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Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
About This Vendor
Fairytale in the Woods
Located in Milwaukee, WI along Lake Michigan, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center is a charming wedding venue surrounded by breath-taking scenery. Whether a couple intends to host a rustic or refined celebration, the venue offers an ideal setting for weddings. No matter the season, the terrain enhances the festivities while the indoor facilities provide a template to suit a range of visions. Schlitz Audubon Nature Center has been providing environmental education and leading conservation efforts for half a century. It has six miles of trails with forests, wetlands, and prairies spanning 185 acres, offering a visual feast for the eyes year round. The center was built following environmentally-friendly standards and the staff is passionate about protecting and promoting the natural landscape of the area. As supporters of conservation, the team at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center can provide guidance to help couples orchestrate a green wedding. The Center’s educational programs may be woven into the event, with Meet & Greet sessions with the owls, hawks, and other birds or with tree planting ceremonies to grow endless roots on a couple's love. Ceremonies here can take place outside or in one of the indoor locations, depending on the weather. The Center features the Great Hall, Hearth Room, Ravine Deck, Pavilion Lawn, and other spaces for events. Dressing rooms are also available, in addition to impressive catering facilities and ample free parking. With a stunning backdrop surrounding the Center, the photo opportunities are plentiful, including majestic Lake Michigan, stunning boardwalks around ponds and an unforgettable tower. Amenities like the two wood-burning fireplaces and wine barrel cocktail tables add to the already inviting atmosphere. A list of approved caterers is provided, who take care of the tables, chairs, linens, and other dining necessities.
Amenities + Details
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Ceremony Types
Civil Union, Commitment Ceremony, Elopement, Interfaith Ceremony, Non-Religious Ceremony, Religious Ceremony, Second Wedding , Vow Renewal Ceremony
Guest Capacity
Up to 200
Settings
Barn, Farm & Ranch, Beach, Waterfront, Garden, Park, Trees
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks, Food & Catering, Planning, Rentals & Equipment, Service Staff
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Reviews
Share your thoughts with other couples
We couldn't have asked to have our wedding at a more beautiful venue. All of our guests were raving about how gorgeous the outdoor setting and the event space was. Jessica and Bridget were wonderful to work with and made the whole process seaml...
ess. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing! We had our wedding in October, so the changing leaves and gorgeous outdoor photo spots made for beautiful wedding photos that I will cherish forever.
The Schlitz Audubon offered an incredible wedding venue for a couple who wants outdoor vibes in an indoor setting. The smaller auditorium is great for a more intimate ceremony and the larger Great Hall is a gorgeous space for a reception. Not t...
o mention the surrounding scenery is perfect for photos.
Before you book this venue, however, be aware that all alcohol must be purchased through them and you must select a caterer through an approved list; we were more than happy with Chef Jack's, who had worked with the Schlitz prior.
Overall, incredible venue for a couple looking for a beautiful space to celebrate in.
All of our guest commented on how beautiful this venue was! The event coordinator, Jessica, was very organized and easy to work with. She was very accommodating with meeting with us as we live out of town and had tough schedules to work aroun...
d. The bar provided through the venue was fantastic and all the staff we worked with were so pleasant!
this place was absolutely stunning and the staff was very courteous and helpful. thank you so much Jessica and Jaimee, you guys were so awesome!!!!! Our day was absolutely perfect, everything about the venue was perfect. I felt one with the Aud...
ubon.
Perfect! is all I can say about this venue. We were married there Oct 2018 and it was stunning. It is truly amazing to see the center transform from a educational nature center to a elegant and romantic space. The wood burning fireplaces were w...
onderful for Guest to warm up by as they entered the hall. The staff was amazing along with the wonderful and fun bartenders. I highly recommend this venue.
Wonderful venue and a beautiful fall day at Schlitz although a touch cold. We had my daughters wedding outside but it was too cold to have the cocktails there under the overhang. They suggested that we use the conference room with the eagle and...
owls that we rented from Schlitz, in the room and it worked out perfectly. How often do you get one foot from a Snowy Owl for selfies and learn about them at the same time? Dinner from Chef Jacks was fantastic. Jessica from Schlitz and Candy from Chef Jacks had everything under control and even had everything from the florist, Bank of Memories and Flowers and things we brought, packed up for us at the end of the night. No wedding planner needed!
