Thoughtful Villa Terrace Milwaukee Wedding

The Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum, better known as Villa Terrace Milwaukee, is a decorative arts museum that doubles as a wedding venue. If you want a classically elegant wedding, this is a great Milwaukee wedding venue for you. The architecture and gardens are captivating. Jon and Juliette’s wedding, with its custom details, was right at home here.

Villa Terrace Milwaukee

In a way, Villa Terrace Milwaukee couldn’t be more fitting for Juliette and Jon’s French-American wedding. Lloyd and Agnes Smith commissioned an Italian Renaissance-style villa and garden after a breathtaking honeymoon in Italy in 1915. Now the space is used to preserve and celebrate decorative arts from Europe and America.

If you’re hoping to host an outdoor wedding, Villa Terrace Milwaukee can accommodate up to 120 guests. Indoor weddings are capped at 80 guests. This venue lends itself to more intimate celebrations that are big on connections and meaningful details rather than finding space to pack every event into your reception.

Packages for weddings at Villa Terrace Milwaukee range between $4,000 and $7,000. If you’re willing to plan your wedding for off-peak season (November through April), you may be able to get a big discount. Just be prepared for that fickle Milwaukee weather. There are plenty of beautiful indoor spaces to enjoy anyway.

Regardless of what time of year you get married at Villa Terrace Milwaukee, there are endless spots for amazing portraits. In the spring and summer, you can do outdoor portraits in the garden. A big stone staircase rises up from the rolling lawn, and huge hydrangeas grow behind the water features. 

Inside the warm woodwork and rich sunlight in the library offers an elegant spot for portraits. Several rooms feature incredible, detailed floral wallpaper that paired perfectly with Juliette’s dress. The getting ready suite even features a painting I think will soon be considered iconic in Milwaukee weddings. 

Villa Terrace is in a scenic neighborhood on the shores of Lake Michigan. McKinley Beach is just across the street. Locals and out of town guests will enjoy spending time in this area.

Custom Wedding Details and European Inspiration

Juliette and Jon have a transatlantic love story that showed up in their custom wedding details. Originally, Juliette is French. She met Jon during an internship in the U.S. and moved here to be with him. This creative, genuine couple designed a very intentional day.

Throughout the wedding day, you could see Juliette’s own handiwork. She cross-stitched the table numbers and place cards for guests. The tablescapes also included colorful vintage-style glassware, jewel-toned ribbons, and lush florals in a complementary palette. All the details combined to give the reception a cozy, whimsical feeling. 

The handcrafted details didn’t stop at the decor. Juliette’s dress was custom made in Paris. The stunning floral lace and button details on the sleeves practically made her look like a painting in Villa Terrace Milwaukee. It was so unique without being over the top.  

For their wedding photography, Juliette and Jon opted to include some film. I love the way the classical aesthetic of Villa Terrace Milwaukee translated on film. It feels so timeless and tangible. 

Juliette and Jon’s Celebration

Villa Terrace Milwaukee was a great place to host Juliette and Jon’s guests. Many were visiting the U.S. for the first time from France. Despite some hail, everyone enjoyed the small moments of connection in this gorgeous venue. I loved spending the day with this fun, friendly group of people.

The decor wasn’t the only part of Juliette and Jon’s wedding that included personalized touches. During their ceremony, they pruned a bonsai tree together. It was the kind of quiet, touching moment that characterized the whole day. Even with the excitement of people traveling across the ocean to be there, so much of the day felt rooted in love.

Like their venue, Juliette and Jon’s reception combined European and American traditions. Their reception featured a typical American wedding cake as well as a traditional French wedding dessert. Juliette and Jon placed sparklers on a tower of puff pastries. It definitely made for more of a moment than your usual cake cutting. 

Are you interested in having me photograph your wedding? I’m a Milwaukee wedding photographer, and I’ll document your day with photos you can feel. Reach out to me here!