Our Top 5 Favorite Wedding Reception Venues in Madison, WI

We love all the wedding venues we’ve had the opportunity to work in, but these are our favorites!

In no particular order, here are our top 4 favorite wedding venues in Madison, and a bonus favorite venue in Milwaukee!

  1. The Madison Central Library

  2. Barnwood Events

  3. Goodman Brass Works Building

  4. The Tinsmith

  5. BONUS: Ivy House in Milwaukee

 
  1. The Madison Central Library

The Madison Central Library’s 3rd floor gets gorgeous natural light, and is a dream to photograph in, even at night. It has great views, and who doesn’t want to be surrounded by books and art on their wedding day? (I’m sure it’s not just me!) There’s also an awesome little rooftop garden, and you have easy access to all kinds of great downtown Madison places to take photos!

2. Barnwood Events

Barnwood Events isn’t just any barn venue, it’s a gorgeous and modern place with indoor and outdoor options. The outdoor options are so ludicrously lovely (look at that willow treeeeeeeee!!!!!) and have made an excellent backdrop for some of our favorite wedding days! They also have a patio area outdoors that is perfect for outdoor games for your guests, and it’s truly one of the most accessible venues we’ve ever had the pleasure to work in!

3. Goodman Brass Works Building

This venue in the heart of Madison’s East Side is a perfect mix of modern and industrial and I absolutely love it! I love the exposed duct work (yeah, I know that’s a weird thing to like, but it photographs so well), as well as the brick and lovely skylights. It’s just a beautiful backdrop for simple and fancy weddings alike, and the Goodman Center has such a positive impact on the community, as well as awesome catering!

4. The Tinsmith

We photographed a wedding at The Tinsmith for the first time in 2021 and absolutely loved the industrial chic vibe of the venue! It’s also notable for how accessible it is for guests (and vendors) alike! The venue also gets an amazing amount of natural light which I love, and the greenhouse area at night is perfect for the first dances!

5. Ivy House in Milwaukee

Ivy House is stunning. This venue is filled with actual, living ivy (the title picture of this blog post is from Ivy House) and has an awesome retro vibes with the cool tube lights and excellent bar area. It has getting ready room that is filled with all my favorite colors (So. Much. Teal.) and it’s nearby lots of cool places to grab drinks and photos with your wedding party! Also, the vibe is such that only minimal decorations are needed, which is always a bonus.

Wherever you choose to celebrate your wedding, we’re honored to celebrate with you!

—Sam