Marcus Performing Arts Center

rol and running smoothly the entire night. It was like a well oiled machine, you can tell they do events very often! Marie was warm, kind, very organized, and communicated well. She also stayed the entire wedding and reception. The chef with Sazamas worked with us with a severe food allergy to make sure there was no trace of the affecting food, and everybody was raving about the dinner and hors d' oeuvres. We found that the rental price of the venue was lower compared to other venues in the city despite the fantastic location, probably because MPAC requires that you use Sazamas catering and their own bartending so its a package deal. We had no problem with this at all, and actually found the prices to be quite reasonable for the incredible service we got.

ll of our guests had a blast. The promenade (before you enter the main ballroom) is the perfect place to host a cocktail hour and the ballroom is stunning, with its massive windows and balcony which overlooks the Milwaukee river. I highly recommend hosting your event at MPAC be it for a wedding, gala, reception etc you won't be disappointed! The possibilities are endless with making your vision come to life.

ople I know. She was absolutely fabulous to work with. In fact, she went above and beyond. She's professional, responsive, full of good ideas, and seemed as as excited about our children's wedding as we and our family was! The whole wedding reception was perfect! The venue is unbelievably gorgeous, complete with a stunning ballroom and two distinct and beautiful outdoor spaces. There are additional green spaces to explore, as well. Now for the food!! WOW!! The hors d'oeuvres and meal were delicious! The Chef was amazing to work with our our guests absolutely raved about the food's quality and portions. Best wedding meal ever, was what so many of our guests told us! We can't complete this review without mentioning the staff. The bartenders and servers were top-notch and so friendly. And we simply cannot say enough about how helpful and kind the clean up staff was to work with, especially as we had to box up the vases, candles and other decor. If we could give the Marcus PAC, Marie and her team more than 5 stars, we would.

ply about her couples. The staff as a whole is very professional, kind, and will work hard to make sure your special day runs smoothly.

h we loved! Lynn was fantastic to work with and very organized. We highly recommend the PAC!

r to have their wedding ceremony. And with the cocktail hour and reception just steps away, this venue couldn't be beat. The balcony outside the Bradley Pavilion allowed guests to take in a beautiful summer Milwaukee skyline at sunset. Lynn and her staff were amazing as well. Having to navigate plans and decisions with both the girls out of state, tackling food allergies, and communicating with multiple vendors, Lynn put us at ease and helped the wedding be top notch.

eception which was a hit! Lynn from Marcus was so helpful during the planning process and made it fun! Thanks to all from MPAC that helped make our day special.

ve our big day there! Though we were not re-scheduling from 2020, there were still many unknowns while trying to plan a covid-era wedding. Lynn from Sazama's was incredibly helpful every step of the way! Her coordination during planning and communication with us on our actual day made everyone go perfectly. There were a few changes to the package that we picked out originally due to covid, and Lynn was really helpful in making even swaps with the new choices that didn't add on extra costs. Another great thing about this venue is that they have a lot of experience, so many other vendors have done weddings there before and know how to set things up and coordinate with them. This eases the burden a lot! The food is outstanding! Everyone raved about it and we loved it too. The outdoor space was such a nice thing to have too. We had 135 guests and it felt full enough, but not too full in the ballroom, atrium, and outdoor space. The waitstaff was great - I appreciated that they wore masks, and they were very well coordinated with serving tables. Two of my favorite 'extras' that we did for our reception included renting the piano for cocktail hour and having two signature cocktails, both of which were amazing! Highly recommend. The only thing I would do differently is rent different chairs/chair covers. I didn't think it would be worth the cost, but the chairs that come with the space ended up not looking great in photos (though they are padded, so probably more comfortable than wooden rented chairs!) 10/10 recommend having your reception at the Marcus Center!

