300+ guest capacity
This venue can host 300+ guests
About this vendor
Historic Grandeur in Downtown Milwaukee
The Grain Exchange, located in downtown Milwaukee, features soaring ceilings, beautiful granite, limestone, and sandstone, and is described, architecturally, as simple Italian. The room radiates the elegance and grandeur of a bygone era, and our expertise in food and hospitality present a partnership that will create a memorable event for even the most discriminating critic.
Pricing details
Starting prices
Reception:
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Ceremony:
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Bar services:
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Catering:
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Starting prices don't include service fees, taxes, gratuity, and rental fees. Guest count and seasonality may also affect prices.
Amenities + details
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Covered Outdoors Space
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Guest Capacity
- 300+
Settings
- Ballroom
- Historic Venue
Venue Service Offerings
- Food & Catering
- Planning
Reviews
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4.8
out of 5.051 reviews
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Such a great venue and team! I had the pleasure of working closely with Chris N, Interim GM, as I work with a wedding planning and coordinating company. While assisting the couple for their wedding day that was in the end of July, Chris did a great job clarify contract details, deadlines, expectations, and overall set the day up for success in so many ways! She is so genuine and caring with everyone she works with! On the day of the wedding, the Bartolotta team did a great job working cohesively and efficiently. They are a team that communicates well and if there is a hiccup, they make sure it goes unnoticed to the client. What an incredible experience and I highly recommend working with this group and venue!
I was so excited to officiate my first wedding at the Grain Exchange and have a chance to meet and work with Maria Bartolotta, a legend in Milwaukee event planning and catering. She was so approachable and friendly, willing to let me take the lead for the rehearsal and ceremony, which allowed her to do what she does best...take care of all the details that make the day special for her couples.
Thank you Maria and Kristin. It was a pleasure working with you for a New Year's Eve wedding. You made it an enjoyable experience for everyone.
I look forward to officiating more weddings at the Grain Exchange.
Warm regards,
Joan
Be aware their contract will say your payments (outside of the initial deposit) will count as a deposit once paid. Our wedding was planned for 6/6/2020 and once covid hit they were horrible and unprofessional to work with. They would only let us postpone 6 months out (when covid restrictions were obviously going to still be in place) and it was like pulling teeth to get into contact with anyone. I had to reach out to several Bartolotta emails/social media pages just to get someone to respond to me. After horrible communication and having to postpone twice (because they wouldn’t give us the option to go farther out than February 2021) we ended up canceling because they couldn’t provide their promised wedding services and they kept every payment we had made towards our total. They were the only vendor I had that was so greedy. It still bothers me she had the nerve to complain about her hard time running her business while we were losing thousands of dollars by them refusing to refund any of our money even though they couldn’t preform any services for us and ignored us for months during all the covid uncertainty. She also gave us an empty promise of “you’re on a long list of people we need to make this up to” but once they had our money we never heard anything back. The venue is pretty and their food is good, but just be warned if anything happens like covid restrictions or anything along those lines, they will be crooks and they will not work with you or in your interests. (I do get they’re a business but tons of other venders and venues refunded or rescheduled their events).
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We held our wedding reception at the Grain Exchange in July, 2021. It was the wedding of our dreams and we were incredibly impressed with Maria Bartolotta and her team. Every detail was perfect.
The staff was wonderful. I could rave about the Bartolotta team at Grain Exchange. Every interaction I had with the staff was positive and helpful. They were courteous, attentive, and their positive attitudes contributed to the overall happy and excellent experience. One of the wedding rings was dropped on the floor without us knowing and a bartender delivered it to me personally. One of the servers brought me a plate of appetizers almost immediately during cocktail hour and offered to put it by my plate as I was mid-conversation. I was then able to try all of our appetizers when I had time during dinner. I loved them. I changed to a second dress during dinner and my plate was held for me without request and then brought out immediately when I returned. This complicated situation was managed perfectly.
