Top Franklin Venues

• Spaces for 80 Guests

Built in 1890, the Kneeland-Walker House is a Queen Anne-style home that serves as the headquarters of the Wauwatosa Historical Society. The property sits on 1.5 acres, the largest remaining residential lot in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, and is recognized as a landmark by both the City of Wauwatosa and Milwaukee County, as well as being listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Wauwatosa Historical Society acquired the house from Constance Walker's estate in 1987 to preserve it for the community. The house, its coach house, and its grounds host educational programs, speaking events, weddings, baby and bridal showers, and community gatherings, with both indoor and outdoor spaces available. The home's Victorian furnishings and decor lend a period atmosphere to events without the need for extensive additional decoration. Rentals include use of the Society's chairs and tables, a kitchen with a refrigerator, microwave, and sink for caterer use, and air conditioning throughout the house; wedding rentals also include a complimentary one-hour rehearsal. The house and its bathrooms are not handicap-accessible, and renters must hold membership with the Wauwatosa Historical Society to reserve the space.

• Spaces for 250 Guests

• Spaces for 50-358 Guests
• 1 Bar
• 3 Theaters
• 4 Total Spaces

The Broadway Theatre Center, home to Skylight Music Theatre, sits in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward and offers a set of distinct spaces for private events. The Cabot Theatre is a replica of an 18th-century Jewel Box opera house — Le théâtre de la Coupe d'Or in Rochefort, France — seating 358 guests across the orchestra level, dress circle, and gallery, with state-of-the-art theatrical systems and upholstered box seating that make it suited to ceremonies and performances alike. The Studio Theatre offers a more intimate black box setting with loose chair seating for up to 99, built for an informal atmosphere where the audience feels close to the action. For receptions and gatherings, the Dorothea C. Mayer Salon is a European-style room on the second level overlooking Catalano Square, flexible enough to seat up to 50 guests at tables or hold 100 assembly-style or standing. The Skylight Bar rounds out the venue with a cabaret-style space seating up to 100, standing room for 150, a small stage for intimate performances, and catering vendors on call for events of any size. Skylight Music Theatre has staged musical theater in Milwaukee since 1959, producing more than 105 performances a season across a repertoire spanning baroque opera, operetta, and Broadway musicals — giving events held at the Broadway Theatre Center a genuine theatrical backdrop.

• Spaces for 250 Guests

Housed in the former Second Ward Savings Bank on the corner of West Kilbourn Avenue and North Third Street, the Milwaukee County Historical Society occupies a neoclassical revival landmark building completed in 1913 for what was known locally as the "Brewers' Bank." The interior is finished throughout in black-and-white Paranozzo Italian marble, and six original bank vaults - including one with a 27 1/2-ton door - remain in place across the basement, main floor, and mezzanine. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated as both a City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County landmark. Founded in 1935 to collect, preserve, and share the history of the Milwaukee community, the Historical Society operates as a museum with rotating exhibits, a research library, and archives, alongside additional historic sites including Trimborn Farm in Greendale. Its downtown home sits along the Milwaukee River next to Pere Marquette Park, within walking distance of the Theatre District, Water Street, and Fiserv Forum. Beyond its museum programming, the Historical Society opens its landmark building for private events, hosting weddings, parties, and special gatherings among its marble halls and historic vaults.

• Spaces for 25-250 Guests
• 1 Bar
• 2 Outdoor Spaces
• 3 Total Spaces

Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery occupies the 1880 corporate headquarters of the former Pabst Brewing Company at the historic Pabst brewing campus in Milwaukee. Founded by German immigrant Jacob Best and expanded under Captain Frederick Pabst, the brewery operated for over a century before closing in 1996. Jim and Karen Haertel purchased the property in 2001 and restored it, and the buildings now house a mix of event spaces, taverns, a café, a gift shop, and beer history tours. For private events and weddings, the venue offers three distinct spaces inside the historic buildings. The Great Hall & Speakeasy, the former corporate office of the Pabst Brewery, holds up to 250 guests and includes Frederick Pabst's original office and a prohibition-era bar. Blue Ribbon Hall & Captain's Courtyard, modeled after a German beer hall, accommodates up to 150 guests beneath a second-story balcony, hand-painted murals, and hand-carved woodwork. The Guest Center & King's Courtyard, the brewery's original tap room, fits smaller gatherings of up to 25 guests around a wood-burning fireplace and outdoor courtyard. Every rental includes room cleaning, event staff, tables and chairs, and a sound system with microphone and projector access, with catering handled through an approved vendor list.

