An ever-growing wedding trend is hosting a wedding welcome reception, which sets the tone for the entire wedding weekend. It’s the first chance for guests to meet, mingle, and celebrate the couple before the big day. Whether your wedding is here at Monona Terrace or at a different venue, our lakeside views, flexible event spaces, and expert coordination make Monona Terrace the perfect backdrop for relaxed gatherings and elegant celebrations alike. Discover more about wedding welcome receptions and why Monona Terrace is Madison’s leading venue for these popular celebrations.
The Celebration Starts Before the Wedding Day
More couples are embracing welcome receptions as part of the wedding weekend and for good reasons. With so much stress coming from other wedding festivities, it’s an opportunity to meet and greet everyone in a casual setting. Family and friends come together in a less formal gathering, reconnecting or getting to know one another for the first time, like the newly minted in-laws. Doing “meet and greet” introductions before the wedding day itself takes pressure off the wedding couple and eases up the weekend timeline.
A wedding welcome reception also sets the tone for the wedding. Generally livelier and more unstructured than other wedding events, the wedding welcome reception is a chance to take advantage of local culture and cuisine, especially for your guests who are traveling from out of town.
Most welcome wedding receptions happen a day before the wedding, after most of your guests have arrived and are ready to get the festivities started. This can complement your rehearsal dinner but shouldn’t replace it. Think of it as the introduction of your wedding story and the start of the meaningful memories that will be made.
A Warm, Lakeside Welcome: Celebrate with a View
With our amazing lakeside location, stunning architecture, and versatile options, Monona Terrace is one of the most desirable wedding weekend venues in Madison. We have the luxury of providing a wide assortment of event spaces to accommodate your welcome party wedding reception in an entirely separate space than your rehearsal dinner and post-wedding ceremony festivities.
Guests often gather for welcome receptions on our picturesque rooftop terrace (seasonal) for sunset cocktails and casual conversation overlooking Lake Monona. Here everyone who’s invited to the wedding can meet, mingle in an inviting atmosphere, and get the weekend wedding festivities started in style.
If an indoor setting is preferred, virtually any of our spaces reflect the iconic architectural design of Frank Lloyd Wright, adding beauty and sophistication to the welcome reception. Learn more about our Indoor vs. Outdoor event spaces here.
Versatile Spaces for Any Style of Welcome Party
Wedding welcome receptions are a myriad of different varieties all reflective of the wedding couple. And no matter what style you’re going for, we have an event space to match. Perhaps you envision a fun cocktail mixer with custom drinks with live music and BBQ. Nothing’s better than one of the many terraces on our rooftop garden.
Or perhaps you prefer a more elegant setting? Let’s move to a fancier sit down dinner in the Grand Terrace, or Madison Ballroom? Any of these spaces can accommodate just about any size guest list. For smaller, intimate gatherings we recommend one of our private lake-view spaces, which are ideal for under 20 people. Check out our range of event spaces here.
No matter what you have in mind or the size of your guest list, we have an event space to accommodate you backed by the entire suite of offerings, including custom catering, beverages and technology. That’s why we continue to be one of the most popular wedding reception venues in Madison.
Customizable Catering & Beverages to Match Your Wedding Style
And speaking of catering, Monona Terrace has been doing this for generations. Our skilled staff of professionals are dedicated to the success of your welcome wedding reception, from our chefs, bartenders, and servers to our planning staff and A/V crew who are there to assist with any need you have.
Start off with appetizer passes and themed cocktails with local flavors and seasonal ingredients. If a dinner is on the menu, we have more options than you may realize, including chef stations and a massive range of dining options. End the evening with an array of desserts or a dessert bar!
For drinks, you name it. We have full bar options, including an open bar, signature cocktails, and even mocktail stations. Bring your own cocktail recipes and we’ll make it happen. We also provide a wide range of locally sourced wines and beers. Check out the entire list of our catering options here.
And remember, more than anything, we understand that every wedding is different. Let’s make this one about you!
AV, Music & Special Touches to Elevate the Experience
Outstanding technological support is key to wedding events. We offer unparalleled A/V equipment and services to ensure your wedding welcome reception exceeds every expectation. Start with a fun video and slideshow of the wedding couple throughout the years, as a nostalgic backdrop of “aww” moments. Then we’re ready with a PA for welcome speeches and background music. Of course, high speed internet is provided throughout the Monona Terrace campus.
We also provide dance floors, stages, and platforms for live musicians, small bands, and DJs. Add an array of lighting design options and elevate the ambiance to be like an exclusive nightclub, subtly lit garden party, or red carpet premier.
We invite you to bring your personal style and décor, such as signage (we can do it for you), floral, welcome tables, and memory displays. Check out everything our technology team has to offer here.
Looking for creative ideas for your various wedding events? Check out these popular wedding trends.
Guest-Friendly Location for a Seamless Wedding Weekend
When considering a location for a wedding welcome event, location is important. Unless your wedding is miles away, your out of town wedding guests will likely be in downtown Madison. Bustling downtown Madison is replete with hotels of every level, restaurants to satisfy every taste, and nightlife such as sports bars, comedy clubs, music halls and theaters. Guess what’s in the heart of it all? Monona Terrace. We are within walking distance of a dozen top notch hotels and connected to the Hilton Madison Monona Terrace and the breathtaking Wisconsin State Capitol building.
Given its prime location between the city and Lake Monona, most weddings at Monona Terrace include rehearsal dinners, ceremonies, parties, and of course wedding welcome receptions. With ample convenient parking and walking distances, we are truly an all-in-one-place venue. Learn more about what downtown Madison has to offer in this helpful guide.
Book Early: Popular Wedding Dates Fill Quickly
It’s no surprise that Monona Terrace is in high demand during the wedding season, which runs from spring until fall. While we have multiple event spaces to choose from, we do book quickly, sometimes a year in advance. We recommend reserving a space for whatever your event may be as soon as a wedding date is set.
Here are a few other tips for securing your ideal space:
Know what event you’d like to host here: Whether you need a space just for your wedding welcome reception or spaces for every wedding event of the weekend, we are here to make it happen.
Have an estimated guest count ready: This helps us narrow down the appropriate event space here at Monona Terrace and helps us make a more educated recommendation.
Know your preferred style: For just one event or more, it’s helpful if you have an idea if it’s a simple cocktail party or full dinner, casual or formal, outdoor or indoor… If you’re completely blank, that’s okay too! We love coming up with ideas with our clients.
Consider pairing with other Monona Terrace wedding weekend events: By combining your wedding welcome reception with the rehearsal dinner, ceremony, wedding reception/dinner and any other festivities, we can put together a package for added convenience and cost savings.
Begin Your Wedding Weekend at Monona Terrace
We know how challenging and stressful planning a wedding can be. While a wedding welcome reception may seem like just another time consuming mini-event to plan, it can really take some of the pressure off your wedding day, because the heavy lifting of seeing all your guests is over. Now you can relax (a little), get married, and have some fun!
We know you’ll love our lakefront location, versatile spaces, and elegant design. And you’ll also enjoy our full-service support that includes a dedicated event manager who can be onsite during all of your Monona Terrace events.
Ready? Getting started is easy. Contact us today to start planning your wedding welcome reception in Madison.”