The Lytle House is an intimate, family-owned gathering space with a capacity of 80 for a seated or cocktail style reception. We have a preferred list of vendors that we highly recommend, and an approved list of caterers for you to choose from.
Our goal is to offer a unique backdrop for your celebration and to make the planning process as smooth as possible.
AMENITIES
With over 2800 square feet of free flowing indoor-outdoor space and featuring high ceilings, exposed brick, factory windows, and original industrial features, The Lytle House is available for weddings, private ceremonies, bridal showers, engagement parties, rehearsal dinners, baby showers, professional events, photoshoots, workshops and more.
The Loft (INCLUDED IN ALL RENTALS OF 8 OR MORE HOURS | ADD ONS AVAILABLE) Scotty Photobooth (INCLUDED IN ALL MAY-OCTOBER RENTALS OF 8 OR MORE HOURS)
1500 SQ FT private, landscaped courtyard
1300 SQ FT interior
(10) 27'' x 84'' custom walnut + steel tables
(80) custom walnut + steel chairs
(4) high top cocktail tables
Pull in accessibility for food trucks PLEASE CONFIRM FOOD TRUCK DIMENSIONS PRIOR TO BOOKING
2 ADA accessible bathrooms
10' x 16' retractable full glass garage door to join the indoor/outdoor spaces On-site Event Manager for planning resources and "day of" coordination
Elopement + Micro Weddings Skip the courthouse and hold your own private ceremony in the courtyard of The Lytle House $2,000 WEEKDAY | WEEKEND -One hour use of The Lytle House for up to 25 guests- -Officiant- -One hour of photography coverage- -Candle decor- (OPTION TO ADD TIME SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY)
CAN I HAVE A SEATED CEREMONY? Our courtyard is best suited for a gathered ceremony or a limited seating ceremony (immediate family has a couple reserved rows and the rest of your guests are gathered in semi-circle). It is not recommended due to our lack of storage, but you can rent up 80 chairs and add extra catering staff if you want to have a fully seated ceremony.
WHERE CAN I HAVE MY CEREMONY TAKE PLACE? Majority of ceremonies take place in the courtyard in front of one of the ivy walls, in front of our large cityscape mural, or on our patio with the courtyard in the background. In the case of inclement weather, ceremonies take place inside in front of our large glass garage door with the courtyard in the background.
CAN OUR DOG COME? Yes! Dogs are allowed for the ceremony only and must exit the space before cocktail hour in order for food and beverage to be served. We also ask that you make sure that they've been able to use the bathroom prior to coming into the courtyard in order to avoid any accidents.
HOW DOES BYOB WORK? If you opt for BYOB then you will work directly with your caterer on how much booze to buy. Your caterer will supply the mixer package, plus ice, garnishes and a licensed bartender. All of our caterers also offer full bar packages. BYOB is merely an option.
CAN I BRING IN A HOMEMADE APPETIZER OR DESSERT? This is considered on a case by case basis but the answer is typically no. Caterers are the ones handling and serving the food so for liability reasons, they can't handle and serve food that was not prepared by them.
If you have a talented friend or family member who wants to make your wedding cake or cupcakes, this is usually approved by the caterers.
TELL ME MORE ABOUT FOOD TRUCKS? WILL WE ALL END UP STARVING? There are two types of food trucks: a basic food truck and a full service food truck.
A basic food truck just serves food our of the truck and then leaves. This requires you to partner with a traditional caterer to take care of things like bar services, rentals, staffing, and extra food (appetizers during cocktail hour etc).
A full service food truck does everything a traditional caterer does, plus serves food off the truck. A full service food truck can offer rentals, staffing, full bar packages, complementary food stations, passed appetizers, dessert, and coffee stations. Your guests are definitely well fed with a food truck. It's a fun way to experience the Chicago food scene and have something different that your guests will always remember.
Before booking any food truck, make sure to confirm the truck will fit in the courtyard and be able to meet our requirements.
HOW MANY GUESTS CAN I INVITE? Our max capacity is 80 guests. Under no circumstance can we allow 81.
