Aldo Leopold Nature Center Reviews
Reviews
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![Kristen]()
Kristen Sent on 02/04/2024Aldo Leopold Nature Center - a local gem!
We had a fantastic experience working with the team at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center for our wedding reception in October 2023. From the initial planning and discussions that started a year prior to the responsiveness to emails over the year as questions came up, our event planner was always prompt and thorough with responses. As we approached the day, they met with us to review all the final details and make sure that everything was going to be perfect for our big day, which it was. The space is so beautiful and unique, and you cannot beat it during the peak of the fall colors! They topped off the experience by having everything broken down and ready for us to pick up the next day. We cannot recommend ALNC enough if you are looking to support a wonderful local business on your wedding day! -
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Katie Sent on 01/29/2024
Quality people to work with
Absolutely amazing to work with, even in with a transfer of wedding coordinators there was no lack of communication or plans. The venue was beautiful and they are totally prepared for anything. If you want a guarantee for a great venue for your wedding, bet on Aldo Leopold Nature Center. 10/10 if I had to do it over again, I would make the same choice. -
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![Emma]()
Emma Sent on 09/19/2023Beautiful, Unforgettable Venue Fundamental to our Successful Day
Aldo Leopold Nature Center was hands down the best venue choice for us. The venue itself was beautiful and came with unique amenities like access to their trails and use of their NOAA space sphere, along with use of their immersion theater to project personal photos during the reception. The lights in the main atrium and the outdoor deck off the atrium was beautiful and for ceremonies, there were multiple outdoor options to choose from - a choice you didn't have to make until the week of so you can weigh indoor vs outdoor ceremony based on weather and based on how the area looks at the time. An underrated perk is that you get access to the venue for the entire wedding weekend. It was so lovely to do the majority of our set up on Friday afternoon, touch ups and host the event on Saturday, and being able to come back to pack up on Sunday.
Ben, their event coordinator, was seriously fundamental to the success of our event from day one. When I expressed hesitance about having a WI wedding in April and asked about what nature would look like at the time, Ben dug into their archives to forward any pictures he had of outside the nature center at that time of year. When I pinged him almost weekly with different questions, Ben was timely and thorough in his responses. He was intentional in making sure we were set up for success on our day - doing and redoing and redoing venue layouts to align with what we envisioned, making sure that we had the equipment and support we needed for the day, etc. Him and Sarah did so much work during the event itself to make sure it ran smoothly, pulling out clear umbrellas for our guests when an unexpected rain shower came right before our ceremony began.
Aldo Leopold and their events team are an asset to your day - if you are looking for a venue that can do the ceremony + reception in one place, has beautiful outdoors, has unique features beyond your traditional venue, and gives you flexibility to have access the entire weekend, you simply have to choose Aldo. PLUS your partnership provides money for their mission of educating and preserving nature. -
![Shelley]()
Shelley Sent on 07/27/2023We couldn't have asked for more!
ALNC was the absolute best choice for our wedding venue. We loved the venue so much that it is the reason we were married in Madison rather than our home of Chicago.
Ben and Isabella are amazing and made the entire process very easy. They could not have been more accommodating, sweet and friendly. In the crazy world of wedding planning they really kept track of us while providing valuable knowledge and insight. The rest of our vendors were coordinated with by Ben and Isabella, making that one less thing to have on our plate. Guests are still gushing about the location. The grounds are lush and guests are able to walk the paths. We had a few turkeys make an appearance right before the ceremony. There are so many unique features around the entire property and the center that no doubt make it a memorable setting. Also love to support a non-profit. Truly a uniquely beautiful location with the best staff to make your day perfect. We cannot thank ALNC enough! -
![Emma]()
Emma Sent on 12/19/2022The Perfect Outdoor Venue
We had our wedding at Aldo Leopold Nature Center, and it was more than we ever could have imagined. We love nature and love supporting youth in the outdoors - the prairie and building were absolutely beautiful and the perfect setting for our outdoor wedding.
We’re so honored to have been married here and so thankful to those who helped make it happen. We want to give special thanks to Ben & Duncan. We had no idea how to plan a wedding, nor any comprehension of how stressful it would end up being. No matter how chaotic and overwhelmed we felt, they were both there with us through every step of the process. Over hundreds of emails, phone calls and in-person visits, your patience and kindness eased every question and doubt we had throughout the planning and event. Without you both, our wedding day would never have been possible.