Maria gifted our head table with champagne as well as the parents’ table. Maria Bartolotta accommodated my every request. The timing was very fluid. Every morsel of food was scrumptious, I am THRILLED that we were able to provide our guests this thoughtful and elegant experience. Our guests are still talking about the food. My dream was to have a wedding that was so lovely, it felt royal, and this was absolutely accomplished at the Grain Exchange.
We are continuously blown away by the beauty of the ballroom as we see more and more photos shared from the reception.
I am so glad we had our wedding at the Grain Exchange. The Bartolottas have this down to a science. I had not one worry about the food, venue, or timing all evening. Every detail that Maria touched was perfection. This celebration began our marriage on a high note that I didn’t even anticipate. It was the most amazing setting to share with our loved ones.
I trusted Maria completely to deliver a wonderful event and then she outdid my expectations tenfold. I’m certain there were behind-the-scenes complications that were handled without me ever even knowing. This was a worry-free wedding celebration.
I have not a single criticism of the reception. Maria Bartolotta gave us our dream come true.
Such a wonderful place! My sister’s wedding was held here and it was beautiful. The staff was wonderful and the food was to die for. Plenty of space to dance and plenty of space to chat, whatever your scene. I would highly recommend for any event or wedding!
We had such an incredible experience working with the staff at The Grain Exchange - I can't express enough how wonderful the planning, service, and overall day went! Maria is the heart of it all and treated us like family, even when we had to change our date from 2020 to 2021. Our friends and family have not stopped talking about how beautiful everything was, how delicious the food was, and how much fun they had. It was truly a special day for us and it was made so special because of the support and coordination from Maria and her staff. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
I really can't put this review into words. I dreamed of our wedding day and it was SO much more than that. Maria & Kristin truly did such a great job - from planning with us to making the reception run so smoothly. They were FABULOUS to work with and our guests are still raving about how amazing our wedding was. Highly, highly recommend.
Honestly, there aren’t enough words to describe how amazing the staff is and how breathtaking The Grain Exchange is! Our wedding reception was perfect, and the venue was gorgeous (even better than we dreamed)! We received nothing but compliments from our guests about how beautiful the venue was, how delicious food is, and the outstanding white glove service (literally!).
We worked with both Katie & Maria throughout our wedding planning process, and they were each phenomenal. They are personable, caring, understanding, grateful, and made us feel comfortable and like we were their only priority. We truly can’t say enough about this place.
1000% highly recommend!!!
Buyer beware of Bartolotta Catering/Grain Exchange in Milwaukee Covid 19 is stressful enough for a couple who started plans for a wedding in August 2019 before a pandemic ruined their plans. Holding a deposit hostage and forcing a wedding th the distant future with everything changing by the day is not ethical nor a good decision for an event company. With a wedding for two in the medical profession, extra care is required not to mention a lot of high risk people want to be at this wedding.
If Bartolotta Catering was an empathetic caring company, they would refund this deposit. To date, they are only about the business of using others' deposit money to carry on their business. Once they have your deposit, you have no options so think carefully!
Thank you for a truly amazing venue to celebrate our wedding! I would highly recommend this to any and all interested. Maria was very accommodating and her knowledge of everything that may possibly come up on your wedding day, and how to be prepared for it, was much appreciated. It made for a very stress free day. She brought us an extra entree during dinner just so we could try both dishes, along with a slice of each of the cake flavors. The staff was extremely professional and courteous and made it their mission to make our reception go perfectly. The guests afterward all talked about how delicious the food was, from the appetizers to the dessert. Thanks again Maria!
If you have ever seen The Grain Exchange, you know the venue speaks for itself. And if you have ever lived in Milwaukee, you have heard of Bartolotta catering and you know how amazing their service is. Therefore, when we saw The Grain Exchange, we knew we had to have our wedding reception there. The service truly does not disappoint. We started to plan our wedding at least a year and a half before our wedding date. And despite the many emails I sent to Katie and Maria with all of my planning questions that were way too preemptive they handled them very politely and helped keep my nerves at ease.
