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Weddings

About

The Waters is a historical waterfront wedding venue located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. A classic setting for both indoor and outdoor weddings, the venue’s lakeside moonrises and docked sailboats serve as backdrops for a summer wedding, while the snowy landscape complements a winter wedding.

Facilities and Capacity
The Waters can host up to 300 guests. The Grand Ballroom can seat 172 guests for plated dinners. It has a private, Nantucket-inspired screened porch and a balcony on the second floor, both facing the water. The venue’s stylish and classy interiors and the view of Lake Winnebago make it a premier lakeside setting for weddings. For larger weddings, guests can enjoy dinner and drinks in not just the ballroom, but also in the first-floor Winnebago Room and lakeside on the porch and balcony.

Services Offered
The Waters provides services for ceremonies and receptions as well as corporate and special celebrations all year round. It has a well-stocked, handcrafted mahogany harbor bar, with an impressive selection of beer and wines. The tenured bartenders can create signature cocktails to reflect the theme of wedding reception. The Waters' full event services include:

  • Event planning
  • Bartenders
  • AV Equipment
  • Bar Signs and Easels
  • Rehersal Time
  • Chairs
  • Parking


History
The Waters was built in 1903 by architect William Waters for The Oshkosh YAcht Club. A Georgian Revival building, it was considered the finest clubhouse in the Midwest. Later on, members of the American Legion Post 70 bought the club and used it as their home for more than 60 years. In 2008, the American Legion was bought and refurbished back to its original charm. It was then name The Waters to commoemerate the famous arcitect who built the waterfront building. The venue is still home to The Oshkosh Yacht Club today.

  • Woman-owned
illustration popular

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$4,000

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?

$3,000

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

$1,000

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

$1,000

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Chairs
Event Planning
Glassware
Parking
Tables

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Server(s)

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

Bartender(s)

What is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue?

10

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

4

Describe your venue:

Banquet Hall
Historic Building
Waterfront

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Bar Services
Event Planner
Event Rentals
Liability Insurance
Outside Vendors
Wifi

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail Reception
Dessert
Family Style
Hors d'oeuvres
Plated
Stations

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Cash Bar
Champagne Toast
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
Liquor License
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink
Specialty Beer
Specialty Wine

What event items are available?

Audio Equipment
Chairs
Dance Floor
Furniture
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
Glassware

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

May
June
July
August
September
October

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
March
April
November
December

Reviews of The Waters

Abby
Abby Sent on 05/15/2021
4.6 out of 5 rating

Beautiful Venue

The Waters is absolutely beautiful! We knew we wanted to get married here the first time we walked through the door. It was so great to have the ceremony, reception and pictures all in one location. Our guests loved the venue and the beautiful water view. Throughout the planning process we got to work with a few different people and they were all so helpful and informative. I would reccomend this venue over and over again.
K
Kh Sent on 09/12/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Elegant venue and beautiful setting

As soon as we saw The Waters we knew this was where we wanted to have our Wedding Reception; it aligned perfectly with our "wish list"...on the water; a large enough capacity; historic, classy, and well-maintained building, etc. Lindsey and Kate were a pleasure, always very responsive to our questions and providing explanations in detail. Our wedding was originally scheduled for June 2020, due to the pandemic, we decided to postpone until August 2021; Lindsey and Kate were extremely accommodating in allowing us to "first pick" a rescheduled date and transferring the contract terms, etc. The Waters has a list of preferred vendors which made selecting a caterer and florist easier. When one of the other vendors I reached out to was unresponsive, Lindsey recommended a much better alternative - it took our reception to another level! The Waters is so fortunate to have Lindsey at the helm, she is all you could hope for in an Event Manager.
The day itself was lovely and our guests enjoy every aspect of the grounds and building - lawn games, strolls along the lake, fun times at the bar (great drinks, too!), gorgeous views from the balconies and patios, an elegant plated dinner, a beautiful sunset, and dancing until the last. I highly recommend The Waters in every way!
C
Courtney Sent on 03/24/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Highly recommend!

I am so happy we decided to have our ceremony and reception at The Waters. Not only is it a beautiful venue, the staff is so easy to work with. They were very prompt with their responses whenever I had any questions and they were such a big help on the actual wedding day, too. The venue is so beautiful itself that there wasn't much decorating needed as well.
S
Samantha Sent on 01/31/2019
5 out of 5 rating

So Beautiful!

I have dreamed of having my wedding there since I was a little girl. Kim and her team made it the perfect day!
Shari
Shari Sent on 07/12/2015
5 out of 5 rating
Kim and Lindsay were amazing to work with. every email that I sent for changes was always responded back with a "no problem". they never once made me feel like I was putting them out or a problem. They were gracious and completely detailed oriented. Thank you for making my day so special. As for the venue, it's such a beautiful place from top to bottom.
M
Michelle Sent on 01/30/2012
5 out of 5 rating
Everyone at The Waters was professional and easy to work with. Our day went smoothly and was perfect!
J
Jody Sent on 09/16/2010
4.9 out of 5 rating
GREAT had a wonderful night!
Emily
Emily Sent on 11/01/2019
4.4 out of 5 rating

The Waters is stunning

The Waters is exactly what I had pictured as my dream venue for my wedding. It is so gorgeous inside and out that I hardly had to do any decorating. As for pricing, it was quite steep for pretty much only needing the basics. The latest you could be there was 11 pm, so the night ended earlier than I would have preferred. Lindsey was SO easy to work with and answered all my questions quickly and accurately, but Ryan was the one who was there for the wedding. I only saw him when he gave me the go ahead to walk down the aisle and then at the end of the night, otherwise he really wasn’t around for questions/help. The lighting inside the main room is also not ideal for pictures once it got dark, which could be accommodated for if we were aware of it. Overall, it was a beautiful venue for a perfect day!
U
User2020226 Sent on 01/23/2015
4 out of 5 rating
We had the ceremony and reception at the Waters in winter. It was absolutely beautiful. The staff was very helpful throughout the process including the day of. The pricing was straightforward. We were very happy with our choice.
U
User1847061 Sent on 10/05/2014
3.8 out of 5 rating
The Waters was absolutely beautiful venue!! Can't wait to see photos! The day went great and Kim was attentive and kept checking that everything was alright. Only complaint was rescheduling rehearsal less than a week before because they decided to book a corporate meeting at same time. Didn't appreciate added stress of having to figure out how to reschedule other things we had planned. My friend was upset that she brought me champagne and was followed around until she gave her credit card for $15 charge. Otherwise it was a great experience.
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Awards

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Map

The Waters frequently asked questions

The Waters includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Chairs
  • Event Planning
  • Glassware
  • Parking
  • Tables
The Waters includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Server(s)
The bar service starting price at The Waters includes:
  • Bartender(s)
The space offered by The Waters for wedding events is known for:
  • Banquet Hall
  • Historic Building
  • Waterfront
The Waters offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
The Waters offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Rehearsal Dinner
The Waters offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Bar Services
  • Event Planner
  • Event Rentals
  • Liability Insurance
  • Outside Vendors
  • Wifi
The Waters offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Audio Equipment
  • Chairs
  • Dance Floor
  • Furniture
  • Tables
The Waters is recommended by 78% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 3.9 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.1 in average response time, 4 in quality of service, 4 in professionalism, 4 in value and 3.5 in flexibility.
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