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Weddings

Monona Terrace Reviews

Monona Terrace View more information

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 rating
58 Reviews
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100% Recommended by couples

Awards

58
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner
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    Joe Sent on 10/18/2023
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    Beautiful seamless experience

    Monona Terrace was the first choice of venue for our wedding, and it was the best choice.

    Apart from being an iconic Frank Lloyd Wright building that can be seen from most places in Madison, the MT team were very professional and organized in helping set up our wedding day.

    From the tasting (which was very well executed) to the rehearsal to the actual wedding day, Marcia Terrones (our wedding manager) was friendly, courteous and accommodating of our many questions and requests.

    We were married at the Community Terrace which is a lovely room with sweeping views of Lake Monona. The setup and breakdown was seamless, and we didn’t have to do much to the room to make it look good. A big plus of the MT is their in-house catering, and they are experts in this field. From the hors d’œuvres to the drinks to the main course, everything was very delicious. They also packed up any main courses that weren’t eaten by the guests, which I appreciated as we hate food waste.

    Overall; we had a great experience with this iconic Madison venue and will cherish the memories of our wedding day here.

    (Photos by CJefko Photography; highly recommend her as well)
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    Jillian D. Sent on 03/13/2021
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    Highly recommend

    We had out wedding in the midst of the COVID summer of 2020-- which meant so many last minute changes to plans. Monona Terrace was so responsive and open to ideas; they made a very stressful situation much more tolerable. Jeanette and Micayla are wonderful-- really, every staff member we came into contact with was friendly and helpful and we were so impressed. Our event came together perfectly-- the food and the bar were great and our guests especially loved chatting with the bar staff. THANK YOU to everyone there; we are so grateful we chose Monona Terrace.
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    Brooke Sent on 09/25/2019
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    Would recommend in a heartbeat!

    We had our wedding ceremony and reception at Monona Terrace last weekend. First, it all started with our awesome tour with Breanne and we were hooked! Breanne showed us around answering all the questions we had that day to make us feel like we were making a great decision to have it at the terrace. Our big day was everything and more that we could have ever wanted at the Monona Terrace. We were very surprised by how often the staff came by to ask us if we needed anything and how everything was. That was a very nice touch. We didn't have to worry about anything not being on time and fully trusted Monona Terrace. Micayla was AMAZING and a rock star. There aren't enough words to explain how helpful she was and how relaxed/at ease she was on Saturday which made me feel at ease. Micayla always answered my (many) emails right away and was thorough in her responses. Every time I asked her if I could do something, she always found a way to make it work. The food was amazing and we got nothing but compliments about the chicken and pork dishes - and the apps. We will definitely recommend the Monona Terrace in a heartbeat!

    Monona Terrace's reply:

    Hi Brooke,
    Thank you for the kind words. It was such a pleasure working with you and Alex! Thank you for sharing your special day with us! Best wishes to you in your adventures together!
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  • Kristen
    Kristen H. Sent on 07/02/2019
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    Unbelievable staff!

    Perfect wedding day! The food was hot and delicious for each guest. The staff was accommodating and present when needed! The view is phenomenal from the grand terrace and everything flowed smoothly.

    Monona Terrace's reply:

    Hi Kristen,
    I'm so thrilled to hear you had the perfect wedding day! It was such a pleasure working with you and Mitch. Thank you for choosing Monona Terrace for your special day! Best wishes to you!
    -Breanne
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    Elaina Sent on 07/18/2018
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    The Monona Terrace was a beyond perfect wedding venue! Their staff know exactly what they are doing and made our planning process and wedding day go off without a hitch. From the knowledgeable and helpful staff to the amazing food, I cannot say enough! I highly recommend the Monona Terrace to anyone looking for a wedding venue in Madison.

