I'm just going to say that this place is a 4.5 star place but I'll keep it at four stars for the review purposes. My friend recently got married here and they had their ceremony and reception here as well. This place is absolutely beautiful for a place not in the best part of Joliet. The ceremony itself was beautiful with live musicians playing through the ceremony and the cocktail hour provided afterwards. The food here was actually really good and I love the food that was provided though I was slightly disappointed that they screw it up one of the special meals that belongs to my wife but they were able to rectify the issue last minute. This place is a lot bigger than you would think and it has a good size dance floor. Many amenities are in-house as well which is great as well. This place was clean and a staff actually work really hard at what they do. They were a few hiccups that hindered this place from being a true five star venue but overall I was not disappointed. I would recommend having your wedding here. read more

I visited The Jacob Henry Mansion for the first time in October. I chaperoned a group and we were lucky enough to see Chicago psychic medium, Michael Gourley. My group had a great time getting to tour the mansion before the lunch and entertainment. Many hadn't been to the mansion before, or it had been years since they visited. Margee was great to work with when booking my group tickets, accommodating dietary issues and generally staying in touch with me leading up to our visit. I highly recommend Jacob Henry to anyone looking for a social outing for a group (church, bank, Red Hats, senior group, women's group, etc). Would definitely return! read more

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Fantastic venue. Best of the BEST! Granddaughter got married in the mansion, had the reception in building behind the mansion. Great food. SUE WAS SO HELPFUL AND PLEASANT TO DEAL WITH! Service was wonderful. read more

We used the Jacob Henry Mansion for our wedding shower and it was perfect! Amanda was very patient and helpful when it came to answering a hundred questions during the venue tour and leading up to the shower. The food was phenomenal and customer service was 5-stars! Highly recommend this venue for your wedding shower or wedding! read more

When one of my best friends decided to use the Jacob Henry Mansion as her venue for a large mixed Indian-Western wedding, I will admit that my reaction was something along the lines of: "I don't know, sweetie. Joliet?" Well, I was wrong. Not just incorrect and small-minded, but blindingly wrong. The business is actually three venues - they have the main mansion, the hall, and the church connected to the hall. It is a gorgeous set-up. The first hurdle they overcame was the concept of a mixed wedding. I am not sure how many of the readers will appreciate just how much can go wrong when you are trying to appease two cultures with completely different customs as far as weddings go. Well, let me tell you: There are countless details that the staff of the mansion not only dealt with, but dealt with with such grace that they made it seem effortless. Sue, the owner, and Sarah, her daughter, were on point 100% of the time. It was one of the best experiences at planning and arranging a wedding have ever had. The owner and her staff were also helpful beyond belief when it came time to deal with the regular wedding venue issues such as: set-up, early guests, dressing rooms, &c. The mansion is a Second-Empire dream built in the 1870's. If you are looking for a Victorian mansion with all of the trappings that come along with it for your wedding or reception, this is it. The Ballroom is a kind of Post-Modern take on Victorian. I was explaining it as Victorian-inspired. So if you want the feeling of a traditional wedding and reception without all of the fussiness, then the ballroom is your way to go. The church is a nice non-denominational space that aesthetically has a protestant reserve fitting for almost any type of ceremony. In between the three buildings are very simple and well maintained grounds that provide a lovely backdrop for an outdoor wedding. Again, what makes this such a solid bet is the staff. I was shocked at the efficiency of the staff, but even more impressed when the reception meal was prepared and served by staff in white gloves and black uniforms. Amazing. I am tearing up right now thinking about the massive simplified chandeliers in the ballroom reflecting the glitter of saris and the sparkle of diamonds as servers in black and white moved between tables with silver trays. It is all in the details, and they have certainly nailed them at the Jacob Henry Mansion and Ballroom. The venue itself is located near a number of hotels and restaurants, so entertaining and housing your guests is easy. The staff is more than happy to make recommendations. So I was wrong. I could not imagine the wedding anywhere else. Joliet may not be Chicago, but it was so worth it. Use them for your next party, wedding, or holiday. You will not be disappointed. read more

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We celebrated our daughter's wedding at Jacob Henry mansion and OH MY GOODNESS, it was amazing!!!! Susan and her daughters do a fantastic job. Great food and top notch service. Highly recommend having your next event here. read more

