Lunch at Smith & Wollensky

May 21, 2009. I was invited for lunch at Smith & Wollensky by Kelly McGrath (Director of Sales) and Irene Kourletakis (Private Dining Sales Manager). What an honor to be invited for such a lovely lunch. I of course indulged and had filet mignon (and I was not disappointed). But enough about food. The purpose of this lunch was for me, as well as a few others in the industry to view their space. I was really impressed. Despite the awesome view of the Chicago River, hidden below downstairs are some awesome rooms to host a reception, rehearsal dinner, private dining, birthday celebration, bar/bat mitzvah, or corporate event. The food is good, great service, huge wine selection, you can't go wrong.

Private Dining Rooms

Largest Event Space

The website says it best in describing Smith & Wollensky, "The forest green painted wood exterior of our Chicago steakhouse contrasts with the sparkling white trim and latticework. Inside find a "turn of the century" casual elegance, with shining brass, polished wood floors and dark wood accents. The location offers intimate views of the Chicago River and Chicago's famous loop. Adjacent to the Chicago landmark twin towers of Marina City and the House of Blues, Smith & Wollensky is a major player in the revival of the River North area."


During my lunch at Smith & Wollensky, I had the pleasure of meeting Naomi from TipsyCake located in Chicago. Naomi specializes in making custom celebration cakes. Below are some pictures of her fabulous cakes. TipsyCakes' cakes are unique, fun and are completely edible. {I also had the pleasure to indulge in a few of her wonderful cupcakes...shh...please don't tell anyone}. TipsyCakes makes cupcakes, birthday cakes, 3D cakes (my personal fav), wedding and exotic cakes. WHATEVER you have in mind for a cake, Naomi can make it happen for you. She is awesome!

What I am learning through my journey of wedding planning is that most couples are not aware that restaurants have enough space to host their reception and it is not as expensive as having the reception at a hotel or banquet facility. That's why as a consultant, the first questions I ask is what is your budget, how many guests are you expecting and what do you envision your wedding/reception to look like. This is important for me to know in the beginning because it will help me to determine the best venue to host their wedding and/or reception and I determine this based on their budget and their style. I enjoy helping couples find the perfect venue and assist them with the wedding of their dreams, but for now...

Happy Planning!

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Photo credit: Smith & Wollensky and TipsyCake