As the date approached, they helped us plan the small details of our day to make sure we didn’t forget anything. The only thing that we thought could have went a little better is the communication at the very end. So they give you due dates of when all of your final payments are due, which is great. You have to turn in your final counts 5 days before your final payment, which has to be a cashiers check, is due so they can review it, which is great. But they didn’t get back to us right away and we felt like we were scrambling trying to get our cashiers check. We had a slightly unique circumstance in that we had many more people than we ever expected say that they were unable to attend our wedding, so we ended up being below the food and beverage minimum. With the lack of communication at the end of the process, we felt as though we were unable to make the best decisions on how to pay for our open bar and use the rest of that money wisely so we didn’t feel like we were just wasting it.
As for the day itself, it honestly was perfect. We wowed every single one of our guests. Not only that, but we didn’t have to stress about a thing when it came to setting up the venue. Two days before our wedding we had to drop off all of our decorations and tell Maria how we wanted them set up and they took it from there. They also worked well with all of our vendors, including our florist (Shorewood Florist), DJ (Sound by Design), photographer (Dominika Photography), and videographer (David Schulta Videography). The day itself ended up being flawless and we could not be happier with how Maria made it all turn out!
Thank you Bartolotta’s of The Grain Exchange for a magnificent night celebrating our newly wed Mr. & Mrs.! All of our guests were amazed at the beauty of The Grain Exchange and the service they were provided by you and your staff. Every meal was served hot, delicious, and plentiful! You can tell it is a family business because of your attention to detail and the loving way you treat your guests. I really enjoyed working with Katie and Maria this past year and your professionalism helped this MOB feel confident that the evening would go as smoothly as it did! Hands down the best wedding food you will every get, and we had 300 people served! We can’t thank you enough and look forward to visiting other Bartolotta venues and using our new rewards card! See you soon!
From the moment we stepped into the BEAUTIFUL Grain Exchange and given the tour by John, we knew this was where we wanted to have our wedding reception. Katie, John, and Maria are knowledgeable, friendly, professional and attentive. Katie was our main contact throughout the planning process and she is quick, efficient, organized, and has excellent communication! We truly enjoyed working with her from beginning to end. Not only are Katie, John, and Maria excellent at what they do, but also their catering/servers, bartenders, and every staff member were so professional & friendly, attentive, and detail-oriented. Chef is PHENOMENAL & the food was amazing from the hors d'oeuvres, salads, entrees, desserts, and late night -- you cannot go wrong with any option. Our guests were raving about the food and how it was the BEST food they've had a wedding! Thank you for making our wedding reception a night to remember for all!
There is a reason you cannot find a single bad review about The Grain Exchange alongside Bartolotta’s catering. They were amazing! My husband and I were married last weekend and our reception was at The Grain Exchange. Since then, we have received countless texts and phone calls about the beautiful room, incredible food, and friendly staff. Our wedding was all we hoped it would be and more thanks to Maria Bartolotta, John, and Katie. They worked with us tirelessly to create the perfect menu and atmosphere we envisioned for our guests. Our wedding day was nothing short of a fairytale. I was stress free and knew I could rely on their staff to care for our guests the entire evening. They did a perfect job arranging the tables, centerpieces, and other extra details all according to plan. Cannot recommend this venue and these people enough!
Maria and the rest of the team at Bartolotta's were truly amazing to work with and there was no venue more perfect for us than The Grain Exchange. The tall ceilings, ornate woodwork and paintings make it a very unique venue. We also really loved the ability to have a large dance floor and the balcony overlooking the room was beautiful as well.
As always with any event catered by Bartolotta's the food was incredible and our guests raved about it. They were willing to work with our budget and helped with every step along the way! Highly recommend!
Response from the Vendor on 03/19/2019
Hi Tony - Hope you and Jennifer are doing well and enjoying the beginning of your new life together. It was an honor working with both of you on that very special day in your lives!!! I hope to see you again, soon. You know where to find me!...
!! Best, Maria
Maria and Katie from Bartolotta Grain Exchange were so attentive and professional! Whatever we needed, they made it happen! We feel so fortunate to have the very best by our side to make our day absolutely beautiful!
Response from the Vendor on 02/05/2019
Thank you for sharing your experience, Samantha! We're so happy to hear you enjoyed your special day and are wishing you years of happiness!