My husband and I got married here in June 2013. We had an amazing experience!! We are from Chicago but ended up here because we could afford city prices for an outdoor/indoor venue. The service here blew me away. I was originally thinking about using a wedding planner but after meeting Sarah I felt like I was in good hands. The Mansion was extremely flexible with every request we had. They even allowed us to bring in home-brewed beer for cocktail hour! We had planned an outdoor ceremony and dancing but it started to look like rain on the day of. It was a stress free transition to move anything inside. We couldn't be happier with how our wedding turned out. A few guests said it was the best wedding they had ever been to. Nothing but good things to say about Sarah and the Mansion! read more

I had my wedding and reception at the Jacob Henry Mansion in December 2007. It was amazing! I definetly recommend this venue to anyone looking for a unique wedding that will blow the socks off your guests. A wedding in a huge Victorian Mansion does not even compare to your average banquet hall. They do have a historic church on site and work with a variety of clergry, based on your religious needs. The church is not an operational church, it is just for the Mansion's use. The Wedding coordinator, Sue, is great. She is attentive, sweet, and dedicated to your special day. I hope to go there as a guest one day, and eventually host another party. read more

The Jacob Henry Mansion - Jacob Henry Mansion - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Joliet, Illinois

My husband and I had our wedding and reception here on 9/2/18. From the moment we started talking about having a wedding and reception locally, I knew that I wanted a venue with a lot more pizazz and Jacob Henry was at the top of my list. It ended up being the only venue we visited and booked the day after we visited. Every couple's wedding is supposed to show a part of them and ours was no different. Sarah worked with us to make our day show "us" through and through. Our dream day focused on the Mansion and the unique setting it provided us. We were able to have a cost-effective wedding/reception as their pricing is based solely on a minimum cost. She added extra touches like staff bringing hor d'oeuvres and champagne out to my family while we did photos after the reception. They brought water to my husband and I while we did our couple photos after that (it was hot!). They did everything to make us feel, not only like it was our day, but like everything was perfect and there wasn't a thing to worry about - and there wasn't! As far as my guest experience... I did not have guests complaining about food, beverage or service. I actually had a few guests come to me and say some things were amazing. My nephews were devouring the mini-quiche even though we had set up a kids room with Mac n cheese special for them. read more

The JHM is a beautiful space to host a gathering during the holidays. Over the years I have enjoyed attending several events at the Victorian Ballroom and Gathering Room. However I realized after attending my first event at the mansion that this space is a hidden gem in the Joliet area. Now I was initially concerned about the parking situation. The lot for the mansion area is not well lit and across the street from the venue. But I saw several police cars patrolling and was not nervous walking about after 8pm. Upon entry the holiday decor is wonderfully inviting! I believe even the biggest Scrooge in your bunch would be transformed by the festive vibe channeled at the mansion. The staff was friendly and the food above average. I would definitely recommend this venue for holiday events! read more

The Jacob Henry Mansion - Awesome Entry - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Joliet, Illinois

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Food tastes like soggy cardboard, but the waitstaff is nice about it, and that's what really matters. The ball room looks like it used to be a barn, but the decor makes it look like a really really nice barn. All in all, it's alright. Edit- to elaborate, the bread rolls were cold, the potatoes were also cold, and the chicken literally tasted like actual cardboard. The water was fine. read more

My husband & I would (and have!) recommend the Jacob Henry Mansion to every couple we know!! My review will be long because I have lots of good things to say... but here is the short version: -Price: Reasonable -Food: Great! -Aesthetic: GORGEOUS -People: Amazing! Very easy to work with -Ease for Guests: Super convenient (all in one place, easy parking, etc.) Okay, now for the lengthier version... The venue is GORGEOUS. This was the first venue that we visited in our search and it ended up being the ONLY one. It is a hidden treasure. The moment we pulled up to the venue & saw the pretty courtyard and strung lights, we knew we wanted to get married at the JHM! It is SO convenient - the church is gorgeous and can hold many people. It is attached to a Gathering Room which is great for the cocktail hour. The Victorian Ballroom is their reception hall, which is also attached. This added convenience was amazing. We didn't use the actual mansion at all, but it is a really neat building. The grounds outside are beautiful - there is a fountain, a really pretty pergola, and lots of flowers blooming in the summer. We took all the pictures we wanted right onsite and had a great variety. We got a ton of compliments on everything about the venue, specifically the food. We served a choice of beef tenderloin and chicken oscar. The beef especially was a huge hit. One guest even said he thought it was the best beef he's ever had. We ordered our small cutting cake and our cupcakes through the venue, and both were great. We also had an open bar, which was very convenient. We did get multiple comments that one of the bartenders was rude, but it wasn't enough that I would knock down a star. The pricing of the JHM was very convenient, especially if you are having a lot of guests. Unless it's changed since our wedding (8/19/17), then it was just a minimum cost that you had to spend. The venue didn't actually charge a rental fee, but there was a minimum to spend there (it could include food, drinks, ceremony/reception decor and even tax/service charge). The minimum was very reasonable for the number of guests we had (~200). If you are wanting to have a very small wedding, then the minimum may be harder to achieve (or you'll just have to spend quite a bit per person to meet the minimum). Last, and arguably most important: Amanda was amazing! The whole venue is run by a woman and her 4 daughters. Amanda is one of the daughters and was with us through every part of the planning process. She was very open/helpful with the pricing and menu and we never felt like we were being squeezed for money. In fact, she helped us find ways to stay within our budget. Her knowledge of weddings and what brides/guests like is extremely useful. She offered to do so much for us - we dropped off the decorations the week of the wedding & she and her team took care of decorating everything! We didn't have to lift a finger. She even went so far as to tell us to bring frames with pictures in them & she'd just find places to fill in the reception with them. She was there on the day of our wedding and made the whole thing SEAMLESS. She basically acted as an onsite coordinator, ensuring we were all where we needed to be and that the vendors would know where to go. It realy allowed my husband and I, and even my family/bridal party, to not worry about much of anything except having a good time. I have 3 brothers and after my wedding they all mentioned that they'd love to get married here too! AMAZING experience with the JHM! read more

