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I live in chicago and was wondering what everyone else thinks of this situation. Up until 1 week ago there were two Chasuna halls in Chicago, one cheaper one and one more expensive one. Last thursday the cheaper closed for renovations for 4-5 months. So theres 2 options, 1- you go to the more expensive one and pay min. 20,000 dollars for a wedding or the other option, which alot of ppl are doing is going to NY and paying half the price. Is it right that a kallah and the kallahs family ends up having no friends by their wedding bec. the one hall cost half a years salary to make a wedding?? What about Kollel, Rebbeim, Masgichim? all with big families??? its almost a years salary for some of them. Any ideas?
What ideas are you looking for. Facts are facts. There’s no right or wrong here.
You’re talking about the Concord. It is closed for renovations?
I have always admired Chicago and its people for having an affordable hall which beats all the cheap NY halls hands down for being nice.
They even have a special rate for mechanchim, and if a mechanech does the wedding on sunday, the owner and his family and friends all come and work the wedding themselves.
Yogata Velo Matzasah Al Tamin!
Don’t be naive and make it sound like Chicago is some little hicktown. Look around the city, there are more options for kollel families, rebbeim, large families, and mashgichim to make weddings. You can make a huge wedding for a fraction of your quoted amount.
Do the requisite research in to ALL halls in Chicago and you will find these metzias. Put in the yegiah and you will find! Yagata umatzasah tamin!
artchill: Do you know Chicago? It is the little city near lake michigan. There aren’t other halls.
Are you being deliberately obtuse? (I sometimes do that on the Seminary threads, so I can commiserate.)
chasunahs are held at numerous hotels in the area, downtown, near the airport, and in the suburbs.
I honestly hope this won’t come off sounding very cold, but I’m wondering what there is to do. I’m not from Chicago, and I know very little about the community in general but this is the way I see it. No one specifically planned that the cheaper hall would need repairs. Now that the more expensive one is the other option are they now supposed to lower their prices for the customers? For various reasons, thats not really practical. As for the idea, is there any area where its possible to do something temporary? Even a tent?! I understand where you’re coming from but this is something that could be solved with a some creativity.
One more thing, if there is any problem in Klal Yisrael, B”H its something like this.
Mod 80: There are other hotels where one can make a wedding, however, the only cheap option is the concord.
Artchill’s condescending comment was a little over the top, if it was serious.
There are NO hotels in the area. The only things were the Purple Hotel which deteriorated for several years until closing down in 2007. And the Holiday Inn which charges 5K to rent the room, in addition to whatever the caterer charges and other expenses. There is only downtown, which is frightfully expensive, and the airport which is almost as expensive. When the Concord opened up, it was significantly cheaper. Nowadays, it is only cheaper for those who are zoche to the mechanchim discount. When we made a chasuna a year and a half ago, we found an airport hotel (Wyndham) that was competitive with the Concord. But that place is closed now. The next best thing is the Westin, but you can’t touch them for less than $100 a couple.
aren’t there shuls that have a large hall? what did pple do 10 yrs. ago?
Call my comments whatever you like.
The point is KINS, Skokie Valley, along with a few other halls do exist with enough space to meet whatever you require. Hire one of the local caterers in the Acheinu and wallah! You have a beautiful wedding for a fraction of the cost you were quoted.
If you want to keep up with the Jones’, do wahtever floats your boat. If you choose to spend 20K because you THINK people will be impressed, sweet secret: THEY’RE NOT.
The Concord started as a chessed project and till this day is a non-unionized environment. This itself saves a lot of money of waste. However, don’t go into despair there are other alternatives that don’t have the union rip-off fees.
aren’t there shuls that have a large hall?
Are you asking or telling.
what did pple do 10 yrs. ago?
I don’t know when the Concord opened. Before it opened, people either paid through the roof or made it in NY.
PBA, a couple of years ago, I went to a wedding in North Lake, a suburb of Chicago at a place that sounds like what you’re calling the Concord. I don’t remember this name. Could it have changed?
I see. You’re suggesting that someone could get married without making a normal wedding. By normal I mean, 400 guests, nice catering, a hall, and live music.
Why did you hide your suggestion behind your “yagata matzah” drivel, instead of suggesting it outright?