I could not dream up a more perfect wedding venue than Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. We were looking for something with an outdoors element that wasn't too far from the city, and Schlitz was exactly that. Not only is it beautifully picturesque...
, but Jessica, their events coordinator, is wonderful and easy to work with. Multiple locations to take photos along with access to a golf cart to get around quickly and easily. Access to a bridal suite and grooms room to get ready and hold your belongings. A stunning, picturesque location for the ceremony. An outdoor wrap-around porch for the cocktail hour (and also great place for guest who don't want to dance to relax and chat during the reception). Beautiful indoor space for the reception that requires minimal decoration because it's gorgeous in its own rite. I could go on and on. We were SO happy with our decision to choose Schlitz Audubon Nature Center.
Our wedding at Schlitz was a dream come true! Everything was so easy to plan and coordinated well between Schlitz and our caterer. They require you to use a specific caterer, but supply suggestions and you are open to use your own vendors for ...
other things. We only had our reception here and it worked out great. The venue was so gorgeous and we received so many compliments. We are so excited to visit in the years to come. I would highly recommend Schlitz to anyone who is planning a wedding.
My husband and I chose to hold our wedding at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center and couldn’t be happier with our decision. We chose to hold both our ceremony and our reception at the nature center, which made for a seamless transition for both ...
ourselves and our guests. The venue itself is absolutely stunning and fit our vision perfectly. It made for gorgeous photos and our guests had overwhelmingly positive feedback! Jessica was an absolute pleasure to work with. She exemplifies professionalism and is incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and supportive. From our initial meeting to the day of our wedding, Jessica was always willing to answer questions, provide information, and provide input. The entire wedding was beautiful and we couldn’t be happier with our experience!
The Center was absolutely perfect for what I had envisioned for our wedding. The natural elegance of the space was exactly what I was wanting! When we walked in it took my breath away! Jessica was so great to work with and it made wedding pl...
anning much less stressful. Another thing I love about this venue is that we can visit in the years to come and remember the amazing night that we had there celebrating our marriage!
Response from the Vendor on 06/20/2018
Breann,
Thank you for your kind words! We enjoyed celebrating your wedding day with you and your family. Congratulations again!
Schlitz is an amazing venue and made our wedding so special and memorable! We were a little hesitant at first because of the schedule requirements and our budget, but after seeing the beautiful scenery and meeting with Jessica we were in love!...
The ceremony/reception schedule didn't have much flexibility based on their open business hours, but by choosing their preferred vendors it ran smoothly. Jessica was incredible to work with from the beginning, she was responsive and a great resource. She made everything easier by giving advice and reassurance that we could pull together our dream wedding in 4 months. She was there on our big day to keep things organized and help us make the most of our once in a lifetime experience. All of our venders were great, but Jessica and Schlitz really made the day what it was, and we will be forever grateful!
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center was the absolute perfect location for our September 2nd wedding. Everything was gorgeous and we couldn't have hoped for a more beautiful setting. Jessica Buehler (the event coordinator) was fantastic to work with t...
hroughout the process. She was extremely organized and professional from the start and if it wasn't for her, our wedding wouldn't have gone as smoothly as it did; especially when it rain stormed and the ceremony had to be moved to the veranda at the very last minute. We originally planned to get married at the outdoor pavilion, and had our hearts set on that location until the downpour. However, the veranda wound up being even more perfect and beautiful than we had imagined. It fit all of our 115 guests easily, and provided a more intimate atmosphere (especially paired with the sound of rain falling behind us). It was wonderful having someone to help keep an eye on the details throughout the planning process and Jessica was great at communicating with everyone involved. We opted to include the owls in our package and we were thrilled to see them during the cocktail hour. Our guests loved the extra touch and couldn't get enough of the educational entertainment they provided. We were so glad that we chose Schlitz Audubon Nature Center as our venue. The outdoor scenery, the wildlife, and the building itself, all came together to provide us with the most romantic setting for our special day. I wouldn't have changed a thing!
