Blog | Spirited Sage Photography LLC

Top Wedding Venues In Western Wisconsin

Just a short drive from Minnesota's Twin Cities, these venues are ideal for any Wisconsin or Minnesota wedding. Wisconsin offers so many gorgeous getaways and hidden gems for the bride and groom to be. From the classic barn wedding, to luxurious gardens and greenhouses, you're sure to find the right wedding venue to suit your wedding day dreams.

Mystical Rose Gardens, a Wisconsin wedding venue — This gorgeous piece of property can be found at Mystical Rose Gardens, in Baldwin Wisconsin. The venue offers a greenhouse, gardens and fountains, a retreat house, private chapel, and wide open spaces.

Settlement Hill Farm, Hudson, Wisconsin

This venue is nestled away just out of Hudson, and is a short drive from the Twin Cities. They offer a getting ready space that has plenty of room for your wedding party, a pool table, kitchenette, TV and living room space as well as bathroom for the wedding party. The barn is a perfect mix of rustic and refined, with a gorgeous built in bar at the center of it all. The loft serves for a perfect dance space, and is giving all the vibes. Parking is ample, and the entire venue can fit a fair amount of people. The best part of it all? The orchard. If weather permits, it makes for the perfect ceremony space. It's romantic, rustic, refined and perfect for any wedding big or small!

Logistics:

Capacity: 275

Availability: Open May-October

Indoor and outdoor ceremony spaces available

Handicap accessible

Bridal Suite available

Set up and take down days for no-rush/no-stress

Check out their full website here

Mystical Rose Gardens, Baldwin, Wisconsin
Just an hour from the twin cities, this Western Wisconsin wedding venue has it all. It's stunning and serene, offering a greenhouse, retreat house, gardens, fountains, open grassy area, and a private chapel, this venue truly has it all. It's high end and luxury, clean, open and airy. It's giving all the enchanted garden, cottagecore, luxury, and somehow laid back vibes. You can truly make this space fit your dream wedding design. You can read my full blog post on this venue here

Logistics:

Capacity: 250

Availability: Fill out site's contact form

Outdoor ceremony space with back-up plan available in the case of bad weather

Handicap accessible

Bridal Suite/Retreat house available

Set up and take down included

Check out their full site here

Lilydale Dance Hall & Event Venue, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Located in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, this event venue is elegant, luxurious, and refined. It's absolutely gorgeous! With high ceilings, wide open spaces, a perfect layout, it is ideal for any high-end or luxury wedding. You can read my full blog post here. As stated in the linked blog post, this venue really is the epitome of charm and elegance.

Capacity: I'm unable to find an exact number on their site, but from previous weddings I've worked there, I would estimate between 250 to 300

Availability: Fill out their site to check

Indoor and outdoor spaces available

Handicap accessible

Bridal suite and groom suite available

They offer a lot of extra amenities and add-on's, so I highly reccommend you check out their site!

View their full site here

While there are many venues to choose from in this region, I would absolutely say these are my top 3, and some of the absolute best places to get married in Western Wisconsin or if you're out of the Twin Cities. If you're still looking for a Wisconsin wedding photographer or Minnesota wedding photographer for your 2025 or 2026 wedding, you can fill out my contact form here

Do I really Need Engagement Photos?

"Do I really need engagement photos?" It's a common question these days, and an important one at that! I have some pretty strong feelings about it, and my answer to that question is a resounding....YES. Even if you don't plan on using your engagement photos for invites or save the dates, there's more reasoning to taking engagement photos with your wedding photographer than just invites. So, here are 4 reasons why you need an engagement session.

