Milwaukee Wedding Venue Spotlight: 🌿The Ivy House🌿
🌿A converted warehouse wedding venue in Milwaukee’s Fifth Ward featuring
Cream city brick & living greenery, with indoor and outdoor options!
As a Milwaukee wedding photographer, I know a lot about Milwaukee’s best venues and vendors. When you're newly engaged and don’t even know what’s available to you, having that kind of insight can really help. This is the second post in a new series of Venue spotlights to share what I know and love about weddings in Milwaukee!
Disclaimer: I based my thoughts on my experience photographing weddings at each venue (I have not hosted a wedding at any of these venues myself). These posts are not a full review or an ad - they will highlight the features I love about a venue, especially as a photographer!
🌿The Ivy House🌿
🌿The Ivy House🌿
📸 All photos by ME!
The Ivy House is a fantastic wedding venue and event space!
This converted warehouse, tucked into Milwaukee’s vibrant Fifth Ward, has so much going for it. As you arrive, the first thing you’ll notice is the iconic green brick exterior marked with the giant 906. The landscaping shifts with the seasons, but by mid-summer, everything is lush and vibrant.
From the parking lot, guests are greeted by the colorful “Enjoy the Journey” mural before passing the Fernweh open-air Patio Bar on the way inside. Once you step through the doors, the Cream City brick-and-living-greenery ballroom greets you with a mix of old Milwaukee character and modern industrial style. The result is a space that feels both fun and welcoming, perfect for celebrations, events, and especially weddings!
🌿PLANNING YOUR OWN WEDDING AT THE IVY HOUSE?
I would love to help! Reach out and let’s get started! *See more Ivy House Weddings on the Roost Blog or learn more about the venue on the Ivy House website!
🥂CONTENTS🥂
This post will cover Venue Features and Where to take the Best Wedding Photos at The Ivy House! You can jump to a specific part of the day or tap any tag above (below the blog title) to explore more vendors, venues, and cool locations!
🌿Ivy House -Venue Features🌿
The Ivy House has a lot going for it, which is why it books out well in advance! The indoor and outdoor options offer couples flexibility, and built-in weather protection - a major win, especially in Wisconsin, where the weather can be... well, unpredictable. While the Ballroom and the Fernweh Patio are the big features, there are many other smaller features that make The Ivy House so couple-friendly!
🌿The Ballroom
The Ivy House Ballroom looks fabulous and alive during the day, and at night it makes a romantic transformation as the warm incandescent lights of the chandelier and the Edison bulbs throughout become more evident. Cream City Brick and Living Greenery accent a spacious Ballroom, merging modern and classic design elements to create a fun, accessible space for celebrations. The Ivy House Ballroom just keeps getting greener as the ivy continues to grow. The Ballroom is a flexible space that can be used for the ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, and dancing the night away. The space features an elevated stage (perfect for ceremony visibility, head tables, and speeches), a Cream city-brick front, living ivy that winds through the entire space, and a giant bar that can handle a large crowd!
If you look closely, much of the wood used throughout the venue (including the bar!) is up-cycled from the old bleacher boards at Grafton Middle School, complete with the original seat numbers. It's these rich details that give The Ivy House so much character.
🌿Fernweh Patio Bar
The Fernweh Patio Bar is an outdoor space ideal for ceremonies, cocktail hours, or dancing under the stars. Fernweh (it means something similar to wanderlust) was designed to be an green-scaped oasis in the city where the couples can whisper intimate vows or scream “Pink Pony Club” loudly deep into the night! Its 360-degree bar allows patrons to approach from all sides - keeping even large groups imbibing tasty libations without long lines.
🌿The Penthouse
The Ivy House’s Penthouse bridal suite gives couples a comfortable, private space to breathe, get ready, and retreat to throughout the day whenever they need a moment to recharge. With a mini kitchen, spacious bathroom, dressing room, and plenty of room to spread out, it’s designed to make a wedding party feel right at home. The dressing room is a really helpful addition, offering the Bride privacy when needed and additional spots for hair and makeup!
