Winter Weddings: Embrace the Charm!

So, you’re deciding which season is best for your wedding and I’m here to advocate for Winter.  As I usually say in all of my venue tours, wedding planning is just making hundreds of decisions with thousands of options. Since working in the wedding and event industry, I have made it my goal to help renters make informed decisions with as many details as possible.

The Urban Ecology Center is the ideal venue for winter weddings with its cozy, rustic atmosphere. Your ceremony could be in front of a wood-burning fireplace or windows looking out at the gorgeously snowy park (another decision, I’m sorry!!) The support beams around the building are the perfect home for twinkly lights and our 2nd floor banisters make winter greenery pop. Low lighting with votives at each table makes for a ridiculously romantic ambiance. Our space will be the perfect foundation for you whether you’re opting for dark and moody burgundy, emerald green, and navy blue or lovely powder blue, sage green, and blush pink.  

Now that I’ve sold you on the space, let me try and sell you on the season itself. Winter in Milwaukee does not always get the best rep- the cold, the snow, the temperamental weather. I get it! I do. As a Milwaukee native, it can get tiring pretty quickly. However, Milwaukee has stepped up its game with activities to bring joy and cheer to that time of year. We have ice skating at Red Arrow Park, sledding behind our Riverside Park branch, cozy domes to drink in at Hollander, an escape from the outside world in Boswell Books, lounging in front of the fireplace at the Riverside Park Urban Ecology Center with a cup of coffee, and so many pretty lights to look at downtown and around town! Coming up with things for friends and family to do does not have to be a difficult undertaking.

Most businesses will have decorations set up during the winter months for added cheer and overall festiveness! The Urban Ecology Center is no different as our halls are decked out in twinkling lights, greenery, and wreaths. We’re taking some setup off of your plate already and helping to enhance the ambiance before you even arrive. Our space speaks for itself, but we welcome you to decorate to your heart's content. We’ve seen candles in votives, greenery all around, jars with twinkly lights, winter flowers, and ornaments to name a few, but we welcome your creativity to run wild.

There are so many positives to holding your event during the winter outside of just how gorgeous our venue is. For one, vendors have much more availability and flexibility so you can book with the caterer/florist/photographer/coordinator of your dreams without competing with everyone else getting married. Second, there’s no real need for us to come up with a weather contingency plan for your ceremony because with snow or no snow, everyone will be cozy and warm inside. And finally, the best food and drinks. You can have a hot cider or hot cocoa bar right on our front desk. Seasonal menus consist of root vegetables, stews, and soups, fondue to be served with cranberry drinks… or something stronger.

With all of that said, the choice is ultimately yours. Do you dare to warm the coldest season with your love?