eses peanut butter cups, but the up lighting was beautiful! We also rented gold chivari chairs, which really brought the space together. We had about 165 guests, and had PLENTY of extra space. This was nice because it felt like guests weren't so squeezed in. I was a bride planning a wedding from out of state, but the wedding coordinator, Lynn, was excellent with communication. Saz's food: Everyone complimented how delicious our meal choices were, the presentation of the food was also beautiful! My one frustration was that Hamilton was performing the same time as our wedding. The Hamilton crew was very strict on Covid restrictions. I feel like this put stress on the staff at the Marcus, but ultimately did not affect our wedding. I later heard that the staff was frustrated I sent my family members in to set up the reception "too early" I was unable to set my decorations up the night before because there was a Hamilton show. If I had to do it over again, I would choose this venue!

to switch our day from April to October. They changed everything around in less than 24 hours without any issues. The food is absolutely fabulous. If you can swing it, get a signature drink! Our guests were thrilled with the space. Also, working with Lynn was such a joy. She is kind and an expert at her job. Thank you to Lynn & the PAC team for making our wedding day the best day of our lives!!

ail hour in the promenade, and reception in the bradley pavilion. This was a huge selling point for us. The catering was also phenomenal. Their food selection was amazing, as was the actual food. Lastly, our wonderful coordinator Karin! She was absolutely amazing and incredible to work with. She was quick to respond and answer any questions. She was incredibly accommodating and made sure we had everything we needed. Karin put us at ease for our wedding, and made it as easy and stress free as possible. She was there from the beginning planning stages to fluffing my train as I walked down the aisle. We highly recommend the venue and more importantly Karin and Sazama's catering!

coordinators at the Marcus replied quickly and with detailed answers if we had any questions. The food that comes with working with the Marcus center is amazing as well. Overall, we could not be happier with how our wedding turned out working with them.

h Gardens, the balcony overlooking the river, and the ceiling lights that added fun character to the classic ballroom space for our reception. We weren't able to use Fitch Gardens for our ceremony due to the weather, but the weather backup space is beautiful as well and we were really happy with it. Our guests RAVED about the food - one said we served the best steak he's ever had in his life! For the most part all of the staff was great and very helpful. We planned our wedding during COVID19 and I believe that took a toll on the communication and organization during the planning process. Early on, Lynn and Karin assured me that I didn’t need to hire a wedding planner because they would handle everything and it wouldn’t be necessary, but I think I would have felt a lot more comfortable with a planner to help. I worked with Lynn and while she worked really hard to make my wedding perfect, I never felt completely secure that things were on track or that we were on the same page. Wedding planning is stressful and I would have appreciated some more guidance throughout the process instead of having to initiate check ins and next steps myself. While I’m sure that COVID19 provided some challenges on her end too, I often heard her admit to being unsure of something because she hadn’t had a wedding in a while, or just being overwhelmed in general. At one point two of our groomsmen were frantically handling a responsibility at the wedding that Lynn assured me she would take care of. Overall it was an amazing wedding and I wouldn’t change a thing. I’d highly recommend the Marcus Center and Sazamas catering but be prepared to take charge and over communicate as you’re planning!

O fabulous and helpful throughout the first part of our planning process. We worked with her for about 10 months, and she was constantly keeping us updated on the changing environment and helping us plan our best day no matter what. When we decided to switch venues in January, Lynn gave us a list of suggestions and offered to reach out to venues on our behalf to gauge availability for our date. When we did settle on a new location, Lynn helped transition our contract from Sazama's at MPAC to Saz's Catering, and it all went seamlessly. We are SO grateful for all her help and support, and we know our wedding would have been perfect at MPAC with her on our team. If having kind, professional people with your best interests at heart are non-negotiables for your wedding day team, Sazama's at MPAC couldn't be more recommended by me & my husband. What could have been a nightmare was so easy and almost stress-free! Thank you Lynn!!!

