Completed in 1918 in the town of Vernon Hills, IL, Cuneo Mansion and Gardens was built as the home of Samuel Insull, one of the original founders of General Electric Company. Furnished in an Italianate style with its gardens and landscaping designed by Jens Jensen, a world-renowned landscape architect, the mansion also features an extensive collection of fine antiques, paintings by world-famous artists, tapestries, sculptures, silver, and porcelain. In 1937, John Cuneo Sr. purchased the home and lived there with his wife and two children, John Jr. and Consuela. In 2009, John Jr. and his wife, Herta, donated the 100-acre estate to Loyola University Chicago along with the collection of art and furnishings. It has since been used as a venue for weddings, special occasions and corporate events.

Recently, TLC filmed its finale episodes of the show, Four Weddings, at Cuneo Mansion and Gardens. The show follows four separate brides as they plan their own weddings but also prepare to have their weddings attended and scored by the other brides in the categories of dress, venue, food, and experience. At the end, whichever bride has the most points out of the four wins a fabulous honeymoon vacation.

Loyola University Chicago is grateful to TLC for choosing Cuneo Mansion and Gardens as a setting for one of its shows and cannot thank the Cuneo family enough for its wonderful donation. The university plans to continually improve the space in order to accommodate a wide variety of events and looks forward to all future weddings and special occasions that will be held on the property.

To learn more about the Cuneo Mansion and Gardens, visit http://www.uniquevenues.com/CuneoMansion

Information on Four Weddings can be seen at http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/tv/four-weddings.

UC began its Master Plan redesign in 1989, with the goal of transforming the property into a cohesive, modern campus complete with architectural masterpieces, vibrant green space, and a stunning central MainStreet pedestrian corridor. Today, the campus abounds with incredible modern architecture, including works from such renowned architects as Peter Eisenman, Frank Gehry and alumnus Michael Graves. The design retained nostalgic elements of the original campus, including the clock tower, which was moved to the glass roof of the Tangeman University Center’s 90-foot tall atrium.

The campus serves as an inspiration for the university’s architecture students, who, according to Delta Sky Magazine, “can literally study among the best.” Forbes Magazine – which in 2010 also named UC one of the world’s most beautiful campuses – noted: “architecture students need only step outside the classroom to observe some of the more cunning modern architecture of their day.”

If you’re seeking a unique, competitively-priced and architecturally interesting venue to host your next event, consider the University of Cincinnati.

Learn more about the University of Cincinnati on uniquevenues.com

The renovation will transform the existing 45 guestrooms into 35 new, luxurious rooms complete with suite options – including two-story suites! The gracious design will be replete with lush bedding, rich tones, and sepia-toned framed photographs of Winston Salem’s most cherished landmarks to emphasize the estate’s historic charm. Each guest room will include state-of-the-art convenience in the form of flat screen LED televisions and WiFi connectivity. Not to be outdone, the Mews Conference Room and breakout spaces are also included in this renovation, and promise to be incredible.

“In redesigning the Mews, it was extremely important to understand the delicate balance between historic elements and modern comforts. We’ll be injecting new life into this area with everything from a new design to an overhaul in technology” said John Wise, Assistant Vice President of Hospitality Services at Wake Forest University. “We are extremely proud of the look and feel that this renovation will bring to the estate. The enhancements to the Mews reinforce Wake Forest University’s ongoing commitment and investment to keep this historical estate’s premier status as a distraction free meeting destination and the social address of Winston-Salem.”

Once the renovation is complete, the Graylyn Estate will offer “The Mews Enclave Package” option, which provides exclusive use of the Mews guestrooms, conference, breakout and dining space.

The Graylyn Estate will remain open during the renovation, hosting meetings and events within the Manor House, Management House and Bernard Cottage. The renovation is expected to be completed by April 2012, and you can follow the progress on Graylyn’s “Mews News” blog.

To learn more about the Graylyn International Conference Center, visit them on Uniquevenues.com

can be hard to imagine.  After all, work can be stressful sometimes, so the concept of a “fun at work” may not be so easy for some to grasp.

But that’s just all the more reason to opt for a fun corporate retreat.

Dave and Buster’s, the popular restaurant chain, is an ideal location for a fun corporate retreat, even touting themselves as putting “the FUN in FUNction!”  Their venues are complete with a restaurant, bar, and arcade, perfect for corporate events and teambuilding.

Most of their spaces are really versatile, accommodating anywhere from 20-2,000 guests depending on the location.  They even include all the essentials for a meeting, like a projector, PA system, work spaces, and theatre seating.  For the fun part, your employees can unwind with their buffet, bar service, and arcade.

Dave and Buster’s even has corporate event experts on staff to help you with your event (now that’s a perk).

So if you’re in charge of your company’s corporate retreat, give them the best of both worlds: a professional environment with meeting essentials and a fun place to kick back and get to know each other better.

Find a Dave and Buster’s location now.

Handcrafted, handwritten, personalized wedding favors: Today’s brides are all about personalization.  These chalkboard tealight holders are an inexpensive, unique way to let the bride and groom leave their mark. The best part? Guests don’t get stuck with a favor they’ll never use.  Just wipe the chalkboard clean, and they’ll be able to customize it for their own use.

Green wedding venues: Green will still be on the mind’s of some brides in 2012. Look for unique wedding venues that are green like the High Country Conference Center that incorporate– among other things– those little green touches, like opting for water fountains instead of water bottles for guests.  We also love this beautiful table setting from one wedding held there. Can’t you just see those chalkboard tealights fitting in nicely?

Vintage wedding elements: That old-fashioned look came on strong in the past few seasons, and it will still be popular in 2012. Why? Because it incorporates both green and handcrafted elements into a one-of-a-kind look.  We love these bouquets that are made of vintage jewelry, especially the one made of the bride’s grandmother’s jewelry… a perfect way to include “something old.”

As always, be sure to check through our unique wedding venues located over at uniquevenues.com.  If wedding planning gets too crazy, let us do the searching for you! Our venue-matching expert, Shannon, can help you find that perfect wedding venue. Tell her what you’re looking for here or call her at 877.244.6110.

This year, make those little unique touches stand out by getting creative.  From your food to your centerpieces, your venue to your gift, we’ve got you covered with some of the most unique holiday party items around.

Start by greeting your guests at the door or entrance way with a unique decoration: a peacock feather wreath. Pops of blue and purple add a flair, while still incorporating holiday green.

Next, liven up your catering table or centerpieces with some of these ornament bouquets.  You may even be able to get a package of ornaments already discounted at a store. We like this metallic motif; mixing red and green into the mix would get too busy.  For step by step instructions, see here.

Then, put a little twist on a holiday classic: eggnog.  Love it or hate it, this holiday staple is a must-have for your party. Even Starbucks opts to bring their eggnog latte back each year, due to demand.  Bring this drink up to speed, though, by layering it with raspberry chambord (for non-alcoholic, try mixing it with a raspberry smoothie).  Serve in a tall, clear glass to really show off the layers.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, make sure your venue has some unique quality to it to make your holiday party memorable.  There’s something to be said for booking a museum, old manor, zoo, cruise ship, or other eccentric venue to host your big night.  For any help finding a venue, check out Unique Venues’ site or let us find one for you through our Assisted Search program.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Unique Venues!

Ditch the traditional buffet table and create food-drink pairing stations throughout the room.  Several mini-meals not only appeals to each guest’s tastes, it also distributes food throughout the room, meaning guests are more likely to circulate and mingle.

Choosing pairings may seem overwhelming, but just start with a food or drink you like to serve, and go from there.  Margaritas? Make them mini by serving them in high ball glasses like these mini-mojitos. Then pair them with something Mexican, like mini-tacos or quesadillas.

Want something seasonal? Pair pumpkin beer with cinnamon rimmed glasses with stuffing or turkey spring rolls.

We love some of the ideas from this recent article, like creme brûlée with espresso martinis.

To kick it up a notch, get creative with how you serve the food and drink. Because this isn’t a sit down dinner, be sure that the items are bite-sized or portable (there’s a reason food on a stick is in).  With the mini-drinks, think outside of the box. We love these mini-drink’s tiny glasses.

Planning a holiday party can be a daunting task, but hopefully you’ve gained a bit of inspiration to turn tradition on its head with these food-drink pairings.

If you’re still in need of a venue, be sure to search our collection of unique venues across North America, perfect for your holiday party.

Cheers!

According to Jason Walley, Director of Conference Services, the answer is yes.  “We’ll have 100 of these rooms available beginning in June 2012,” he says.  “And there’s more to come.”

The Courtside Collection, designed by Walley and his colleagues, feel much more like a hotel room than your traditional dorm room.  “We had  recently  renovated one of our buildings, and after we crunched the numbers, it really was within our reach to offer something unique .”

The suites come complete with modern-day amenities, like a 24-hour front desk, flat screen televisions, free WiFi, usage of recreation areas, and daily house cleaning.  The cost? “It’s just $150 per room, per night, and that includes a hot breakfast,” says Walley.

Even more of a reason, because groups are staying at a university as opposed to a hotel, they save by not having to pay an occupancy tax or a service charge. Additionally, the revenue generated offsets student housing costs during the academic year.  It’s really a no brainer.

Also included in UCLA’s renovation was a new ballroom (see design on right) with three breakout rooms, which pairs perfectly with the new suites for groups, associations, or even special events.

To learn more about UCLA Conference Services, visit them on uniquevenues.com.

While there’s no shortage of fake spider webs and plastic pumpkins at stores, you may be on the hunt for something a bit more… unique.

For that, we have these three suggestions.

Bat Mobile: Create your own version of the bat mobile (not Batman’s, but Martha’s).  Create a simple bat pattern out of cardstock and trace 10 or so onto black construction paper.  String them with fishing wire from your ceiling at different heights.  

Costume on a stick: Don’t have time for Martha’s cupcake masterpieces? Print out these do-it-yourself costumes for guests.  Paste them on popsicle sticks and scatter them throughout your venue.  Having a photobooth or photographer?  Keep these handy for those who dared to come without a costume.

Up the classy creep factor: Instead of streaming Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” on loop every twenty minutes, pop in classic, black and white horror flicks from the 50s or 60s.  There’s nothing like the “look out behind you!” moments that get guests yelling at the TV.  Just be sure to keep the volume down and music up; no one likes a zombie guest watching movies and not talking.

Find the perfect, creepy venue: Look into mansions, guesthouses, or even castles to host your Halloween party.  These places don’t require much to pull off a great Halloween party.

Enjoy!

If you’re looking for a large space to hold an event or meeting, the Blair County Convention Center in Altoona has these great scenes as the backdrop of their convention center. The facility boasts over 50,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, 11 meeting rooms, and an 1800 capacity theatre to accommodate groups up to 2000.

Equipped with high-speed & wireless Internet, full service business center, in-house technicians, computer communications room, and built in screens, your meetings will run efficiently and effectively with Blair County Convention Center’s team.

For special events, their full-service culinary staff can cater all of your dining needs for your guests or attendees. Take advantage of their indoor and outdoor space to truly create a unique event.

With a walkway to a Courtyard Marriott, your guests can easily extend their stay and take the time to explore what Blair County has to offer. For example, just a short drive away is Horseshoe Curve, a horseshoe-shaped railroad track built in 1854. Guests can take a funicular to the top to watch trains roll through this engineering marvel.

After your day of meetings, your guests can also take in an Altoona Curve game, whose season extends into September. The minor league baseball team’s home stadium is under a 10-minute drive from the convention center.

Explore what Altoona, PA and Central Pennsylvania has to offer at the Blair County Convention Center.