If your ideas have merit, you shouldn’t be embarrassed to state them.
Y’all ought to move to New York!
isn’t “y’all” a southern thing? ny isnt in the south…
and chicago is much better!
I was quite surprised by the opening post. I wondered if I had been out of Chicago that long that all the wedding halls had closed. (I also thought the Concord was the expensive place to which you referred. I always thought of K.I.N.S. as the affordable one.)
I’ve been to several beautiful weddings at K.I.N.S. I’ve been to beautiful weddings at B’nei Ruven and F.R.E.E. I’ve been to several beautiful weddings in a lot of different hotels. I was even at a wedding at the White Eagle, although why someone would want to get married in a place with Polish paintings all over the place is beyond me. But I’ll bet it was not expensive.
Did you call a caterer? A lot of times they know of places off the beaten track that are more affordable.
wallah
Wallah? Mah zeh “wallah”? Did you, perhaps, mean “voila”?
Bnai Ruven doesn’t seat more than 100 with a dance floor. KINS gets crowded at more than 200 with a dance floor. Skokie Valley is a non Orthodox synagogue and many do not want to go there. White Eagle is a restaurant/club type place that has discouraged frum people from going there. (They’ve raised prices on the outside Kosher caterers that would need to come in to the point that it is no longer an option.)
Before the Concord/Midwest Conference Center opened, most people went to the Ramada or Sheraton at Ohare, and they were somewhat more competitive in those days. Ramada has changed ownership, it is now a Holiday Inn Express, and does not have an arrangement with any kosher caterers. Sheraton changed its name a few times, (Clarion, Wyndham) but closed down on 12/31/09 due to the recession.
sem20, yes that’s it. I remember thinking Midwest Conference Center was a strange name for a wedding location.
popa – artchill meant that she said she found nothing but had she looked she would have. I don’t know what you think that means but I agree with everything he said 100%. When my son looks at an overflowing fridge and says there is nothing to eat, it really means, “I want something in specific and am rejecting all you are offering but would rather make it something YOU need to fix” I thank you artchill for answering and saving me from tantruming and totally giving myself away 🙂 Anyone who thought they had to go to NY to make a wedding, wanted to on some level and most people don’t. Most of us hadn’t considered it, didn’t find it necessary and are hurt when people say they HAD to.
syag lchochma shetika
Incorrect. artchill was suggesting a materially different type of wedding than the OP was looking for, disguised as a response to the question. If you read midwesterner’s post, you will see that there is no other option that one can point to with the glee of “yagata matzasa”.
Bnai Ruven doesn’t seat more than 100 with a dance floor. KINS gets crowded at more than 200 with a dance floor.
How many people do you need to have?
400
This is a bit “out of the box,” but have you thought of places other than traditional wedding halls? For example, Oakton College has huge meeting spaces which would actually work very nicely for a wedding. I don’t know how much they charge, though.
If you are planning to have more than 200 people, then anywhere that you have it will be expensive. I don’t think that you could have a treif wedding just serving bologna for that number of people that wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. Weddings should be for family and close friends – 100 – 150 people is more than enough to have at a wedding. I sometimes think that many invited guests feel resentful at having been invited with the price of gifts these days. I know that when I am invited I cannot give a gift that is less than what they are paying to have me there. It can become a vicious circle when acquaintances become part of the guest list. Just because you were my neighbor 20 years ago and I occasionally run into you at the grocery does not mean that you are obligated to invite me to your simcha. Similarly, I don’t want to be obligated to come to your simcha. Keep it small and simple.
B”H Zaidy has over 100 ainekelach alone, kn”h.
The point is that in the NY/NJ area, there are rates in the vicinity of $45-50 per couple, and that includes portions of FLOP as well. In Chicago, there is nothing less than $50 PER PERSON!! (and even the Concord is in the low to mid 40s without the klei kodesh discount) An that is only for the hall and caterer. FLOP and other incidentals make it thousands more!!!
“Put in the yegiah and you will find!”
Sounds pretty obvious what it meant.
(I edited my next comment. I am guarding my tongue)
What is FLOP?
