Wisconsin Wedding Venues + beyond!

I am so excited to update this list! There are so many new and unique wedding venues right here in Wisconsin that can fit any wedding style or budget. I feel so lucky to have worked at many of these and excited to get a chance to work at some new venues. I have compiled this list based on experience and lucky finds on Instagram and being in a state wide photography group! I hope this list helps you find the venue you are looking for.

Sugarland Barn- A modern, classy take on a barn wedding, the total package for a venue

The Eloise Barn - I can’t wait to see this place! Still being built but its stunning! so unique

The Black Swan Tall Ceilings, Pillars, windows, white and clean- I envision greenery everywhere!

The Cooperage Cool venue, windows everywhere, exposed Brick, industrial feels

The Ivy House - I love this industrial gem! Indoor and outdoor space, cafe lights, incredible staff

Mercantile Hall- Urban Venue with a great outdoor space and Suesanna!

The Northern Haus- Gorgeous sprawling clean, white barn in Door County? is there anything better?

The Fields Reserve- Gorgeous Modern Barn wedding and event venue, has lots of indoor spaces.

Fete of Wales- a clean and crisp industrial space with charming scenario and lush meadows!

The Lageret- Stunning refurbished warehouse with exposed brick and warm setting. 

The Carriage House at Lac La Belle- Stunning, white, warm wood beams, open air!

Horseshoe Bay Golf Club- Gorgeous, sprawled out golf club on the Bay in Door County! 

Burlap and Bells- A romantic wedding IN the woods! This place is a dream. 

Oak Hill Weddings-Not Wisconsin but close and a Gem! Gorgeous sprawling area, pond, tent wedding!

The Waterfront- Clean and Classic venue with views of the Mississippi River!

The Enchanted Barn- Raw, rustic, romance. Awesome photo spots-top shelf staff

Schusters Farm- Round barn, larger barn and live animals, corn maze, etc..

Villa Bellezza- This looks like a french Chateau in Wisconsin! Grape Vines, Courtyard, amazing.

Whistling Straits- Irish Barn- Breathtaking views, championship locker room (Tiger Woods!), on the water

The Barn at Harvest Moon Pond- Rustic but not country, a modern style barn

Villa Terrace- Such an amazing venue with gardens and a grand museum 

Norskedalen Nature Center- Great place for an intimate wedding, a perfect outdoor setting.

Justin Trails Resort- Rolling hills, restored barn, disc golf, llamas, trails, Cabins!

The Grain Exchange- Grand, big ballroom for classy weddings

The Waters- A crisp, clean and traditional colonial yacht club right on the water!

Milwaukee Art Museum- Clean, white, modern, architectural goodness

The Pritzlaff- Historic, amazing space for any type wedding. 

Vennebu Hill - Midstate Rustic Venue, Outdoor and Indoor

The Swan Barn Door - Rustic barn with trees dripping from the ceiling, unique and nestled in WI Dells!

On A Whim Events Barn- Rustic, real life barn in Sparta WI

Trillium Creek- Not all barns are the same, this one is unique and not red! Sprawling space!

White Oak Savannah- Southern Wisconsin, eco-friendly events sanctuary

Brighton Acres- Oshkosh Area barn nestled in the country with beautiful light and places!

The Greenhouse at Bittersweet- Magic! Clean, bright, greenhouse blank slate!

Magnolia Events: Dubuque is so fun and this venue is HUGE and gorgeous!

The Loft at 132- Exposed brick, clean and bright space perfect for any wedding

The Bowery- Modern Farmhouse barn- If you like Joanna Gaines check this!

Plant No.4 - Third ward MKE, big white and wife open!

The Tinsmith: Madison Wi, Half indoors and half glass house making you feel outdoors, LOVE this.

The Paine Arts Center - Handsdown a favorite of mine. Absolutely Gorgeous, lush gardens, picturesque

The Covenant At Murray Mansion- wow. Stunning venue complete with a mansion!

Garver Feed Mill- Central Wisconsin, huge space, exposed brick and beams

The Edgewater- Feels classy and natical, on the water, gorgeous views, boutique hotel and spa

The Treasury- Delavan, WI - big, white gorgeous space!

The Charmant- This place will transform you out of Lacrosse, Boutique hotel, rooftop! Food and drinks, cafe!

The Waterfront - Cargill Room Charming venue on the water, floor to ceiling window views, patio, white!

The LedgeCrest Reserve- Jaw-dropping new venue, go to the website and be ready to be wowed!

Stone Prairie- Umm OK an all GLASS venue/ green house looking stunner?! Yes please!

Safer at Home and Wedding Planning During COVID-19

I’m going to assume no one had Worldwide Pandemic on your radar for worst case scenario wedding planning hiccups. When I first heard about the virus I personally didn’t take it too seriously. I was actually pregnant with my first son during H1N1 (10 years ago) and I barely remember hearing about it or knowing it was a threat (especially to someone pregnant) and that is coming from who is hypersensitive to news about illnesses/disease. So how H1N1 didn’t throw me through a anxiety attack I have no idea. But my thought is it wasn’t broadcasted like COVID is. So as COVID-19 seeped into social media more and more it obviously caught my attention. Then in about a week the news started lighting up. The NCAA March Madness is cancelled, NHL cancelled, Schools are cancelled, MLB is cancelled (including spring training) I would be lying if a brief feeling of panic started in my gut, “Wait Wait Wait now, No Brewers” ?! NO SCHOOL?!? x cand then my sensible and realistic side kicked in and told me “Look- if they are canceling Major League baseball and the NCAA tournament- the world is losing billions of dollars” and I just know they wouldn’t do that without an extremely serious reason. And I think at that point I knew this was a “thing” and our world was about to change.

