGS

Our "Mini Weddings"  take place indoors at Creativo Loft. Photographer, ceremony officiant, 8x8 fabric backdrop altar, white wood chairs, programmed music, two hours event time is included. There is a flat rate at $2500 for up to 20 guests max.  Some upgrades may be added on a la carte, such as adding time to go to an outside portrait location, flower package, and cake.

Our "Microwedding" packages take place at Creativo Loft.  They are pre-packaged with all-inclusive services, excluding catering (separate). Photography with outside portraits time, ceremony officiant, flower package, sweets, and rentals are already included. The event is 3 hours, plus 1 additional hour for couple’s outside portraits. Packages start at $6000 and are limited to 30 guests max.

Please Contact Sarah at Creativo Loft for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q.         What is included?

A.         All of our elopement packages include ceremony officiant, photographer for ceremony and portraits, and use of our venue Creativo Loft.   If your elopement ceremony is indoors at Creativo Loft, our standard ceremony set-up (pictured above) and custom music playlist is also included. From there we have a la carte upgrade options to choose from, or we may customize a package for you.

Q.         Are there decorations? 

A.         For indoor elopements at Creativo Loft our standard ceremony set-up includes our white wood folding chairs and 8x8 foot fabric backdrop “altar.”  Our packages have options for upgrading decor, and you may also include your own decorations, which we would discuss with you in advance.

Q.         Can we decorate ourselves DIY?

A.         Yes, at Creativo Loft, if you are bringing in any minor decorations that can be set-up in 30-minutes or less that may be included at no additional cost.  If you would like to do elaborate decorating, additional time may be added on -- if our schedule permits -- with additional hourly venue rental fees.  Candles must be in glass votive holders or hurricane holders that go higher than the exposed flame.  Or battery operated LED candles do not need to be in any glass holders.  All DIY décor must be approved in advance.  For outdoor ceremonies, unless you make arrangements directly with the Chicago Park District (and have a permit with them), no chairs or decorations may be set up.

Q.         Can we bring our own food?

A.         We do not permit any self-catered events at Creativo Loft.  For Microweddings or a standard wedding, we require couples to hire a licensed and insured catering company. We have a list of several pre-approved companies that you may choose from.

Q.         If our ceremony is indoors can we also go outside for portraits?

A.         Yes, our packages may be upgraded to add on extra time to include outdoor portraits in the downtown Chicago area.  You will need to make arrangements for transportation. We can recommend limo companies or other hired transportation services.

Q.         Can we play music?

A.         Yes, we have a sound system at Creativo Loft and can program a custom playlist for your ceremony and post-ceremony portraits/refreshments time.

Q.         What is parking like at Creativo Loft?

A.         Monday – Saturday, there are several free sides streets and metered main streets.  Saturday and Sunday parking is easier when there are no commuters and very low traffic volume compared to weekdays. Also on Sundays, meter parking on the main streets is free.  There is a nearby paid parking garage within 2 blocks. We are closely located just 2 miles west of Michigan Ave. and downtown Chicago, only about 10 minutes / $10 taxi or uber ride from most hotels, especially the "River North" area hotels. We are also literally steps away from public transit CTA Blue Line, Chicago Ave. stop.

Q.         If we have a wedding ceremony permit for a Chicago Park District location for our group ... or ... we are eloping at City Hall Marriage Court or Cultural Center Marriage Court.  Can you provide officiant and photography only ... or ... even just photography services for our wedding?

A.         Yes, if we are available for the date.  Generally we are only able to accept marriage court type elopements if it is less than a month or so in advance and we still have the date open.  Depending on the date and complexity of a larger wedding group, the photographer may require a 4 hour minimum booking, so you may want to consider having some photo coverage carry over for your post-ceremony celebration, and/or have additional time and locations for your wedding portraits.  If more than 4 hours will be needed, standard wedding photography rates will apply.  If you are just looking for a photographer and like the photography you see on this website, regardless of your wedding size or type, please visit our photography website http://www.weddingcreativo.com.

Q.         Are Saturdays available?

A.         Yes, we usually have some Saturdays available that are not booked with larger events, but of course check availability early for popular dates.

Q.         Do we need any witnesses to attend / sign our marriage license?

A.          Nope. Cook County does not require any witnesses. Your officiant is the only person that signs the Cook County marriage license.

Q.         Are the marriage license & certificate included in the package?

A.         No -- by law -- couples are required to apply IN PERSON at one of the Cook County offices, minimally 1 day in advance, but you may get your license up to 60 days in advance of your wedding date.  Cook County will issue the license while you wait.  There is one office in downtown Chicago, or five other offices in suburban Cook County, and they are all open Monday - Friday, but not on weekends.  After the wedding day you will need to order your marriage certificate from Cook County, they do not provide one automatically.  Please visit the county website for more information.

Creativo Loft is operated by creative event professionals Sarah and Giorgio.  We offer a wide variety of options for small weddings from 2 - 50 people.  Please visit our main website creativoloft.com for more general information and more photos of our venue.

All bookings, no matter the size or type, are subject to date availability. The busiest months in Chicago tend to be May/June and September/October, but in general April through December are in-demand months for weddings, so availability is extremely limited on weekends during peak months.  We may ask in our reply to your inquiry if an alternate date is an option for you if your requested date is unavailable.

Please note, Cook County, IL / Chicago requires a 1-day waiting period after the marriage license is issued, so please plan accordingly. For general information about requirements in Cook County, you may be interested to read our blog post How To Get Married in Chicago. 

If you are newly engaged and are not sure what kind of wedding might be best for you, please feel free to contact us and we can suggest a few of our options that might work, or you may want to consider booking an in-depth consultation meeting with Sarah to help you start with a plan that is right for you.  When contacting us, please try to minimally include an estimated group size and either the date or month when you would like to get married.

Please fill out our CONTACT FORM or EMAIL for more information. Thank you.