It’s also a dream for detail shots—rings, dresses, shoes, and invitations all stand out beautifully against the natural light, exposed brick, and stylish furnishings. Bonus: the suite overlooks the parking lot, making it convenient for spying on the Groom, and first looks by the iconic 906 are visible from the Penthouse, so everyone upstairs can sneak a peek without getting in the way.
🌿The Green Room
In addition to looking pretty, a venue needs to provide for the behind-the-scenes parts of weddings as well. From “Where do I put all my stuff?” to Where do I do my makeup or tie my tie?” to “Where can I escape my family for a few minutes?” The Greenroom is definitely not the equal of the Penthouse, but it does its job of providing a second getting-ready space adequately! Conveniently located adjacent to the ballroom, it provides storage for stuff or a quick escape during the wedding day.
🌿'Til Death Cove
From photo stations to places to have the guest books and name cards - every wedding has stuff that needs to go somewhere. The Ivy House has two great options that are great utility spaces - right where you need them. One is the Til Death cove, just inside the door from Fernweh. It’s great for photo stations or guest books, or both! Which leads us to the other great utility space - the ballroom lounge area!
🌿Ballroom Lounge Area
Another great space is the little lounge area connected to the Ballroom by the front door. Put your cake and dessert there, or source some cool furniture and create a vintage lounge for your guests (and for cool photos).
🌿Parking Lot
A dedicated parking lot may seem like a silly thing to consider a “feature” for a wedding venue - but lots of venues do not have one and the difference is palpable. For the couple and guests alike, being able to park securely without hunting for street parking or paying for a public area is a huge stress reliever and time saver. It is fantastic for wedding photographers too. Beyond the functionality, The Ivy House parking lot boasts some cool photo opportunities including great views of the venue, a giant “Enjoy the Journey” Mural, and a vintage brick wall!
🌿Milwaukee Airwaves
Party time is always one of my favorite parts of a wedding day. Once all the “official stuff” is done, you can feel the energy shift—suddenly everyone is ready to celebrate and dance! Milwaukee Airwaves, the exclusive DJ provider for The Ivy House, is consistently outstanding, especially on their home turf. They know precisely how to keep the dance floor alive and get everyone moving.
One great aspect of the Ivy House is that you can have your dance party in the Ballroom or out in the Fernweh Patio bar - or if you decide to switch it up at the last minute, I have even seen Milwaukee Airwaves swap the locations between the two with only a few moments’ notice.
🌿Ivy House - Photo Guide🌿
Obviously, as a Wedding Photographer, I am going to tell you where to take the best wedding photos at The Ivy House! One of the things I love about The Ivy House is how many little nooks and backdrops it offers for photos—a lifesaver when you’re working on a tight timeline. There are a lot of great photo options outdoors, or if it is too hot, cold, or wet (Wisconsin problems!), you can skip the outdoor spots and make the most of the cool, airy Ballroom instead, featuring its Cream City brick accent wall and the up-cycled wooden bleacher details.
🌿906 & Ivy Walls
One of the most used photo locations at The Ivy House is the iconic “906” painted on the ivy-covered green brick wall! It’s a great spot for wedding photos from first looks all the way to the final champagne toast of the day! This side of the Ivy House faces north, which means there is just enough shade even with the bright midday to get great shots, but it looks great at night, too!
🌿Ivy House Sign
Around the Corner from the 906 is the front of the Ivy House. A photo here is a must, and there are many options throughout the day. With the signature IVY HOUSE spelled out in giant letters, it makes for a statement photo to anchor your wedding collection. I love it for golden hour, champaign pops, night photos, and all sorts of creative photos with the couple!
🌿Fernweh Greenery & More
Obviously, we have already talked about how great the Fernweh Patio Bar is, but we must mention it again, specifically for photo opportunities. The greenery makes for a lovely backdrop for wedding portraits, family photos, and wedding party shenanigans. It also has some great opportunities for golden hour.
🌿Journey Mural
Giant floral murals don’t need a lot of explanation - but this space is great for wedding party, couple, family photos, and more! It can be a little tricky with bright sun, but manage it right and everything turns out amazing!
🌿The Penthouse Speaker Wall & More!