At My Home

At first it was OK the kids are home 24/7 and I am being tossed into an At Home lesson plan, not something I would personally sign up for but I can handle it. Then came the Safer at Home restrictions, the weekend prior I was at the Movies with the kids and we went to Dicks Sporting Goods to get our new baseball gear for the upcoming season and now stores are closed? no restaurants? Still somehow I took this all pretty calmly (which I surprised myself even) probably because I pride myself in online shopping so my life didn’t change that drastically. But I thought this would be a week or two worth and now we’re looking at a month and the Safer at Home orders being extended and things just got very very real here. Follow along on Instagram/ Stories for a look inside our day to day at home. We have been making the very best of our days. We have a daily schedule (ever changing) with school time, exercise time, outdoor time, creative time (crafts/ legos) and plenty of movies and Ipad time. I started the quarantine clean and already cleaned out 2 closets.

Other things I am doing during Safer at Home orders:

1. Updated my website

2. Blogging!

3. Engaging on social media w/ fellow small business owners

4. Zoom meetings

5. Checking in with my grandma and grandpa

6. Ordering take out from local small restaurants

7. Watching all the movies

8. Teaching Dax where his nose, eyes, ears and mouth are

9. Taking walks and bike rides

10. Trying to relearn simple things that can make me happy.

2020 Wedding Season

My fear set in about my dear wedding couples after the Safer at Home ordered was placed. What is happening to wedding season? How are my couples feelings? I sent out a message to everyone immediately to check in. Every single one of my couples has taken a reasonable approach and said they were “waiting this out” which I felt the same, we didn’t know what was happening, how long would this be. I wouldn’t postpone my wedding without just reason that is for sure. I feel like it happened in one day, the emails came in, checking reschedule and cancellation procedures. Looking for new dates. Looking for new venues, vendors. I cannot imagine. My heart is with all my couples and I have sent you all virtual hugs! Just know that whatever the date, your wedding will be amazing and you will have your moment in a safer time and without the Covid-19 cloud hanging over your day. Sharing some engagement photos from my sweet couple Aila and Noah who have been affected by COVID 19 and have delayed their wedding to October.

So far I have not had one single cancellation. Thank you couples! You are single handedly supporting small businesses! I can’t wait to work with you and make your wedding memorable. When we can all finally come together there will be nothing else like it!

Here are a few things that I found to really help my couples during this time:

1. A wedding planner- couples working with a legitimate planning company have a huge support system and I have been contacted by wedding planners to look at r/s dates and create a plan for the couple, and saving the couple a lot of stress. This is an amazing support couples!

2. Know your wedding vendors cancellation policy- So important!

3. If your set on getting married this year, be flexible with your date and consider a weekday event

4. Reschedule, Don’t Cancel on your vendors (plus money savings on deposits!)

5. Breathe. No one knew this would happen. We are all in this together. It will be Ok.

2020 couples, times are uncertain and overwhelming but I am here and

we can find a solution and it will be amazing!

2021 Couples

1. COVID-19 is affecting you in the way hat 2020 couples are postponing to next year and taking up prime dates.

2. Consider a wedding planner, now that we know how amazing it would be to have one during a crisis.

3. Check with venues, wedding planners and photographers first for available dates.

4. After you book your 3 top vendors, you can relax again

5. Check in on your 2020 wedding planning friends
   
   

We are all in this together. Here are things you can do as humans to help: small businesses

1. Reschedule Don’t Cancel on your vendors

2. Find a charity that helps with PPE for health care workers or food to those in need

3. Follow uplifting and positive people on Instagram

4. Comment/ like and engage on posts your wedding professionals are posting to give them a social media boost.

5. Share and tag photos on social media from your photographer

6. Schedule future sessions or buy a gift certificate.

7. Leave positive reviews

8. Word of mouth referrals are amazing!

9. Send positive vibes into the universe

10. Prepare.

There are endless advice and articles right now on planning during COVID-19 here are just a few I had found and read through and found it was sound advice.

BRIDES COVID 19 TIPS

JUNEBUG WEDDINGS ADVICE

HARPERS BAZAAR COVID TIPS

Lucy + Adam's Winter Morning Engagement Session

I am SO excited to work with these two. They came home from New York for the holidays and I met them a few days before Christmas (you know when the world still made sense) and we walked out into the backyard and so incredibly effortless this session took place.

Lucy and Adam both agreed it’s what the couple GIVES as much as the photographer has to give to make a good session. Let me see and feel your love and energy. Lucy and Adam did that and more. This session was somehow sweet and intimate but also funny and silly and their were quiet moments and moments of extreme laughter and terror when they couldn’t stop sliding down the hill….which later ended up as more laughter.

It was my last session before the holidays and it was the most perfect weather and it felt amazing to get outside and to work with these two and I had Christmas to look forward to in just days….It was a real highlight day for me.

I am so excited for this July wedding! I hope for Lucy and Adam and all of my couples and humanity as a whole that life will be fully back to making sense in July and we can all be together again and celebrate life’s most precious moments.