Four Rivers Center in Channahon to host wedding open house

Will County — The Forest Preserve District of Will County will host an opening house at the Four Rivers Environmental Education Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday for couples looking for wedding venues.

Located in McKinley Woods in Channahon near the juncture of the juncture of the Kankakee, DuPage, and Des Plaines rivers, Four Rivers Environmental Education Center is home to the Illinois River Grand Hall, which can seat up to 150 people, making it ideal for eco-friendly wedding celebrations.

The venue also boasts an outdoor patio, picnic shelter and wedding suite along with its 2,000-gallon freshwater aquarium and bird feeder-birdbath viewing area.

“Four Rivers is a popular wedding venue, but there are still some couples who aren’t aware it exists,” said the site’s reservation manager Mary Thomas.

The venue recently received the 2024 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award and received praise for its photo potential because of its location in the forest.

“You can go anywhere and get a beautiful picture,” said Kylee Beckwith, the site’s guest services associate. “There are different views for every season and they’re so gorgeous.”

The event is meant to promote the all-inclusive wedding space to couples who may be looking for a green or nature-based venue.

“The health of our planet is incredibly important to me,” said Bailey Testerman, who married her husband, Kole El-Talabani, at Four Rivers in August 2023. “I wanted to reduce the environmental impact of our wedding as much as possible. Choosing an environmentally conscious venue was a way to live out my values while wedding planning.”

In addition to the fully decorated hall, the open house will feature five approved Four Rivers’ caterers: Angeli’s Catering, Chic Chef Catering, My Chef Catering, Polonia Catering and Uncle Bubs “Award Winning BBQ.” An officiant and a DJ will also be present to discuss ceremony logistics with couples. Goodie bags will be distributed to couples who show up for the open house.

Registration for the open house is encouraged and can be done online at the Will County Forest Preserve website, ReconnectWithNature.org.

More information about booking events at Forest Preserve facilities is also available on the site.