White Oak Savanna

print of contracts and ask A LOT of questions. White Oak had SO MANY holes in their contracts, missing information that led to the shut down of our reception at 11pm on our wedding night (without our knowledge) when we had the venue for the entire weekend from 11am on Friday to 11am on Sunday. We had given the venue our itinerary a MONTH ahead of time stating that our DJ was scheduled until 12pm. We also had a drink package that was supposed to be "unlimited" of the items of alcohol we chose. They ran out of white claws at about 8:30pm and ran out of their "back up stock" within 30 minutes. We asked white oak savanna a minimum of 5 times throughout the time working with them if there was a chance of running out of alcohol and they assured us it has never happened before. In addition to these events happening, about 10 minutes prior to walking down the aisle, the manager of white oak came into the bridal suite and informed me that "there are not enough chairs, you gave me an incorrect guest count" and expected me (the bride) to rectify the situation. Later in the night she came and apologized saying that our guest count was spot on, and they miscounted. Due to the hot weather guests were not sitting directly next to each other which aided to the confusion. After our wedding, the managers apologized for the situations that had occurred that night and we really do appreciate the apology. However, at no fault of the managers, the owner of white oak savanna sent us a very harsh, and frankly undeserving, email stating they do not owe us anything and offered a 100-dollar credit for lack of alcohol. In addition, accusing us of boycotting Bud Light (which we had already paid for in full), accusing us of knowing of the 11pm shutdown time and ignoring it, and everything that had occurred was our wrongdoing. While we did not EXPECT them to pay for any of the mishaps, we were hopeful that we would get an apology of some kind for the confusion. My husband and I debated on even writing a review, since we only want to remember the great parts of our wedding. But we also owe it to other couples to shed light on errors that were made and don't need to happen again. We have no hard feelings for white oak savanna, it was a beautiful venue with great employees, and we genuinely had a great time. We hope they have learned from this experience and can be better for other couples in the future.

ill see, and they are happy to drive you and your photographers to all of them! They really seemed to have fun and celebrate with us, which was great to have in a venue.

t out when they restored the property. For cocktail hour, WOS had lawn games set up in the sundial area and cocktail tables around the edges of the barn for guests to relax and enjoy the views. There is a covered area for a buffet line so as not to take up room inside the barn. The bathrooms are sizable and kept sparkling clean. At sunset, we took beautiful photos in the Oak savanna and fields on the property just up the hill from the barn. Paul, Audrey, and their event staff were very easy to work with. A special shout out to Rachel (bar manager) for being very responsive and helpful with every special request. They worked with us to make sure that everything we envisioned came to life. Thank you to everyone at White Oak Savanna for making it a magical evening we will never forget!

ception inside the barn. Our total count was 188 and we fit perfectly inside the barn. We did have to move some tables for the dance floor, but the staff at WOS is so accommodating and helped us from start to finish including moving chairs and tables as necessary. Cocktail hour was in and around the patio just off the sundial which made it perfect for relatives who had difficulties getting around. I can not speak highly enough about the WOS staff which included everyone from the set-up crew, to the bartenders, to the wonderful owners! They have created the most beautiful space and are truly stewards of the land. Our pictures do not do it proper justice. It’s even more beautiful in person. Below is a list of questions and concerns we had initially and what our experience was: - No one is from Dodgeville in our family. Will our family traveling across the country be able to make it? Yes, we had tons of family drive from as far away as Missouri and fly in to Milwaukee and drive in to Dodgeville without a problem. There are plenty of hotels within a few miles of the site. - What if it rains or there’s bad weather? This was one of our major concerns with other venues, but between the barn and all of the additional buildings we had a contingency plan that would have worked just as well. Please note that it is almost always a little windy there. This is great because you won’t have any bugs, but it is something to think of with décor. - What about vendors? Do not fear! The staff at WOS helped us with a list of vendors that are familiar with the site. I did have some issues finding a makeup person to come to the site, but other than that we did not have any issues. - What about elderly relatives that have mobility difficulties? The locations that we chose are all ADA accessible. There were other ceremony options including the Oak Savanna and the limestone terraces beside the pond, but we decided against those due to the route it would take to get there. We took pictures in those spots though! - What kind of access to the site will we have for set up? We chose to go with the weekend package and rented the farmhouse and cottage from Friday at noon till Sunday at noon. This was so wonderful because it allowed us to be on site for set up and rehearsal on Friday, getting ready on Saturday, and cleanup on Sunday. It was so wonderful and relaxing. This venue is a hidden gem, but we suspect and hope that it will not be hidden for long!