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Had our mini Covid wedding last year through them as well as our bigger wedding this year. HIGHLY recommend using as a venue. Wedding planning was stressful enough but having a pandemic on top just added to the stress, however this venue was very accommodating and great to work with! Amanda was amazing as our coordinator. Very knowledgeable, always responded to our questions, and most importantly during the big day helped make everything flow seamlessly. We felt very comfortable with having her manage the wedding and she helped direct us and our other vendors. We had the ceremony in the church which was beautiful and did the reception in the ballroom. It was really nice having a designated area for the cocktail hour (room between ballroom and church). Helped with the flow from one stage of the wedding to next. Ballroom blew our expectations out of the water, having us on the stage was nice so we could see everyone and the giant chandeliers tied the room together! Really liked that the bar was a room off to the side and not just a table in the ballroom, it had a nice aesthetic to it! The grounds behind the ballroom were excellent for pictures too! Food was so good! We had the stuff chicken and sea bass, and the fish was honestly so good I wished I ordered 2 for myself. Really good portion size too! read more

My lovely husband and I got married here on January 28, 2017 and it was the best day of our lives! The Jacob Henry Mansion did a great job making everything run smoothly, efficiently, and beautifully. I cannot recommend this venue enough! They are fantastic! read more

The Jacob Henry Mansion - Our dream wedding came alive at the Jacob Henry Mansion! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Joliet, Illinois

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From the Father of the Bride...I can not say too many great things about the Mansion and the staff. It's a perfect one-stop shop: the church is beautiful and historic, the mansion is dazzling, and the reception hall is one of the best wedding venues I';ve experienced. I received several compliments about the venue, food and drink, and that the service was top-notch. The staff was extremely helpful, going above and beyond. We had some hiccups due to COVID, but they helped us through it all. I would highly recommend the Jacob Henry Mansion. read more

We had a look at this place, and didn't opt to go with it for a variety of reasons but unrelated to its coolness. And it is WAY freakin' cool. Lots of little rooms and cubbyholes for guests to explore (the grounds are neat too). What turned us off was the kind of unappealing menu, the lack of flexibility from the owners to have outside catering, and the far away location (for our guests, anyhow). There's also an appealing old church onsite for wedding ceremonies and such. One point of wierdness....for an extra fee one of the gals who owns it will dress up as a southern belle or something and mingle with your guests. That's anyone's guess as to why anyone would want that service. OVerall, this would be cool for someone else's wedding. For ours, well, we wanted full control and that's what we got...elsewhere. read more