This venue caught our eye when John took us on our first tour. From the time you walk through those big, beautiful, wooden doors you are in awe! We knew our wedding would be beautiful here but when we walked in on our wedding day, it exceeded our expectations! (We didn't even think that it was possible!) John had told us on our tour that if we chose the venue, we would have nothing to worry about when we walked through the Grain Exchange doors on our wedding day and boy was he right! Katie was such a joy to work with and paid close attention to every detail. She was professional, not afraid to give us her helpful opinions, and very responsive to emails and calls. Guests are still raving about our wedding and are saying that it is one of the best that they have ever been to! We still cannot get over how absolutely stunning the venue looked, it was everything that we have ever dreamed of and more! We can't say enough good things about the venue, the food and of course Katie, Maria, John and all of the amazing staff that made our wedding day unforgettable! Thank you!!! :)
Response from the Vendor on 10/31/2018
Thank you for your thoughtful review, Kayla! We're so happy to hear your wedding day was unforgettable. Best Wishes!
Maria was an absolute dream to work with throughout the entire wedding planning process! We knew the second we stepped into the Grain Exchange that we wanted to have our reception there and it was an absolute dream come true! The venue is not only gorgeous, but the food was amazing (we had many people come up to us and say it was the best wedding food - and food in general - that they had ever had), and Maria was perfect. Thank you all who made our day extra special and one we will never forget!!
Response from the Vendor on 10/31/2018
Thank you, Heather! We're so happy to hear your special day was as unforgettable as you had hoped. Best wishes!
This place is indescribable. Everything is perfect, and there is nothing for you to worry about. Maria and the staff are the best you'll ever get and they make you feel like a part of their family! They truly handle everything flawlessly and you can just enjoy your wedding day! Our guests were stunned at our wedding and can't stop talking about it. They all say it was the best wedding they've even been to. The food, the service, the decor, the ambience, everything was perfect. From the moment you book the Grain Exchange you will be put at ease, Maria walks you through everything and even has a list of vendors she recommends and has worked with before and it makes researching additional vendors a lot easier! Bartolotta Catering truly does it the best and the Grain Exchange is the perfect venue.
Absolutely stunning. The history, and detail in the room alone make it an incredible venue. Add in the hard-working staff, and amazing food, you can't go wrong!
It's hard for me to put into words how appreciative I am of my experience at the Grain Exchange for my wedding. Our wedding was absolutely perfect - everything I envisioned and more! Maria and Jon are truly the best (as are the rest of the staff). They took the time to walk us through the history of the room, the food/rental options, and how the evening would go. All my friends/family asked me in the days leading up to our wedding if I was nervous - I confidently said no, I had complete trust and faith in Maria, Jon, and their team. To say the Grain Exchange is beautiful is an understatement, it's truly a hidden gem in Milwaukee - that paired with amazing food and service from Bartolotta Catering made our night perfect! Thank you Maria and Jon!
With the name Bartolotta in Milwaukee, you know what to expect. Katie and the rest of the team at The Grain Exchange made our day such a breeze. The actual room where both our ceremony and reception took place is gorgeous. The food carries the same level of finesse that each of the Bartolotta restaurants does just on a much larger scale. The communication was always prompt and very detailed. We are so fortunate and grateful to have been able to celebrate our big day here
The Grain Exchange far exceeded my expectations for our wedding! Katie was amazing to work with and we received compliments all night on the food and venue. Service was flawless. I would HIGHLY recommend the Grain Exchange to anyone looking to get married in Milwaukee. Thank you to the entire Grain Exchange staff!
From the very beginning of planning to the actual wedding day was such an effortless process since Maria and John were so welcoming and phenomenal at coordinating everything! I cannot say enough good things about how our wedding day was absolutely perfect thanks to everyone at the Grain Exchange. The decor, food and staff was beyond our expectations. It was a night we will never forget and we are so thankful to have had such a beautiful wedding day!
