Milwaukee Athletic Club

Weddings at the Historic Milwaukee Athletic Club

Holds ceremonies and receptions

AWARD WINNER

Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot

Nestled in the vibrant heart of downtown Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Athletic Club is more than just a venue. It's a canvas for your dream wedding. Experience a blend of historical grandeur, romance, and modern luxury in our newly renovated $65M club, where the stunning views of downtown Milwaukee and Lake Michigan create an unforgettable backdrop. Our experienced and trusted team stands ready to deliver an exceptional and personalized experience—one that holds your vision, needs, and dreams at heart. OPEN HOUSE - January 29, 5pm - 7pm, Learn more and RSVP at bensonsrestaurantgroup.com/mac-open-house Versatile Spaces for Every Moment Grand Ballroom: A masterpiece of elegance, our Grand Ballroom extends over 5,000 square feet, accommodating up to 270 guests. Adorned with Swarovski Crystal Chandeliers and ornate ceilings, it offers a fairy-tale setting for your special day. Olympic Ballroom: Intimate and rich in history, this ballroom for up to 170 guests features a hand-carved black walnut fireplace masterpiece by famous Milwaukee sculptor, Dick Wiken. The carved images depict athletics at the MAC from 1882-1948. Rooftop Terrace: Located on the 13th floor, the outdoor Rooftop Terrace provides a stunning ceremony or cocktail setting, with breathtaking views of Milwaukee’s skyline and Lake Michigan. Enjoy the convenience of three unique get-ready spaces for the bride and groom, including a unique golf simulator and golf suite experience, a private VIP suite created in collaboration with Milwaukee Brewer Christian Yelich, and a special pre-ceremony bridal suite. Our large, versatile building means room for everyone without crossing paths, and a dedicated private space for the bridal party adds that extra layer of exclusivity. Services offered Our trusted and dedicated team ensures every detail is handled with care, offering comprehensive services including event planning, in-house bar, setup, and more. Enjoy wireless internet and custom linens to help make your day as seamless as it is memorable. Choose from an array of additional services like valet service, including a diverse drink menu, champagne toasts, and bar options tailored to your preference. Culinary Delights to Remember Led by the esteemed Chef Tom McGinty, our culinary team excels in presenting a dining experience that will impress you and your guests. From exotic Maki rolls to savory braised short ribs, we cater to every palate, ensuring your dining experience is as exquisite as your celebration. Your Vision, Our Commitment Milwaukee Athletic Club members enjoy special savings, and the Milwaukee Athletic Club is available for non-members. We invite you to celebrate your special day in a setting where love, history, and exceptional service unite. Reach out to the MAC team today to learn more about their all-inclusive packages and various services.

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Amenities + details

Amenities

Ceremony Area

Dressing Room

Handicap Accessible

Indoor Event Space

Liability Insurance

Outdoor Event Space

Reception Area

Wireless Internet

Settings

Ballroom

Country Club

Historic Venue

Restaurant

Rooftop

Venue Service Offerings

Bar & Drinks

Food & Catering

Planning

Service Staff

Awards and Affiliations

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4.7

out of 5.0

33 reviews

Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

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Gaby N

1/16/2025

We had a fantastic experience with the Milwaukee Athletic Club. We hosted our reception at the MAC and used the rooftop for the cocktail hour. Our wedding was in late October, and ...

we appreciated that a backup space for the cocktail hour was included at no additional cost in case the weather turned. The recent renovations have made the ballroom so bright and beautiful. It’s an excellent space for anyone with a more classic style but really could be styled so many different ways. We loved working with Adrienne. She was incredibly professional, responsive, and had all of the details in hand. She is highly experienced and that shines through. We didn’t feel rushed in decision making but she was very prompt if there was something she needed from us. She and the MAC were also incredibly accommodating to family members who designed our table settings, centerpieces, and other decor. I appreciated that she worked directly with our other vendors, like our baker and DJ. The MAC is a venue many vendors are familiar with, and if there were any challenges - we never heard about it! I trust that if we needed to acquire any rentals, they would have made it so easy. We found their pricing to be an excellent value. The catering package included a full bar with options that were premium at other venues. The food was absolutely delicious - our guests raved about their dinners and loved the late night snack. We enjoyed our menu tasting too - the chef, beverage manager, and banquet server all made us feel special and helped us make our selections. (Pro tip: don’t have your cake tasting and menu tasting on the same day! It’s a ton of food!) Adrienne and her staff were welcoming and accommodating to our guests on the day-of. We felt truly cared for and able to fully enjoy our evening because we knew they were handling everything so smoothly. We can’t recommend the MAC highly enough to other couples.