I attended a friend's wedding here (not like those occasions where I randomly show up at stranger's weddings for the sole purpose of them admiring me in a dress) and I have to say I had a great time. It appears they attempted to decorate the house in the style of the late 19th or early 20th century. Every room has different patterned wallpaper and there are also old snapshots of unknown people whose eyes follow you in an appropriately creepy fashion. The fireplaces and woodwork are something to behold. They have small statues with wings that remind me of a particularly disturbing Doctor Who episode strewn about the place. A hallway of mirrors awaits you upstairs as well as one of the scariest dolls on earth sitting in a miniature chair in one of the upstairs rooms. They also have an outside sitting garden where there were appetizers and photos. It was a nice respite for the smokers as well. There is also a cute water fountain in the middle of the grounds between the mansion and the church which is fun for photo opportunities when drunk. However, all of these things can be overshadowed by the creepiest bar on earth. Toward the back of the house, where my fellow miscreants and I were seated, is where the bar is located. Behind beautiful dark wooden doors lies a museum of death and liquor. The room is done in light woods that do not appear to match the rest of the house. There are no quaint rugs adorning the floor. Instead what this room offers are dead animal heads looming above you from nearly every angle. Pheasant, buffalo, fox, and moose stare out blindly as you attempt to order drinks. It's enough to cause a drunk to weep. It is the only part of the mansion I didn't quite get. Other than Bar Death Heads, the mansion is amazing. I would recommend a tour no matter what. read more

The #1 reason I didn't book this was because of the location. Our church was in Darien, and since we got lost on our way to Jacob Henry, surely our guests would. And it doesn't appear there are many hotels around. A great choice if you're having a ceremony in the Joliet area though. First, the mansion part is very small and cramped. It appears dusty and I'd sooner host a murder mystery party than a wedding. They were cleaning up a wedding when we arrived, so it was nice to see how they would arrange tables. Unfortunately, all of your guests (and you) will be seated in separate rooms. Second, the ballroom is spacious and the veranda is an ideal spot for cocktail hour. I liked that the menu was ala carte, and I had the freedom to build my own package. The consultant was very friendly and answered all of our questions. AND there's a great opportunity for taking pictures outdoors, something a lot of venues do not have unless it's a golf course. There's a garden, and the previously mentioned veranda. This was our 2nd choice venue. And I know there isn't anything they can do about a historic building's location, but it was a bit confusing to get to and just not within a reasonable distance from our ceremony. read more

My cousin had his wedding here and while I was not keen on having to go to Joliet, I had no clue what to expect from this place. At first I pictured a giant (and I meant GIANT) mansion, but then reality hit. Upon nearing our destination I got really excited, but I realized what I was seeing was the high school, not the mansion. Bummer. However, this place is gorgeous. My aunt and I couldn't stop talking about the wood during dinner and the thickness of the doors. I didn't pay much attention to the garden, even though the wedding took place outside. I just remember it was very nice and definitely walkable in heels, even though I opted against those. Back to what matters. The place really is gorgeous. I loved the bar area. This might be due to the fact that my cousin (and his wife) are vegetarians. This will make sense once you see it. read more

Five stars all the way! Speaking as an award winning wedding industry professional, I strongly encourage any & all prospective brides to book your wedding here. This is a family owned and operated establishment and provide a personal touch with their clients and vendors which is completely unheard of and essentially doesn't exist in this business. They are consummate professionals and exceed the service of any "big time" wedding venue in the city of Chicago. In fact, one should consider this one of the top "big time" wedding venues in the entire United States. The have a fantastic church/chapel onsite which is exceptionally rare. All the rooms are beautiful, but especially the Victorian Ballroom with wooden floors and excellent decor. There is a large, elegant stage designed specifically for live music and the acoustics in the room are outstanding. The staff is incredibly personable and attentive, and the food is tasty and is actual food, not typical "wedding food". It is so obvious that the staff is experienced in weddings from top to bottom and the transitions within their weddings are seamless. Their service is exceptionally swift and efficient. To succinctly summarize, below are all the reasons I find the Jacob Henry Mansion to be incredible and the right choice for any wedding: ~ They offer the convenience of having the church & mansion all onsite. ~ They offer outstanding & personable customer service. REMEMBER, THEY ARE FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED, WHICH IS A SUPERB ADVANTAGE. ~The staff is professional, attentive, efficient, & EXPERIENCED. ~ The food is excellent. ~ Live Music is not an afterthought. Rather it is featured. They have a beautiful stage & outstanding acoustics. Impressive. Very, very impressive Jacob Henry Mansion Estate. I realized very quickly why you are a multiple award winning venue! read more

I was recently here for a wedding of a family member. I love the concept of everything on site from start to finish, especially in Chicago! Parking was free, and the Old Central Church (where the ceremony was held) was connected to the Gathering Room (for cocktail hour) which was connected to the Victorian Ballroom (for the reception). Everything had a nice flow. Our food was fantastic. We had prime rib with green beans and mashed potatoes and I ate every single bite. It was incredibly delicious! Being a nursing mother, I knew I would have to pump at some point in the evening, as I was gone from home for 8 hours. I called ahead and spoke with a wedding coordinator, who planned to have a space for me to privately pump. She offered me either the bridal suite or the private handicap bathroom, which had a large comfortable chair. I chose the bathroom, because I wanted access to a sink. I highly recommend this one of a kind place for a wedding venue. I unashamedly hope more family member choose this venue for their upcoming weddings. read more