Thank you for making our wedding day one of the most cherished days of our lives. Aldo Leopold will forever have a special place in our hearts. -
![Eliza]()
Eliza Sent on 11/15/2022The Perfect Venue
ALNC was the perfect reception venue. Ben, the events manager, and his team were experienced and helpful. They went above and beyond to make sure everything went smoothly. We received multiple compliments from our guests on the venue space, and one how perfect the weekend went, often hearing how it was "the smoothest wedding we've ever been to."
There were many reasons we went with ALNC. The flexibility to chose our own caterers, the access to the rental Friday evening- Sunday afternoon, the indoor/outdoor spaces, the affordability, and the fact that our money would support their environmental education programs. It really was the perfect facility for us.
Because I'm from out of state with many guest traveling, it was important to me that every guest also be invited to the rehearsal dinner. That put our dinner size at 100 people. We decided to host it at ALNC. This made it so we had two major events there in two days. But they didn't flinch. Ben and his staff setup all the tables and chairs for us before we arrived Friday evening, and helped clean everything up at the end of the meal. We then decorated everything for the next day that same night, with Ben there helping to keep things organized.
In the weeks leading up to our wedding, Ben contacted all of our different vendors to give them any information they needed. Even giving them facility walkthroughs if they wanted them. He took a lot of the stress out of facilitating.
Day of, Ben organized all the vendors (bartenders, food, DJ) and gave them all of the tools they needed to get to work. We arrived from our ceremony into a space filled with music, flowers, and food.
On Sunday, my husband and I went back to ALNC to help clean up, only to find that everything had been done for us. They even collected all of our decor and extra alcohol and put it in a cart by the door so it was easier to load into our car.
On top of the stellar organization, ALNC is also gorgeous. We had guest walking the trails during cocktail hour, enjoying the flowers. There were kids at the wedding who loved looking for frogs in the pond. We had yard games that kept people entertained until dinner. And when it rained later in the night, the covered porch kept everyone dry and allowed for a space away from the music for people to connect. You won't regret booking ALNC. -
![Sam]()
Sam P. Sent on 10/26/2022Amazing venue with helpful people
We had a phenomenal wedding at Aldo Leopold Nature Center!! The space and grounds were beautiful, perfect for our fall wedding. Getting the entire weekend for setup on Friday, event on Saturday, cleanup on Sunday meant we had plenty of time to work with and felt very little rush and stress during the big weekend. The staff were also amazing, from the initial planning stages to walking us through what the weekend will look like, what we have access too, and when. We had an awesome time! -
![Andrea]()
Andrea Sent on 08/17/2022Great Venue
We loved having our wedding at ALNC! There were lovely indoor and outdoor spaces, allowing us to have a great covid conscious wedding and reception. All the staff were super friendly, knowledgeable and extremely helpful. We loved: having a kid friendly space, the rental for the full weekend (no clean up on Saturday night!!!!! and we did brunch there Sunday), indoor and outdoor seating options for our dinner, dance floor started outdoors and moved indoors, and just generally the beautiful setting. -
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![Annette]()
Annette Sent on 11/08/2021Superb all around
The venue is gorgeous. Such natural beauty inside and outside. Duncan was so patient and helpful through the process!
The staff on our weekend were incredibly helpful and make it as simple as possible for us. I couldn’t say enough good things about this venue. -
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![Tia]()
Tia V. Sent on 12/28/2019We just dropped off our deposit!
I'll update this review once the wedding happens!
Our experience at ALNC has been nothing but positive, transparent and easy. Duncan and the staff that we have contacted are great to work with and accommodating to my questions and requests as we are planning our wedding. ALNC has a lot of experience as a wedding venue and their professionalism shows. -
Molly Sent on 12/01/2019
Perfect wedding at ALNC
Our wedding was absolutely perfect at ALNC on 9/1/19. ALNC is a great wedding venue that enables you to have all the perks of being on the east side of Madison (well, Monona, but close enough!) while feeling immersed in a beautiful nature setting. We loved that we could choose all our own vendors (Good Food Cart, Calliope Icecream, Kona Snowcones, and a bartender to serve a keg of beer and wine). Duncan from ALNC was proactive and highly responsive to all of our questions - we never felt like a bother. We had our ceremony outdoors and guests popped over to the building and covered deck for yard games, drinks, apps, dinner, and dancing. We also made full use of the grounds for photos that turned out beautifully (thanks to Herrada Photography!). It was awesome that ALNC had a high quality sound system we could use, for no extra cost, to throw on a Spotify playlist on for the night, saving us money on a DJ! Mostly, we loved that our wedding embraced our love for being outside and supports youth to have opportunities to participate in all the incredible programming ALNC offers. We received tons of compliments on the venue and would recommend ALNC to anyone! -
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![Hannah]()
Hannah Sent on 11/06/2019A Unique Green-Focused Wedding Venue: It Speaks for Itself
We wanted our wedding to be as zero-waste as possible, simple, nature-oriented, provide locally sourced food, and make an lasting impression. ALNC offered recommendations for these goals and much more, with a deeper purpose and connection for our big day. The team was thoughtful, listened to our eco-vision, and guided us through details every step of the way. The space and natural beauty speaks for itself and the memories we made were everlasting. I cannot say a negative thing about this day because looking back, all I remember was the cranes swarming our rehearsal, the red cardinal perching on the tree before my dad walked me down the aisle, and the rainbow that presented itself after a short August rain. If you are looking to create a lasting memory for yourself, family & friends, this venue and team are the ones to make it happen. We cannot wait to make more memories with ALNC as we grow in our marriage and expand our family. A couple tips/highlights: Rent for the weekend - we invited guests to come back and walk to trails for a fun brunch (highly recommended). Proceeds from the rental go toward education programming – I mean seriously what better way to spend a major portion of your budget toward an educational mission that supports kids and families engaging with nature. It made us feel intentional with our budget, by feeling like we were making a contribution to our community. Go with the recommendations of ALNC – our caterer, Wendigo was the most amazing personalized and professional group of hardworking folks. Thanks to ALNC, we were able to source the localized menu that guests noted the best catering they have ever had! Consider your waste, weddings accumulate so much waste, go simple, let the space speak for itself and maximize all aspects the land has to offer. Finally, congratulations on your big day, you are in amazing hands by making an intentional decision to work with this outstanding, dedicated group of sustainable leaders in our community. Let them show you how easy it is to create a eco-wedding! -
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![Emily]()
Emily Sent on 10/23/2019Amazing space for indoor/outdoor nature-oriented wedding!
The Aldo Leopald Nature Center was the perfect venue for our October 19, 2019 wedding. The location was beautiful, and the indoor/outdoor options made dealing with the weather non-stressful! The staff were extremely invested, flexible, and accommodating.
We were able to have our wedding outdoors among perfect fall color, and our reception indoors while allowing the guests to mingle and mix between the nature trails, and the recently roofed-in patio/deck. There were also multiple rooms for photography projection (thanks to Duncan for making a great slide show!) and the 3D globe projection room was a big hit. The venue was well set up for a progression from outdoor ceremony to indoor/outdoor cocktail hour, to indoor dinner and dancing with options to hang out in lots of spaces. This allowed our 115 guests to ‘choose their own adventure’ which was phenomenal.
The ALNC also helped cut down on our price and stress of wedding planning. They provided an amazing support staff (shout out to Duncan for answering all our questions with expediency and good cheer!), and also didn’t have any ‘gotchas’ with price. Chairs and tables were provided for a small additional fee (far less than rental!). We used an approved caterer from FoodFight and rented a few things (bar, patio heating tower, and clothes rack) from a la Crate Rentals. All in all it was a seamless collaboration in terms of food, bartending, and venue use.
Most of all, we loved supporting ALNC with our wedding. The center sponsors preschools and field trip programs, as well as public education and outreach. We were really happy that our wedding money went towards these missions, and we plan to come back to the center for events and hikes in the years to come! -
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Brian Sent on 10/15/2019
Beautiful venue and great staff
Everything all weekend long went just as planned and worked out great! From the rehearsal to the wedding day to cleaning up on Sunday, we couldn't have asked for a better experience. The venue is beautiful and lots of space can be utilized for many activities. We had lawn games set up during the reception in the lawn space and the bar set up on the deck and it provided a gorgeous back drop. The indoor space is also lovely and transforms into a magical scene for dinner and dancing. The staff was very helpful and flexible which helped make our special day go perfectly. -
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Beth Sent on 10/08/2019
Great nature-themed wedding venue
We really enjoyed our whole wedding experience at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center. From our first meeting to the day-of our wedding, everything was very organized and positive. Our planner, Duncan was friendly, responsive, and we truly felt he wanted the best day for us. We loved the hiking paths and the multiple areas we could choose from to have our ceremony. Being outdoors lovers ourselves, we also felt happy knowing the cost of the venue was supporting youth environment educational programs. We also love keeping in contact with the staff that supported us and being able to return to visit on our anniversaries. -
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![Joan]()
Joan Sent on 09/13/2019I couldn't have asked for more!
ALNC and team were so amazing. Duncan made sure that we were thinking of everything to make our day perfect. He helped us decide where to place everything. He made sure I had the perfect brides room to get ready and he even had the Death Star up for my new husband. -
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![Amber]()
Amber Sent on 08/08/2019We love alnc!