Kristy M

12/21/2023

Our wedding at the Milwaukee Athletic Club was truly magical. The Rooftop Terrace's breathtaking views set the stage for a romantic ceremony, while the Grand Ballroom exuded sophis...

tication during the reception. Katie, the Event Manager, ensured a seamless experience with her expertise, professionalism, and attention to detail. She made us feel a part of the MAC family throughout the entire process. Chef Tom's culinary creations were a highlight, adding a delectable touch to our celebration. (And we are STILL getting people talking about how great dinner was!) Highly recommend this venue for a perfect blend of elegance and culinary excellence. Our heartfelt thanks to Katie, Chef Tom, and the entire team for making our wedding day a dream come true!

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Christina N

10/18/2018

We loved working with Marie and Nadia for our wedding in September! We found it was easiest to get in touch with both of them through their office phone instead of through email. W...

e initially booked here because this venue had an extra "wow" factor we hadn't found on our other venue tours. The space is so beautiful in itself I felt it hardly needed any decor. Everyone loved the rooftop cocktail hour even though it was a little chilly the evening we got married. Also, the food was amazing! I had a few guests who were vegetarian tell me it was the best they had eaten at a wedding venue before. The only small negative is that the hotel rooms are a bit outdated, as is the building itself. But I think I heard that the building is having work done to fix this.

Jessica M

10/14/2018

Our wedding here was amazing! The staff was very helpful and accommodating and went above and beyond to make everything go perfectly. The rooms were all beautiful and everyone was ...

so easy to work with!

Rebecca K

9/26/2018

We booked the MAC for our ceremony, only. We booked the rooftop but ultimately ended up having it in the backup indoor space and I'm really glad we did. They events staff was reall...

y great to work with for most of the planning process but the closer it got to the day, the more difficult it was to get a response back. That was really stressful for me but of course, everything went more than fine on the day. I really liked that we had access to the bridal suite and we could bring in our own breakfast stuff. The room had plenty of space for hair and makeup as well. I appreciated being able to rent additional decor through them as it streamlined the planning. I would recommend booking an event with them!

Alissa O

6/23/2018

The MAC was the perfect venue. Nadia was our coordinator and she made everything so seemless and stress-free on the day of, and was always quick to respond throughout the entire pl...

anning process. The food was amazing, and the tasting for the food was so wonderful (which was perfect since I didn’t eat much on the big day)! The hotel rooms are outdated, but still very nice. The complementary suite the bride and groom get for the wedding night is huge!

Becky C

10/13/2017

My husband and I were a little apprehensive about booking the MAC for our reception after reading reviews of problems that arised from changes in management from a couple summers a...

go. Our experience was great through all of the planning, until we got an email a month before our wedding from our MAC event planner, Emily, saying it was her last day at the MAC. Gretchen (who is also now gone) stepped up and everything went very smooth the day of the wedding. Our guests loved the rooftop cocktail hour, and the beautiful ballroom for our reception.

Amanda P

10/13/2017

My husband and I fell in love in Milwaukee and we wanted the city to be a focal point of our wedding day. There are few rooftop options within the downtown area and we knew the Mil...

waukee Athletic Club had a great rooftop with a wonderful view of the city. It was also within walking distance of our reception venue and hotel, so it was a perfect fit for us! We had the most beautiful ceremony here and Gretchen helped us navigate the flow of the events and it all went perfectly! We were blessed with beautiful weather for our day, but the MAC offered a back up plan in case of inclement weather, which put me at ease throughout the planning process. The photos that were taken on the rooftop turned out beautifully and we are so thankful that we were able to have the city as the backdrop to our ceremony.

Marina A

8/13/2017

Emily was constantly available for questions and went out of her way to make sure the day was perfect. The food was amazing, and the rooftop cocktail hour was unbeatable. The compl...

iments on the venue kept coming for weeks.

Brigid L

8/09/2017

The MAC has been in our family for years, I've always known this is where I wanted my reception. My parents got married here, my great grandparents used to be members here, there a...

re just so many memories of growing up here. The MAC/Emily did an absolutely amazing job with everything! As one knows, weddings are a pain in the butt stressful (especially the last few months)! I cannot rave more about Emily! She took so much of the burden of stress that I was feeling and handled everything! I am somewhat of an OCD person, and she worked magically with me! From the last couple of weeks emailing back and forth and completely keeping me in the know about everything, she was fabulous! Anyone looking to have a wedding at the MAC SHOULD! The MAC is incredibly beautiful and ornate, and they just don't make buildings like this anymore! The detail throughout is incredible. This was the most amazing experience of Tom and my life and the MAC/EMILY made it possible! We could not ask for more. We sincerely thank you all for the experience of a lifetime!

Kelsey H

7/27/2017

Our reception and cocktail hour at the MAC was unreal!!! The room was everything I always dreamed and more! It was the absolute perfect venue for such a magical day!