o do so -- and that's because of Karin and everyone at the Marcus Center/Sazama's! When I reached out to Karin in June about our December 2020 wedding, I thought she'd think I was crazy for wanting to reschedule six months out or tell us we needed to wait and see how things progressed. Instead, Karin called back right away to let us know every option was on the table and the ball was in our court. The flexibility was great, but it was Karin's kind, thoughtful and sincere demeanor throughout the entire process that really blew me away. We are SO looking forward to our December 2021 wedding at the Marcus Center!

ities to ensure our special day could still happen. We can’t thank Lynn and the Sazama’s team enough for all their help, support, and willingness to work with us! Our experience was so positive despite everything going on. We will work with Lynn again in the future—she’s absolutely wonderful! Thank you for everything!!!!

ty of moving it. Before I even knew which way was up, Lynn with the Marcus Center reached out to me to make sure my family and I are okay and if there was anything she should do to help. I worked with Lynn to find another date in 2021 once I realized that was what I wanted to do. I cannot say enough about how lucky I am to have picked Marcus Center as my venue. So supportive, so helpful, and so accommodating. Thank you thank you.

y was. The venue fit our big family with room to spare, the patio was perfect for cocktail hour and no one went hungry or thirsty for a second! During the planning process, I kept thinking "isn't this supposed to be harder?" but all the options were laid out so seamlessly, that it was uncomplicated and fun all the way through from the food trials to the day itself. It was a magical day that I wish we could repeat every year!

lled confidence that her and the team at Sazama’s Fine Catering could over-deliver on all our requests. Karin and the team were professional and flexible throughout the whole planning process, customizing nearly everything to our needs while being a creative resource to bounce ideas off of and proactive to ask all the right questions. All coordination was quick, timely, easy, and extremely pleasant. Day of, Karin and the team were very attentive to all our needs, effortlessly liaising between vendors and watching out for our needs first as bride and groom. Above and beyond is an understatement when it came to the day-of detail of the space. I never had to worry about how the venue would be set up as I could trust her taste and professionalism to ensure it looked beautiful. All the events they do make them so solid in what they do, yet they still make you feel like you are the only client they have. The flexibility, dependability, and care of the most important wedding vendor (venue and F&B) is what truly made the Marcus Performing Arts Center and Sazama’s Fine Catering such an asset to our special day. You will be so impressed as you move forward with them on yours as well!

ded from the first time we came in to tour the venue to the day we got married. We would absolutely recommend this venue to anyone looking for the perfect wedding!

They were extremely responsive to my (many!) emails and very knowledgeable. Leading up to our wedding day was also made so much easier by the fact that they helped me to coordinate other vendor details. When I arrived on our wedding day everything looked so perfect. Also, the appetizers and dinner were delicious! Finally, at the end of the night they had a crew tear down the decorations so I didn't have to have my parents and wedding party do that after a very long day. Needless to say, the whole experience was amazing and I would highly recommend them.

yone couldn't stop talking about how amazing the food was. You also can't beat the stunning views from the balcony, the cute little garden for cocktail hour and the stunning ballroom.

cocktail hour in the promenade, and then to the reception in the ballroom was perfect. Our guests all complimented the food, and the service. We worked directly with Lynn and she was so helpful, and responsive to emails and calls. Lynn was able to help us customize our food and beverage package to fit within our budget. I highly recommend the venue, and Sazama’s for catering, we had the best experience.

ff decorations and have them set up for us, and all linens and flatware/ tables/ etc were included. The venue is also very traditional and beautiful and didn’t need many things added.

due to some unforeseen circumstances and when I arrived, Lynn and Karin put me immediately at ease! All the staff were friendly and professional. I have complained about everything this past week from my hair, to nails to my dress, BUT I have no complaints about the venue or the service. It again was amazing and I truly appreciate how it all came together. Thank you to all of the staff!!!!

year. From the day we booked our wedding to the day of our wedding, we have been stunned by the countless ways that this team has walked alongside us, paying attention to details we weren’t even aware of. Our family and friends LOVED their experience at our wedding and are still talking about it. Every staff member that is involved, truly cares and they take the time to listen and invest in making your day, one of the most memorable days of your life. You can trust the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts and Sazams’s Fine Catering team to not only meet your needs and desires for your day, but to exceed them beyond your greatest dreams.

