DeKoven Center

Having our wedding at The DeKoven Center was the best decision we could have made. As a couple planning a hometown wedding from out of state we were nervous about how to balance all the wedding details and wanted to be sure we found a venue which reflected our wedding day vision. However, when I toured The DeKoven Center for the first time, and met their event coordinator, Nicole, I just knew this would be the place for us. The DeKoven Center is a stunning venue with beautifully kept grounds, ADA accessible buildings, and a warm romantic environment perfect for the big day. Its location next to Lake Michigan make for exceptional pictures and ensure a cool breeze off the lake on even the hottest of summer days. The hall we used has gorgeous exposed beams, vaulted ceilings, string lights, and a party atmosphere. Everything was clean, tidy, and well organized for our decorating and arrival. We joked that it came pre-decorated because the space itself is so beautiful. Our ceremony was outside on the grounds, a dream come true for us as a couple. There were roses and butterflies - you can’t make this stuff up, we were married in a fairytale scene. The gardens were in full bloom (in August!) and the trees provided comfortable shade for an afternoon affair. There was a stone aisle to walk down and the ground itself was even and accessible for our family member to get to their seats. All outdoor furniture rental is handled in-house which made our life so easy and convenient. Still, it was working with the event coordinator that made our wedding all the more manageable and exciting. Nicole is passionate about the work she does and it comes through in every conversation we had with her. She was always accommodating to answer questions, offer ideas, and show us around the grounds if we were unsure of how to execute our plans. Truly, as a couple planning a Wisconsin wedding from out of state and with little wedding experience to begin with, having Nicole made our lives a million times easier. I cannot recommend The DeKoven Center enough for a wedding, it was absolutely perfect for us!

Nicole and her team were so responsive and professional with everything leading up to our wedding! Nicole would respond almost instantly most days when we would send her emails with all of our questions. She was super flexible with our request to have BBQ as our meal and even put together a team to help clear tables and wash dishes since our caterer couldn't do that. The Dekoven Center is absolutely worth the price as it made for the most stunning pictures all around the campus and provided plenty of space for both the ceremony and the reception. If you are looking for a timeless wedding venue, you have found it here.

We loved having our venue at the DeKoven Center! Nicole helped us so much with all of the planning and coordinating with the DeKoven Center before the wedding. She was amazing and so helpful in answering all of the questions that came up for us! She helped us plan our signature drinks and helped answer questions about the little things that I needed help with! She is very knowledgeable and helped connect us with other vendors needed for our wedding. Jackie was wonderful as well in helping things run smoothly on our wedding day. On our wedding day we had so many people compliment us on our venue! We were able to get married right by Lake Michigan, which was a dream for me and something I didn’t think would be possible. The DeKoven Center grounds were gorgeous and really easy to navigate. We had our ceremony and reception there and these spaces were right by each other, so it was very easy for us and our wedding guests to get around. We were lucky to have good weather and our ceremony outside of the chapel, but we also had the option of having our ceremony inside the chapel, which is also so beautiful. We were also so lucky to get to have our wedding there after some recent renovations. A new walkway was just added to the courtyard outside the chapel and was perfect for me to walk down the aisle. We will also be so grateful for all of the support and kindness everyone at the DeKoven Center showed us. It will be such a special place for us always!

The DeKoven Center is a beautiful venue anytime of year! The grounds are extensive with lovely garden areas....we had a winter wonderland with a gorgeous backdrop of exquisite architecture and soaring trees!!
There is a separate chapel, two reception halls, outdoor grounds, and packages to accommodate. Plenty of parking and easy access. One of the best part of the venue was working with Nicole Miller the Event Manager! She is extremely knowledgeable, professional, highly communicative, resourceful, and bought into the complete success of your day!! Magical place! Wonderful staff! Greatest day ever!!!

If you’re looking for a wedding venue that blends historic charm, breathtaking lake views, and elegant architecture, the DeKoven Center in Racine, Wisconsin, is a top-tier choice.

The DeKoven Center provides a truly unique and timeless atmosphere. The Gothic-style architecture, complete with stunning stonework, stained glass windows, and beautifully maintained gardens, created the perfect setting for daughter's wedding this past October (2024). The venue sits right on the shore of Lake Michigan, providing a stunning backdrop!