Beautiful venue, unforgettable wedding! We could not have been more pleased with how everything went on our wedding weekend. Jessica is wonderful to work with! She made the planning process easy, and was so helpful on our wedding day. The venue...
is stunning! Little decorating is needed as it is beautiful as is. We received so many compliments on how beautiful and unique the venue was. It’s a must book!
This venue was spectacular! Jessica was a great venue representative, and she was very kind in answering all of my questions. We were especially lucky that they had a great rain plan (on the veranda), as it did rain heavily the day before/day-o...
f. We could just relax -- knowing that no matter what, we were going to have a great wedding. I can't recommend this venue enough!
The location itself was AMAZING! We had our ceremony outside and made the easy transition into the great hall for our reception.
Jessica (the event coordinator) was helpful but also talked down to us while we were talking about vendors (you h...
ave to choose from a list they give you).
Venues like Schlitz Audubon just don't exist -- trust me, we looked everywhere. When we came across Schlitz, it was absolutely everything we ever wanted for our outdoor wedding, and it didn't let us down. Jessica Buehler was great to work wit...
h -- she was there on the day of and made sure everything went well and that we stuck to our timeline. The reception hall was insanely beautiful once everything was set up and put together ; it was absolutely everything we wanted and more.
EVERY guest commented on how beautiful our reception at Schlitz was. One of the biggest reasons why we wanted this location was because it was so naturally beautiful that much decorating wasn't needed. The space and layout was perfect.
We had an absolute blast here at our winter new years eve wedding! Jessica was very helpful and easy to work with. The fireplaces and beautiful wood interior made everything so warm and cozy. Our guests had a blast, and I couldn't have aske...
d for a better place to get married.
This venue was beautiful! We couldn't have found a more perfect place to get married. It unfortunately rained on our wedding but a big reason we chose the Schlitz was their outdoor rain option that is under the veranda. The pictures I have seen...
so far look beautiful and it was a more intimate setting than the pavillion we had originally planned on getting married at. The Great Hall is a beautiful and large space and was perfect for both the dinner and the dancing. Jessica is great to work with and you won't regret choosing this location for your wedding. Just prepare to look early, its quite popular so you usually have to book a Saturday wedding far in advance.
We had our reception here this last weekend and when I walked in, the venue took my breath away. It was absolutely gorgeous and beautiful. Jessica was so helpful and made everything so easy. Guests were thrilled with the location, our wedding p...
ictures turned out absolutely amazing. Best wedding ever because of this place!!! So fitting for my husband and I too. LOVED having my reception here! Dance floor was packed! Beautiful string lights over the floor. Bar looked awesome. The fireplace mantles looks beautiful. Golf cart was a plus for pictures! Thank you, thank you!
Beautiful venue inside and out. Wonderful to be able to determine between 3 areas for the ceremony on the wedding day. 2 outside, one in. Good service and response to questions during the reception. No complaints
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center and Jessica were so easy to work with. They helped every step of the way and truly helped make our wedding exactly what we wanted. We got married their on Aug 30, 2014. It ended up being a beautiful day, but the...
re was rain. They moved everything to the veranda and it was GORGEOUS! I absolutely loved it, and didn't feel the stress of it raining on our outdoor wedding at all. I can't say enough good things about this venue! I absolutely loved it!!
We had a beautiful and intimate ceremony and reception here, Couldn't have asked for a more perfect wedding! Jessica is great to work with and is really a lot of help!
Our wedding at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center on September 26, 2014, was absolutely amazing! We had both our ceremony and reception onsite. The coordinator, Jessica, was so easy to work with and coordinated everything very professionally a...
nd efficiently. We couldn't have asked for a better site for our nature-themed wedding! The scenery is unsurpassed! I would recommend the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center for your next special event!