    Photos from Dutcher Photography (also highly recommend)
    http://www.robandsamphoto.com/archive-blog/2018/7/14/elaina-nate-a-modern-monona-terrace-rooftop-wedding
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    Tony Sent on 11/22/2017
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    We held our wedding reception at Monona Terrace on October 28, 2017, and are very pleased with how our event turned out, as well as with all the planning leading up to it. At the outset, Breanne was helpful and no-pressure as we considered potential venues. Once we chose Monona Terrace, Marcia and her staff provided clear guidance and answered all our questions along the way. We particularly enjoyed the tasting where you get to sample all the food offerings to make your selections! Matt was very helpful finalizing all details the week of, and the night itself came off without a hitch. The service staff was attentive and friendly (they even set aside a few of each appetizer for us at the head table, a nice touch), the food was delicious (a common compliment from our guests), the room set-up was flawless, and things just ran very smoothly. Would definitely recommend!
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    Justin Sent on 08/28/2016
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    We had our wedding ceremony and reception at the Terrace. They definitely know their wedding business! Micayla was our representative, and she walked us through everything very thoroughly and clearly. She didn't make us feel stupid when we had to ask questions multiple times (there's so much that goes into a wedding!). What impressed us was the way she was able to get creative to get things to fit into our budget. From switching around meals to mixing up the layout, we were able to hit our budget while still keeping high quality. The food was delicious - not what I was expecting for large batch, catered food. The venue is obviously gorgeous. The team at the Terrace also added lots of nice touches and covered things we didn't even think about (eg, saving the wedding party a plate of appetizers, small gifts as thank-you's, and clearly communicating hand-offs between workers). We highly recommend working with Micayla and the Terrace!
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    Raisa Sent on 06/11/2016
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    We could not have been more happy with having our cocktail hour and reception at the Monona Terrace. It seriously could not have been more of a perfect venue. All of our guests were amazed and kept mentioning that they really wanted to come visit Madison again, and we think this had a lot to do with the Monona Terrace. The cocktail hour on the roof was amazing. The reception in the Community Terrace was amazing. We were pleasantly surprised with how pampered we felt by every single staff member we encountered. Working with Breanne and Marcia was an absolute pleasure; they were definitely our most professional and responsive vendors, and we really appreciated that. We feel so lucky that we were able to hold our reception at a venue so special and so iconic of Madison.
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    Sheena Sent on 05/27/2016
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    So great, we do not have anything but good to say. Their staff was on point 100% of the time and in always communication with us both. I recommend them to anyone, you will be surprised the value you can get this beautiful venue at with the basic package and building your wedding from there. Be sure to book a year in advance if possible to secure your date and the best room choice.
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    Shalyn Sent on 10/27/2015
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    The Madison Monona Terrace is one of the most scenic, historic and beautiful places to get married in the Madison, WI area. We had our ceremony and reception there and loved every minute of it! Micayla Jones was our catering manager and did a fantastic job listening to our requests and helping us through the planning process to the wedding day! She was so personable, accommodating and a pleasure to work with. All of the food at our reception from the hors d oeuvres, dinner to chocolate covered strawberries and pizza was amazing and extremely fresh! We would recommend the Monona Terrace, Micayla Jones and the rest of the Terrace staff to everyone! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you all for helping us have the "best day ever!"
  • Susan
    Susan Sent on 12/28/2015
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    We had a fantastic experience throughout the planning process with Monona Terrace. Marcia was our coordinator, and she is extremely knowledgeable and quick with responses. She helped us revise our plans a few times and was calm, professional and patient with us throughout.

    The venue itself is beautiful. We were in the Grand Terrace, Hall of Ideas and the Rooftop center (with Lecture Hall as a rain back-up), and all of the areas and grounds were perfect for a wedding. We had a lot of out of town guests who loved the location right downtown on the water.