as beyond amazing. Honestly, pictures do not do this venue justice! There is beautiful architecture, rolling hills, and plenty of activities to do while at White Oak Savanna. For our wedding weekend, we had our rehearsal/rehearsal dinner on Friday, wedding Saturday and a gift opening brunch on Sunday--all of which were at White Oak Savanna. I never once left, it felt like I was on vacation and I was very relaxed for our big day. We rented both of the houses on their property and we truly felt at home while celebrating with our family and friends. The houses were stocked with any amenity possible and breakfast was also provided. Those who traveled to celebrate with us were able to stay in the local hotels in Dodgeville, which is only a short distance from the venue. White Oak Savanna went above and beyond to meet our needs to make our wedding weekend a memory that will last a lifetime. We were so fortunate to have beautiful weather and we were able to get married outside with cocktail hour to follow and the reception was located in the beautiful barn with a tent for extra seating. We also decorated their corn crib for a beautiful photo op for guests. Guests cannot stop talking about how beautiful the venue was--be sure to check it out! For more photos of the venue and our wedding be sure to check out my amazing photographer, Erika Diaz Photography.

s nice and cool on a warm day, with the doors open and a breeze blowing through. The facilities on site are amazing: kitchen, changing rooms, farmhouse, campsites, and a smaller honeymoon house just far enough from the main festivities for privacy. Our guests frequently asked admiringly "How did you find this spot?". With Governor Dodge State Park, Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin, the Wisconsin River, Cave of the Mounds, and House on the Rock all nearby there is much for guests to explore in the area, and Madison is nearby for urban adventures.

y thought of EVERYTHING! From the houses onsite for the wedding party, a cottage for the bride and groom, areas for guests to camp, extra showers to get ready, and plenty of bathrooms to accommodate a large guest list. We were blown away! It only got better from there. Jill was the main contact for planning and the day of, and she is a queen! She spent countless hours with us leading up to the wedding to get a full picture of what we wanted and dug into every detail to make sure they could support us. Not only was Jill and the rest of the staff amazingly accommodating and supportive to us, as the bride and groom, we also had numerous guest mention how amazing they were. They provided snacks throughout the day, helped with setup, even stayed onsite the night of the rehearsal dinner to make sure we had what we needed and that they were there when we started getting ready the morning of the wedding. I can’t say enough great things about this venue and staff. Months after the wedding, we continue remembering the countless things they did to support us. This is a must-have venue for those engaged couples looking for a stress free planning and wedding day!

the venue is, with lots of space to run and games to play. We rented the place for the whole weekend, which we would recommend, as it allowed plenty of time to relax and enjoy the area with our guests. Many of our guests drove up from Chicago, and everyone commented on what a wonderful place this was to have a wedding. The staff at WOS is fabulous, and were excellent to work with. They went above and beyond to help us make our event really special, and we are forever grateful. Our guests really had the best time, as did we, and that would not have been possible without having such a solid venue. There are many different options on site for potential ceremony sites, and the barn is massive and gorgeous. The property is lovely, with ancient oaks, rolling hills, and wildflowers galore. We were especially happy to have our wedding on a property that is ecologically responsible, and invested in native restoration. Lots of our guests stayed in nearby Mineral Point, and raved about that experience as well. You won't find a better outdoor venue in Wisconsin to host your wedding.