The Martin Theatre is the only building left from Ravinia's original 1904 construction, an 850-seat concert hall that was restored in 1992 and has been hosting chamber music for 120 years. A wedding on that stage is a wedding in a room built for classical strings, which almost no other North Shore venue can offer.
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120 Years Of Music
Ravinia Festival opened in 1904 in Highland Park and has been the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1936. Three main venues sit across the 36-acre grounds: the Martin Theatre (the 850-seat historic concert hall, restored 1992), the Pavilion (recently renovated and rebranded as the Hunter Pavilion for the 2026 season, 2,850 seats), and the Bennett Gordon Concert Hall. The Pavilion is the summer outdoor concert venue; weddings there are rare.
The Martin Theatre is the wedding room most couples actually book. Because Ravinia's summer concert calendar runs from roughly June through Labor Day, wedding dates primarily fall in the April-to-early-June window and in September-October. Off-season availability is generally good; mid-season slots are limited to narrow calendar windows between concert performances.
Ravinia is on the Union Pacific North Metra line, which drops guests directly at the gate, unusual guest transportation for a venue of this caliber.
Project String Quartet is led by founder Rebecca Hamilton, a conservatory-trained violinist who has performed at 200+ Midwest weddings and holds a 5.0 Google rating across the region. The ensemble plays both classical standards and Bridgerton-style pop arrangements, so a Martin Theatre ceremony can open with Pachelbel and close with a string version of a Coldplay track without breaking the room's atmosphere. If you're still deciding on repertoire, the playlist builder lets you mix classical and pop selections before you book.
A Concert Hall Wedding
The Martin Theatre was built for chamber and orchestral music, and the 1992 restoration preserved the acoustic design. We sit in a standard chamber-quartet configuration onstage; the room does the projection work for us. No amplification at any headcount, the theater was never meant for it.
For couples who prefer an outdoor ceremony on Ravinia's wooded grounds and move indoors to the Martin Theatre or a reception pavilion, we set up against a tree line or against the back wall of the Martin Theatre itself for acoustic backdrop. Open-lawn sites above 100 guests benefit from light reinforcement.
Ravinia's operations team runs the wedding calendar around the concert season. Load-in windows are tightly defined, usually opening exactly when the gate opens, and load-out aligns with the concert-production rhythms of the venue. We arrive on the minute the venue opens and pre-stage efficiently.
Ensemble Fit
Violin + Cello
Works for an intimate Bennett Gordon Concert Hall rehearsal dinner or a small private-lounge ceremony. Under-scaled for the Martin Theatre.
Request QuoteViolin, Violin + Cello
A reasonable option for Martin Theatre ceremonies at the lower capacity end (under 400 guests). The theater's acoustics flatter three voices more than most halls would.
Request Quote2 Violins + Viola + Cello
The default on the Martin Theatre stage. Four voices, standard chamber configuration, in a room designed around exactly this ensemble. The second violin keeps the top line distinct in the theater's natural reverb, and the quartet's density reads exactly as 1904 acoustic design intended.
Request QuoteOff-season Saturdays fill fast. Send your date now and we'll confirm availability within one business day.
Check Your DateOther North Shore options:
Planning a city ceremony? See our Chicago string quartet page, or read the best Chicago wedding venues for live music and our guide to choosing a wedding string quartet.
Tell us about your event at Ravinia Festival and we'll send a personalized quote.
Send the date. Off-season Saturdays (April-June and September-October) are the availability windows; the earlier you lock a date the better.
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