The East Side Club

d previously been communicated that needed to happen. She was flexible in negotiating the price of rental chairs as they had changed from what we were originally quoted as well as on the linens. The price was great and included the room rental for the lower level ($850)for the reception, the lawn rental ($300) for the ceremony and the bridal suite ($35). In addition, as they do not do their own food service, you get to pick your own caterer (from their approved list or you can try to get someone else approved that isn't on the list). This allowed us to save ALOT on our wedding budget. There was a bar minimum but we met that with the couple kegs we hosted. They also had lanterns and other items you can rent for a dollar a piece. The view was amazing! It is right on the lake and there is a great view of the capital on the other side of the lake. We were very fortunate that we had gorgeous weather and a beautiful sunset! We weren't able to do the pig roast on site like we had originally been told as there was an event upstairs, so that was disappointing. Overall our experience was positive with just a few minor issues. I would recommend this venue, mainly because of the location (on the lake) and the price point/ability to do our own catering. They did recently do some updates to the room which made it nicer, though may or may not change the rental price. Olbrich Gardens is nearby for photos, though we had a really horrible experience trying to schedule that as a permit was required and they won't let you go into the gardens to take pictures if there is a wedding going on inside. We ended up taking pictures at the Yahara Place Park which was only a few minutes from the venue.

ke Monona and the Madison skyline behind us. Since we reserved the lawn for total privacy, we were able to incorporate it into the reception too. We had the tiki bar open, lawn games, and dancing inside and out! The bridal suite was big enough for all of us to get ready in and the staff were very accommodating. Besides the need of a little decor updating, I couldn't be more happy w/ the way things turned out!

us and ESC on the hosted bar, but that may have been more of my fault then theirs.

on this place! We loved how we were right along the lake, the price was reasonable, and our guests could venture out on the lawn during the reception. Not to mention the great photo opportunities at sunset with the sunset in the background. The other bonus was that you get a great view of the Madison skyline. We had so many comments after the wedding about how our guests LOVED the location! We rented out the lower level of the building, so that our guests could easily access the backyard and lake. The building and facilities itself are ageing a little, but once you get all your decorations in there, it's not as noticeable. Plus, the caterer that the ESC normally uses (Gaylord Catering) is really quite good! It was also very easy to coordinate all the details with Nancy, the coordinator!

n! Thanks so much for making our reception so amazing!

clutter around the grounds (not the prettiest sight as guests come around back to the lawn). My biggest complaint was the miscommunication about the hours of access. The coordinator we booked with left and someone new was hired a few months before our date. The original coordinator told me that she wouldn't book anything in our room the night before so that we'd have plenty of time to decorate, but the new coordinator didn't honor that and I had no written proof. She said an event might be held there the day before and we would have to wait until the week of the wedding to know when we would have access to the room. This made it difficult to finalize my hair and makeup appointments and coordinate with my decorating helpers. When we arrived to decorate the morning of the wedding, there were colored lanterns hanging from the ceiling and scrapbook paper covering the walls. These things weren't in place when we toured the facility months prior, but we were told it was part of the standard room decor. I hadn't planned on that decor and it didn't coordinate with our other decorations, so we had to take time removing all of it before we could start putting up our things. I'm glad I checked the bridal suite in the morning, because it was full of clutter--so much so that I wouldn't have even been able to walk through to use the door to outside. I must say, though, that the set-up guys were polite and helpful. If I were to use ESC again, I would make a point to ask a few more questions and get every detail in writing.

asonable considering we rented both spaces. The woman we worked with at the East Side club isn't the most personable and was rude a couple of times. There are some hidden fees, like $25 charge to turn the TVs on in the bar, so ask for a price sheet up front. It felt like we were being nickled and dimmed a couple of times. Overall though if you are looking for a reasonably priced venue in the Madison area with an amazing view, this is a great place. The building is a little outdated but with a few minimal decorations, you won't even notice. Even though the manager was sometimes difficult to work with, i would not have picked a different venue for our wedding! Also, we rented both the lawn and the room for less than $1500.

ption where people could be inside or outside. Was a great place for kids to run around! The staff was outstanding + very helpful/

gs about this place than the location and capacity. The office manager Andrea is outstanding! She made our wedding arrangements go so smoothly. Her personality is so sparkly and sweet. Any questions I had she addressed immediately. She has young, fresh ideas of how to make the place work for any event. On top of the fabulous service we received the views were outstanding! We ended up having beautiful 75 degree weather in the middle of April. We were able to utilize the patio downstairs and the lakefront. It made for some very gorgeous photographs. The front of the building had been freshly landscaped and looked amazing in photo's as well. This venue is the best place in Madison, in my opinion, to host your event. we couldn't have had a much better experience.

the best part was how relaxing it was to not have to go somewhere else for the reception. My guests got to sit outside and enjoy the perfect sunset; my husband and I got some good pictures, too!

being able to hang out outside on a nice summer night. Our initial impression of working with the club was not good. The event coordinator only works from 9 or 10am to 4pm on weekdays which makes it hard to make a visit during the week. We expressed our serious interest in a date and tried to come in to visit, but couldn't make it during the day. When we did come on a Saturday, she wasn't there. I emailed her that we definitely wanted that date, and she had already booked it later in that day Saturday. She was not very responsive to emails as it took a while to garner a response. The best way to communicate is over the phone or by scheduling an appointment. However, I do recommend getting everything in writing. The weeks leading up to the event she was much easier to work with and accommodating. The night of the event, everything ran smoothly and the waitstaff was great at moving quickly. The bartenders were slow and maybe understaffed for our event. Despite some of the challenges, the location really can't be beat - on the shore of Lake Monona with a view of the sunset behind downtown and the capitol.