We loved everything about having our wedding here! Their event coordinator, Duncan, was quick to respond to every single one of my questions. I felt well informed throughout the entire process. Day of, ALNC staff worked so hard to ensure that our day was as close to perfect as possible. Unfortunately, rain forced us to have our ceremony inside, but the new renovated space comfortably sat 100 people for our ceremony. Although I dreaded an indoor wedding, it ended up being more beautiful and intimate than I could have imagined. Our guests loved the giant covered porch, trails, immersion theatre that showed our wedding slide show (that Duncan put together for us), and Science on a Sphere room that showed the Death Star throughout the evening! The fact that ALNC was willing to let us have food trucks cater our evening was also a perk! The ability to have the space from Friday until Sunday really helped to make our weekend less stressful as we had ample time to set up and take down all of our decorations. We adored having our wedding at ALNC and look forward to coming back for years to come! -
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![Lauren]()
Lauren Sent on 11/04/2018Aldo Leopold Nature Center
We were so lucky to have found the perfect venue to get married. Our night was even more amazing than we imagined and the venue worked seemlessly. Duncan helped us throughout the process. He was great and so easy to work with. We highly recommend this beautiful place to everyone who loves nature as much as we do. -
Rebecca Sent on 08/20/2018We can't imagine a better place to have gotten married. Duncan and everyone at ALNC made the day go so smoothly and we are so grateful for how flexible and accommodating they were throughout the whole process in the months leading to the wedding (meeting us and touring us around the property several times, answering all our questions promptly, being incredibly organized, etc). Our friends and family (both kids and adults) loved exploring the prairie and also exploring the exhibits, slideshow, and other fun activities inside. We got lucky with the weather, but we would have been very happy with the beautiful inside spaces for the ceremony too. Can’t recommend highly enough!
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Laurie Sent on 08/12/2018We are so glad we had our wedding at ALNC! Duncan was great to work with. He responded to all our emails promptly and with great information, met with us multiple times, and was overall very easy to work with. The ALNC staff did everything on the day-of exactly as we had discussed in advance, and made everything go smoothly. We had our ceremony outside, and our reception and dinner indoors. We had a few last-minute changes because of the weather (unseasonably hot) and Duncan was great with making suggestions and then implementing everything we agreed on. It's a beautiful location and supports a good cause, so we highly recommend ALNC.
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Samantha Sent on 08/07/2018We seriously loved our wedding at Aldo Leopold Nature Center in July 2018. It was without a doubt the best day of our lives--and so much of that had to do with the venue, and amazing service provided by Duncan and the team at Aldo. Duncan was very responsive and from the beginning understood our vision of being outdoors as much as possible with three food trunks and a live band--casual, relaxed, and surrounded by beautiful nature. They were flexible with bringing in vendors--providing all of the details up front of agreements needed, and helped get everything looking perfect the day-of. Duncan worked with us on multiple back-up options in the case of inclement weather (part of why we chose this venue was having multiple options/spaces!), but thankfully we only had a sprinkle! Pictures turned out awesome as there are a lot of cool spots to take photos--in the wildflowers, on the trails, on the bridge, by the Aldo shack! Several guests commented on how beautiful the grounds were. Can't say enough great things! Wish we could do it every weekend!
Photo Credit: Katherine Leaf Photography (katherineleaf.com) https://www.facebook.com/KatherineLeafPhotography -
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Jessica Sent on 08/26/2018The event coordinator was so professional and easy to work with. The event space is beautiful and fit our vision and budget perfectly.
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Samantha Sent on 02/02/2024
Nature Center's Natural Paradise
The Aldo Leopold Nature Center was the first and only venue my husband and I toured for our wedding. The incredibly affordable full weekend (three day) rental provided the flexibility, security, and personalization we desired to make our special day unique to us. There was no lose of communication when staff turned over in the middle of the wedding season, and our November ceremony and reception was beautiful. When my husband lost both of his cuff links while dancing, the staff managed to find them and return them to us without issue! It also felt good to support such a worthwhile facility in their mission of providing environmental education for children in our community. -
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![Heather]()
Heather Sent on 09/25/2022Pleasant Venue and Experience
Aldo Leopold Nature Center proved to be the perfect venue for our August celebration of love with family and friends. We appreciated making use of the uniquely wonderful indoor and outdoor spaces and features, including immersion theatre, deck, walking paths, sound system for a live band, and clear umbrellas when it started to rain for a bit at the end of our ceremony.
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