It's hard to describe the amazing experience we had with the entire team at The Grain Exchange! The most STUNNING ballroom in Milwaukee, the most DELICIOUS food, and the AMAZING people working behind the scenes. We worked very closely with Katie Carlson, who made our experience enjoyable and hassle-free. Our wedding coordinator Rachel and I would probably send her daily emails in the weeks leading up to the event, and she handled our incessant questions and request with grace and a smile. Her and Maria were truly a pleasure to work with and I would recommend any couple looking for a venue to book here! It was the best day of our lives and we couldn't have asked for a better place to celebrate. Thanks again!
Cheers,
Megan and Brian Koth
Wedding 9/23/17
We watched out guests' jaws drop as soon as they entered The Grain Exchange for our wedding reception. The place is so gorgeously ornate it needs no added decor! But even better than the ballroom is the food served by Bartolotta's. We never expect mouthwatering food at a wedding, but truly, Bartolotta's delivers mouthwatering food... We had hangar steak, tuscan chicken, and a mushroom ravioli the night of our wedding. We are STILL hearing about the huge portion sizes, how hot the food was when it was served, the presentation, and the overall deliciousness of the food! Maria Bartolotta told us in the beginning, "If you're going to worry about anything with your wedding, make sure it's not us. We will take care of you." Truly, they did.
The Grain Exchange was an incredible place to have a wedding. From day one they worked with my husband and I to create the wedding of our dreams. From the late night food, to set up, and even Maria telling us how to cut our cake, they did it right. The room is incredible and the food is the best wedding food I have ever had. Maria has a true gift for planning events and made our day ours. I recommend the Grain Exchange for all!
From the moment we stepped into the Grain Exchange we knew it was where we wanted to host our wedding reception. The room is breathtakingly beautiful and the fact that the evening would catered by Bartolotta was an added bonus we could not pass up. From the moment we booked the reception and through the end of our wedding day Katie and the entire Bartolotta staff were a pleasure to work with. Katie was incredibly helpful when it came to coordinating all of the details of the day (linens, tables, chairs etc.) as well as coordinating all of the food and drinks for the evening. We had a lot of fun at our tasting, which we were able to include both of our parents in, and from that moment we all had complete trust in Katie and her team in creating the wedding reception of our dreams. From start to finish the reception was perfect. We continue to receive compliments on not only the quality of the food (which was outstanding!) but also the Bartolotta service. We cannot imagine having our reception anywhere other than the Grain Exchange and we are so thankful for all Katie, John and the entire Bartolotta catering team did to make our wedding day as special as it was!
I had my wedding at the grain exchange this summer. We were warned that there would be construction, and there was and this changed literally nothing! So dont be scared away by the scaffolding! Maria is larger than life and makes you feel special and heard throughout the tasting and especially on the day of the wedding! The food was phenomenal and the service was great. During the process, Maria does not communicate much until about 6 months before, but she handles everything and made sure my night went off with no stress. I cant speak highly enough about this venue!
Everyone and everything was perfect. it was stunning, the staff was amazing, the food might as well have been made to order in a restaurant. They accommodated every detail we wanted, every unique touch they brought to life for us. it was perfect in every way.
I had my wedding at the Grain Exchange this past weekend and it was truly spectacular. Everything from the service, food, and decor was exactly what we planned and even exceeded expectations. I have received nothing but compliments on how beautiful the space was, and that it was the best wedding food anyone has ever had! This is the perfect venue for anyone that is considering a large wedding (I had almost 300 guests) in downtown Milwaukee. It is so elegant and beautiful inside, that there is hardly any need for additional decor aside from florals. Thank you to the staff who was truly exceptional!
Maria, John and Katie are a fantastic, professional team that will go above and beyond to make someone's wedding a memorable experience. All details were laid out and discussed in advance so that no stones were left unturned. The team also takes the time to get to know the couple and form a relationship. If any mishaps happened during the night, the bride and groom were not aware - everything is taken care of swiftly and thoughtfully. We received SO many compliments from our guests on the beautiful venue and the amazing catering. Knowing that it's part of the Bartolotta family leaves us at ease - everything from the appetizers to the drinks to the entree were superb. I would highly recommend this venue to any and all friends and family. The Grain Exchange made our fairytale wedding come true!!