Some of the standout features of DeKoven were St. John’s Chapel – a breathtaking chapel with vaulted ceilings, intricate woodwork, and beautiful stained glass windows. Also, the DeKoven staff (and most specifically our excellent Event Manager, Nicole) was very professional, accommodating, and detail-oriented.
The DeKoven Center really is a hidden gem in Racine, WI, because it offers a blend of historic elegance and scenic beauty. Whether you're dreaming of a traditional, vintage, or rustic wedding, this venue provides the perfect setting for a truly unforgettable day. We were extremely pleased everything. Our daughter's wedding was perfect!

Rating: 11/10 – Stunning architecture, breathtaking lake views, and very exceptional service (thanks Nicole) made DeKoven Center our daughter's dream wedding venue.

Okay seriously. I genuinely cannot put into words how beautiful this place is and how AMAZING Nicole Miller is. I got married in the chapel and had my reception in the Assembly Hall on 11/02/2024 and it was a dream come true! The DeKoven Center is gorgeous and I will never deny that but wholeheartedly the reason we booked this place was because of Nicole. She made planning our wedding so easy and stress free! The DeKoven Center is STUNNING and AFFORDABLE! I was a bride on a budget and I’m so lucky I found this place from a Facebook review. I literally had 2 venue tours scheduled the same day we went to see this place and I said forget it! We signed to book this place immediately after seeing it. We didn’t have to go home and think about it- it was an immediate yes 🤍 do yourself a favor- book The DeKoven Center and ask for Nicole! She’s a dream 🤍🤍🤍

The Dekoven Center is a one stop shop so to speak. The chapel has the feel of old world charm as well the their reception halls on the same beautifully landscaped property. They are clean and well maintained . No decor is needed except what you want to put on your tables. But, when the tables are set, you need very little because of the elegance of their settings. All of the settings and linens are included in their price too! (Unlike many other venues and several colors to choose from. )
Our daughter had visions of a barn wedding that are a newer trend of this decade but when we visited the Dekoven, she fell in love with it right away.
The property also hosts two apartments that are rented separate of the Dekoven Center by Air Bnb. The Air bnb was the only negative part of our experience. They cancelled our reservation of the apartments after they cashed our year ahead deposits. We had no retribution from them either.
We then found a Vrbo a few blocks away that was much better suited for our bridal party group anyway. Even though it was of no fault and not related to The Dekoven Center, they bent over backwards to make right of the injustice of Air Bnb.
We planned this wedding throughout the year and from Pennsylvania and it could not have been a more enjoyable experience for our family. Nicole is the best! She made us feel like family and we will always be so grateful to her and the servers of the Dekoven Center to have made our daughter’s wedding such a wonderful experience and fond memory. Highly recommended.

The DeKoven Center was an absolutely stunning venue for our wedding. We were amazed by the flexibility they offered, accommodating various faiths and denominations with grace. The indoor cathedral setting was classic and elegant, while the outdoor space provided a vast canvas to bring our dream wedding vision to life.

The staff at the DeKoven Center were incredibly friendly and went above and beyond to ensure everything was set up just the way we wanted. They were attentive and responsive, making the planning process smooth and stress-free. Additionally, their willingness to help with decorations and setup relieved a lot of wedding-day pressure.

While the venue's beauty and accommodating nature were definite highlights, the parking and layout was not super intuitive. A couple of our guests got lost on the drive or in the parking lots. Overall, it did not detract significantly from our special day.

We highly recommend the DeKoven Center for couples seeking a versatile and picturesque wedding venue.

Our event was wonderful and I cannot express enough how helpful the staff was. Our event coordinator Nicole went above be and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed and that we loved everything we got. The venue is absolutely gorgeous and I am so glad we went with the Dekoven Center for our event.

Nicole was great to work with, always willing and able to answer any questions I had. The rest of the staff was also very friendly and easy to work with. We loved the venue, it was perfect for our outdoor wedding, but it was good to know we had the option to use the chapel for bad weather. The Great Hall was beautiful we loved the architecture and the lights the venue provided.