Jacob Henry Mansion

I recently had my marriage reception at the Jacob Henry Mansion in Joliet, IL. I was referred to the mansion by some co-workers at the Joliet Area Historical Museum, so I knew right away that it had to have some genuine historic meaning and significance to the area. After my first visit, I knew that I wanted to get married here. The buildings are beautifully maintained and elegant, but still welcoming to visitors. I could not have asked for a friendlier, more relaxed and helpful staff. I worked with Sarah as my wedding coordinator and she was wonderfully reliable and easy to reach. She guided me through the planning process for several months before the wedding. Not only was she professional and responsive, she was pleasantly friendly and I can really say that I enjoyed talking to her about all aspects of my wedding. In addition to Sarah, the rest of the mansion staff were polite and helpful throughout planning and on the big day. My family and friends threw me a surprise bridal shower in the mansion which turned out to be a beautiful, fun party. The staff was in on the surprise and scheduled a "tasting" for me that day. When I arrived to find a huge group of fam/friends waiting I was a bit overwhelmed...luckily I had a nice outfit waiting for me and my bridesmaids and I changed in the upstairs bedroom of the mansion. I felt like a princess! I'll never forget that Sue came right up to the bedroom knowing that I would need a little drink to help me overcome the shock! She also provided a cold beer for my husband, who was so relieved after struggling for weeks to keep the big secret from me! We ended up running over our alotted time, but the staff and servers never seemed agitated or upset about it. By the time the wedding approached, it seemed like I was calling or e-mailing Sarah everyday and she was always there to talk or respond quickly. Two days before the reception, I was able to drop off all my reception favors, decorations, centerpieces, etc and the staff took care of setting it all up. It was such a special surprise for me to walk in on the big day to see all the tables set with beautiful linens and dinnerware, plus the special touches they made with my decorations. My guests dined and partied in the Victorian Ballroom because we had too many to fit in the mansion. Many of my friends enjoyed hanging out on the huge porch of the ballroom, my family danced the night away on the big floor, and the pub area was popular with just about everyone! My only disappointment is not a fault of the mansion, but may serve as a warning to some brides. I planned to be married in the church on the estate, which is also historically registered and gorgeous inside. It has stained glass windows that reach floor to ceiling and a huge organ as the centerpiece of the alter. I was having a Catholic ceremony and, after much appealing, e-mailing, and calling, had to face the fact that a Catholic priest would not marry us in the Old Central Church. Even though it is non-denominational and is not regularly used, the Diocese of Joliet refused to let us be married there. This was such a disappointment to me because I wanted my guests to enjoy the convenience of having the ceremony and reception all in one location. In short, I am more than satisfied with my experience. The food was wonderful, the staff went above and beyond, the setting is like a fairy tale, there is close and abundant parking, and the value is unbeatable. I was treated like Victorian royalty and couldn't help but feel like it in such a beautiful and authentic surrounding. I highly recommend the Jacob Henry Mansion for any special event, even to those who would like to learn more about the fascinating history of the mansion.

Our Wedding was held in the Mansion in August of 2008 and I cannot stress enough what a fabulous, beautiful, and unique experience we had working with them! The Mansion has been maintained with authentic charm! I think the best part of having the reception in the Mansion was watching our guests explore the rooms. Everyone really enjoyed the food and the ambiance.I have heard nothing but positive feedback from our guests! I was a bit surprised to see that people did not share my opinion in the service because I thought they were very easy to work with! In the future, I will recommend all of my family and friends to this beautiful venue!

We used the JHM for our wedding. Very poor service!

We used JHM for our wedding ceremony and had promises that were not fulfilled, phone calls and e-mails that were never returned and overall disrespect from the staff. It's unfortunate that such a beautiful place cannot have staff that offers the customers what is deserved.

As soon as we saw the Jacob Henry Mansion, we knew it was the only place to have our wedding reception. The mansion has a lot of character and vintage charm. Other reviews mention the slow response of staff... and I would have to agree that there were a few instances where emails or phone calls were not returned very promptly. However, my advice is to trust this family. They know what they are doing!! Sarah was there throughout the planning process and during our reception ensuring that everything was a success. We couldn't have been happier! Pre-wedding nerves get the best of everyone-- be patient with this family-run estate, it is defintely worth it!! Everyone warned me that I wouldn't have time to dance, drink or have fun at my own reception-- this was not the case at all! The staff made sure everything was run smoothly so we could kick back and have fun with our family and friends. I was also worried about only having one bartender for a 5-hour open bar, however, our bartender was amazing. He kept our guests entertained and with drinks in their hands. Literally I would not change a thing about our wedding reception!! I recommend the Jacob Henry Mansion for laid-back couples looking for a unique venue for their wedding and wedding reception.

Outstanding! My group were most impressed by the mansion itself, but the food was very good and the service excellent. I want to thank you for making me look good and my job so much easier. Thank you again for making our luncheon such a success.

I am getting married this upcoming June at Jacob Henry and have been disapoointed the whole time. I can not get returned phone calls, when we need contracts they are not provided in a timely manner, it seems to take awhile to even get a returned email. From the time we booked it has seemed like if we had a bigger wedding or budget we would be making much more progress. Even th eprson who is helping (the onsite planner) is mostly MIA majority of the time. I don't think that if I could start over I would ever pick this place again and don't think it is recommendable.

Thank-you so much to Sue and her wonderful staff for making my son's rehearsal dinner such a success. I was a little nervous planning something so important for the first time, but Sue made the experience such a delight. She offered useful advice and went that extra step in the planning process. I could not think of a better place to hold such a special event. The drawing room made for the perfect setting of an intimate and warm atmosphere. When I need a location for another event I will be planning, I know where I will look first!

Everything was AMAZING! The Mansion and Ambiance is breathtaking! My Guests would not stop gushing and even two weeks later they were still talking about our wedding! The Church ceremony was touching and beautiful! The food and the chocolate fountain were both delicious!

Thanks to The Jacob Henry Mansion for an amazing wedding and reception that I will never forget. They made it a special, stress free day for my husband and I. The waitstaff was there to meet our every need and the service was exceptional!!! The food tasted GREAT and the ballroom was beautiful! I would highly recommend the Jacob Henry Mansion's Victorian Ballroom for anyone looking to get married!