We cannot say better things about The Gardens! Everyone is so lovely, organized, friendly, and professional! They really made our day so special and accommodated every curveball that came our way. If you're looking for a spectacularly gorgeous indoor/outdoor wedding venue with the best people by your side for the ride, you've found the best spot. Thank you for all of your help and for going above and beyond! read more

I just had my summer wedding here and thanks to the Johanson family and they're beautiful venue my wedding was the best day of my life. Everyone had the best time and this venue is perfect for all different types of weddings. Amanda is the best coordinator a bride could get. Julian and his Mixology skills were top-tier. The whole family is so prepared and helpful. The food oh my God, the food. They cater all the weddings, and I will tell you it is some of the best food you will eat. It's unique and flavorful and we got so many compliments on how good everything tasted. There is a rule about no outside food or drink, but it's really not that hard to follow because everything they provide is way better than anything you could sneak in. And if you let them know about bringing certain things in advance, they are very relaxed about it. This rule is standard for any business to liability reasons and you just gotta role with it. It's not that hard, just be sure to remind your guests and family before hand. This family has your back and will help you make your wedding the best day possible. They know what they're doing. Johan is so nice and helpful and you can tell he truly cares about your wedding going the way you want. Any negative reviews about him are most likely embellished and honestly rude. Anyone that has a problem with him is the problem. Trust me...They've done so many weddings and really made it magical. Might I add that the pricing for this venue is very respectful and ideal for couples looking for a wedding venue on any budget. And we saved so much money on decor because the venue is already so beautiful. Thank you all so much for making the Foster wedding the best day of our lives. I can really tell that you all love what you do and care about the couples that have the privilege of getting married at the Gardens wedding center. Will be adding photos soon. :) read more

The Gardens Wedding Center was fantastic! Everything from start to finish was effortless and well informed. Each step of the process was so easy. The food was great. The venue is gorgeous and beautifully maintained. Everyone felt like family. The environment was open, welcoming and queer friendly. We cannot recommend this venue more! read more

I don't know where to start. What fell into place as the most magical day of my life couldn't have been done without such an amazing venue. The Owners of the Garden Center are extremely professional, thoughtful, streamlined, and highly knowledgeable. My Wife, My family, and My Friends were all taken care of, felt in place, and had nothing but wonderful memories to be left with and shared. We where tended on, we where taken care of, we shared laughs, memories, and left with an overall sense of completion on our journey to getting married. And I haven't even mentioned how beautiful of a venue/location this place is for a wedding. From the Gardens, the rooms, architecture, bars, food, audio, ponds, cemeteries, and wonderful decor this place is filled with secrets and character. read more

