Was searching for fun stuff to do in Chicago and the suburbs with a toddler and this place popped…read moreup for us! Perfect way to beat the heat wave! Wonderful selection of things to play with, though this isn't really a "museum". Because it isn't a museum, it does seem a little crazy that they charge for adults. All of the indoor play places I've visited in Phoenix (where I live) they only charge for the child. But my son had so much fun it was worth it! His favorite were the treehouse and the cars. Glad we came here!

We visited this museum in Oak Park with our 15 month old grandson…read more He had a great time playing with so many different things. There were other families there, but it was not overly crowded. Many separate areas of play; a treehouse, veterinarian, kitchen, blocks, puppet stage...etc. fun place for young kids.

I chose this venue because of its historic charm and unique character, and while it is beautiful,…read morethe amount of stress, anxiety, and sleepless nights it caused was honestly not worth it. To start, they are extremely rigid with their list of "preferred vendors," and despite claiming to have great relationships with them, it quickly became clear those relationships are more about kickbacks than quality coordination. The tent vendor situation was particularly frustrating. I was pushed to use their recommended provider, only to find out -- too late -- that the venue had no clue about that vendor's logistical requirements. Despite repeatedly telling them that I was planning an outdoor reception, they gave me a laughably short two-hour setup window, expecting a tent, full décor, catering, and everything else to be ready in that time. Totally unrealistic. They eventually allowed just the tent to be set up earlier. Worse, the staff seemed to have no shared understanding of the venue's rules. I have emails where different team members contradict each other -- on major things like setup times and allowed equipment. And don't get me started on the DJ and music restrictions. They stressed everything had to be battery-operated, yet still managed to ban battery-operated sparklers for being a fire hazard? It just didn't make any sense. Communication was also a nightmare. I called multiple times about different issues such as renting heaters -- no answer. I would try to call during work hours. Emails are the only form of communication they respond to. Then on the day of the wedding, they emailed me saying they turned the heaters away. During the event, things only got worse. We had a mariachi singer (not a full band) performing at 6 p.m. on Memorial Day weekend, and were repeatedly harassed by staff about noise complaints -- even during speeches. Yes, the manager literally came up to me, the bride, mid-speech, to tell me neighbors were threatening to call the police. I kept wondering, is this their first wedding ever? The mic wasn't even loud. The venue could be great -- but only for small, intimate weddings, maybe under 60 guests. Anything larger becomes way too complicated. The interior lacks a proper dance floor, and their "ideal flow" of food inside/dancing outside doesn't really work. You'll spend the whole night shuffling people and plates. Constructive feedback: Train your staff consistently so they all understand -- and communicate -- the same rules. Be upfront about what's feasible for outdoor events. And if you're going to force couples into using preferred vendors, at least be informed about what those vendors need. In short: gorgeous place, but unless your wedding is small and you're okay following their every (often unclear) rule, be prepared for a bumpy ride. I did love my wedding, but be mindful it costs me way more (outside vendors, additional hours) to put it together. I lost lots of items in their lightning speed clean up requirement.

I very recently had my wedding at the Cheney Mansion and we had an amazing experience. What a…read morebeautiful place to host a wedding ceremony and reception. We were lucky with the weather and were able to use their outdoor spaces for both ceremony and reception. Our guests enjoyed exploring the indoor space which we used for dinner and the bar. The staff were friendly and helpful. I would recommend this wedding venue to anyone looking for a magical venue with lots of vintage charm.

Words cannot express how thankful I am for finding Patty at Fairy Godmothers Inc! Patty is…read moreabsolutely wonderful and so incredibly talented. I didn't have much of a floral vision, so I needed all the help I could get. After meeting with Patty and discussing different ideas, she asked if we had a theme for our wedding. At the time, we also didn't have much of a theme, other than wanting to highlight the city of Chicago through the skyline. So, I showed Patty our wedding invitation and she immediately had an idea for our centerpieces. She showed me a large clear vase (and floating candle) with a cut-out of the skyline that wrapped around the vase and I immediately fell in love with the idea! She then added flowers and greenery around the vase to complete the look. It was the perfect look for our big day, and the centerpieces looked so amazing at our venue! On the day of the wedding, Patty arrived on time with the bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages. All the flowers looked so fresh and elegant. I could not have asked for a more perfect look! She also added a small charm to my bouquet in memory of my grandmother and it was beautiful. Patty even stopped by our church to ensure everything was perfect, even though this was not a part of our contract. She truly went above and beyond and I am forever thankful for talent and kindness. Patty also offers other services such as day of coordination, and other wedding details. Although I didn't need to use those services, I am sure she is as exceptional with those services as she is with the florals. Patty is a true gem. She is kind, knowledgeable, creative, and passionate about helping to make your wedding day truly the best day of your life. Thank you Patty!!!