I didn’t know I needed a speaker wall backdrop - but it turns out it perfect. While your there The Penthouse has so many cool window light opportunies, cool couches, brick walls, and large mirrors - all of which can be used to create iconic images!
🌿Cream City Brick Ballroom Wall
Cream City brick is as Milwaukee as it gets! The Cream City brick wall is front and center in the ballroom - a clear focal point. It also makes for another great option for Wedding portraits or family photos. When combined with the stage steps, it feels like it was made for photographing large family groups. It is also great for couple photos!
🌿Living Greenery
In Wisconsin, you always need a photo weather backup plan. The Ivy House makes this easy with its natural light and living greenery! Wedding portraits, family photos, and everything else look fantastic with the greenery! With a little creativity, many different photo backdrops are possible that take advantage of the ivy, and having access to so much nature indoors makes the room feel alive!
🌿Ballroom Bar
The Ivy House is very proud of its bar! Their website states, “The statement bar was crafted from bleacher boards from Grafton Middle School (seat numbers still intact!) to re-purpose materials and for a unique aesthetic.” Visually, the combination of up-cycled wood, vintage light bulbs, and living ivy is stunning. In addition to making a mean cocktail, it is also a fantastic photo backdrop.
🌿Front Entry Vestibule
I love the entry way so much - I almost listed it as a feature. With amazing natural light, warm upcycled wood, and comfy leather seating - it’s actually a great place for photos - especially on days that are really wet, cold, or hot!
🌿Old Brick Wall
A brick building used to sit where the Ivy House Parking lot currently is. One of its brick walls was preserved and serves as a wall to keep the parking private, but is also a fantastic photo backdrop!
🌿Golden Hour
Golden Hour is the hour of prettiest light that comes just before sunset. Midwestern photographers obsess over it because it offers golden opportunities for beautiful natural-light photos. There are a lot of great spots to capture golden-hour light, as simple as stepping outside the door!
🌿Ivy House Seasons
While remaining green on the inside year round, the outside of The Ivy House changes with each season. Each season comes with its own colors and cool photo opportunities.
🌿Nearby Creative Options
There are some really fun spots close to The Ivy House. Just past the parking lot, there is a little green space that is really helpful. Or, step south into the Alley and you will find a great rust door. At night, about a block away, there is a cool bridge that offers some cool creative opportunities as well. If you have time to jump in a car, Milwaukee’s 3rd Ward and Walker’s Point (the gallery includes photos taken by the river - close to Screaming Tuna) are both close by and offer countless opportunities for photos without having to cross the freeway.
🌿Final Thoughts on Weddings at The Ivy House
Nick Brenning (venue manager) and the Ivy House staff are friendly and awesome! They go above and beyond to ensure all the details are covered and the guests are comfortable.
The Ivy House is one of Milwaukee's most memorable wedding venues — and it's easy to see why it books up fast.
Tucked into the heart of the Fifth Ward, this converted warehouse blends Cream City brick, living greenery, and upcycled character into a space that feels equally romantic and fun. Whether you're dreaming of intimate vows on the Fernweh Patio Bar, a lively reception in the chandelier-lit Ballroom, or golden hour photos by the iconic 906 wall, The Ivy House delivers on every front. With flexible indoor and outdoor spaces, a stunning bridal suite, and Milwaukee Airwaves keeping the dance floor alive all night, this venue truly has it all.
One thing that makes The Ivy House fabulous is its adaptability as a venue. It can be dialed in to a specific wedding vision, but it is also flexible enough to change on a dime to surprise and delight couples and guests alike!
If you're planning a Milwaukee wedding and want a space with personality, charm, and built-in weather backup (because, Wisconsin), The Ivy House belongs at the top of your list.
🌿PLANNING YOUR OWN WEDDING AT THE IVY HOUSE?
I would love to help! Reach out and let’s get started!
🌿More to Explore:
Ramsey, one of the owners of The Ivy House, showing off his unique bouquet making skills.
🥂See more Ivy House Weddings on the Roost Blog
🌿Learn more about the venue on the Ivy House website!
🌿Ivy House Website: FAQ:
