Unveiling 2024’s Hottest Trends & Dream Venues
With an uncommon blend of urban and rural, McHenry County is the perfect place to plan the trendy wedding you’ve always dreamed about. So, what’s your special day look like — natural, rustic environs or a stately and palatial venue? No matter what you’ve got in mind, we can accommodate. We asked Courtney Hart, lead wedding planner at Sweet Chic Events, about some of the hottest wedding trends for 2024 and what McHenry County venues best suit these styles!
Unconventional Venues
Couples are looking to create a unique experience their guests will remember for years. Booking a one-of-a-kind venue and hosting some unexpected after-dinner activities are sure to have your guests talking. A multi-level loft space with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a lake is already the Midwest dream, but Quarry Cable Park offers rental of their beach volleyball courts — after-dinner game anyone? Or provide blankets for your guests to stargaze on the sand with a drink in hand.
Bold & Bright
While a white and greenery palette is romantic and timeless, we're looking forward to bold and bright weddings in 2024. Sunshine yellows, fiery reds, hot pinks and electric oranges, patterned linens and bridesmaids’ dresses… Make your colorful design pop even more in venues like Providence Vineyards and Smith’s Central Garage. These blank canvas venues can host a wide array of aesthetics, but they are made for this colorful trend!
Cottage-Core
We've seen this trend come and go throughout the years, under different names like “shabby chic” and “rustic vintage,” but cottage-core really embraces a feeling you’re trying to emulate: ethereal, magical, and enchanting. A certain world-renowned pop-star may have created an entire era of a whimsy dreamland with ivy covered walls — have you seen Starline Factory? — and running barefoot through the trees like at Whispering Woods.
Wedding Weekend Retreats
We're now going beyond just the wedding day celebrations — the new generation of couples are looking for a full weekend of getaway fun for their guests. Luckily, McHenry County offers a destination-like resort, Bunker Hill Farms, where couples can plan multiple days of pre-wedding activities like axe throwing, fishing, and golfing. The Lodge’s event space and garden are perfect for an intimate wedding of close friends and family. Larger guest count? Consider a tented event on the meticulously maintained grounds.
Residential Charm
Architectural details. Vintage fixtures. Natural light. Staircases. A ballroom with feasting tables filled with friends and family that feels like home. Well, a fantasy mansion from another era that is. While this venue was not a residence, Courthouse Square by Ethereal Events has all the charming details of a manor — along with some added fun like an old jail cell!
