Skip to main content
Weddings

About

We vow to make your wedding day perfect. From start to finish, let us take care of every detail. Our professional Campus Event Services (CESO) team provides planning and coordination for any size wedding reception, including offering on-site catering services. Memorial Union offers two distinct spaces to host your wedding - Great Hall or Tripp Commons.

Great Hall: This historic ballroom has been restored to its original luster, while adding modern sound and visual capabilities. Maximum seating using all round tables is 220 (seating 8 each) including a head table. Maximum capacity for a seated meal is 300, set using all rectangle banquet tables in rows (each banquet table seats 6). If the ceremony will be held in the room, the maximum capacity is 200.

Tripp Commons: This space has direct access to an outdoor patio overlooking Lake Mendota and the Terrace. Special care was taken to restore the floor, ornately painted ceilings and rich, wooden panel walls, while preserving the room's original look. Maximum seating using all round tables is 140 (seating 8 each) including a head table. Maximum capacity for a seated meal is 220, set using all rectangle banquet tables in rows (each banquet table seats 6).

Memorial Union also offers on-site accommodations in our unique Club Suites, overlooking Lake Mendota and the Terrace. These boutique suites are the perfect place for the newlyweds and bridal party to stay after the wedding celebrations. Learn more at union.wisc/edu/hotel

illustration popular

Venues you may like

See other venues that are popular with couples right now

Frequently asked questions

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

No

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

No

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

2+

Describe your venue:

Ballroom
Banquet Hall
Government Building
Historic Building
Hotel
Waterfront

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Covered Outdoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception

What event services do you offer?

Accommodations
Bar Services
Catering Services
Event Planner
Wifi

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail Reception
Family Style
Hors d'oeuvres
Outside Cake
Plated
Server(s)
Tastings

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
House Beer
House Wine
Signature Drink

What event items are available?

Chairs
Lighting
Tables
illustration question

Any other questions?

Message vendor

Reviews of University of Wisconsin Memorial Union

4.9 out of 5 rating
4.9 out of 5 rating
26 Reviews
97% recommend it
  • Quality of service
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.8 out of 5 rating
Weddingwire
4.9/5 26 reviews
Google
4.8/5 3062 reviews
Katie
Katie H. Sent on 11/06/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Iconic location, fantastic staff, unforgettable experience!

Having our wedding at the Memorial Union was a dream come true for me, a UW-Madison alumni! We were lucky to have Trip Commons, which is a stunning, classic space that needs minimal decorating. The Union Events staff was an absolute pleasure to work with throughout the entire process. They hosted fantastic tastings and worked with us to meet all dietary restrictions, including me, the bride who is gluten free. Chris and Billie in particular were incredibly professional and helpful from planning to day-of needs.

The food was excellent — many of our guests commented on how delicious their meals were. Moreover, we attended weddings the weekend before/after ours, and we both felt the Union provided the best meal options on both quality and quantity of food.

If you’re lucky to get chosen in the lottery, the venue, staff and food will not disappoint!
Briana
Briana M. Sent on 08/20/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Wonderful venue!

We absolutely loved working with the Wisconsin Union. My husband and I are both alumni and the Memorial Union was the best wedding venue we could have asked for. Everything was set up the way we wanted, on-time, and well done. We did both our ceremony and reception in the same space and they switched the space over quickly and easily between the ceremony and reception. Hattie was wonderful to work with in the planning process and made things easy to understand. Also the views you get from the terrace are unlike anything else. All of our visiting families and friends were in awe! Couldn't recommend it enough!
Kate
Kate S. Sent on 10/24/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Our guests loved it (and so did we!)

My husband and I are so glad we chose to get married at The University Club, it made planning our wedding easy (or, at least as easy as wedding planning can be!) They had every detail covered - we dropped off some decorations and our wedding day, everything was set up beautifully. The food is delicious, and the staff are friendly and attentive. It's a perfect location for overnight guests with hotels within walking distance, and we all were able to grab a pitcher at the terrace and bar crawl after the reception!

Also, our guests loved it - they were able to take advantage of the beautiful summer night and sit out on the patio (we also had games out there), socialize in the lounge area, stay in the dining room, or hit the dance floor. The layout is great for allowing people to find their own space to mingle. We had our rehearsal dinner the night before in the basement, which has a vintage hunting lodge vibe.
illustration message bubble

Are you interested?

Message vendor

Awards

26

Real Weddings

Abby & Dylan
88 photos · 08/24/2019

Pricing

Do you want more pricing details?

Map

illustration visit

Would you like to visit?

Request a visit

University of Wisconsin Memorial Union frequently asked questions

The space offered by University of Wisconsin Memorial Union for wedding events is known for:
  • Ballroom
  • Banquet Hall
  • Government Building
  • Historic Building
  • Hotel
  • Waterfront
University of Wisconsin Memorial Union offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Covered Outdoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
University of Wisconsin Memorial Union offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
University of Wisconsin Memorial Union offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Accommodations
  • Bar Services
  • Catering Services
  • Event Planner
  • Wifi
University of Wisconsin Memorial Union offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Chairs
  • Lighting
  • Tables
University of Wisconsin Memorial Union is recommended by 97% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.9 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.9 in quality of service, 4.9 in professionalism, 4.9 in value, 4.8 in average response time and 4.8 in flexibility.

Other vendors in Milwaukee for your wedding

Wedding Venues