• Spaces for 50-65 Guests
• 1 Event Space

Indulge is a private event venue in the heart of Downtown Milwaukee, located at 708 N Milwaukee St. The intimate space accommodates parties of up to 50 guests seated or 65 guests for cocktail-style gatherings, making it well suited to rehearsal dinners, holiday parties, birthdays, corporate cocktail hours, graduations, and similar celebrations. Rentals average $600 for a five-hour event and include granite tables, leather chairs, real china and silverware, black linen napkins, Riedel wine glasses, and a sound system for guests to plug in their own music. Food can be catered in-house by Indulge or brought in by an outside caterer of the host's choosing, while bar service is handled exclusively by Indulge's own staff, offering a full bar with professional bartenders. Indulge is part of the Bianchini family of Milwaukee restaurants and venues.

• Spaces for 18-1,064 Guests
• 4 Hotels
• 2 Ballrooms
• 2 Meeting Spaces

Hyatt Regency Milwaukee is a contemporary downtown hotel just minutes from Water Street and the Deer District, putting guests and event-goers close to the city's entertainment core. On-site dining and a Starbucks give the hotel a full-service feel for both overnight guests and event attendees. The hotel offers more than 30,000 square feet of event space, enough to host a board meeting for 20 or a citywide conference for over 1,000. Its largest room, the Regency Ballroom, spans 9,900 square feet with 14-foot ceilings and a dance floor, and can be divided into four sections for smaller meetings. The Lakeshore Ballroom offers a more intimate 2,700 square feet that splits into two or three rooms, while the Vue Rooftop Ballroom sits 21 stories above the city with 360-degree views of downtown Milwaukee. Weddings at Hyatt Regency Milwaukee range from large celebrations in the Regency Ballroom to more intimate gatherings in the Vue Rooftop Ballroom, with an in-house catering team customizing food and beverage service for each event.

• Spaces for 150-350 Guests
• 1 Bar
• 1 Ballroom
• 2 Event Spaces

Waukesha Elks Lodge 400 is a fraternal Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks lodge in Waukesha, Wisconsin, that also operates as an event venue for weddings, receptions, and private celebrations. The lodge offers two banquet spaces depending on the size of an event: the Main Hall, a ballroom and dining hall that accommodates 350 guests comfortably and includes a private bridal suite, and the Jolly Cork Pub, a full-service bar and lounge with room for 150. Guests renting the Main Hall have access to a dance floor and an adjoining tap bar, and the lodge's rental agent works directly with each event on table layout and setup. The lodge provides full bar service and an onsite caterer who can assist with menu planning, along with a list of preferred and approved vendors for events that need additional support.

• Spaces for 120-2,125 Guests
• 1 Ballroom
• 2 Outdoor Spaces
• 5 Total Spaces

The Marcus Performing Arts Center sits directly on Milwaukee's Riverwalk in the heart of downtown, pairing a landmark performance hall with a range of spaces built for weddings, galas, corporate gatherings, and commencements. Its signature reception space, the Bradley Pavilion, is a ballroom lined with floor-to-ceiling windows and a private balcony overlooking the river, with direct access out to the adjoining Fitch Memorial Garden for guests who want to step outside between courses. That garden, with its ivy-covered wall and fountain, doubles as a ceremony backdrop for outdoor weddings and receptions. For larger gatherings, Uihlein Hall — the center's largest venue — can host lectures, commencements, and annual meetings on the same stage used for opera, Broadway, and dance. The riverside Peck Pavilion offers an outdoor setting for concerts and seasonal events, while the Promenade provides a more intimate lounge-style space for a pre- or post-show dinner or reception. Marcus Center Food & Beverage serves as the venue's exclusive caterer, building chef-driven menus around seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, and a dedicated event management team guides hosts through planning from first tour to event day.

• Spaces for 10-300 Guests
• 2 Ballrooms
• 1 Historic Space
• 3 Meeting Spaces

The Milwaukee Athletic Club is the only social and full-service athletic club of Milwaukee, but that's not the only reason the MAC is one of a kind. Elegant, full of history, and in the heart of downtown, your Milwaukee wedding guests will truly enjoy their time at The Milwaukee Athletic Club. The Milwaukee Athletic Club has an in-house wedding team who ensures a seamless experience. The Grand Ballroom of The Milwaukee Athletic Club is the perfect wedding venue with white and gold pillars and arches, crystal chandeliers, and a 24k gold leaf hand painted ceiling. A wedding at The Milwaukee Athletic Club is all about elegance. The rooftop deck is the perfect place for your reception, overlooking downtown Milwaukee.