We were looking for a venue that would provide a pretty outdoor setting near the lake. This place was exactly what we wanted. We provided our own shade using large, white, patio umbrellas and hung our own alter back-drop by the pavilion. Altho...
ugh it was 80-90 degree, sunny weather that day, the cool breeze from the lake helped make our guest comfortable and relaxed. The gal we worked with was Jessica Buehler and she was professional and extremely helpful in coordinating everything for us. I love the whole place. I'd say the only downside is the membership fee. You have to be a member in order to rent the venue.
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center not only should be visited when in Milwaukee, by all means join if you live locally. 185 acres of protected pristine beauty and wildlife. My daughter just got married there and from start to finish, the setting wa...
s outstanding. The Event Coordinator at SANC, Jessica B., is amazing and the consummate professional, especially helpful to bride, groom, and extended family. In a word, it was magic with a wedding in the woods-exactly what my daughter and husband had been seeking out as they are both outdoor enthusiasts. Perfect in every way.
Perfect location for the rustic wedding we wanted. All of the wood and the fireplace make the setting feel so cozy and homey like a log cabin, but still very elegant. Only down side is the two hour set up time, but luckily I had some great help...
ers to set up during the ceremony. Did our pictures here beforehand too during the day...lots of gorgeous spots if you're willing to walk!
Aside from the fact that it was my wedding day, it was the perfect day. Everything went flawlessly. The caterer (Chef Jack's) worked very well with the Schlitz (Jessica was our contact). Organizing the day went well, the spot was beautiful, and...
the weather couldn't have been better. I would absolutely recommend for people to consider. Only hard part was finding rehearsal dinner places in the area!
The location is PERFECT. I wanted to have a wedding with the ceremony outside in the trees and dinner and dancing indoors but still with that forest feel. I can't stress how gorgeous this place is. Because it is right next to Lake Michigan we h...
ad pictures on the beach which was magical.
The one downside is after the wedding my maid of honor left her gift behind and it went missing overnight. When she called the normal hours nature center more than once to inquire the front desk woman was really rude and when I stopped by to ask about it they just brushed it off and just wanted me to leave.
My husband and I were looking for a unique, rustic venue for our wedding and reception and found everything we were looking for in the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. From the beautiful outdoor pavillion where we were wed to the unique, natural...
lodge where our reception took place, we felt as though we were far from Milwaukee. The venue also allowed for some amazing photos with breathtaking natural scenery. If you are looking for a place with a northwoods feel, look no further than Schlitz Audubon Nature Center.
We loved the beautiful location a perfect place for our special day.
There are a lot of rules to follow, but worth the hoops to jump through.
My husband and I got married in Milwaukee in May (which if you live there, you know the weather can be dicey).
The Nature Center was exactly what we were looking for...something on the lake, yet something unique. The log-cabin atmosphere wa...
s romantic and cozy. Taking photos on the veranda during the sunset while deer roamed around was perfect. Everyone was commenting for months on how much they loved our location!
The staff is wonderful to work with as well. They are great at answering questions and are very friendly.
Since it was a nature preserve our guests saw all kinds of wild life which added to the fun of the event. The flowers were in full bloom in the prairie and the woods gave us gorgeous pictures. It was a very different place to have a wedding rec...
eption and had a great porch where guests could enjoy cocktails and look out across Lake Michigan and the surrounding woodlands. Even the inside was perfect with enough space for a dance floor without having to move any of the guests tables. The shape of the Great Hall allowed older guests to talk while sitting at their tables and younger guests to dance to the loud music.;The air conditioning is very limited since it is a green building. Our August 4 reception was very very warm and sweaty but worth it for the amazing location.
Meet the Team
Jessica Buehler
Manager
Jessica brings incredible knowledge of event planning to Schlitz Audubon with years of experiences in catering and bar services, as well as top-notch customer service. She puts clients at ease with her quick problem-solving skills. Jessica is supported by a team of knowledgeable and savvy Schlitz Audubon staff including event coordinator, Bridget Carlson. Bridget brings years of event planning, communication and floral experience to Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. With your partners in planning at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, your event is sure to run smoothly and stress free.
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Planning & Inspiration
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