hing together smoothly and make sure every detail of our grand vision came out like a fairy tale. The food needs no praise, anyone from Milwaukee knows Saz's is top notch. The dinner menu choices were phenomenal, and everyone loved the late night signature Saz's sampler platter. The entire staff went above and beyond and made the whole experience fun instead of stressful, and really allowed us to enjoy the big day. Several of our guests commented on the extra classy touches, like having the wait staff surround each table before plating everyone simultaneously. If we ever have a need to serve 150 of our closest friends dinner again, we'll definitely call Saz's !

ear that they had years of experience and dedicated staff. We did not have a wedding planner and we had a 230+ person wedding. Lynn with Sazama's made sure every detail was thought of and attended to. She was kind and flexible and had a calming way about her. Planning a wedding can be stressful, so to work with people who are calm and know what they are doing is a huge help. She did so many extra steps for us, like coordinating place covers and setting up our decorations. Their pricing was fair and transparent, and they were easy to work with when customizing packages. Beyond the process, the day itself was perfect! I had guests say their steak was one of the best they've had- not just at a wedding but overall! The passed food during cocktail hour was delicious and the staff was great. Not one detail was missed. Somehow Lynn or the manager was always near by when I had a question and they were awesome at keeping things on time. They even brought cocktails to us from the bar so we wouldn't have to get up during dinner. The venue was so elegant yet the two outdoor spaces allowed us to have corn hole and giant jenga during the cocktail hour and cigars during the band break. We had a fantastic plated dinner and Saz's casual late night food later. They really had it all! The views of the sunset on river are so stunning and the long room meant tables were only two rows deep in front of our head table, so even though it was a large wedding, it felt personal. You could really tell they took pride in their work and truly wanted your day to be perfect - and ours was. I would give them 100 stars and recommend them again and again.

question (and very prompt to emails and phone calls), gave great opinions but also took what we had in mind and made it work. The food was for lack of a better term drool worthy. We have people coming up to us now months after still saying how it was the best wedding food they've ever had. The location was perfect and was walking distance from hotels and bars but also other fun things Milwaukee has to offer. I couln't imagine having our reception anywhere else.

there to help the night before for set up and there the day of and were so helpful and professional. They made dinner go so smooth and clean up was quick and easy. All my guests, family and friends, kept talking about the food even weeks after the event. I will be using Saz's for all my future events!

easier. She responded to all our questions in a timely manner and was able to meet when I requested to discuss things further. She made the entire process so easy and stress free. The weeks leading up to our wedding could have been absolutely crazy but I felt confident that everything was being handled and orchestrated the way that I wanted. All of our vendors had worked with Sazama's at the Marcus Center before which made everything much easier. I did not have to worry about any day of coordination because it was all handled by Lynn and the rest of the Sazama's team. All of the service was extremely professional and well organized. Our ceremony was in the Fitch Gardens. Many of our guests commented that it was the most beautiful wedding ceremony they had ever attended! It was a beautiful location and we were so happy that the weather ended up cooperating! The Bradley Pavilion also exceeded our expectations for a reception space. Although a very large space, our 160 guests did not seem swallowed up by the room. Now the most important part.. the food! Literally everyone was talking about how tasty all of the food was all night. Guests are still raving about it weeks later! From the tasting to the night of, every single dish exceeded our expectations! I cannot say enough about how delicious our meal was. With food being the number one thing people remember about a wedding, you cannot go wrong with Sazama's! I highly recommend Sazama's and the Marcus Center to everyone!