Form a Friendship
Your photographer is going to be there with you for every moment of your big day. They will capture your special moments, advocate for you, and do their best to make your photography dreams come true. You don't want a stranger in that position. Taking the time to shoot engagement photos allows you to see their personality, create memories and for some people, even make a new friend out of their photographer. Just about every wedding that made my favorites list were ones that I took engagement pictures for as well. You really are hiring more than just a photographer, you're forming a friendship.
Check The Vibe
As cringe as it may sound, you may not vibe with your wedding 'tog. Having the chance to work with them and capture some photos gives you the opportunity to see if you actually like their business personality. I can't tell you how many people I've heard claim they didn't like their last photographer because their personality was cold or they were rude. You want to vibe with your photographer, not dread the thought of having them by your side all day. Be open and honest with the feedback you give your vendors. And if in the end you don't think it's a good fit, maybe it's time to find a different photographer. *Psssst this goes for you too, wedding 'togs. It's okay to cancel contracts and refund if it's a bad fit. Some red flags are best listened to.
Free. Photos.
As of 11.16.23 all wedding bookings will come with a free engagement session. I used to upsell and charge for the addition of engagement photos, but it just didn't sit right. As a photographer, I see the importance of getting to know my clients and taking the time to really form a bond ahead of the wedding date. It's because of this (Also cost of living, yikes.) that I've decided to add engagement sessions as a part of my regular wedding packages. I want to get to know you. I want to be more than a stranger taking pictures on your wedding day.
MORE Photos.
"Yeah, but we already took engagement photos." Congrats, you get more! Every photographer has different style than the next. My engagement photos won't look the same as the last. Now you get more photos, different poses, different editing style. And this way, you get to know your wedding photographer.

So you can see why it's important to meet your photographer and work together before your big day! I hope this helps you on your wedding journey! And if you're still looking for a wedding photographer for your 2025 wedding or 2026 wedding, you can inquire here.

Mystical Rose Gardens: A Western Wisconsin Hidden Gem Wedding Venue

This wedding venue, located in Baldwin Wisconsin, is an absoulte dream to any bride and groom (or wedding photographer!). With how stunning this place is, I'm shocked it's not the most popular wedding venue in all of Western Wisconsin! Located just south of I-94, it's easy to get to, a short drive from the Twin Cities, and offers a peaceful and overall enchanting environment for any wedding or event!

Unlike any other wedding venue in the St. Croix Valley, Mystical Rose Gardens offers a greenhouse (yes, a greenhouse!!) and gorgeous gardens. The second you walk up to this venue, you'll understand why Lori, the owner and founder, named this place Mystical Rose Gardens. You can easily picture any high end luxury wedding, dreamy garden/greenhouse wedding, or laid back and intimate celebration on these grounds.

The venue grounds offer a retreat house, which can be used for getting ready, resting and relaxing before the festivities begin, storing wedding party bags, etc. The layout of the buildings is ideal for the optimal flow of a wedding day, allowing the bride or groom to sneak in and out without seeing each other.

Following a family tragedy, what was once an operational greenhouse, eventually turned into a dream wedding venue. Lori is the sweetest and most genuine person you will meet (seriously, you will LOVE her) and she is so transparent and open about her story. You can read all about it here. After losing her husband, Mark, Lori decided it was time for a change and started her dream of making this greenhouse a wedding venue. In 2010, she officially opened the doors again, celebrating the new life of the dream they built together.

As far as logistics, this venue holds up to 250 people, including the 16 that can fit at the head table. The packages are sweet and simple, no fuss or hidden fees being tacked on left and right. They do offer a couple add ons, such as a rehearsal dinner set up (seats up to 40), or staying the night in the bridal suite.

When I asked Lori for a fun fact about the venue and her story, she replied with "We've had the same mailman for almost 40 years....he saw one business built from the ground up (Anderson Plant Farm) and then torn completely down. He saw Mystical Rose Gardens rise out of the ashes of tragedy and become a place of beauty and peace." A beautiful testament to the love she has for her dream, family, and the strong ties to her community.

I could go on about all the beautiful little details of this place, but you really just have to see it for yourself! Check out the full site here and inquire for your 2025 wedding (availability dependent) or 2026 wedding!