The Grain Exchange is a stunning venue and we are so happy to have chosen it as the sight of our wedding reception. The food is absolutely delicious and the wait staff is organized and professional. So many guests have told us what a phenomenal backdrop the venue was to the great party. Maria organizes these big events year round so she knows her stuff.
Our reception was perfect at The Grain Exchange. Maria and her crew saw to our every need starting from the day that we decided to use them as our reception venue. The day of the wedding everything went perfectly. The food was phenomenal and Maria made sure that my husband and I were completely happy, along with both of our parents. Having the venue linked with a caterer was so much easier than having to coordinate multiple vendors at a time. They took care of the catering (which is amazing- we received so many compliments on the food), tables, linens through BBJ, and so much more. It made our lives easier to know everything was taken care of. I cannot recommend The Grain Exchange enough!
Maria Bartolotta and her whole team at The Grain Exchange made my wedding the most perfectly amazing evening I could ever have imagined. The whole team's attention to detail and outstanding service made every part of the wedding, from the pre-planning, to our ceremony and the reception absolutely flawless. I would highly recommend!
The staff at The Grain Exhange was absolutly amazing and Maria was fantastic to work with. She made everything easy and perfect. Food was incredible and very nice about accomadating my guests with food allergies. The Venue it self is breathtaking and made my day even more special. I highly recommend visiting The Grain Exchange and using this place for your wedding.
The Grain Exchange is a beautiful space with excellent food and great service. The Bartolotta's team took care of everything for me so I had nothing to worry about on my wedding day.
We were penciled in at a different venue... but then we went and saw the Grain Exchange and met with Maria and we KNEW right away that it was the place we wanted our wedding reception to be at! The building and room are absolutely gorgeous and so we didn't need to spend a lot of extra money on decorations, chair covers, etc. It is ornate and beautiful on its own. The food was outstanding - we got so many compliments from our guests about how delicious their meals were and how great the service was. The staff there is extremely professional. And lastly, Maria was just the BEST to work with. She is quick at responding to emails during the planning process and she goes over every detail to make sure everything is perfect. She is a pro at what she does. Many of my guests told us that it was the coolest venue they had ever been at!
Working with Maria and the group was effortless. We didn't need a wedding planner because the venue was beautiful, the food was made on site (and it was Bartolotta so it redefined "wedding food" to be the best food I have ever tasted), and there was no renting tables or napkins or anything. The price was reasonable and it was a great value for our money. In short, you won't find a more stunning venue with more delicious food and a more attentive team of planners anywhere. Their recommended vendors are also top notch. The Grain Exchange is the total package!
Maria, John, and the entire Bartolotta team were amazing to work with! They are always easy to get ahold of and they do everything possible to make sure that you don't have anything to worry about on the day of. Throughout the night of our wedding reception, Maria and other staff members would check in with my husband and I to make sure we had everything we needed. My husband is a picky eater and they customized his meal and late night food. I honestly can't say enough good things about Bartolotta's and the Grain Exchange. The room is beautiful. The food is incredible and everyone is so pleasant to work with. We have received so many compliments from friends and family. I would recommend them to anyone and everyone. Our wedding reception was absolutely perfect!
Excellent food, service and quality! We worked with them overseas. They organized everything as we wanted. Even decorations and all other smaller aspects, which we did not think of. The tasting was awesome! Very professional. Excellent wine selections, beverages, etc. food is beyond delicious. We really were happy we chose them and know you will not regret. There is hardly a better location in Milwaukee for a wedding reception!
Prices were high, but this was compensated with the great service and wonderful experience.
My husband and I just got married last week at The Grain Exchange. Maria Bartolotta and the crew were amazing! We had a tight budget (my husband is a student and I am a professor so money is a little tight), and they worked with us to make our wedding amazing. They were easy to contact, they always adapted their schedules to help meet with us. On the wedding night, at the reception, I had not eaten much all day and night (I think I had a banana that day), and Maria actually fixed me a plate just to make sure I got food before the appetizers ran out. They made sure my wedding party, my husband, our guests and I were comfortable all night. We had our ceremony on the balcony and I reception on the main floor of the room and it could not have been a more beautiful place. If you are considering them for a vendor, the food is delicious, the crew are amazing helpful, nice, and adaptable. You will not regret having this place as your venue! I still hear from our guests how amazing the food was and how beautiful they thought the place to be!