! Lynn is the best most helpful and understanding person to work with - she was honestly like having a wedding planner and took over without me having to even ask which is everything you wish for on the week of and day of your wedding ! I can’t tell you how many people said it was the most beautiful wedding they’ve ever been to hugely in part to sazs hard work !

re our date, all the way through the end of our wedding night, we were so thrilled with the Sazama's team. Keith and his team take care to make sure your every need (and want!) is met throughout the planning process and on the day-of. As for the venue itself - you can't ask for much more! The location in the heart of downtown is absolutely perfect, and proximity to hotels (the InterContinental is across the street) is perfect for out of town guests and the wedding party. The ballroom is dramatic and gorgeous, with unique lighting and beautiful downtown and river views. The outdoor balcony overlooking the river is a nice touch for getting some fresh air during the night, and being in the heart of downtown allows for some awesome city photos. The ballroom is large enough to hold close to 500 guests, but our 225 guest wedding did not feel like it was swallowed up by the space. We had our ceremony in the atrium overlooking Water Street, which is managed by the Marcus Center (different than Sazama's, but made to be a seamless experience). Having everything contained to one building (including cocktail hour in the Fitch Garden - a beautiful outdoor courtyard on the property) was key for us and made logistics a breeze. If you work with local vendors, most of them will have worked with Sazama's and the team at the Marcus Center. We hardly had to worry about any day-of coordination, as Keith and his team had things down to a science with getting equipment, cake, etc. into the venue and getting the room set up. We even had the benefit of coming in the night before to begin setting some details up - avoiding that last-minute/day-of rush was so relieving and helped us relax and enjoy the weekend leading up to the wedding. Most importantly - the food is incredible! We knew from our tasting that it would be, and the night-of did not disappoint! We had several guests tell us it was the best wedding food they can remember having - and we agree. Top notch service and quality all around. Lots of words here, but we can't say enough good things about this venue and would recommend it to anyone looking to have a downtown Milwaukee wedding. You'll be in good hands and will have all the tools you need to create the best day of your life.

tial meeting, food tasting, consultations, through rehearsal and the day of the wedding, Lynn and the rest of the staff made the entire process enjoyable and stress free. Every detail of the event was accounted for and Lynn and Karen were a tremendous help answering all of our questions and providing recommendations. They understood exactly what we wanted and they executed it to perfection. The entire staff was courteous, well coached and provided outstanding service to all of our guests. We received countless rave reviews regarding the venue, staff and excellent plated dinner. Many guests noted that the appearance, presentation and quality of the food was second to none. Did I mention the food was amazing?! We can’t express our appreciation enough for everything the entire PAC team did to make our daughter’s wedding a beautiful, stress free and unforgettable event. Everything exceeded our expectations. We highly recommend the PAC – 5 stars is simply not enough!

onsive and continued to be responsive through the whole process. A week before our appointment, my now husband and daughter poked our head into the ballroom. I was nervous we'd get kicked out but Keith bumped into us. We told him we had an appointment but were dying to see the room. He was SO HAPPY and offered us coffee and told us to take a look. My husband was already sold just based off of Keith. Then we came in and met Lynn. A little more reserved than Keith but just as knowledgable and accommodating, she took the time with us to make sure all our questions were answered. It was a no-brainer for us. Our tasting was fun and we got to meet Chef who went over all the dishes. Lynn and my husband and I went over more logistics during the tasting. The day of the rehearsal was really chaotic for me, but Lynn handled it with ease. Our officiant had never done a wedding and was asking her for pointers! But she just rolled with it. The day of I was so nervous I was pacing. Lynn checked on me to see how I was doing. I thought that was incredibly sweet. I saw the remembrance table and place cards and seats for the ceremony and everything was picture perfect, I teared up from seeing how beautifully everything was laid out. Lynn checked on me a few times closer to the ceremony, and Karin checked in on my husband and asked how he was doing. She even offered to go get my mom's dress which she forgot at her house! After the ceremony they flipped the room in an hour. We did our first dance and when I see a picture of it I can actually see Lynn in the background smiling. I think it's so sweet she stopped to watch us even with her having to do her job. She distributed the tips, and Keith came up to the head table to refill wine and check in with us every 30 minutes or so. I know they were doing double work too as the MSO was playing that night too. The bartenders were super nice as well. We got so many compliments on the hors dourves and entrees! They even went out of their way to make one dish specially for a Vegan we had. The table settings and salad displays were beautifully set up and they lit candles on all the tables even though we hadn't gone over that. It was the perfect touch. Whenever I felt a ton of anxiety prior to the wedding I told myself that we were in Lynn, Keith, and Karin's hands and that seriously worked. I felt so much better knowing that we hired the best of the best. I can't thank them enough, especially for putting up with me and some of the family! You can tell they really love what they do. Our parents were really impressed with Lynn's style and way of handling things as well. If I had to do it all over again I wouldn't do anything differently. It was also cool that they packed up all of our gifts and helped us put them in the car. And they held on to all of our stuff until Monday and Lynn was able to chat with us about how it all went and walked us down to our car with the cart. We were married 11/11 and two weeks later we are still receiving compliments on how beautiful the ballroom was and how great the food was and just the venue in general. Our fairytale wedding wouldn't have been perfect without Lynn, Keith, and Karin! And thank you to all the crew as well. I am tearing up just writing this, remembering how perfect our day was. Book Sazama's!