CAN I INVITE CHILDREN? Children under the age of 10 are not allowed onsite unless you have discussed it with us and been approved beforehand.
This isn't because we hate children (we have three of our own!) but rather based on a series of bad experiences. Our space is full of hard surfaces and too many design elements that inexplicably cause young children to want to climb them and jump off. The landscaping in the courtyard is delicate and chemically treated. This is our home. We care for the property and every plant in our courtyard ourselves and we know how hard it is to monitor children at all times when you're also trying to just do fun adult things. For these reasons we implement a strict policy.
For a space that is more conducive to children, we invite you to tour, The Lytle Auditorium
CAN I HAVE A LIVE BAND? We do not recommend a large, live band due to the space they take up. Trios or quartets can be nice for the ceremony and/or cocktail hour but most often our couples opt for a DJ.
For a space that is more conducive to a live band, we invite you to tour, The Lytle Auditorium
CAN MY FRIEND/COUSIN/NEIGHBOR BE MY DJ/PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER? Yes! If your friend/cousin/neighbor is able to provide us with a COI prior to the event date.
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE FULL RENTAL PRICE? 10 tables, 80 chairs, a lounge set (love seat + tree stump coffee table), 4 high boys, 3 extra floating tables (if needed), custom lighting, SONOS sound system, shelf decor, lawn furniture, Scotty Photobooth, anything listed here we didn't already mention and an onsite event manager who will act as a "day of" contact for you and your vendors. The onsite event manager is there from the morning of your event all the way until the clean up is complete. They will accept your deliveries, manage your vendors, your timeline, handle any decor set up you might need, and coordinate packing up your personal items at the end of the night. Yes, the rental price includes all taxes and fees but does not include a 300% COVID surcharge. Just kidding.
DO YOU KEEP THE HEAT/AC ON WHEN THE GARAGE DOOR IS OPEN? We do! Of course, the garage door creates a 10' x 16' hole in one wall when it is opened so when the temperature is above 80 degrees or below 55 we recommend closing the garage door to help maintain the temperature inside.
CAN I SMOKE IN THE COURTYARD? Nope. It's against city ordinance.
CAN I HAVE A SPARKLER EXIT? Nope. Sparklers melt the artificial turf unfortunately.
DO YOU HAVE ANY DECOR RULES? Yes we do!
Glitter, confetti, fake flower petals, balloon releases...pretty much anything that ultimately just turns into litter is no go.
We also require all candles are contained in a glass votive. There are no open flames allowed.
In general we don't recommend candle sticks as it's very difficult to get them all to line up and stay straight. However, if you would still prefer candle sticks, we can display them but will not be able to light them if they are not contained in a hurricane.
If you need to hang something on an interior walls, we ask that you bring command hooks or use painters tape. If you're unsure, just asks us.
HOW LATE CAN MY EVENT GO? Due to city noise ordinance, events must end at 11:00pm on Fridays/Saturdays + 10:00pm on Sundays. The bar will close 15 minutes prior to event end time.
We are very respectful of our neighbors and we ask that guests depart in a quiet manner. From two doors down to a couple blocks away, there are plenty of great places to schedule a private after party. If you need some suggestions just let us know.
DO YOU OFFER PARKING? We are located on Broadway which offers metered parking on both sides at $2.25/HR. This parking is readily available on Fridays + Saturdays.
All other surrounding streets are free, no permit required, no time restrictions, and no confusing signage. West of Broadway typically has easy street parking that is readily available on Fridays + Saturdays.
Sunday parking can get tricky with the church across the street. You may want to look into a trolley, shuttle, valet, or SpotHero options.
WHEN CAN I TOUR? Due to our wedding schedule, we offer tours Monday-Thursday from 8:00am-6:00pm and limited tours Fridays + Saturdays before 10:30am.
ARE YOU WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE? Yes. There are no stairs in our space and we have two ADA bathrooms.
WHERE DO I BUY "DAY OF" EVENT INSURANCE? We require "day of" event insurance for all events with over 40 guests. The best pricing we have found is through Wedsure. Click the Wedsure button below for an instant quote: