The Auditorium Ballroom — Attraction in LaSalle

Thanks to the Bird Family for sponsoring the Mad Hatter's Ball, Friday, November 19th, 2021.

Last night at the Auditorium ballroom proved to be a lark. I arrived just in time to hear my friend declared “Queen of the Arts”. During dinner, I approached the long table of honorees and declared, “Hail the Queen! I am at your service.” My friend came around the table to give me a hug. We wondered out loud how it was possible that this crown came to my friend. Maybe, we speculated, a friend known for wealth, had donated an authoritative amount of money. And yet, we’ll never know exactly. That put the evening on a nice foot for me.

I found myself at an agreeable table. I sat with four people from Princeton, probably the only table of people from Bureau County. A board member brought a friend dressed up as the Mad Hatter, an executive in town from Atlanta. I took everyone’s pictures. The ballroom has a long, grand staircase for brides and grooms to make a dramatic entrance. I merely asked my new friends to descend the staircase, smiling for the camera. The descent allowed me to take many pictures, and many turned out to be spectacular. A photographer can make it almost impossible for a picture to get...

Our daughter's wedding reception was held Sept. 3 at the Auditorium Ballroom, and we couldn't be happier with our choice of venue. Mike Bird is very accomodating and made sure that we were happy with all our choices, even offering things that we didn't think about. Plus, he's just an all-around friendly and nice guy who made us feel very welcome. The Ballroom is absolutely beautiful, obviously restored with love as well as a lot of hard work. It is very spacious and we had ample room for the approximately 125 guests, a buffet dinner, and space left over for dancing. We had a cocktail hour before the reception in the downstairs bar area, and my only complaint would be that it gets incredibly loud with everyone talking. All of the workers are very polite and helpful, even asking us if they could do anything else for us. The experience definitely gave a great ending to a perfect wedding day. Many thanks to Mike and his...

As a luxury wedding photographer, this restored 1900s venue is an absolute dream. Think Great Gatsby glam meets modern loft—exposed brick, tons of natural light, and every corner screaming “photogenic.” The grand staircase is perfect for dramatic entrances or first looks, the bridal suite has lighting made for cinematic portraits, and the bar? Honestly, it might be the coolest bar I’ve ever shot near.

The staff are super personable and love sharing the venue’s fascinating history—did you know famous Chicago mobsters like Al Capone once had ties to the area? It adds such a fun, secret-layer-of-legend vibe that makes the space even more unforgettable. Between the stunning architecture, cinematic details, and playful hints of Prohibition-era intrigue, this venue is endlessly photogenic and one of my absolute favorites to work at.

-Mikayla + Capture the Canvas...