Absolutely gorgeous example of Renaissance Revival architecture with nearly 17,000 sq feet decorated to the hilt with items and pictures from the late 1800's. We were there just before Christmas and nearly every common room had a Christmas Tree. Very warm and cozy place that makes you feel like you have stepped back in time. On the other hand, the food was terrible. We had some kind of baked chicken with wet breading and an over-sweet orange sauce. I scraped the breading and sauce off the chicken to find that it was over-baked to the point of being dry and chalky. The Rice Pilaf was way overcooked and mushy. The dessert was a crepe with ice cream in it and although I found it unimaginative, it tasted good. If I were to hold an event here, I think I would see if an outside caterer could be used. read more

We loved having our ceremony and reception at the Jacob Henry Mansion. The Old Central Church was a gorgeous place for our ceremony, and we had our reception in the Mansion, which was beautiful and unique. We also used the courtyard for the cocktail hour and dancing, and the lawn for lawn games! Everything was lovely and went perfectly. We worked with Sarah, Jenn, and Amanda and they were amazing. They answered all of our questions and accommodated every request we had, including a gluten free menu. They set up and took down everything, including centerpiece items we brought in ourselves. They made our day so special and stress free and were a pleasure to work with. Our wedding was on a Sunday and the prices were so reasonable, even with lots of menu switches. I can't speak highly enough of the Jacob Henry Mansion for a wedding venue. read more

Definately a cool place. It's a hell-of-a trek to get out there, and it's super depressing to drive through run down historic areas... It's also hard to find. I went to a bridal shower at the Mansion- that too was tough for me to find. Which of the two buildings was the Mansion? Which of the 3 doors do I enter? (For the record it's the main front door) The place is super neat in that SO many of the historical details are still there. That also means there are things that should be removed or changed... outlets, the front screen door, etc. And there is some hideous mish-mosh of 'antique' decor. That being said- the service was good. Food was decent. There is a lot of space to mill around. And they let you walk the whole mansion! That to me made it worth it. Having just come from a visit to Paris it was fun to walk through and imagine the old days of women lounging in fancy dresses and playing cards : ) If you want cool ambiance, but aren't a stickler for Four Seasons quality decor, chairs, serving dishes, etc then I'd recommend this place for a fun ladies lunch! read more

We attended a wedding on the grounds of The Estate - my nephew John and his bride Caitlin picked this location. The Church on the estate was beautiful with a massive pipe organ, "looks good" even if it doesnt work (not sure). Reception was in the Victorian Ballroom and was just lovely and decorated beautifully. The Service was OUTSTANDING!! Sue and her daughter as well as the banquet team were right on top of every detail from the room's layout, food and desserts. Being an estate, historic venue, you can expect a few things to be out of date, which should be overlooked quickly bc their team pours their heart into your event to make it special. Yes, I would reccommend them for a future event to my friends and brides, as I work in the wedding industry. I also pulled quite a few ideas from them to pass onto my brides! Thank you Sue and The Jacob Henry Mansion Estate team! read more

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The venue ambiance was very nice for a wedding. Totally unique with lots of character. I wish I could say the staff was equally pleasing, but in my opinion the service was lacking. The beverage area was not adequate manned/refilled. The coordinator did not coordinate well. And the head lady (I forget her name) was snippy with a key member of the wedding party right before the ceremony. There's no excuse for that. Judging from all the positive reviews, we might have just caught them on an off-week (we all have them), but it stings a little more when you pay $15,000+ for a once in a lifetime event to go perfectly, and the service fails to meet expectations--to the point that years later, you only remember it being a stressful day. read more

We got married here May 2014. The place is absolutely beautiful. We loved our wedding, but here are the down falls: bad neighborhood, HORRIBLE food, they don't allow outside catering, Sue is extremely rude, and downright bitchy. read more

