In the interest of due diligence, Amanda and Melia recently hoofed it over to the
Signature Room at 95th to check out their bridal showcase. That's right, we braved sleet, snow, rain and bitter cold to bring you the details on what could be your wedding venue, so read on and enjoy!
When we arrived, the warm and cozy ambiance was a welcome respite from the nasty weather outside. The Signature's private event rooms are located just off of their dining area on the 95th floor with a sweeping south and west facing view of downtown Chicago.
The Meetinghouse had done a lovely job of poshing up the joint with a varied array of lounge furniture, highboys, and table arrangements designed to appeal to a wide array of tastes, and to allow one to picture a myriad of possibilities for that special day. As we browsed and noshed, here are a few questions we asked ourselves, imagining, of course, that our readers would want to know:
Q: What was your initial reaction upon walking in the room?
MJ: My initial reaction was of relief - couches!! I had been on my feet all day! Just kidding. I was excited to see the level of detail that
The Meetinghouse had implemented, I really felt like I was at a wedding or reception. It was beautiful and welcoming.
AG: It had great ambiance. And for a little while a great view of the city 95 floors up (until the clouds rolled in.) Loved the table designs by Meetinghouse and one was even a little bold with purple table cloth and gold chairs but it actually worked well!
Q: What stood out the most about the room decor?
MJ: I'm fascinated with lighting design. There were a couple of neat little gadgets that projected a starry pattern on the ceiling and some wall washes in a couple of different soft colors, all coming from discreetly placed fixtures.
AG: I loved the lighting as well. Lighting is so important at weddings! It creates mood and ambiance, so I think they did a great job with lighting the space.
Q: How was the food executed?
MJ: I thought the passed hors d'oeuvres were tasty but nothing out of the ordinary. I was really blown away by the chef hosted food stations. The food was delicious and the chefs were incredibly personable.
AG: I love the ideas of doing stations at weddings. I was most impressed by the scallop station. The sea scallops were fresh and cooked just right and served with 3 amazing sauce choices: teriyaki, red beet sauce and truffle sauce. I like the idea of a scallop station at a wedding now! I also loved the various grilled cheese options at the grilled cheese station and doing a crepe bar was a cool idea as well.
Q: What was your favorite dish?
MJ: My favorite was the chef hosted grilled cheese station. I loved the flavor, variety (standard through gourmet) and that there was a tomato chutney available as a side to really give you the feel of comfort food.
AG: Going with the scallops for this one. It just wasn't anything that I've seen before. I really liked it!
Q: Did the food being served reflect the menu available for a wedding reception?
MJ: I think the food served represented a nice array of appetizer and late night snack options (the grilled cheese station) and a scallop station representing one of the higher end options. Some of the menu items in the prix fixe dinners are listed as seasonal which I think is great.
AG: I think it showcased some great options available if a couple decides to go with a station idea but Signature room definitely has great menu options available for plated dinners.
Q What are a few key points about the menu or venue that a bride might want to know?
MJ: Well, I'm always interested in minimums and add ons, so a few things that I noticed are: tastings are complimentary for 2 persons (with a deposit for your event), there is a standard bartender fee but it is waived if you reach a certain minimum, and a three course minimum applies to all plated lunches and dinners.
AG: Signature Room is a great venue for both a wedding, rehearsal dinner, and bridal luncheons, and after wedding brunch. Wedding packages typically includes Hor d'oueurves, dinner, champagne celebration, hosted bar, wines with dinner, cake, coffee/tea, dance floor, candles, bud vases with flowers. One great thing about the menu is that their are a good amount of menu selections available and enhancements you can add on for appetizers to a sweet buffet. Also love the ability to make late night foods for your guests.
Q: Was the staff professional, welcoming and knowledgeable/ would you feel comfortable with the staff members you met tonight servings guests at your special event?
MJ: The staff was very professional, knowledgeable and personable. They interacted well with the guests and I would feel comfortable with the staff I saw tonight working on my event.
AG: All of the staff were great! Great chefs and very attentive staff.
Q: Do you think the price point is reasonable and/or justified?
MJ: At first glance (and this is my only issue with the menu layout) it seemed like the menu is incredibly pricy, but after further scrutiny (and a phone call to double check) I realized that the entree price ($122/pp - $156/pp not including tax and gratuity) actually reflects the entire package - five course dinner, four hour bar with champagne toast, wedding cake or plated dessert, dance floor, and small bud vases with fresh flowers. Seems like a pretty great deal to me! I do wish the menu was a little clearer about that though.
AG: Yes I think there a lot of options available. $122 as a start which includes all of the above Melia mentioned is a pretty good deal!
Q: What stood out the most?
MJ: I thought the
Meetinghouse really transformed the room into a beautiful venue. Seeing a private event space that stands empty full of beautiful table set ups and intrigueing lighting design really gives meaning to the phrase "A picture is worth a thousand words".
AG: I also agree with Melia here. The ambiance of the space really stood out. If you were coming to this space on its own, although its a great view you have to use a little more imagination to visualize a transformation. Being there for this event made it much more realistic.
MJ: I love the ambiance. The private rooms - which can be used as one large room that seats up to 150 or broken up into smaller rooms - are elegant and inviting at the same time. There isn't that feeling of "lost" that you get when you walk into a huge hall with 4 story high ceilings, but you don't feel like you're in someone's living room, either.
AG: Ambiance, food, decor, and service! The Signature Room is a top notch Chicago restaurant and destination. I would definitely recommend checking out this venue from everything to your big day or other wedding events!
If you think the Signature Room at 95th might be for you, follow our
link or call (312)-280-0465. You can find The Meetinghouse information at this
link or calling (630)-941-0600.
I pride myself on having a keen eye for value. Value meaning specifically what expenses are 'worth it' to the bride and groom. While that list is different for every couple, a recent article in Refinery 29 highlighting some of the best signature cocktails in NYC caused me to think about the positive reasons to have a signature cocktail at your reception, and why it's value is pretty ubiquitous.
While I love living in big cities and surrounding myself with modern architecture and design, my Southern roots have always drawn me toward tradition, antiques and lace when it comes to weddings. As a little girl, I spent hours digging through my great-grandmother’s wooden trunk, trying on mink stoles, lace gloves, veiled hats and little white frocks, and for my graduation, I donned a 19th century garden party dress and a wreath of flowers in my hair. One thing I learned while wearing that dress, however, is that antique gowns are VERY fragile and prone to mishaps. (My mother had to re-sew the hem of my dress as I was standing in line for my graduation processional after my heel barely brushed it while making my way up the staircase.) A ripped gown is NOT something you want to deal with on your wedding day. Luckily, companies like Anthropologie allow me to get my lace and floral fix without the fear of having my 100-year old dress unravel at the seams. 
