St. James Chapel

Our daughter had her wedding here on October 17! The chapel is gorgeous (inspired by Paris’ Sainte Chapell) from the altar– to the stained glass– to the back of the church raised organ area!
We visited them on a Saturday afternoon to listen to a piano concert and were hooked!
It’s a bit pricey, but well worth it.
Communication with the wedding coordinator was a bit tricky as it is only through email and
messages are returned within a few days.
The music/​organist and the vocalist were outstanding! Take good notes and stay on top of
the details as there could have been a glitch on the songs.

The seminary that was here when the Cardinal was a boy is gone. But this lovely Gothic style stone chapel remains and it’s beautiful stained glass windows are now restored. Lots of folks have had their weddings here and special events of the Chicago Archdiocese are often held here. It is also a favorite venue for concerts of classical music, most recently those organized by Ars Antigua, a local period instrument ensemble.
While it is a lovely and meditative place to visit or to attend an event or concert at, there are numerous acoustical challenges in this reverberant space. Words spoken from the altar area are not easily heard distinctly. If you are not seated towards the front, music performed here can be riddled by its own echos. Also, due to its location so close to the hub-​bub of Michigan Avenue and the Water Tower, there can sometimes be intrusive noise from the traffic below. But if you have the chance to be there, don’t miss it!