The Grain Exchange was perfect for our wedding. The venue is absolutely gorgeous, and somehow the large room felt homey and comfortable to our 180 guests. The food was absolutely delicious and service was wonderful. Maria is the absolute best and does everything she can so that you have nothing to worry about on your day. My guests are still telling me what an amazing venue and food there was at the Grain Exchange. Highly recommended!!!
We went to view the Grain Exchange as a reception site and loved it - it is gorgeous!
We went through with emailing them all our details and then never heard back from them.
It came off as extremely rude and we just went about finding another location.
Since my Junior Prom in High School at the Grain Exchange, I had always dreamed of having my wedding there. In my opinion, this room is the most beautiful, amazingly breathtaking venues in Milwaukee. You have to see it in person to understand. That being said, it was the first place I went to when I got engaged. However, too many bumps in the road prevented me from using the room for my wedding venue. For me, cost was a huge factor. Since Bartolotta's doesn't "own" the venue, they also charge a room rental cost that doesn't pertain to some venues like hotels in the area who own their own space. They also can't control the times the room is available. For instance, our wedding was a Friday evening at 5pm and the room is not available on Friday until 6pm. I didn't want to shorten my wedding any more than necessary. Finally, I wanted a venue with access to a hotel for my guests to not have to drive home or those from out of town. Perhaps Bartolotta's should consider trying to work something out with a nearby hotel for discounted rates/transportation between. I have no doubt that Bartolotta's would have been amazing quality service and wonderful food. Working with Maria was great and she did everything she could to try to earn our business. Even though it wasn't right for us, I'd recommend Bartolotta's and the Grain Exchange for those who have the budget and want to absolute best that Milwaukee has to offer for your special event.
My fairy tale wedding was able to take place. Everything was well controlled with the help of Maria and her team from the food to the lighting and back to the table set up. The giant space became more enchanting as the night progressed, wooing many of our guests. I highly recommend this to any bride. It helps take a lot of worries out of the planning and the actual day itself!
Maria, John, and the whole staff at the Grain Exchange were amazing. I'm not sure why I ever worried a second about the details at the reception hall, because they had them all under control. The hall looked beyond amazing for the wedding reception. The food and service were incredible, but I've learned to expect nothing less from Bartolotta's as it always is! I received so many compliments and many "best wedding I've been to" comments. Definitely the best place for a wedding in Milwaukee!
Maria, John and the Bartolotta crew were amazing! The food was amazing and I am still getting compliments on the hanger steak :). They take care of all the details and make sure everything goes according to plan.
If you want to have the most beautiful, flawless, and memorable wedding reception, you should definitely consider the Grain Exchange. Not only is the room GORGEOUS and you don't need any decorations, but also, the food is TREMENDOUS and the service is impeccable. Maria Bartolotta is amazing, and so is her staff. Worth every penny. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
The food was excellent. The venue looked amazing and I got nothing but compliments from the guests. I didn't want to worry about all of the details such as linens, rentals, silverware, etc, so I am very happy I chose Grain Exchange because they really do organize everything down to the last detail.
My only small complaint was that they wouldn't give my dad (father of the bride) a cocktail because the bar wasn't "officially open" yet (we did have open bar, premium liquor, for 4 or 5 hours of the night, it just hadn't opened yet). My dad even said to the bartender, "I am paying for this entire thing", but the bartender insisted that he would not give my dad a drink. As father of the bride and the man footing the bill, the bartender should have never said "no" to my dad, regardless if the bar wasn't officially open. It was just plain bad business, to refuse the father of the bride a drink. It made my dad kind of angry, although he didn't mention it to me until the next day.
Amazing place. Great food. Great service. Book here - you won't regret it!
Contact
225 E. Michigan St., Milwaukee, WI
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Bartolotta Catering & Events at The Grain Exchange
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