Today we’d like to introduce you to Robyn and Michelle Lytle.
Robyn and Michelle, please share your story with us.
In 2004, Michelle started her photography business, Michelle Lytle Photography. We were married in 2014 and have been photographing weddings together since then. With almost 500 weddings under our belts, we have photographed in so many amazing venues all over Chicagoland — always appreciate the little details that can make each venue so unique. We knew we wanted to use our knowledge of the wedding industry and our passion for Chicago’s architecture and Chicago’s history to eventually have a venue of our very own.
There were a few “must-haves” on our list as we began our search: We wanted to stay on the north side and be close to the beach. We wanted to find a small space with a history that we could renovate so that we could host unique, intimate weddings.
It took a couple years of really researching and looking at real estate to find the perfect space in Edgewater. We fell in love with a building that needed a total gut rehab renovation. It had been built in 1901 and was originally a tin shop. For the past 30 years, it had been used as an auto garage before we closed on the property in 2015. After a full year of renovations, we officially opened in June 2017, so we have now just completed our first full year in business!
Has it been a smooth road?
Our biggest struggles were finding financing for a construction loan. The project was much bigger than we ever expected. We were told “no” by about 40 different lenders before we found someone who was truly willing to look at our business plan and was eager to work with us.
Also, the stress of a construction project and attempting to meet deadlines is like nothing we have ever experienced. On top of that, I was pregnant with our daughter at the time — so it was a race against the clock to get moved into our new space before she arrived. We ended up moving in just two days before her due date!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Lytle House story. Tell us more about the business.
The Lytle House is a small event space in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. While we do plenty of weekday corporate events and private dinner parties, we definitely specialize in weddings.
We are most proud to be a part of Edgewater’s vibrant community. Many of the couples who get married here live nearby and want to celebrate their marriage in their own neighborhood. We also work with a preferred list of vendors — with a focus on networking with other women-owned, minority-owned, and LGBT-owned small businesses — many of whom are also local to the north side. We really love creating this amazing network of people who are also part of our community. It’s great to be able to work together with our clients to ensure their wedding day is extraordinary.
I think one thing that really sets us apart is that we are an unconventional venue. We definitely cater to a couple who is looking to do something less traditional and more laidback for their celebration. We have a huge mural in our courtyard and treads for a food truck to pull in to cater your event. We have a giant glass garage door that we often keep open during events to create an indoor-outdoor free-flowing space. While we have tables and chairs for up to 80 guests, we often have couples who do something more casual — like a cocktail style wedding with a food truck and food stations so guests are encouraged to gather and mingle outside and aren’t tied to an assigned seat. It’s a very fun, vibrant atmosphere that caters to a unique experience.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The wedding industry is constantly changing, and we love that. We have definitely noticed a shift towards smaller weddings — maybe it’s because people are getting married a bit later in life and paying for their wedding themselves, and having a small wedding is the best way to keep costs down. Also, when you have a small wedding, you are really taking a look at your guest list and evaluating who is a really big part of your life and who will always be there, supporting you two as a couple in 10 years, 20 years, 50 years!
We specifically wanted to open a venue that catered to small events so that a small guest list didn’t mean you had to drown in a huge space. We wanted our space to feel like the perfect place to gather all your favorite people for an intimate wedding celebration.
Another big trend has been unique food. We haven’t hosted a wedding here yet that has had the standard chicken, beef, or vegetarian option. I love when couples serve food that they love — either from their favorite food truck or they work with a caterer to merge cultures and come up with a completely custom menu that represents both of them.
Pricing:
- 2019-2020 weekend pricing April thru October: $4500 for a 10 hour rental
- 2019-2020 weekend pricing November thru March: $4000 for a 10 hour rental
- weekday hourly pricing available
Contact Info:
- Address: 5517 N. Broadway St. Chicago, IL 60640
- Website: www.thelytlehouse.com
- Email: hello@thelytlehouse.com
- Instagram: @thelytlehouse
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-lytle-house-chicago
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