Victoria G

6/27/2017

Emily was my coordinator for my wedding at the MAC. She went above and beyond to make sure my day was as special and perfect and it could be. She was very easy to get ahold of and ...

did a fantastic job coordinating everything. I recommend the MAC to anyone for their wedding.

Caitlin L

6/21/2017

My husband and I had our wedding reception at the MAC this weekend and we cannot say enough about how amazing it was! Gretchen helped coordinate our event and she was nothing short...

of incredible throughout the entire planning process! She was prompt in her responses, had great suggestions, and helped keep me calm in the days leading up to our wedding. On the day of she made sure everything ran smoothly! We loved the venue-big enough for our 275 guests, and the ballroom was beautiful. We also loved being able to use a separate space for cocktail hour to keep the ballroom a surprise for dinner and dancing. The food was delicious and several of our guests said it was the best wedding food they have ever had. We also appreciated being able to use the beautiful bridal suite, so convenient! We would absolutely recommend the MAC for any couple looking for the perfect wedding reception venue!

Jennifer M

6/19/2017

Cocktail hour on the beautiful rooftop + reception in the Grand Ballroom. Gretchen was the perfect coordinator. 5 stars!

Audrey R

3/09/2017

The night was perfect!! We had the best night ever! Friendly and helpful staff! Beautiful ballrooms, and comfortable hotel rooms!

Alyson M

11/28/2016

Beautiful venue- everybody is still raving about the roof top and the ballroom. Also, the food was delicious. We had stations and the portions were generous. The issues I had are ...

similar issues that other people had as well- the staff was unorganized and difficult to communicate with. They forgot to put out our favors, which was very unfortunate. I understand that there was a lot of staff transitioning going on last summer summer, so hopefully they have figured all of that out! Because otherwise, the venue was wonderful and a good value for the price.

Kelly R

9/25/2016

Let me start off by saying - the Milwaukee Athletic Club was my ideal venue from the start! The ballroom is amazing and elegant, it can fit large wedding groups comfortably, and th...

e cocktail space on the roof deck / indoor backup space makes the weather a non-factor (which was a good thing - as it poured on my wedding day!). However, the catering/events managers we worked with could have definitely been more organized. The gal we worked with throughout our meetings, tasting, etc. for the first 6 months was GREAT, but she left and the person who picked up for her seemed to have no idea what was going on. On top of that, I could NOT get an email response from anyone in the month or so leading up to my wedding. My wedding planner and I both were constantly trying to get in contact with someone. They completely ignored the instructions I sent on the room/table layout and I did not receive an accurate seating chart until the week before the event (which, meant I couldn't order place cards until then and had to expedite the shipping). Then, I find out a few days before the wedding that THAT person won't even be there the day-of. It was like musical chairs with the venue's POC. The day/night of the actual wedding reception, everything was great. Hats off to the catering staff - and, the food was AMAZING. People actually commented on how great the food was - not your typical banquet fare. From the cocktail hour throughout the dinner and dancing, everyone worked extremely hard and I think everything went perfectly! One other word of caution - when you book the venue you are told that you get the wedding suite complimentary the night of your wedding. This actually isn't true - they say "subject to availability". You would think booking the wedding a year out would ensure availability on your wedding night, but apparently not. There was a mix up with the room reservation, and it turned out not only did we NOT have the suite for our wedding night - we almost didn't have a room at all. The MAC ended up having to bump someone else's reservation to give us a room (a very tiny, frankly crappy room). When I asked for a credit against our final bill because of this, I was told that the suite is not guaranteed and that we received a room, which is all that's promised. Having said all of that - I would still have my wedding there. The reception was amazing! Just a word of caution that the staff can be somewhat unorganized/unresponsive, which is stressful for a bride, and that I was also extremely disappointed that we didn't receive the suite we were promised on our wedding night.

Theresa W

10/21/2015

Our wedding at the Milwaukee Athletic Club was all around awesome!!! The coordinators, Chelsey & Sarah, are absolutely a pleasure to work with. They are incredibly organized and on...

top of things. We were truly in the best hands at the MAC. The ballroom is absolutely beautiful. We did not have to bring in much decor because the room really spoke for itself. The service was excellent. The food was absolutely DELICIOUS (try items from the new menu). They kept the bar open late and didn't kick us out. They were so incredibly accommodating for all of our guests. The only downside is the guest rooms are a little bit "vintage", but you can always recommend staying elsewhere if that's a deal breaker. Overall, the MAC was amazing. They made the entire process totally effortless!!!! Highly recommend.

Stephanie U

9/15/2015

Both my ceremony and reception were held here. They have a big beautiful ballroom as well as a nice intimate space for a personalized ceremony. We worked closely with our coordinat...

or to create our own personalized menu and the food turned out perfectly! Very delicious! Service was superb and everyone was very attentive and accommodating. They also include a free nights stay in the honeymoon suite.

marla f

6/20/2015

Our wedding ceremony was on the rooftop at the MAC, it may have been their first. It was so gorgeous, Sarah ( the event manager) truly made it work. She listened to what we wanted ...

but then also helped make decisions that weren't important to us. IF you are interested in a unique MKE wedding venue--I highly suggest the MAC rooftop. The price was great also considering it included indoor space as a back up.