Patty truly is a fairy godmother. She just handled my wedding this past weekend and of all of the…read moreelements of my wedding, the flowers and decor was the star of the show. I was having a smaller wedding and honestly, my goal was to spend as little money as possible on flowers because I didn't feel like they would make much of a difference in a wedding as small as mine. Patty set me straight and showed me how much these things can make a difference especially in a wedding like mine. I spent more than I had originally intended, but I will tell you that the end result was worth every penny. Patty had some great ideas and is extremely creative. I met with her to plan everything and gave her some basic ideas such as colors and themes and she turned that into the most beautiful wedding I could ever imagine. So many of our guests complimented us on the decor and flowers and we gave away the centerpieces because we hated to see them go to waste. Everything was just perfect the day of too. I had to worry about nothing and all of the other vendors commented on how great she was to work with. I would definitely recommend Patty and use her again. She was a pleasure to work with and she is not only florist, but really an event designer who will make yours shine. One note is that they do not take credit cards, but they were very flexible with payment scheduling.

I found Laura and her team when looking for help for a birthday party I was throwing for my wife at…read moreour house. The caterer I found last minute didn't have any staff, and they recommended Twin2Me and I'm glad they did. From the moment they arrived, I was able to start enjoying the party. They took care of setting up the food, serving appetizers, the bar, serving the cake, clean up...everything. It took all the stress of being a party host out of the picture and I was able to relax and have fun. 100% recommend.

In a last minute Craigslist fueled decision I chose Twin2me to help with the bar at out wedding…read more Our attendant Siron was absolutely the biggest help we could have asked for. He was kind and thoughtful and worked extremely hard from the moment he got there. He picked up the slack of the other buffet attendant (that came with the catering company) with a smile. He was so good we didn't even realize things were falling apart with the venue in the background. Basically three best decision we made in our whole wedding planning ordeal.

I am struggling to put into words how to thank Lindsay Gaeta and her team and acknowledge every…read moresingle detail she knocked out of the park and executed on our wedding day! Throughout the planning process there were so many little behind the scenes details she saved me time on which I am so appreciative! I will miss seeing her monthly on our planning calls! I don't plan to get married again anytime soon but I do hope our paths cross again! I am speechless about her help from the rehearsal to the very last minute of shutting down the after party!! The top 3 highlights that people mentioned to me on the wedding day were 1. Dad's speech, 2. Florals, 3. How hard she HUSTLED!!! My bridesmaids and close family constantly approached me on the wedding day with sentiments of "wow, she's good!!" She exceeded our expectations and anticipated our every move! I have close family in the hospitality business (who are the harshest critics about everything in the event planning world) and were over the top satisfied with her commitment and follow through to make the day as seamless as possible! I am sure there were many hiccups that day that were not brought to my attention and for that, I give Lindsay full credit! I was able to relax, be present and have a B+ personality that evening instead of my typical A- for all things attention to detail! I felt completely comfortable 'handing Lindsay the reigns' and entrusting she would handle everything as necessary, which she did!!!

We are beyond grateful for Kim Weinberg of LivenUp Events! From the very beginning, Kim was the…read moreultimate professional, so patient, kind, and supportive, even when I, as the bride, was feeling overwhelmed. She has this incredible ability to stay calm, cool, and collected no matter what comes her way, always finding solutions effortlessly and proactively preventing issues before they even arise. Her industry knowledge is unparalleled, and her planning experience truly shines through in every detail. From her amazing vendor connections to her creative, thoughtful ideas, Kim went above and beyond to make our wedding not just beautiful, but absolutely seamless. She kept us organized, on track, and stress-free throughout the entire process. But what really sets Kim apart is her heart. She genuinely cares about her couples, listens with empathy, and makes you feel supported every step of the way. We couldn't have asked for a better wedding planner. She is a true gem, and we feel so lucky to have had her by our side. Kim Weinberg didn't just plan our wedding; she made our dream day a reality, and we will be forever grateful.

