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Weddings

About

Wisconsin Masonic Center is a historic wedding venue located in downtown Madison, Wisconsin. Dating back to 1891, this property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and houses one of the oldest pipe organs in Wisconsin. It offers ample event spaces, styled services, and a rich historical setting for special wedding celebrations.

Facilities and Capacity

Wisconsin Masonic Center offers an array of spacious event rooms to host all kinds of occasions. The stunning Masonic Auditorium provides a theater setting for heartfelt wedding ceremonies. Here, up to 1,000 guests can be accommodated in tiered seating, giving a perfect view of you and your beloved on the proscenium stage below. For smaller ceremonies, both Lodge rooms can accommodate 120 guests each and offer theater seating and stage areas. For your cocktail hour, the John Catlin Lounge provides an idyllic setting. Here, up to 200 of your nearest and dearest can mingle among the antique furnishings and old-world atmosphere. The functional fireplace creates a gathering point within this space and can cast a cozy glow across evening events. The Grand Ballroom is a breathtaking setting for a sophisticated wedding reception. Here, terrazzo marble flooring is complemented by large pillars that break up this extensive space. Up to 450 guests can be comfortably accommodated here for a seated reception. A two-tiered stage is also available for wedding entertainment or as the setting for the head table. The on-site get-ready room features lounging couches, mirrors, and a private restroom to allow for comfortable pre-wedding preparations.

Services Offered

Full event catering can be provided by the in-house culinary team to enhance your occasion here. They can craft everything from tray-passed hors d’oeuvres to dazzling dessert displays and everything in between. A full range of bar services is also available and includes professional bartenders and a selection of premium liquor. Setup and cleanup of your event can be provided for your convenience. Tables, chairs, linens, and china are also included.

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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?

$3,000

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

$2,000

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?

$750

Which of the following are included in the starting site fee?

Bridal Suite
Chairs
China
Clean Up
Flatware
Glassware
Lighting/Sound
Linens
Parking
Set Up
Tables

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

Server(s)

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$20

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

50

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

7

Describe your venue:

Ballroom
Banquet Hall
Historic Building

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Accommodations
Bar Services
Catering Services
Clean Up
Get Ready Rooms
Liability Insurance
Outside Vendors
Wifi

What catering services do you offer?

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

What bar services do you provide?

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

What event items are available?

Altar/Arch
Centerpieces
Chairs
Dance Floor
Furniture
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

April
May
June
July
August
September
October

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
March
November
December

Reviews of Wisconsin Masonic Center

A
Audra Sent on 06/08/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Masonic Center is Awesome

Having our cocktail hour and wedding reception at the Masonic Center was wonderful. Also had the bridal party get ready there as well. The staff were very accommodating to our needs throughout the process. They helped make our day stress-free and so memorable. Highly recommend!
U
User2601898 Sent on 05/09/2016
5 out of 5 rating
Loved everything about our wedding at the Masonic Center!!
L
Lisa Sent on 12/19/2014
5 out of 5 rating
The staff is wonderful especially Debbie in the office. The location and history of the building are fantastic. They always have their ears open to your questions and Debbie can recommend vendors in the area if you are still searching for any.
L
Joann Sent on 11/23/2014
5 out of 5 rating
The Masonic center is a beautiful, historic building with a large ballroom, large theater and other great rooms to hold gatherings and/or receptions. The center staff have been extremely helpful with helping us find vendors for our wedding and with letting us come in multiple times ahead of time to see how others decorated and suggesting decorating techniques for the banquet.
I would highly recommend the Masonic center!
N
Nicole Sent on 07/30/2014
5 out of 5 rating
We just had our wedding reception at the Madison Masonic Center last weekend and it was absolutely beautiful!! Debbie is the coordinator and she was wonderful! From the time we came to tour the facility to the day after the wedding she never failed to impress us with her professionalism. She will respond to emails within the hour and is very helpful and patient. They are very flexible with decorating and accomidating to just about anything you request. The prices are good and so is the food! The ballroom was stunning and there was plenty of room to dance and move around. You can come in as early as Wednesday on the week of the wedding to decorate and clean up anytime on Sunday. I can't say enough good things about the Madison Masonic Center and I highly recommend it to any brides getting married!
M
Scott Sent on 06/29/2013
5 out of 5 rating
The Madison Masonic Center is the hidden gem of downtown Madison reception locations. If you're not rich, trying to find a location for a ceremony or reception downtown can be disheartening. Thankfully, the Masonic Center was recommended to us by several other vendors at a bridal show. Their prices are very reasonable for a downtown location and the ballroom is gigantic and absolutely gorgeous. They also have an old theater you can use for your ceremony, which we would have considered if we had not had our hearts set on an outdoor wedding.