Jon H

6/02/2015

We had a gorgeous wedding ceremony on the MAC rooftop. They typically do receptions/cocktail hours at the space, but they were more than willing to work with us to customize EXACTL...

Y what we wanted. The event staff was incredible at their job and the pictures turned out amazing.

Laura A

3/15/2014

They were so helpful! I constantly had little irrational that were answered well and timely. The place is beautiful and worth the price and they made my entire wedding day great.

Amanda P

8/04/2013

The staff and facilities are great! We were able to use the rooftop bar for cocktail hour being a summer wedding. The Grand Ballroom was amazing and the food was excellent. I wo...

uld highly recommend this as a downtown Milwaukee wedding venue. They also have hotel rooms available for out of town guests!

Autumn P

4/09/2013

Overall very beautiful site. We were charged a little extra at the end we weren't expecting but they worked with us to get it sorted out. Guests were very impressed. Food was very ...

good

MIchelle G

7/15/2012

This venue was so beautiful and flawless, the Milwakee Athletic Club staff is great, very helpful, and make your special day so special, I will definately recommend to anyone, the ...

roof top deck was such a wonserful touch all our guests were so immpressed, great place!

Erika M

7/10/2012

perfect spot for a wedding reception

Heidi M

6/14/2012

The MAC was exceptionally easy to work with. From the time I decided to have my wedding here up until my actual wedding day, Corinne was very helpful and knowledgeable. I had my ce...

remony, cocktail hour, and reception at the MAC and everything went very smoothly. The lady who assisted during the rehearsal and on my wedding day was incredibly nice and helpful and facilitated everything for me. The food was delicious and everybody commented on how beautiful the building was, especially the grand ballroom with its incredible chandeliers (which is why I wanted to have my wedding here!) The only slight complaint I would have is that they forgot to turn on the air conditioning during the ceremony so the room did get quite warm. If you have your wedding here, I would confirm with them a few hours before the ceremony that the air is on in the ceremony room! However, overall the MAC was so easy to work with and having my wedding here was quite affordable considering all that was included. I would definitely recommend the MAC as a wedding venue!

Erin W

9/11/2011

Working with the Milwaukee Athletic Club was extremely enjoyable!!! Everyone was very accomodating and supportive! I would HIGHLY recommend the Milwaukee Athletic Club.

Jennifer K

7/12/2011

We had our cocktail hour and reception here. All of the details leading up to the event date were taken care of so smoothly. We had our cocktail hour on the MAC rooftop and it was ...

a beautiful day with plenty of great views and great company. We had a larger wedding with 255 people and the ballroom looked absolutly magical! I heard so many of our guests state it was the best wedding meal they had ever had and service was so great. We partied till midnight then MACs was open for all who wanted to enjoy. Our wedding suite was just great and all the help was top notch!

Mary Rose (Rosi) B

7/03/2011

Although the MAC is a bit expensive, the cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing was worth every penny. They made me feel like a princess on my big day, which every girl should feel. ...

Dinner was absolutely amazing. I wouldn't have had my reception anywhere else!

Nicole W

5/24/2011

process, and gets back to you immediately. However, things weren't communicated from the catering director to the staff working the day of the event. The food was delicious, ...

but very pricey. Each steak was perfectly cooked, the chicken was juicy and not dry. The rolls were fresh and not hard. Everyone loved the food! I would have liked more bar tenders during the cocktail hour, my guests had to wait in line for a drink. I would increase the number of servers during cocktail hour, as the hors' d'oveours didn't make it past the corner they came out of. I love the included valet parking for my guests and the use of their bus so I did not have to rent a limo the day of my event. I would improve communication between the catering director and staff running the event. Overall, I would recommend this venue, but it is expensive. I would be VERY particular in communication of the order of the event, and ask to speak with the person in charge on the day of your event to ensure everything runs as it should. Ask how many bar tenders and ask that each of them stay for the duration of cocktail hour, most of them disappeared half way through.

Emily K

10/19/2010

The Milwaukee Athletic Club is beautiful and while they have a very easy system for their food ordering, the flow of things was a little choppy. There was little communication betw...

een the departments and that left a few questions. The food was mostly delicious, but a little overpriced. The staff was very attentive in each department though! In general there was much flexibility.

Margaret L

9/09/2008

It was so elegant perfect for a downtown Friday night wedding. The staff was excellent and catered to our every need. They anticipated everything!;ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Service area & Contact info

758 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, WI

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(414) 585-8935

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