thly! I cannot say enough about how great the ballroom looked. I had pictures in my head, but this had surpassed it. It was so beautiful and elegant and I loved it all. And let's take a moment to talk about the food - Oh. My. Gosh. It was all so deli

ersonable, and put us first throughout the planning process and the day of our wedding. For example, my husband and I were out on the balcony taking pictures at the time dinner was to be served, and Lynn came out to ask if the staff should serve dinner or wait for us to finish our pictures. This may seem like a simple gesture, but to us it’s just one example of the way Lynn made sure that everything was EXACTLY as we wanted. Speaking of dinner, the food was incredible! The chef made sure the tasting was very informative and fun. We received so many compliments on the food and would recommend Sazama’s Fine Catering to anyone! In addition to the friendliness and helpfulness of all the staff, the location of the venue is perfect. In the heart of downtown Milwaukee, the views were beautiful and our pictures are fantastic! We were overwhelmed by the number of compliments our guests had for the staff, the food, and the venue, and we will certainly recommend the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts and Sazama’s Fine Catering to our friends and family in the future! And Lynn, thanks again!! – Sarah and Eric

rom Sazama's she really made us feel comfortable and that she really wanted to make sure our day was just the way we wanted it. They were so accomodating and helpful! The day before our wedding when we were setting up, the wrong chair covers were delivered. Karin was so quick to find a solution, I never stressed! We ended up getting upgraded seating and it was beautiful. The staff at the Marcus and Sazama's is truly amazing. We received so many compliments from our guests about how beautiful the venue was and how delicious the food was! The Chef did an awesome job with the food and even made one, single plate that was gluten free for one of our guests. We could not have received better service. If you're looking for a venue that will make your wedding planning stress-free, look no further! THANK YOU to everyone at the Marcus and Sazama's!!

for dessert, early set up for entertainment), and the bartenders and staff were on point and friendly. We have had a large percentage of our guests reach out after the wedding to compliment the venue and the service. We were allowed our personal touch to be added an elegant scene. Highly recommended. Thanks Lynn and Keith!

went to make sure we had everything we wanted was truly impressive. They were always honest, quick to respond, and happy to provide great recommendations when we weren't exactly sure what we wanted to do in terms of food, setup, etc. We had both the ceremony and reception here. Sazama's catering can't be beat. Our guests were raving about the food, service, and beautiful venue. Highly, highly recommend. You are in good hands all around!

e were married on a Friday and thus were allowed to set up on Thursday afternoon, which was wonderful. Also, Friday night after our reception, the Marcus staff was so helpful in cleaning up our decorations and it was easy to stop by the next morning to pick everything up. I cannot say enough about this venue!

y about anything! Lynn was absolutely great to work with, and so flexible to make everything we wanted happen. So many guests commented on how great the food was too!