You are required to use their caterer (Mike Losse Catering), but the prices are reasonable and the food was very good. They provide bartenders and waitstaff free of charge. Debbie was wonderful to work with and was very responsive whenever we had a question or wanted to come look around and plan our decorations. If there are no events prior to yours, they will let you in several days ahead of time to get things set up. There is also free parking available, which is not guaranteed for many downtown locations.

We are so happy we found out about the Masonic Center and would recommend it to anyone looking for an elegant downtown wedding on a budget.
C
Cait Sent on 06/09/2018
4.9 out of 5 rating
Lisa at the Masonic Center was friendly, helpful, and flexible in our wedding planning process. The historic building is lovely and interesting, and the reception area has some built-in decorations that really added to the space. Jackie at Kavanaugh's was also great to work with and was wonderfully flexible when it came to guests with dietary restrictions.
J
Jean Sent on 11/24/2014
4.8 out of 5 rating
The site was beautiful, Debbie the coordinator was extremely nice and responsive, the site access was EXTREMELY flexible. The only real complaint was not being able to request dishes other than those on their standard, very boring menu. The options were tasty enough, just not terribly inspiring.
Emmy
Emmy Sent on 07/28/2014
4.8 out of 5 rating
So far so good! Debbie is excellent to work with. We are getting married at the center in January and I have been full of questions and always get a response. Debbie encourages us to stop by and see what other couples have done with the space. I am going to be getting into the nitty-gritty of planning soon and I can't wait!
M
Molly Sent on 08/24/2008
4.8 out of 5 rating
Overall, just a wonderful place! We held our ceremony, cocktail hour and reception here, all in different rooms, and paid a fraction of what we would have paid elsewhere. They do require you to use their caterer, but the food was excellent and they have a lot of choices. The only problems we had were with music - we did our own music for everything, and while we were able to hook into the PA system in the auditorium for the ceremony, we were not able to hook our iPod/computer into the sound system in the ballroom for the reception, so we had to rent our own PA system.

Deb, their event planner, is really a treat to work with - she responded to all our questions quickly and with all the information we needed, and she really made the whole process a lot easier.
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

12

Professional Network & Endorsements

5 Endorsements
TKO DJ Entertainment TKO DJ Entertainment Wedding DJs

An awesome, classic venue with so much to offer. Very large reception area, an actual church inside, the library is great for cocktail hour and numerous rooms for private wedding party storage or even to have separate rooms for kids entertainment, make this a perfect place to have everything in one place. Staff is outstanding as well.

The Susie Show The Susie Show Wedding DJs

I am DJ and have done several events at the Masonic Center. The staff here has always been pleasant and easy to work with! They will work with you to be sure your event day will be flawless! I highly recommend this venue, you won't be disappointed!

Blooms Blooms Wedding Florists

Beautiful, historic, and interesting. The staff is excellent and ready to help. There is a reason the Masonic Center is one of the most popular places in town.

Map

Wisconsin Masonic Center frequently asked questions

Wisconsin Masonic Center includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Bridal Suite
  • Chairs
  • China
  • Clean Up
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Lighting/Sound
  • Linens
  • Parking
  • Set Up
  • Tables
Wisconsin Masonic Center includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Server(s)
The space offered by Wisconsin Masonic Center for wedding events is known for:
  • Ballroom
  • Banquet Hall
  • Historic Building
Wisconsin Masonic Center offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
Wisconsin Masonic Center offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Rehearsal Dinner
Wisconsin Masonic Center offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Accommodations
  • Bar Services
  • Catering Services
  • Clean Up
  • Get Ready Rooms
  • Liability Insurance
  • Outside Vendors
  • Wifi
Wisconsin Masonic Center offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Altar/Arch
  • Centerpieces
  • Chairs
  • Dance Floor
  • Furniture
  • Tables
Wisconsin Masonic Center is recommended by 96% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.8 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.9 in quality of service, 4.9 in value, 4.8 in average response time, 4.8 in flexibility and 4.8 in professionalism.
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