Loft on Lake
About Us
Loft on Lake is a sustainably-minded event venue located in the West Loop. With over 15 years of amazing events, we are the quintessential OG Chicago loft space, before it was cool.
The space is as customizable as it gets, so whether you’re going all out with decor or keepin’ it easy with beautiful centerpieces, you’re able to express yourself however you want for your wedding or event. We’re an all-inclusive venue, everyone is welcome to celebrate their life celebrations.
With a total of 4,800 sqft of event space, our layout includes over 2,400 sqft of unobstructed space, with no posts blocking your view, thanks to our beautiful bow truss ceilings with 20ft height. We have copper glossed concrete floors, exposed peachy brick & ductwork, and our most distinguishing feature - a 65ft skylight running the length of the main space, ensuring the space is filled with wonderful natural light. Tons of outdoor vibes and all the good feels! (no rain plan required)
One of our best perks is that we have great lighting throughout the space, both natural as well as ambient features, which creates a wonderful ambiance as night falls. We're family owned & operated, so we're able to provide great flexibility with you and your vendors as you plan your event.
Our central location makes getting to Loft on Lake very accessible from any direction. We’re located near 90/94 and 290 expressways, public trans via Pink or Green lines and the Ashland bus running N/S. For anyone who’s not using ride-share services, there’s free street parking surrounding the venue, as well as two parking garages within a 2 minute walk to the venue.
Staying Sustainable
We’ve been members of the GWA since 2012, as sustainability has always been important to us, and has become easier as the GWA has grown and more eco-minded vendors are available to partner with.
We host the bi-annual Wedding Recyclery each Spring, a large garage-sale-style marketplace to connect engaged couples to purchase gently used wedding decor (and more!)
We’re able to conserve energy through our 65ft skylight for warmth and light, and we keep our settings at an eco level when the venue is not in use.
Appliances are replaced with high-efficiency items as needed.
Our interior and exterior lighting fixtures are light-emitting diode (LED), which are highly energy-efficient and last longer than other types of lighting.
We use environmentally safe cleaning products whenever possible, which also helps preserve indoor air quality. We try to minimize the use of bleach or disinfectant, although it is sometimes required in a large commercial space.
Cloud Paper is our supplier for all paper products, all made from bamboo, which is considered a highly sustainable resource due to its self-generating properties.
We purchase our eco-friendly products from reliable, sustainable sources, and purchase in bulk to minimize deliveries.
Our restrooms are equipped with low-flow facilities to minimize water usage.
All clients and vendors are required to recycle plastics, glass and aluminum during events. Our single stream recycling program provides convenience by offering one container for all recyclables.
We do not allow the use of plastic straws or plastic bottled water within the venue, a rule for both clients and caterers. We encourage the use of canned water, water stations with compostable cups, and agave, paper or hay straws.
Clients and vendors are required to source compostable products whenever the use of disposables is planned. We encourage the use of real china, glassware and utensils instead of disposables.
We partner with a local composting service, The Urban Canopy, to turn food waste collected during all events into quality soil. Diverting organic kitchen waste from landfills reduces the production of methane into the atmosphere.
If food, florals or decor is leftover after an event, we will help coordinate a donation to a local pantry or migrant shelter, and other organizations that help repurpose leftover items.
We offer a large inventory of decor related items for couples to rent - no need to buy a new card box or table numbers that will literally be used for 10 minutes while your guests find their seats - just rent stylish options from us! This also means less things to take home after your event is over.
Our photo equipment is powered by rechargeable batteries
All contracts with clients and vendors are signed electronically to minimize printing. We strive to limit our paper usage and recycle in our office.
We acknowledge that everyone’s efforts don’t have to be perfect, and we all need to give ourselves credit for the efforts we make.
We encourage our clients to work with sustainably minded vendors, most notably caterers and florists/decor vendors. These two areas can create the largest amount of waste.
The venue is within walking distance of two train stops on the Pink/Green line trains and the Ashland bus. There are also great restaurants, bars and shops within walking distance, as well as hotels. Our close proximity to downtown makes ride shares a breeze for pickup and drop-off.
In the short-term future, we will disallow florists, decorators or clients to use floral foam in their creations. There are so many ways to create beautiful floral designs and structures without using a product that will live in our oceans forever.
We support small businesses by shopping locally, and supporting our friendors!
Photos by LoftyWeddings, Loft on Lake’s in-house photo & team.