• Spaces for 32-125 Guests
• 3 Hotels
• 1 Ballroom
• 3 Total Spaces

Hotel Metro, Autograph Collection is a boutique, art deco-style hotel set in a building dating to the 1930s in downtown Milwaukee, within walking distance of Lake Michigan and the Historic Third Ward. The property's event spaces include a Ballroom with an attached atrium and two rooftop meeting rooms, each outfitted with natural light, on-site catering, and AV equipment for gatherings ranging from corporate meetings to wedding receptions. The Ballroom, the largest of the three spaces, accommodates up to 125 guests and is supported by a dedicated events team and an on-site culinary team handling catering. Couples can also reserve a private bridal suite for pre-wedding preparation, and wedding parties booking 10 or more overnight rooms qualify for group rates. Guests and event attendees can also dine at Oggie's Kitchen & Bar, the hotel's on-site restaurant, or enjoy cocktails at the seasonal Puffer Fish Rooftop Bar. Historic touches remain throughout the property, including a vintage 1930s typewriter and an original mail chute available to guests.

• Spaces for 300 Guests
• 1 Ballroom
• 1 Landmark
• 1 Historic Space

Located in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, Turner Hall holds status as a National Landmark, a listing on the National Registry of Historic Places, and a local Historical Landmark. Originally a showroom for immigrants to show off their art, Turner Hall is now a main hub for Milwaukee events. Their preferred vendors are top notch, their space is architecturally beautiful and their hospitality and excitement to give you the event you deserve is comforting. Planning your event will go seamlessly- what more could you want than that. With over 7,000 square feet of ballroom acting as a raw space with a plethora of customizable options to make it your own, you can't go wrong with Turner Hall.

• Spaces for 180-300 Guests
• 1 Ballroom
• 1 Event Space

Carroll University, Wisconsin's pioneer college, sits on a historic campus in Waukesha, minutes from Milwaukee and within an easy drive of Madison and Chicago. The campus blends historic architecture with landscaped grounds, offering both indoor and outdoor settings for ceremonies and celebrations. Event spaces range from the Humphrey Memorial Chapel, a sacred space for wedding ceremonies, to the Stackner Ballroom in the Campus Center, which hosts receptions and banquets. The Sneeden House offers a quieter setting nearby for getting ready, opening gifts, or a wedding-morning brunch. Beyond weddings, the university's more than 30 meeting spaces host everything from birthday parties and retirement celebrations to summer camps, accommodating groups from 10 to 1,100 guests. Carroll's event-planning team coordinates catering and dining, on-site parking, and lodging in the historic home and residence halls, and Carroll alumni receive 50% off rental fees.

• Spaces for 24-250 Guests
• 1 Ballroom
• 2 Meeting Spaces

The Grace Center is an event venue in downtown Milwaukee operated by Grace Lutheran Church, offering three rentable spaces for weddings, celebrations, and business gatherings. The Great Hall, the Grace Center's largest space, is a vaulted, glass-walled room that accommodates up to 250 guests for a seated meal and is used for wedding receptions, galas, proms, fashion shows, and similar celebrations. Rental includes a dance floor, a sound system with wireless microphone, a catering kitchen, tables and chairs, and an on-site events representative to oversee the event. Wedding receptions are supported with high-quality bar service and a list of preferred local caterers. For smaller gatherings, Grace Place Coffee is a trendy space for 20 to 24 guests suited to presentations, workshops, or small group meetings, with access to an adjoining atrium for cocktail receptions. The Classroom is a modern, multi-purpose room for intimate gatherings of up to 30 guests, suited to a seated meal, lecture, or meeting, and includes a projector and screen. While the Grace Center hosts receptions and celebrations, wedding ceremonies take place in the adjoining Grace Lutheran Church rather than the Great Hall.

• Spaces for 150 Guests

Established in 2011, Red Lion Pub is a British-style pub in downtown Milwaukee. Its kitchen serves a full menu of British dishes alongside Wisconsin-inflected American fare, all made from scratch, and its bar pours a rotating selection of authentic beers, spirits, and cocktails. Multiple TVs throughout the space make it a popular gathering spot for soccer fans catching matches from home and abroad, and the pub describes itself as an extension of the neighborhood's living room, where customers and staff become friends. Red Lion Pub caters private events on-site and off-site, handling birthday parties, holiday parties, corporate events, and wedding festivities. Each event is tailored to the host's tastes and needs, with the pub taking care of the details to bring the occasion to life.

