We’ve loved Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery since they first opened. But when we walked into their newly-renovated Great Hall we were blown away. They took the time and care to renovate this Milwaukee landmark the way it should be done – and we’re sure Milwaukee brides and grooms will be thanking them for years to come.
About Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery
Best Place is an awesome spot. The Milwaukee history here is outstanding – after all it’s located in one of the many former Pabst Brewery buildings.
Their story is awesome too – a local guy bought it and restored it to its original glory. And you get this locally-owned feel when you work with the owner and his team – they love this place and it shows. Fun fact: many of the photos in this article are from the owner’s son’s wedding.
Photos by Ilana Natasha Photography
There are two main halls available for weddings – the newly-restored Great Hall and Blue Ribbon Hall. There’s also some awesome outdoor spaces and a very cool gift shop that sells unique items (great for wedding party gifts, table decorations and more).
The New Great Hall at Best Place
When we first walked into the Great Hall we were stunned. Beautiful, historic and unique were all words that came to mind. They just completed renovations on the Great Hall in 2014 and they did a spectacular job!
The Great Hall once served as the Pabst Brewery’s accounting offices and still houses Captain Fredrick Pabst’s former office (which you can use during your reception). They list their capacity as 250-300, but told us their “sweet spot” is more around 225.
Photos by Ilana Natasha Photography
The Great Hall includes a beautiful, fully-stocked bar with 12 beers on tap (many of them local). We love this and it’s great for that beer-loving couple who wants to provide their guests with some great options.
Included in The Great Hall Rental:
You get a lot included when renting the Great Hall, which can save you on rental costs. Here’s what they provide:
- Tables to Seat up to 250 People
- Beautiful Chiavari Chairs
- Bartender(s) based on your guest count
- Audio/Visual Equipment
Hotels and Parking
One of Milwaukee’s newest hotels, The Brewhouse Inn and Suites is located across the street from Best Place. It provides a great place for you and your guests to stay as well as some beautiful photo opportunities. It’s a smaller and very popular hotel, so make sure to book well in advance.
Photo by Ilana Natasha Photography
Located inside the Brewhouse Inn and Suites is Jackson’s Blue Ribbon Pub, which could make for a great spot to host pre or post wedding events. There’s street parking around Best Place as well as a parking garage across the street that would cost guests $.75/hour.
Ceremony Options
We’ve seen some great wedding ceremonies at Best Place – mostly in one of the outdoor courtyards. Now that the Great Hall is open and Best Place manages two venues, the ceremony option might not always be available. Chat with them about your date and plans to see if a ceremony option exists.
A Pabst Themed Wedding
One thing about having your wedding at the Pabst Brewery is that it lends itself to some great themes and photo opportunities. Check out Best Place’s Gift Shop to find some great table decorations and bridal party fashions that fit perfectly with the Pabst theme.
Some Ideas for a Pabst Wedding:
Just to get you thinking, here’s a few cool ideas for a Pabst themed wedding:
- Free Pabst. All night. Period.
- Use Pabst glasses to toast
- Pabst bridal party accessories and gifts
- Hops in your floral arrangements
- Pabst themed centerpieces and table numbers
- A Pabst card box
Photos by Ilana Natasha Photography
We love what they did with Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery and applaud them for saving a great Milwaukee landmark. Big thanks to the crew at Best Place and Ilana Natasha Photography who provided the majority of the photos in this article.
Learn more about Best Place on their website: www.bestplacemilwaukee.com
i worked at pabst for 10 years. In the 80s and 90s. Cool job restoring
Honestly, that looks like a pretty nice wedding hall! How much would it cost to book a place like that? My sister is trying to plan out her wedding right now, and I could see her checking a place like that out. If it’s in her price range, then it could work out pretty well for her.