We had our wedding and reception at the mansion in August 2011, and it could not have been any more perfect! We had every intention on getting married outside, but once we stepped foot in the church, we knew we'd be getting married there. The church has beautiful stained glass windows, incredible woodwork and an immense, fully functioning organ restored from the 1800s. Absolutely beautiful! We had our reception in the Victorian Ballroom, which is a very neutral space you can easily customize, but it's also great as-is. There are exposed steel beams, immense chandeliers, decent-sized dance floor and a huge stage that easily fit our giant wedding party. The bar area has a pub-like feel, with dark woodwork, functional fireplace, leather recliners & immense wooden bar. That IS the only bar in the ballroom, which can get tricky with 150+ people, but you can choose to have extra bartenders or an additional bar set up out on the patio for around $100-$150. The food choices are similar to many banquet halls, though there are a couple of standouts. Try the stuffed chicken with wild rice and asiago cheese sauce!! People raved about it and it was so tasty I'm pretty sure I could have poured that cheese sauce on my wedding cake and been fine with it. We also did the prince cut filet, which was a big hit as well. The prince cut is very large (7-8 oz), and was perfectly cooked. The portions are large and we're not big into wasting food, so we did the split entree, which allowed guests to choose what they wanted. For some reason it costs $1/guest extra, but to us, it was worth it to not see our money being thrown in the trash when guests couldn't finish a giant combo meal. No one went away hungry, so it worked out great! We also chose to have late night munchies. The sliders are amazing. We also did the mini pizzas (eh...kinda like bagel bites) and the choc chip cookies (amazing). The service the day/night of the wedding was phenomenal. Servers wear black uniforms and white gloves, which is a great touch. The food was out quickly and plates cleared very efficiently without feeling rushed. The bartenders were friendly and quick and everyone seemed to know where they needed to be and what needed to be done. Sarah was our wedding coordinator throughout the process and she is AMAZING. On our rehearsal/wedding days she was on top of everything. She got our huge, rowdy wedding party to behave themselves and line up like professionals. She came up to me and my husband numerous times in the evening to make sure everything was going smoothly and to see if we needed anything (including cocktails!!). She (and the staff) were able to take the 87 billion boxes (slight exaggeration) of decorations/props/centerpieces I sent to mansion and transform the ballroom into EXACTLY what I was looking for in the space. I'm not a bridezilla or a micromanager, so I really appreciated how magnificently they did everything with very little direction. I could honestly have not set things up better myself! There are only a few teensy things barely worth mentioning, but since this is an honest review, here goes! The linen company they use is expensive. I'm pretty sure that wherever you go, if you have to rent linens from an outside company, you're gonna get ripped off and this place is no different. However, the mansion DOES offer white or ivory tablecloths/napkins for no charge. You do have to pay for chair covers and you'll want them (the chairs are gold/burgundy banquet type chairs). If you want colored linens, like I did - definitely shop around. I was able to BUY the tablecloths, napkins and chair sashes I wanted for about 1/4 of the cost of renting. The mansion will set everything up for you, you just have to drop the linens off about a week before the wedding. There IS an extra cost if you bring your own chair covers, so it doesn't end up being cost-efficient with the added setup cost; we just rented them. There is a cake-cutting fee or $1/person, which seems standard these days (and completely ridiculous if you ask me). What was a little weird was that if we had our own person cut the cake, we also had to bring our own plates and silverware. Who in their right mind would wanna take on that task? We sucked it up and paid the extra money and in the end, it was worth it. We were a bit sad to learn that our top tier hadn't been saved, but we didn't specifically ask them to save it, so that could be on us. It can take a bit for emails to get answered (2-3 days avg for me), so if you're big on instant gratification, that might irritate you. I was fine with it and if you have anything urgent, you can always call. Those were my only (very minor!) complaints. Not too shabby! I truly did have my dream wedding at Jacob Henry Mansion & wouldn't hesitate to recommend the venue, food & staff (esp Sarah!) to any bride-to-be. Wish we could do it all over again!! read more

I had my ceremony and reception at the Jacob Henry Mansion. There is also a church and banquet hall on the same land, so if you want you can mix and match your ceremony and reception at any of the three places. But we loved the mansion itself and decided to do it all under one roof. The people that work there are very attentive and nice. They put me at ease. They went above and beyond at many points during the day. The food was delicious. There are many options for plates. I am happy I did it there. It is a mansion that is decorated with all kinds of goodies. It will keep the guests entertained within itself. I am still getting compliments on how much fun it was. Thank you Jacob Henry Mansion for a wonderful time and memory. read more

