FAQs

According to Brides.com (seems trustworthy), cocktail attire is “a balance between formal and casual and elegant and comfortable. To an event with this dress code, such as a wedding, men typically wear a suit and tie while women wear a cocktail dress.”

We like to think of it as fancy, not schmancy.

Despite being at a garden, there are few opportunities to walk on grass. Heels of all kinds are encouraged!

While I’m sure they’re great kids, the welcome party, wedding and reception are for adults only.

O’hare is about a 30 minute drive from Evanston.

Midway is a bit further away (45 minutes) and closer to downtown.

We always fly into O’hare. Dealer’s choice.

We’ve reserved rooms at several hotels in Evanston, which we’re treating as our home base for the weekend. Hotel details can be found here.

If you’re looking to be close to the venue, The Renaissance is less than a 10 minute drive from the Botanic Garden. (The Renaissance to Evanston is about a 25 minute drive.)

Buyer beware: If opting for a downtown hotel, please be aware that it’s Lollapalooza weekend! The city will be crowded and travel to and from the North Shore will take longer than usual. Evanston is less than 15 miles from downtown, but depending on traffic it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to travel to and from.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe.

Directions to the Garden can be found here.

If driving, there will be an attendant and signage to point you in the right direction. Parking is free for wedding guests, just mention the wedding to the attendant when you arrive.

Additional transportation info can be found here.

Yes! There will be shuttles to take guests from Evanston to the venue. Details can be found here.

Note: We’re told Ubers are tricky to order from the venue itself. Keep this in mind when planning your arrival and departure.

Maybe, depends how you’re looking to spend your weekend. There are plenty of activities in and around Evanston within walking or Uber distance, and shuttles will be provided to and from the venue day-of.

If looking to explore the suburbs or elsewhere, a car is encouraged. Otherwise, you won’t miss it.