Miami, same story. However we dont even have the cheap chessed hall option. We are all going to NY and while for some it works better (cuz their familes are there) for the guests its getting ridiculously expensive to go to NY for everyones simcha. Even if we had a “chessed” hall, the catering alone couldnt compete with NY> We just dont have the volume…
Flowers
Liqour
Orchestra
Photography
Those are the mopst significant incidental exepenses, and in many circles, they are the chosson’s responsibility.
And then y’all wonders why everyone’s movin’ to New Yurk…
FLOP is not included in the price in NY.
Flowers – in Chicago there is a gemach for centerpieces.
Liquor – while I enjoy a drink as much as the next person (okay, more), it’s not necessary.
Orchestra – one-man band
Photography – get disposable cameras and put one on each table. Get a few extra to give to trusted friends for the chuppah.
And I find it hard to believe you can’t find anything less than $50/person.
haifagirl: Disposable camera’s??? i hope your not serious.
I’m sure what you meant to say was: Disposable cameras?! I hope you’re not serious.
Please spell, capitalize, and punctuate properly when addressing me. And yes, I was serious. It’s not that uncommon.
It’s not that uncommon.
You would be more convincing if your screen name was something else. Like, oh, I don’t know, chicagogirl?
You would be more convincing if your screen name was something else. Like, oh, I don’t know, chicagogirl?
How would that make it more convincing?
Try googling “disposable wedding cameras” and see what turns up.
Try googling “disposable wedding cameras” and see what turns up.
I have done more effective research. I have gone to several dozen American weddings over the past several years. Including at least 5 in Chicago.
Popa
can you send me the link for the page to search the entire YWN Coffeeroom?
Thanks!
I have done more effective research. I have gone to several dozen American weddings over the past several years. Including at least 5 in Chicago.
Your point is?
Because it is something common in the goyish world, we can’t do it, even though it is practical and would save money? Isn’t that a foolish attitude?
And I’ve been to many weddings over the years too. Some in Chicago, some in Northlake, some in Rosemont, some in Niles. What does that prove?
OK, lets get serious here for a moment. Wedding photos are a BIG DEAL because they last forever. On the other hand, if the best choice for halls is out of commission for a while, and by taking the wedding out of town most people are not able to attend anyway, can’t the “community” come to a consensus to be understanding if not everyone is invited to most weddings until the hall of choice is back in working order? Can’t the Shul Rabbonim discuss this with kehilah to be dan l’kaf zchus and be moichel each other if you didn’t make the cut, so that families don’t have to be metarech to shlep their simchas out to NY to be able to afford the “standard” wedding and then be matriach the olam to choose whether or not they are important enough to have to spend extra bucks on airfare and accommodations to attend and be part of the simcha? Better to be moichel the baalei simcha as a community and understand that they have to keep the simcha small and cut out many people they would normally invite if the Concord were in play.
Go through your lists and invite as many of the family that you actually have to and only the friends that are your absolute closest, that is those that would do whatever they could to make it to NY if you would take it there. And then invite only those guests to the wedding and a few extra to the shmorg, or do what we do in NY and invite extra to simchas choson v’kalah which is after dinner and the caterer moves away all the dinner tables, puts out a table of nosh and drinks and basically clears room for dancing.
If there is a will there is a way, and in tough times you make tough decisions. You do what you need to do, and overspending is not something you NEED to do. Taking the wedding out of town where the people you love and really want to share the experience with won’t be able to come is not something you NEED to do either.
My mom a”h always said “de klener de olam de greser de simcha”, the smaller the crowd the greater the simcha. When you have to cut, you just have to cut.
Haifa: I don’t think we’re are communicating. I thought this thread was about whether there are ways to make a wedding of the usual minimum standard, in Chicago, for the price of a cheap williamsburg hall.
I think you are discussing what the minimum standard of weddings should be, and perhaps whether people should care what the minimum standard is.
WIY: I don’t know how to search the coffeeroom.
Popa
Sorry, I guess it was d a who had the link, I wasnt sure. Thanks anyways.
I didnt read through the whole thread so I apologize if I’m repeating….
Why not go somewhere else in the Midwest? Clevelend, Detroit… Its a shorter trip and L-rd knows they are cheap!
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