I have a attended quite a few different venue options at the Mansion. Rating them from best to worst would be: 1. My friends Wedding 2. A 50th Anniversary Party 3. A company holiday party 4. A leadership event 5. A seminar To be honest I think they are rated this way due to the fact that work was involved in the last three. However, I do have to say that every time I have been there one thing has been consistent. The staff is a amazing and very attentive. The food from breakfast, lunch and dinner experiences has always been pretty good. The place is beautiful and the wedding took place in the back area of mansion which was a great setting for a summer wedding. The only complaints I have about this place is that if there are a lot of people you lose a bit of the bride and groom atmosphere because a lot of your guests are in other rooms. But if you don't want to deal with the glass clinking maybe its a good thing because you can put all your friends in the back room to get drunk and see them after you eat. Also with a lot of people in the mansion there are not that many areas to relieve yourself when you break the seal so beware of how much you drink :) Other than that it is a great place for many different occasions and is definitely going on my list of possible areas to get married. read more

I can not say enough great things about this venue. My guests were completely amazed. While I think the Victorian Ballroom is beautiful, there is not a word to describe the mansion. The history, beauty, and elegance of the place speaks for itself. I did not have to decorate the place at all. All of my guests said it was the best wedding they have ever been to and it is 100% because of the mansion and the staff. The amount of weight that having Anna by my side the whole time took off of my shoulders is amazing. The morning of the wedding the ladies from the mansion honestly felt like friends. I only wish I had more time to thank them as my wedding day FLEW by. The mansion is beautiful but the staff is one of a kind itself. I couldn't be happier and having my wedding here was the best decision I made since saying YES! read more

Can not rave enough about how amazing everyone at the mansion ( especially Sarah and sue) are! We had our rehearsal dinner for our wedding in the mansion, ceremony in the chapel, and wedding in the ballroom this June. It was perfect. Seriously perfect. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day and group of people that helped me achieve that day. The whole process from when we first viewed the mansion and estate to the day and night of the wedding. I had so much fun working with Sarah! I definitely feel blessed to have found this place for my wedding. Literally I never had to worry or stress about anything! The took care of everything and I thank them for that! I have gotten so many compliment about the staff that day/night, about how beautiful everything was, and how delicious the food was! You won't regret making your special day here! Trust me on that! read more

Me and my wife recently were looking for a venue for our wedding between our two hometowns of Naperville and Kankakee. Joliet was a winner, so the next step was finding the actual venue. We scheduled an appointment to see the place, and wow, one look and we were sold. We were engaged for a year so we had ample oppurtunity to plan. During the planning stages, Sara and Sue were extemely helpful and consistent with guidance and advice. We utilized the Old Central Church onsite for the ceremony and the Grand Ballroom for the reception. We had a multi-cultural wedding, chinese and traditional American and everything turned out goregous. Sara was our cooridinator throughout the entire process with Sue assisting the big weekend. Their professionalism and assistance with the wedding was fantastic. Based on my talks with our guests, everybody enjoyed themselves. I can't discuss how Jacob Henry holds up to other venue locations as I hope I only get married once, but for what we saw... what a great job all around. If you are looking for a hall in the area, I highly recommend this fantastic location with a great staff. read more

Our wedding was May 14, 2010. I cannot even try to express how perfect my day was!! The mansion is the perfect place to host an event. We used the chapel for our ceremony. It is stunning!!!! And the ballroom for our recpetion, I have gotten so many compliments on the decor and the beauty of the entire venue!! Everyone at the Jacob Henry Mansion went out of their way to make our day beautiful and stress free!!! From the very beginning, 14 months before the actual day everyone there was right on top of what they needed from me and when. They really held my hand through the process as I didn't know what I was doing and needed extra help!! Sarah Bornhofen was our event coordinator for the day and she was everywhere all at once... not one time did I need something for very long before she was on it!! At the end of the night she handled everything!! She boxed everything up for me and took excellent care of all my things. I was able to go back a few days later to pick everything up. The food = Delish!!!! The atmosphere = Spectacular!!! The staff = Exceptional and extraordinary!! read more

5 stars all the way! My fiance and I are ECSTATIC to be having out ceremony at the Jacob Henry Mansion in April 2017. Their customer service here is top notch. First of all, my fiance and I went to look at the mansion by ourselves, we met with Sue. She was just an angel! So sweet and polite and most of all, she was so about us. She wanted to know how we met, how he proposed, whats my dream wedding like, when I am going dress shopping?, What's our job like?, tell me more, tell me more! I felt like she really had all attention on us, she was truly listening and wanted to genuinely get to know us. She stayed late so she could give us a tour and go over the packages and made sure to follow up with us shortly after. It was amazing.. I can only imagine how attention the whole crew will be on our actual wedding day! We are currently working with them to set appointments to see the venue, have the family come see the venue, sign paperwork, ect... we had to rescheduled a lot. The JHM folks were SO accommodating and flexible. Whatever I needed.. got done; all my questions were answered. I am speaking a lot with Ana and I keep hearing "Don't worry about it! This is your big day! We'll do whatever we need to do". She is truly wonderful. It was so refreshing to hear. Them being so flexible and giving such timely responses really put my mind at ease during what could be a stressful time in my life. I'm so excited as I continue to work with these wonderful people. read more

