There are traditional ballroom brides, and then there’s you. Not all blushing brides dream of a white wedding filled with crystal chandeliers and the intricate puzzle otherwise known as a seating chart. Some imagine a lush forest and picturesque gardens, while others dream of the sunset and walking down a sandy aisle.
Whether you’re in the backwoods or along the beach at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin offers a collection of luxurious hideaways that create the perfect getaway for your big day. So when the country club just won’t do, choose from these top destination locations for intimate nuptials that are sure to leave you and your beau breathless.
The Osthoff Resort, Elkhart Lake
If you’re looking to celebrate al fresco but don’t want to sacrifice luxury for a lake view, turn to the Osthoff Resort at Elkhart Lake. Located in Sheboygan County, the lavish resort leaves nothing to chance when it comes to hosting a wedding.
“The Osthoff has a lot of the amenities that brides and grooms really value,” says Lola Roeh, general manager. For the few amenities they don’t have, they will put you in touch with local vendors. From canoes and fishing boats to spa days and a cooking class, your guests will enjoy this destination as much as any vacation they planned themselves.
“We fell in love with the Osthoff,” says bride Jessica Turba Beauchamp. “Ours was a wedding that people could also make about themselves and take a mini relaxing vacation.” Beauchamp was impressed with the careful planning and attention to detail that Roeh’s team brought to her Elkhart Lake reception.
“It’s almost like one-stop shopping, because we’re able to provide a beautiful venue for the ceremony itself, multiple places for the reception, and dinner and dancing as well,” adds Roeh.
The Osthoff provides multiple types of banquet rooms, outdoor venues, and an intricate menu that can be created a la carte, so each element of your wedding will truly reflect your personality. The Elk Room and Lakeview Room and their accompanying patios deserve an enthusiastic nod, with an unforgettable view of the lake that’s sure to set the dream scene for your big day.
Stone Harbor Resort, Door County
Forget Cape Cod—stay true to your hometown roots with a wedding in Door County, the Midwest’s finest destination. At the Stone Harbor Resort in Sturgeon Bay, you can plan every element of your pending nuptials from afar.
“We’ve had weddings come from all over the country,” says general manager Nancy Haffeman-Bertz. Bride Stephanie Moore, originally from Las Vegas, says the Stone Harbor Resort was the only place in Door County where the décor met her standards. “My family was impressed with how upscale everything was,” she says. “They weren’t expecting that for Wisconsin, but everything was outstanding.”
Brides-to-be can also look to the resort’s Harbor Lady dinner cruise for dining options, as well as for an on-the-water ceremony alternative. The resort has additional wedding sites including the waterfront lawn filled with hydrangeas, or one of four waterfront patios. “It truly is a fantastic place for the romantic in all of us,” says Haffeman-Bertz.
The patios also set the scene for celebratory post-nuptial cocktails. And if you’re planning a large destination wedding, Haffeman-Bertz says the more the merrier. The grand Harbor Ballroom, complete with a dance floor and twinkle lights in the ceiling, can hold approximately 350 guests for a sit-down dinner. The hotel boasts 161 rooms, so lodging is no issue.
Sundara Inn and Spa, Wisconsin Dells
If you’re looking to tie the knot after a masseuse unties your knots, consider the Sundara Inn and Spa, where you can enjoy their award-winning spa services before you say “I do.” This scenic Wisconsin Dells locale is tucked back in a pine forest, with natural stone outcroppings, the natural music of waterfalls, and an outdoor fireplace cove.
“Sundara is intimate by design and that’s precisely what some couples crave for their wedding,” says Carla Minsky, communications director. “You feel as though you’ve been transported to Bali—without the expense, of course.”
Wedding parties can reserve the entire resort, with 26 suites and 12 private villas, or you can create a guest package to fit your wedding. To complete the destination vacation, guests can relax at the spa and the Infinity Edge pool or take to the links at the adjacent Wilderness Woods Golf Course.
“We believe in customizing our weddings so the experience is just right for each couple,” says Minsky. “It’s our mission to provide a sanctuary from stress, a kind word, a healing touch, a place to reconnect—and all those attributes apply beautifully to a wedding.”
Though there is no on-site location for a reception, you and your guests can continue the celebration at the nearby Glacier Canyon Conference Center or Wintergreen Resort. Either way, this wedding destination is sure to revitalize you. “Sundara, by its very nature, is a place for new beginnings and new outlooks,” says Minsky, “and we try to infuse that in all we do.”