    The food was delicious. I heard from many people that it was the best "wedding food" they'd had. The service was also great - there was a manager there who helped take care of my little nephew by bringing him milk in a lidded cup--such great, personal service like that was common on our big day.
  • User2586974 Sent on 04/25/2016
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    So wonderful and accommodating. They were super professional and organized. I was planning my wedding from another state but they were able to work with me to set up meetings, etc. and everything was perfect!
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    Kristen Sent on 08/03/2015
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    My husband and I could not be happier with our choice to go with Monona Terrace for our ceremony and reception venue! Everything about our wedding day was simply perfect. Everyone says one big thing will go wrong on your wedding day and I can honestly say not one thing went wrong. The staff was fantastic in making sure everything got to where it needed to be and we were ready to go. The venue itself is beautiful and the food was fantastic. So happy with our choice!
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    Kayla Sent on 10/27/2014
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    Working with Micayla in the months prior to our wedding was super helpful. She is extremely kind, detail oriented, and went above and beyond to ensure our wedding day was a hit! I would highly recommend a wedding at the Monona Terrace- their staff was so kind, knowledgeable and our decor was handled with care. Thank you so much for making our wedding incredibly memorable!!! Micayla- you are the best!
  • User1756667 Sent on 08/10/2014
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    We went through the Monona Terrace for our wedding ceremony and reception. They do all of the catering in-house so it was nice to not have to worry about finding a caterer in addition to the venue. The ceremony was on the rooftop in the center circle and the reception was in the Community Terrace. Both locations were beautiful. The food was delicious and served very quickly. They were very responsive to any questions I had and very accommodating to any last minute changes. I can't imagine having my wedding any place else.
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    Janet Sent on 09/28/2014
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    We had our reception at Monona Terrace and it was absolutely perfect. Wendy was our catering manager and was incredibly kind and attentive. We were planning our wedding from out of state and yet I never felt that it was difficult since she was so responsive to all of my emails. She was also incredibly flexible with regards to any changes we asked for, and worked hard to save us money where she could. In fact, everyone we worked with at Monona Terrace seemed to genuinely care about making our wedding day perfect. The food was great, the staff at the reception was attentive, and the views of Lake Monona are unparalleled.
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    Emilia Sent on 05/24/2014
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    Working with Monona Terrace was great! The staff were always very friendly and working closely with our planner was the best experience, she helped us a lot and was always very patient and understanding! We had the community Terrace room and it is so beautiful! The guests really enjoyed themselves and the food that they provided!
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    Pamela Sent on 03/02/2013
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    The planner(s) we worked with at the convention center for our rooftop ceremony were excellent. They were responsive, helpful, and efficient. We worked without an independent wedding planner, so my husband and I did all the arrangements ourselves. On the day of the ceremony, everything at the Terrace was set exactly as it needed to be and we didn't have to stress at all about the venue. We were very happy about that!
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    Ryan Sent on 05/30/2012
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    I am extremely impressed with the Monona Terrace staff. Everyone was friendly and attentive from the day we inquired about the facility. Brianne, Eartha, and the rest of the staff made our day one that will live on in our and our guests' memories for many many years!
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    Megan Sent on 11/04/2009
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    I LOVED working with the staff at the Terrace. Our wedding ceremony was held outside on the rooftop center and they worked so hard with us to ensure we had the perfect day! The event coordinator, Mandy Mommaerts, was constantly accessible to us via email and phone from the moment we were making the decision to have our ceremony at the Terrace right through the day of the wedding. Everyone was so easy to work with - questions were quickly answered and I never had any concerns with choosing this location. Even when there was a hint of rain in the air on the day of the wedding, Mandy worked with me to lay out what we needed to do to ensure we had our outdoor reception. We received so many compliments about the location of the ceremony and looking back at the gorgeous pictures of the rooftop, I am so thrilled that we chose the Monona Terrace!
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    Rachel Sent on 01/07/2009
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    Food was excellent, service was excellent. Would definitely recommend to anyone.
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    Sophie Sent on 05/27/2015
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    We worked with Micayla for our wedding, and we can't give her enough praise, she really is that good! She put so much work into our event and everything went so smoothly! She is so organized, responsive, professional, and accommodating, and she really takes a personal interest in each of her weddings, which is shown in how above and beyond she goes on the day of the event.

    Also, the food was amazing! We got so many compliments on how delicious everything was (from the appetizers to the salads to the entrees and every side dish, it all was so yummy!)

    All of the staff that worked on our wedding were also so great! I used to work as a server at weddings in Madison during college, and I can honestly say, they have the most organized process there, it really is amazing, and helps keep the bride/groom at ease on the wedding day. Everyone is so helpful and anticipated our needs throughout the day.

    Mark, the catering captain is awesome! He is so professional and organized and helped us out a ton on our wedding day! Lester, our head server was great too and really responsive!

    Overall, every Monona Terrace employee we encountered really took ownership, was respectful, responsible, polite, and professional and helped put on the perfect wedding day for us! If we could do it all over again, we would definitely do it at Monona Terrace again!


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    James Sent on 11/02/2013
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    The views at the terrace speak for themselves. They are very professional. We were very surprised at how helpful Micayla, our room coordinator, was the day of the event. It saved us a lot of stress. The only complaint is having to wait until a year out to confirm you have the room, we had a last minute scare.
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    Brandy Sent on 12/19/2012
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    The staff at Monona Terrace was available for all of my questions and took care of so many small details that it allowed me to worry less and enjoy more. They also treated our guests well.
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    Carly Sent on 10/18/2011
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    The Monona Terrace was great. Not only was the view from the Community Terrace amazing, the staff, food, professionalism, and quick response time to any question or concern was perfect. Our guests continue to talk about how great the food was and some have contacted me to see who catered our wedding because they want them for their own event. Wendy Brown was great and discussed every single detail with us. Our bar bill was over the expected amount but we knew our friends and family would have a good time. The great venue and service was so exceptional, we didn't mind having to pay a little over. Best venue ever!
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