Editor’s Note: Check out our latest article about The Society – A Hip and Historic Milwaukee Wedding Venue!
One thing we hear from many brides is that they want their wedding to be unique. Having your wedding at the Milwaukee County Historical Society will accomplish that.
The building itself is gorgeous and recently renovated to its historic grandeur. And it has only been available for rentals for about two years, so many brides don’t even know about it.
Wow Your Guests With Beauty
Honestly, when you walk into the Milwaukee Historical Society building you’ll be sold. It is spectacular! Two stories of marble walls and columns, an ornate ceiling and a unique triangular shape greet you as you enter.
The upper mezzanine-level overlooks the first floor. A standout feature of the Historical Society are the large vaults– two on the first level. The building was originally constructed as a bank in 1913 and the vaults have been preserved. A cool Milwaukee fact – it was the bank of choice for all of Milwaukee’s beer barons!
You can rent both levels or choose to just use the lower level. It’s also your choice how you’d like to use them – the ceremony and the reception can be set up on either floor. Capacity is up to 200 on the lower level and up to 250 on the upper level, but these numbers can vary based on your configurations.
Please, Use the Vaults!
The vaults can be put to creative uses that are only limited by your imagination. Many couples choose to have their ceremony in front of a vault as you can see in this article’s pictures.
In addition, they’ve had photo booths and DJs set up inside the vaults. You could even leave them open for your guests to explore or put seating in there for a cool space to get away.
One fun fact about the vaults is that one of them was used in the movie Public Enemies staring Johnny Depp as Depression-era gangster John Dillinger. Anyone up for incorporating a gangster-theme into their wedding? 🙂
Top Downtown Location for Pictures and More
Beyond the awesomeness of the building, you’ll find yourself in a great location for wedding photos and more. Right next to the Historical Society building is Pere Marquette Park. The park serves as a great backdrop for wedding pictures and in warmer months, a great outdoor ceremony location.
Another option is to have a tent in Pere Marquette Park to expand the space of the Historical Society. Possibly for a cocktail hour or to combine a fun indoor/outdoor space for your guests. Note that you’ll need to work separately with the Milwaukee County Parks Department for the rental.
There’s also several great wedding photo opportunities along the nearby Riverwalk. In addition, several boat launches are located in Pere Marquette Park or nearby. A boat ride is a very fun excursion for guests in between your ceremony and reception. Check out The Edelweiss and Riverwalk Boat Tours for more info.
Incorporate Milwaukee’s History into Your Wedding
Love Milwaukee history? Then you’ve come to the right place! Upon request, the Milwaukee Historical Society can supply you with historic pictures to use in your wedding. See the images below where this couple used them as part of their table numbers – what a great idea!
In addition, you can request to have pieces of the Historical Society’s collection placed on display for your guests. This is a very cool option for those of us that value Milwaukee’s history and love to show it off.
Nearby Hotels
If you have out-of-town guests coming in for your wedding, you can choose from the multitude of downtown hotels. The closest is the Hyatt and the InterContinental is about a block away.
To learn more about having your wedding at the Milwaukee County Historical Society, check out their webpage www.milwaukeehistory.net.
Special thanks to the pros at Woodnote Photography for the amazing images used in this article.
