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Chicago Vendors I highly recommend working with for events & parties
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items Having been in the event world for a minute in Chicago, I get a lot of questions about who I would use for this or that when it comes to events. Here's a list that I've compiled of vendors I recommend that I would always work with. I'm also happy to ...
Sections
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Snack Giveaways
Coffee
Balloons
Photobooth
Pipe and Drape
Food Carts
Snack Giveaways
I absolutely could not put Chicago businesses on this list and not call out one of my favorites, which is Garretts! These Mini Tins are some of my favorite branded goodies to use at events and the guests absolutely love them. I highly recommend them ...
Garrett Mix — Mini Tins
I would be remiss if I didn't add Nothing Bundt Cakes and the Bundtlet. This individually wrapped cake with a logo on it for a brand centric event is a must have! If you are just hosting a fun party, I recommend anything from their mix, from the full...
Bundtlets & Bundtlet Towers - Nothing Bundt Cakes
Poppies is my favorite cookie bakery in this entire city and I will say that until I am blue in the face. They can customize any cookie with your logo for an event or you can order just about any special dessert and it will make it to you on time and...
Custom Baked Goods & Logo Cakes | Poppie's Dough
Coffee
I have only one recommendation here and I'm sorry, only one will do. :)
I love the guys at Dark Matter Coffee- from the Days of Covid when they would deliver free cases of coffee for the hospital workers at my work so we could distribute them, to even before that when they helped me for EVERY SINGLE condo event pop-up my...darkmattercoffee.com/pages/get-in-touch
Get Freshly Roasted! | Dark Matter Coffee
Balloons
There is no one in the city of Chicago like Elaine and her team at Luft Balloons. I will swear through and through that she has done the best installations and has jumped through hoops to get them done and she's such a visionary. Once I told her I ne...
*I also included the photos I referenced in here from some of the events I worked with her on. Easily though, Elaine and I probably partnered on 20+ events over my 5 years in my last role.
*I also included the photos I referenced in here from some of the events I worked with her on. Easily though, Elaine and I probably partnered on 20+ events over my 5 years in my last role.
Luft Balloons: Chicago's premiere balloon installation & retail shop
Photobooth
I have used Smilebooth in the last 3 companies I have worked at.. mostly because, sadly for them I keep dragging these poor folk with me, LOL, sorry Josh and Aubri, but there'll probably be a Smilebooth at my funeral and I request my head floating in...
Smilebooth
Pipe and Drape
Sometimes you have a last minute event where you need a ridiculous amount of drape dropped off at 6am and this is the company to do it. I once called them in a panic on Chicago Marathon weekend when we were informed of an 11th hour press request on a... (312) 733-7660
DRAPE KINGS: Pipe & Drape Rentals & Sales | Nationwide Event Drapery & Fabric
Food Carts
Have you ever wanted to have an ice cream cart grace your office for a happy hour delivery, or host a root beer float station? Have popcorn for a movie night in the middle of the afternoon? or Taffy Apples and Cider at a Tailgate?
I included pictures even from my own events as well. I can not say enough great things about this company and the number of times I used them. When I worked at a large academic medical center back 7 years or so ago, we did a brand refresh and hired t...
Chicago Company Picnic Catering. Ice Cream & Hot Dog Carts and more...
Floral
I used Southside Blooms for an event and the mission was very specific, we wanted to find a vendor for floral that had a mission and was a mission based organizational partner of the non-profit I was freelancing for. It wasn't hard to find this gem. ... The founders Quilen and Hannah Blackwell say this about their org: “We proudly stand as a project under the wing of the Chicago Eco House, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to leverage sustainability for the alleviation of inner-city poverty. Southside Blooms was born out of compassion and a deep commitment to comm...
**IF you need flowers for any reason in the city of Chicago, I would absolutely recommend going to them! They deliver, but order WELL IN ADVANCE!**
**IF you need flowers for any reason in the city of Chicago, I would absolutely recommend going to them! They deliver, but order WELL IN ADVANCE!**
Flower delivery in Chicago IL - Florist |Southside Blooms
Cakes & Pastry for Special Occasions
If you have heard about this magical place called Kasama in a less traveled to part of the city that takes an intentional trip, where the line wraps the block and you can wait forever but it's worth it and the baked goods are to die for, then you'll ...
Kasama
If you have never been graced with the glory of all things Ube, let me just start with telling you, if you live in Chicago, you owe it to yourself to go to Jennivees. This bakery has some of the best cupcakes, cookies, cakes and bars this city has to...
Jennivee's Bakery & Cafe