Frequently Asked Questions About Arlington’s in Sptingfield IL
Planning an event comes with many important details, and Arlington’s is dedicated to making the entire process as simple and stress-free as possible. From venue capacity and rental inclusions to accessibility, staffing, and event coordination, these answers offer clear insight into what’s included and how events are managed from start to finish. Whether hosting a wedding, corporate event, or private gathering, Arlington’s provides attentive planning, experienced staff, and a fully equipped venue designed to support a seamless and enjoyable event experience.
Our Frequently Asked Questions
What are the capacities of the venue spaces?
Our top floor venue holds a maximum of 144 guests seated (with 14 on the stage), and up to 250 guests for standing room only with cocktail tables. Our main floor venue holds a maximum of 63 guests seated, and up to 80 guests for standing room only with cocktail tables. This comes to a total of 210 guests seated or 330 guests standing if opting to rent both floors. There are various layouts depending on your guest count and what suits your needs best.
What is included in the venue rental fee, catering service fee, and bar service fee?
We strive to make this as easy and simple as possible for you. Your venue rental includes tables, chairs, linens, set up and clean up (except your decorations), AV equipment, sound system, bathrooms on both floors, free parking, and free wi-fi. Arlington’s staff will have your event set and ready for your decorations according to the layout you have worked out with your event coordinator. During and at the end of the event we handle all clean up, table movement and/or removal, and will help in any way we can to ensure things go smoothly. We do not set up or handle any of your personal decorations. However, if you need any suggestions we are always happy to help. Included in your food purchase we provide our eco-friendly compostable bamboo plate ware, silver utensils, and paper napkins. Crystal water glasses and water carafes on tables are available upon request and free of charge. Full China setup may be rented for any food service for $7 per person. All drinks are served in our bar glassware (unless it is deemed necessary to switch to plastic or plastic is requested). Your event coordinator will work with you on planning the timing, layouts, food and drink, and anything else they can help with. We essentially handle everything we can for you…and for free! You won’t get this level of service anywhere else!
How long do I have access to the venue before, during, and after the event?
Wedding reception rentals are 9am-11:30pm access the day of the event. If renting the premium package, please see the hours in the venue pricing section. All other events are rented by the hour. You get 1 free hour before your event and 30 minutes after your event for decoration set up and break down. Don’t forget, we will clean up and discard anything you don’t want to keep to make things as stress-free as possible. Our staff will help you with the elevator to assist you in getting items to and from the top floor if you would like. Please notify us in advance if you need to use the elevator to ensure timely assistance.
Is Arlington’s wheelchair accessible?
We do have 5 steps with handrails to be navigated to get into the building. Unfortunately, due to city and state regulations, we are not allowed to install a permanent ADA compliant wheelchair ramp at the entrance. However, we do have a temporary 22’ long 1.5 grade ramp that can be installed for your guests. Please let us know in advance as it takes about 45 minutes to set up. All restrooms are ADA compliant.
Who is my contact person for the event?
You will be assigned your own event coordinator to work with throughout the process from signing the contract to the perfect execution of your event and every detail in between. They will help you plan all aspects of your event and for the few things they don’t do personally they will have some good ideas for you. They can offer suggestions on DJs, florists, photographers, etc. Since we are handling all your set up, layout, food and drink, your event coordinator will be your go-to person to make this an awesome event! If you are using a wedding planner, we will work with them to ensure everyone’s needs are met for a smooth event.
What size tables are offered?
We offer 6’ rectangular tables for gift and/or dessert displays, guest sign-in table, or other non-seating uses. We have 8’ rectangular tables for seating up to 10 guests each, 4’ round tables for seating up to 6 guests each, and 6’ round tables for seating up to 10 guests each.
How many people will be on staff for my event?
Arlington’s event coordinator and management will staff your event properly to ensure your event goes off perfectly. With the exception of the bartenders, all service staff is included in the venue rental pricing. Bartenders are $20 per hour, per bartender. One bartender must be present at every event even if no alcohol is being purchased. They are an amazing group of people that will be serving you all your non-alcoholic beverages, answering questions, cleaning tables, and generally assisting in whatever you may need. We typically staff one bartender per 50-60 guests to ensure the best service possible, but you can request more or less as needed for your event.