Café Brauer
A Prairie School Landmark on the South Pond in Lincoln Park
Café Brauer sits on the South Pond in Lincoln Park, inside Lincoln Park Zoo. Dwight Perkins designed it in 1908 in the Prairie School style, and it's a Chicago landmark today. The Great Hall looks out over the pond and Nature Boardwalk to the skyline, and it seats 250 for dinner or holds 500 for a cocktail-style reception.
We planned Jaclyn and Scott's wedding here in August 2022, and the photos on this page are from that night, by Niki Marie Photography. They married under the arched wooden pavilion on the zoo's Nature Boardwalk, a short walk away, with the John Hancock Center on the skyline behind them. Back inside, hanging gardens of blush roses and greenery wrapped the gold chandeliers, a living wall held rows of champagne glasses, and long mirrored tables ran down the Great Hall. Late in the night, they went back outside for a dance under the café's red neon sign.
Planning a Café Brauer Wedding
The setting does a lot of the work here, so the planning is mostly about the flow between outside and in. A ceremony at the Nature Boardwalk pavilion keeps guests in the park and close to the reception, and golden hour on the pond is the best light of the day for portraits. Café Brauer sits inside the zoo, so events are booked through Lincoln Park Zoo's private events team, and the park around it stays public, so we plan guest arrival and photos with that in mind.
The terrace and park are lovely for a ceremony or cocktail hour, but Café Brauer isn't a place for a tent. We explain why, and which Chicago venues can carry one, in Tent Wedding Venues in Chicago.
For more real Chicago weddings in historic buildings, see Kristin and Tyler at Bridgeport Art Center and Krystle and Sean at Venue SIX10. Read about our Chicago wedding coordination, browse all of our Chicago wedding venues, or start a conversation with us.
Ready?! Let's Plan Together
Next Steps
Inquire
Complete our inquiry form, and we'll get back to you promptly to schedule a 30-minute consultation discovery call — where we can connect and learn about your wedding dreams.
Consultation Discovery Call
During your discovery session, we’ll get to know you and your fiancé, discuss what’s most important to you, the level of planning and design you’re seeking, and start envisioning your dream wedding weekend. You'll also learn about our approach, and if we’re a good fit, we’ll schedule a proposal review to move forward.
Proposal Review
In the Proposal Review, we’ll outline what you can expect working with us, go over our full planning and design process, and answer all your questions. You’ll leave this meeting feeling excited, confident, and ready to move forward with a trusted partner by your side!
On-Boarding & Kick-Off Call
The Wedicity Planning Experience officially begins! We’ll get you onboarded into our planning platform and schedule an initial Kick-Off Call. Prior to the call, you'll complete our Wedding Party Questionnaire and Wedding Foundation Guide — helping us get to know you, your priorities, and vision for your day.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
At Wedicity, diversity, inclusion, and love in all forms are at the heart of what we do.
We are proud to be a LGBTQ+ Friendly, Denomination-Wide, and Racially/Culturally Inclusive wedding planning team — leading with a service-first mentality and a passion for creating joyful, meaningful celebrations.
Hate has no place here. Love is Love!
Our Locations
At Wedicity, as a destination Wedding planning service, we offer our services across the country and in various worldwide destinations from coast to coast, including New York, Southern California, Aspen, Italy, Amalfi Coast, and Paris. Our team of expert wedding planners and event designers are ready to create unforgettable experiences for you and your guests.
To learn more about our planning and design services and how we can help you plan your dream wedding, please contact us using the form above. Our team is based out of Chicago and services weddings from City to Coast!
Looking to get away for an intimate wedding celebration or bring the entire family to a destination wedding abroad? Pack your bags and we'll take care of the rest! Serving the US and beyond.
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