Elara 800 South Illinois Route 31 • Crystal Lake • IL 60014

Elara in Crystal Lake offers all-inclusive wedding packages. The Silver, Gold and Platinum packages each include a six-hour reception, a tasting for you and two guests, two butler-passed hors d'oeuvres, a four-course dinner, a custom wedding cake, a dance floor, coffee with dessert, and an overnight suite for the two of you with breakfast. Gold adds four hours of call-brand bar, a champagne toast and unlimited wine at dinner; Platinum moves to premium brands and adds chair covers and a late-night snack. On top, you'll pay a taxable 20% service fee plus tax, and extras like centerpieces and AV are rentals.

Yes, Elara hosts both your ceremony and reception, so nobody has to drive between them. The 11,200-square-foot ballroom has 14-foot ceilings and hosts weddings of up to 1,200 guests, and outdoor ceremonies can welcome up to 200. Outside, the Sunset Deck and a Lakeview patio overlook the water, which makes them easy spots for cocktails, and the property also hosts rehearsal dinners, bridal showers and engagement parties.

Food has to come from Elara's own on-site catering team, since outside caterers aren't allowed. The good news is the menu bends a lot: chicken, pork, flat iron, New York strip, filet mignon, salmon and duet plates, vegetarian pastas, a children's meal for guests 12 and under, and a discount for guests 13–20. Bartenders are in-house too, for a cash, host or open bar. Your florist, DJ or band, photographer and officiant are yours to book.

At Elara in Crystal Lake, wedding packages start at $3,000, and your final cost depends on the package you pick, your guest count and your date. The Silver package leaves the bar as a cash bar, while Gold and Platinum build in four hours of call or premium bar service, a champagne toast and unlimited wine at dinner. Friday and Sunday weddings get 10% off, except on holiday weekends. Kids 12 and under have their own meal, and guests 13–20 get a package discount. Every package carries a taxable 20% service fee plus tax, and there's a food and beverage minimum.

Your wedding package at Elara includes a six-hour reception, or five hours with the South Asian Wedding Package. Events can be booked any day of the year between 6am and midnight. Gold and Platinum packages build in four hours of bar service, and the venue can add late-night snacks like sliders, wings and pizza to keep the dance floor fueled.

Your guests can stay right on site. Elara is connected to the Holiday Inn Crystal Lake, which has 197 guest rooms and suites across six floors: 139 double-bed rooms, 44 kings and 14 suites, each with a microwave, refrigerator, free Wi-Fi and a Keurig. Every Chicagoland wedding package includes an overnight suite for the two of you with breakfast, plus discounted room rates for your guests, and Elara's own planning timeline suggests reserving a room block at the hotel 9–12 months out. Parking is free in a large surface lot, there's a complimentary local shuttle, and Hertz has a rental counter on site.

Elara in Crystal Lake puts an all-inclusive wedding, a 1,200-guest ballroom and a hotel all on one property. Your package bundles dinner, cake, the dance floor and an overnight suite for the two of you, and a professional event planner helps with every detail. Guests can walk from the reception to the connected Holiday Inn Crystal Lake, with 197 rooms and discounted rates. The 11,200-square-foot ballroom sits on landscaped grounds overlooking a lake and a private pond, with a Sunset Deck for cocktails, and there's a dedicated South Asian Wedding Package with a buffet setup.