• Spaces for 50-225 Guests
• 2 Event Spaces

Tuscan Hall Venue & Catering is a locally owned, all-inclusive event venue and full-service catering company in the heart of Waukesha, Wisconsin. With more than 25 years of experience hosting weddings and celebrations, it has become an award-winning destination for weddings, corporate events, and other special occasions. The property includes two indoor event spaces — the Main Hall, which comfortably accommodates up to 200 guests, and the more intimate Wine Cellar, suited to gatherings of up to 50 — along with an outdoor patio for ceremonies, cocktail hours, and photos. An on-site event manager and coordinator are on hand the day of every event to help it run smoothly. Tuscan Hall's in-house catering team prepares menus from fresh, high-quality ingredients and can also provide full-service or drop-and-go catering off-site. Flexible all-inclusive packages and a la carte options, paired with china dinnerware, linens, and staff, are designed to cover every detail of a celebration.

• Spaces for 12-175 Guests
• 3 Museums
• 3 Landmarks
• 3 Total Spaces

North Point Lighthouse and Museum is a restored 1855 maritime landmark set on a two-acre wooded site within Milwaukee's Lake Park, itself laid out in 1893 by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The 74-foot tower and Queen Anne-style Keeper's Quarters guided Great Lakes shipping traffic until the light was decommissioned in 1994; a volunteer group, North Point Lighthouse Friends, restored the property to its early 20th-century appearance, reopening it to the public in 2007. The lighthouse's Gallery Level and adjoining lawn and patio host weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, and life-celebration events, with a tent option extending capacity for larger outdoor gatherings. A smaller Board Room accommodates corporate meetings and nonprofit retreats. Rentals of the museum and grounds include onsite staff and a commercial photography permit, and events unfold amid the site's maritime exhibits, spiral tower staircase, and grounds overlooking Lake Michigan.

• Spaces for 20-607 Guests
• 1 Ballroom
• 2 Outdoor Spaces
• 6 Total Spaces

Set within Mitchell Park in Brookfield, Wisconsin, the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts is a multidisciplinary nonprofit cultural arts facility that has served as a hub for performing arts, arts education, and visual arts since opening in 2002. The Center's array of spaces are available for rental to individuals, organizations, and corporations for performances, weddings, festivals, meetings, fundraisers, and private parties. Among its rentable spaces, the Kuttemperoor Grand Hall is a two-story room with exposed wood beams and Susan Falkman's hand-carved limestone fireplace, adjoined to the north by the Elmbrook Rotary Fireside Lounge and its etched-glass window by artist Conrad Schmitt; the space accommodates ceremony seating for up to 200 guests and can expand onto an adjacent patio for larger receptions. Nearby, The Burke Colonnade is a structure of whole-tree timber framing designed by WholeTrees Architecture and Structures, offering ceremony seating for up to 200 guests. The Harris Theater, home to a hand-blown glass bird installation by artist Steve Feren, seats up to 607 for concerts, lectures, and formal meetings, while the Dawes Studio Theater and adjoining Gerlach/Haack Outdoor Theater provide indoor and outdoor options for recitals, ceremonies, and receptions. The Wilson Center welcomes more than 55,000 visitors annually, including over 10,000 students through its arts education programming, and offers an onsite catering prep kitchen, free Wi-Fi, and free parking in the adjacent Mitchell Park surface lot to support events held at the Center.

• Spaces for 24-100 Guests
• 10 Outdoor Spaces
• 2 Theaters
• 11 Total Spaces

Set on the shores of Lake Michigan in Racine, Wisconsin, the Racine Zoo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has cared for wildlife since its founding in 1923. Today the Zoo is home to roughly 75 species and more than 300 individual animals, and its campus offers a range of outdoor spaces suited to gatherings of all kinds, from family birthday parties to weddings, corporate functions, and community events. Couples can hold a ceremony and reception on the Zoo's grounds, with venues that take in views of Lake Michigan and the Zoo's flower gardens. The Kiwanis Memorial Amphitheater, home to the Zoo's Animal Crackers Concert Series, overlooks the Lake Michigan shoreline and offers a stage and lawn suited to award ceremonies and performances, while the Racine Rotary West Safari Base Camp pavilion, with garage-door walls that open and close, provides a flexible, rain-or-shine option on the Zoo's north side. For groups seeking an indoor option during inclement weather, the Kiwanis Education Center offers seating on the top level of the Zoo's main building. Each rental includes Zoo admission for a set number of guests, with additional space available across the campus for events ranging from casual picnics to formal fundraisers.