Historic, but not stuffy is a great way to describe The Society. Couples are usually stunned by its beauty when they first walk through this one-of-a-kind Milwaukee wedding venue. It’s gorgeous, roomy and located next to Père Marquette Park and the Milwaukee River – what more could you ask for?
And the best part – The Society is run by our friends at Two Birds Event Group, one of Milwaukee’s top events and production companies. With the industry veterans at Two Birds running things you know you’ll be taken care of.
All About The Society
The Society is located in Downtown Milwaukee right next to Père Marquette Park and the Milwaukee River. Built in 1913, it’s an elegant building that was a former bank for some of Milwaukee’s brewery barons (how cool is that?!?).
Inside The Society building you’ll find two floors, super cool bank vaults, a hand-painted ceiling and historic décor unlike anything else in Milwaukee. Using both floors for seating, The Society has a capacity for 250 guests seated. If you decide to just seat guests on the second floor mezzanine the seated capacity will be 200.
The Society offers a large outdoor patio, perfect for cocktail hour and socialization during your wedding. In addition to the patio, The Society is literally right next to Père Marquette Park, with its views of the Milwaukee River and downtown’s skyline. We can’t emphasize enough how this adds to the energy and vibe of a wedding at The Society.
With two floors, The Society has plenty of room, but doesn’t feel overwhelming. The space is so flexible you can have an event for 50 or 200 people and still have a great vibe. There’s no need to worry about a room flip if all of your guests are seated on the second floor and your ceremony is on the first floor, which we love.
Fun Facts: The Society building also is home to the Milwaukee County Historical Society. In addition, the building was used in the filming of the movie Public Enemies starring Johnny Depp – how cool is that?!?
The Society – Quick Facts:
- Capacity: 250 seated (using both floors)
- Location: 910 N Doctor M.L.K. Jr Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53203
- Features: Historic building, unique vaults, two levels, beautiful décor, next to park/river, run by industry veterans
- Catering: Open catering
- DJ: Milwaukee Airwaves is the exclusive DJ
Included in Rental:
- Round and Long Tables, Tallboys and Chairs
- Pillar Uplighting
- Outdoor Patio
- Getting Ready Space
- Bartenders
- Onsite Event Manager
- Indoor Bars (if needed, outdoor bar can be rented)
Catering and Drinks
Catering is up to you at The Society. They do have a preferred list of caterers on their website, but you are free to choose any Milwaukee wedding caterer you’d like.
As far as drinks and your bar service, The Society has a base package but couples are free to customize. That means if you love local craft beer and spirts, you can fill your wedding bar with those. Like a certain wine? No problem, they can get it. The Society also supplies experienced bartenders to keep you and your guests happy.
Ceremony Options
The Society has some amazing options for your ceremony! First off, you can get a permit and get married in Père Marquette Park overlooking downtown Milwaukee and the river. In fact, some couples fully rent out Père Marquette Park for their big day. If you decide to go this route, talk with The Society’s staff and they’ll give you more information.
You can also have your ceremony on their outdoor patio (right next to the park) and this would be included in your rental. The best part if you’re doing an outdoor ceremony is the backup plan if the weather doesn’t cooperate. With two floors inside, it’s simple to move the ceremony indoors without much interruption to the space and seating.
And speaking of indoor ceremonies, The Society’s setup is perfect. You can have your ceremony on the first floor and dinner on the second floor, which means you won’t need to do a room flip in between.
Location, Parking and Hotels
As if there wasn’t enough amazingness associated with The Society, its location is simply one of the best in Milwaukee. Located in the heart of downtown, you’ll have nightlife and hotels within walking distance.
The Society has relationships with parking lots within walking distance of the venue and can help you secure spaces for your guests. Note that on large concert nights at the Fiserv Forum or Bucks games, you can still get parking but it will be a little more expensive. We recommend using ridesharing services, like Uber or Lyft. Wedding shuttles to and from nearby hotels are also an option.
We are super excited that The Society is now run by our friends at Two Birds Event Group and know Milwaukee couples are gonna love this space! Make sure to visit their website and set up a tour soon: thesocietymke.com.
*These photos were part of a photo shoot featuring these vendors: Planning/Coordination: The Journey, Photos: Betcher Photo, Linens: Windy City, Florals: Feisty Flowers, Rentals: Relics, Hair/Makeup: Wide Eyed Bride, Apps: Saz’s, Dessert: Everyone’s Ice Cream, Photobooth/Uplights/Cold Sparks: Milwaukee Airwaves, Photobooth Backdrop: Pop & Joy Co, Car: Once Upon a Figgy