I had my dream wedding at Jacob Henry Mansion on 12-13-14. The mansion is this magnificent, historical place with so much beauty... We were jaw-dropped upon touring the house and given the fact that our wedding would use the whole house we could hardly contain our excitement for our big day. The house was completely "christmas" accessorized and just added to the brilliance that is Jacob Henry mansion... Our guests were in awe just as much as we were on our wedding day. We had our ceremony in the chapel which the 360 tour does not do it enough justice... it is a must see! We had the chapel decked out with candles, poinsettias, and Sue even put Christmas trees around the altar... People still talk about this... SO beautiful!!! We had an organist that Sue suggested and she played holiday selections... The organ is huge and just an amazing addition to this chapel. If you have your ceremony here you have to do the organ... So worth it! Sue was truly dedicated to us from day 1. She worked with our budget, followed up and stayed task oriented, and she even put special touches and surprises on our big day... It really meant a lot to us. The food was made within the family as well. Christmas themed and delicious! If I wasn't wearing a corset I would have pigged out. We loved the food and just rave about it. This is super important for weddings and they got it hands down. We thank Sue and her family for all of their hard-work, everything was on schedule, put together perfectly, within budget, and the pictures were absolutely phenomenal!!! We felt like family here it was so hard to end the night and we cherish those memories forever... My favorite parts of the night were dancing with my newly made husband in the ballroom with the fireplace roaring to unfrogettable by the Rat pack band Bopology! Beautiful!!!! Or coming down that gorgeous stairway and stopping on the bridal stair to be presented to our families and cutting the cake oh my gosh did they just make it all so magical! My family is still talking about it!!! Thank you Jacob Henry for making our dreams come true and we will be back for other events in the future! The house has captured our hearts. read more

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We just had our daughters wedding reception here, and without hesitation we would recommend this venue to anyone. From Anna taking care of every detail. To the food and service, hands down the best time we could have had. Being the father of the bride, I wanted nothing but the best. And they came though with flying colors. If you are looking for a great place to have a wedding, look no further!! read more

The event was fantastic, we went from the ceremony in the Church to the Victorian Ballroom. We had the most fabulous fall day. We had appetizers and drinks on the terrace looking over the beautiful gardens and fountain. The staff is so friendly and competent at the end of the wedding, I felt like we had lost a friend. I recommend them highly, wonderful people, the food was fabulous, so accommodating at every turn or bump in our figurative "road". The ballroom was absolutely stunning and the pub bar was just perfect for the barfly people, who wanted to get some distance from the DJ. The price is within range also. Food was excellent! I recommend getting the mini hamburgers for the guests at 9 with some chicken drummetts. That was the biggest hit. Sarah, Sue and staff, thanks for making our day the most special day in my daughters life. You are truly Pro's. read more

As the MOB, we visited numerous venues. Since my daughter insisted on an outdoor wedding, even though October can be a very fickle month, it was important there were accommodations for moving the ceremony indoors if need be. The Jacob Henry Mansion has a beautiful outdoor site as well as the stunning chapel. Amanda and Sue promised us the weather would be perfect and they delivered. Not only was the weather perfect, the entire event was amazing! Everyone raved about the beautiful venue, the exceptional service and outstanding food! In fact, guests who had just attended a wedding at the Art Institute told me this was the best wedding food they had ever been served! Our expectations were more than met and I can't thank Amanda, Sue and the entire staff for making my daughter's day truly exceptional! read more

This has to be one of the coolest places I have been to - and surprisingly it's in Joliet! I came here for a wedding/reception and was blown away at how cool and different it was. Outside is gorgeous - perfect for a small outdoor wedding. And inside...is HUGE. Everything has that old vintage look to it (and I'm 99.9% sure it's all original). It's eerie and delightful all at the same time. Each room is different from the next. My favorite is probably the bar - it has a bunch of animal heads on the wall (creepy but different!). The patio is awesome too - they had it lit up with Christmas lights at night, and that's where the dancing and hors d'oeuvres were. The staff was friendly and they let us look around. Awesome place to have pictures taken and a great venue for a party with a vintage touch! read more