Grand Geneva Resort, Lake Geneva
As one of Wisconsin’s best-known destination vacations, Lake Geneva offers a flawless setting for your union. “It is quaint and beautiful yet modern enough for the sophisticated bride,” says Marlene Minnich, catering manager at the Grand Geneva Resort.
The storied resort offers brides and grooms four outdoor ceremony sites on the 1,300-acre property. The resort accommodates weddings as small as 20 guests up to a 400-person affair. You can choose from a selection of wedding packages, or add your personal touch and create a unique experience for you and your guests.
Not only will they appreciate the newly renovated sleeping accommodations and the modern décor, but your guests can also get a taste of the championship golf experience at The Brute and Highland courses. Dan Patch Stables offer a quiet equine experience on-site; if riding is not your thing, be sure to take advantage of the ever-popular water activities on the lake. And with three Grand Geneva Restaurants—the Geneva Chophouse, Ristorante Brissago, and the Grand Café—your guests will find everything they need right here in this private Wisconsin wonderland.
Music of the Lake, Door County
Picture this: a soft, sandy beach, the sound of waves rolling on the shore, and a sunset framing you and your man as you exchange your vows. It might not be your first image of a Wisconsin wedding, but with the help of professional harpist Elizabeth Borsodi and Music of the Lake in Sturgeon Bay, your fantasy beachside nuptials can become a reality.
In 2008 Borsodi opened a wedding locale to provide “an intimate setting in a beautiful place for a special and unique ceremony.” Borsodi and her husband, who is, conveniently, a Wisconsin judge and can officiate at ceremonies, work with couples to offer a personalized outdoor experience. Brides can choose between a beach site along Lake Michigan or a quaint garden with towering pines, lush flowers and a jaw-dropping view of the lake. “It can be pretty dramatic and impressive,” she says.
The Music of the Lake package includes the intimate wedding site (50 guests or fewer), chairs, an arbor, live music and an officiant. Borsodi also offers advice on local accommodations and restaurants for rehearsal dinners.
Once the sun has set and you’ve tied the knot, continue your celebration on the Door County peninsula and host an intimate dinner at one of northeast Wisconsin’s finest eateries. In Sturgeon Bay, consider Sage Restaurant and Wine Bar, or head up to Fish Creek and experience culinary artistry at its finest at the Whistling Swan. With striking views and a taste of the outdoors, this Wisconsin wedding destination won’t soon be forgotten.
Rittenhouse Inn and Le Chateau Boutin, Bayfield and the Apostle Islands
Who says you have to forgo the look of oceanfront nuptials for that hometown feeling that accompanies a Wisconsin wedding? For bride Leah Osterhaus, who grew up in Wisconsin but now lives in Oakland, Calif., the Rittenhouse Inn in Bayfield gave her the best of both worlds.
“Wisconsin is home, so we knew we wanted to be there, but we also love the ocean and the views of northern California,” she says. “In Bayfield, you have the feeling of being on the ocean because of the size of Lake Superior, with the fall colors and coziness of Wisconsin.”
The Rittenhouse Inn and its sister property, Le Chateau Boutin, are historic Queen Anne mansions that offer brides the ideal dreamscape to say “I do.” You can opt for a ceremony in the Fountain Garden, where vows are exchanged beneath the pergola sheltered by a canopy of grape vines; the Lakeview Lawn behind Le Chateau, which is an ideal tent space; or even the wraparound porch with views of the lake and vibrant flowers. Whatever you choose, you and your guests will experience a destination wedding that highlights the natural beauty and grandeur of the outdoors.
“Once the planning is done couples simply need to arrive and throw their car keys and their worries in the corner, because the Rittenhouse Inn is prepared to cater to their every need,” says on-site wedding planner Wendy Phillips.
Not only can you dine at the full-service gourmet restaurant, but the “little town on the big lake” also offers outdoor adventures that all guests are sure to enjoy. Visitors can kayak among the sandstone sea caves or shipwrecks, charter a sailboat or fishing excursion, or hike through one or many of the Apostle Islands. Those looking to relax can simply sunbathe on the beach.
Monica Manley, who was married at the Rittenhouse Inn in September, took her new hubby on a tour of the Apostle Islands right after tying the knot. “Bayfield has charm and beauty,” says Manley. “It’s the perfect area for anyone looking for something unique.” If home is where the heart is, then the Rittenhouse Inn is the perfect place to start your new life as man and wife.