I love this place! Cheryl the owner is a gem! So sweet, so friendly, so knowledgeable! Please…read moresupport this local gem! We had the best time and cannot wait to go back and take some other art classes!

We did a watercolor open studio as a family and had the best time. Amazing hospitality, relaxing…read moreenvironment, an over all great space to let your creativity go wild.

Gina does excellent work! She went above and beyond for my wife's balloon arrangement by creating a…read moretheme and including extra items that played into theme. She also installed the balloons on our front fence during heavy winds and when a balloon or 2 flew away she had back ups ready. Well organized and executed at a good price. Thanks again!

Unbelievably easy to work with, prompt, professional, you name it. I didn't even know what I…read morewanted, but Gina just let me talk. She asked me about the person we're celebrating and knew exactly what to do. Everything is up and neighbors are already asking about Mini Me Jubilee! Update: The indoor balloons are still inflated after over a month!

Belen is a fabulous teacher - she's knowledgeable, patient & kind…read more Our first time throwing and we are already to book again. Such a fun activity for families with teens. The kids enjoyed using the skills learned in HS Ceramics class. Can't wait to see our finished pieces!

My husband and I had our anniversary in Chicago. This was a very sweet experience. We loved our…read moreteacher. Very patient and it was both our first time doing pottery! Just waiting for our items to get shipped to us! We will definitely doing this again!!!

Smarty Pants was fantastic at our recent event AND each and every time I've seen him perform over…read morethe years - which is many times (because many people see how amazing he is)!! It's not just his talent with super fun and surprising balloon characters but his adaptive nature and outstanding personality, engaging everyone at the parties/events. I would absolutely recommend him for all types of occasions : private or big birthday parties, festivals, block parties, - anywhere there will be children!! He is one less thing at your party you need to worry about because he is a sure thing! Truly, he is a whole family favorite!!

What a fun performer. I came across him at the Park Ridge Kiwanis annual pancake breakfast, where…read morehe was doing some entertaining mostly for the kids but definitely for the adults as well. It's through him that I heard of the Central Street Busker Festival that took place the next day and his line was loooong! Most recently, we went to his show last week that the Mt. Prospect Public Library held for spring break. That was very very well attended, with a long line of folks waiting to get in (and that's with all of us registered to attend!), but the show was a lot of fun. He did a little magic, a little comedy, and some fun balloon tricks. This guy has been doing this all his adult life--unless that's also a joke and part of his act--but regardless, he's great at his job. I'm looking forward to seeing him again and my little one having the chance to pick her balloon creation on her own.

Millennium Decorations provided staffing and bartending for our wedding…read more On the plus side, I think their prices were reasonable, and they did most everything we asked them to, and came through and delivered services as expected on the day of. A few guests said one of the bartenders didn't know how to make our signature drink, but ya know, big deal. The biggest issue that I have with Millennium Decorations was communication: I had to routinely follow up on emails in order to get an answer, and I always felt like my phone calls were really rushed. It took them a long time to get us a contract, and then didn't send us a counter-signed contract for 2 months. We also ended up spending $8/person for soda and ice at our wedding, which, ya know, kinda our fault or agreeing to that (very high) price. But still, we feel kind of swindled by that. Not to mention that I still had to order ice to the venue in order to chill the beer ahead of time. So, kind of a lackluster experience with this vendor. On the one hand, most (important) things were right on the day of the event. On the other hand, since most of the time you're working with a vendor is NOT the day of, it's important to take that into consideration.

Went for a tasting today and the food was really good. We had the opportunity to taste over 20…read moredishes. The price is so low that we almost missed out on the tasting. We were thinking for a price that low the food had to be awful. We were pleasantly surprised. The food was fresh, succulent and quite honestly impressive.