The Gardens Wedding Center - Wedding Planning Near Me - Allenton, Wisconsin

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My husband and I got married at The Gardens Wedding Center on 6/14/2025 and it was nothing short of a dream. Everything from the schoolhouse where our wedding party got ready to the green space set up to play lawn games was picture perfect. We knew going into it that a garden would be lovely in June, but The Gardens is so much more than just flowers and greenery. The love and care that Johan and his family put into this venue and the weddings they host is viscerally palpable, and you feel it the moment you get out of your car in the parking lot. The chapel is striking, with stained glass windows and beautiful wood floors, airy cathedral ceilings and a feeling of lived-in comfort. The schoolhouse, complete with climbing vines atop the front door, is charming and exactly what you need for a wedding party. There is a large airy room for the bridal party and a basement room complete with Pacman arcade machine for the groom's party. Almost every space is touched by warm sunlight dappled by leaves. The garage is a bar with rustic touches that complement the surroundings. The garden is vast, complete with a pond and a tree swing, and provides a new backdrop every foot or so. Pictures taken only a couple steps away look like you're in a whole different part of the garden. Every month contains different flowers and foliage, which you can see examples of on their website (which is SO helpful when you want to envision what the space would look like at the time of your wedding). The outside tent was the perfect size, lit with lovely Edison bulbs, ideal for dinner and then later at night for dancing. The chapel was our backup for the ceremony and reception, but we lucked out with the weather and were able to use it for our photobooth as well as our dessert buffet, which worked out wonderfully. The catering, which is provided by Chef Kent (Amanda's husband), is literal heaven. Our tasting appointment was so much fun and all the food so delicious that we had a difficult time narrowing down our menu. We couldn't have been happier with the options we chose and our guests agreed. Beyond the aesthetics of The Gardens, we couldn't have wished for better people to work with to make our dream day a reality. We had toured a few other venues, and they all felt stiff, forced, and Pinterest perfect (not that there's anything wrong with Pinterest but we wanted a certain atmosphere that we were not finding). We both felt the expectation of stuffiness completely dissipate as soon as we stepped into The Gardens. At no point did my partner and I feel like we were at a wedding venue because Johan, Julian, and Amanda are so welcoming and so comfortable to be around that it felt like we'd always known them. The property feels like a family member's generational house that you go to for big family reunions, so much space to explore and a relaxed atmosphere. Johan is the friendliest, chillest man you'd ever want to be running a wedding venue and solidified that we wanted The Gardens to be our venue less than 10 minutes into our initial tour. I saw my partner's face when we walked into the garden, and I knew we were sold before Johan even went into detail about the property. Julian clearly loves what he does, is a brilliant bartender, and so excited to try new drinks/recipes. My favorite cocktail is a Painkiller, and he recreated it perfectly to be one of our signature drinks. They have so many standing options for signature drinks as well, all of them delicious. I sent a billion emails to Amanda, mostly filled with scatterbrained and rambling questions, all of which she parsed out and provided answers for. She is so personable and calming that the nerves I felt creeping up to our 30-day final walk through were soothed almost immediately. They were all so genuinely excited about our vision from the start; whether that was the tablescapes, our color schemes, our signature drinks, our processional and recessional songs, that it truly felt like working with friends. They are very accommodating for requests and either give great recommendations for anything you can think of or bounce ideas around with you so you can solidify plans. My mom was so impressed and made multiple comments that Amanda was a blur between helping our party set things up to putting things together and taking things down at the end of the night. They all work so hard and are so good at their jobs that it takes a great weight off your shoulders, which is very VERY helpful when you're planning your own wedding. They are personable, efficient, talented, and truly want to make your day amazing in every sense of the word. We couldn't be more thrilled with The Gardens and all the hard work they did, we can't recommend them highly enough. Our photography was done by O&B Photo Co., and can't recommend highly enough either. read more

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Not only is the location a stunning and hidden garden with lots of different secret pathways for guests to explore (although uneven footing for older adults), but the food that is provided from the venue for the bridal party getting ready (stuffed French toast with cream cheese drizzle and fresh fruit) and the late night snack (chicken and waffles) were simply amazing-- with a large menu to choose from, they also offered to accommodate whatever the bride and groom came up without that was off the menu. The service for the bridal party during rehearsal as well as the morning of the wedding was phenomenal, they use a walkie-talkie communication system that allowed easy ordering a of drinks and other necessary last minute preparation discussion for all to be on the same page. Not only was the outdoor area beautiful, but so was the spacious and open area where the bridal party got ready (with lots of mirrors, outlets, and private bathroom) and the awe-worthy old church structure with lovely old church seating (which was easy to move around to shape the space how the bride and groom wanted) that was located in the center of the property (all connected by nicely kept underground tunnels). All in all, the whole day was amazing. I've gone to and participated in way too many weddings in the last 3 years and this was BY FAR my favorite, largely to the venue and staff. Kudos! Thanks for a good time! I hope more of my friends and family get married here so I can come back again! read more

The venue is very pretty. But much of the staff and especially owner was so rude and hostile that it made the entire experience awful for a day that should've been great. Would not recommend. read more

Amazing staff, beautiful venue, talented chef. I wanted this wedding so badly, but it's across the country and became to hard on my family. If you're in the area do not pass this up. You'll have the photos and memories of a lifetime. 9/30/22 about to open so keep your eye out! read more

The Gardens Wedding Center in Allenton, WI was the setting for a wedding I officiated in August 2023. The day before, when we arrived with flowers and desserts, we were met with unwelcoming comments. We were 45 minutes too early! In addition, we were hurried out of rehearsal because we had gone past our time. During the rehearsal, as a brother of the bride handed out soda and water he had in his vehicle because it was extremely HOT, to the grandparents he was immediately reprimanded by "owner", Ivan, and was told he was not allowed to bring any drink on the property. Not offering refreshments at the rehearsal, Ivan confronted the bride and groom telling them that this brother was NOT allowed to attend the wedding the next day. Apologies from everyone were directed to Ivan to ridiculousness. This was truly unnecessary behavior! The bride was in tears! Weddings can be stressful events, especially for the bride & groom. It is the task and responsibility of those who help to organize what is to be a happy event to be calm, and purposeful and help create joy. This is true for those who own and operate a wedding venue. The Gardens was a beautiful setting. If the bill wasn't already paid, I would have suggested a more welcoming, less inhospitable venue. read more

I attended my nephew's wedding here. It was a lovely venue with excellent service. I would recommend it.

Amanda and Johan! A more exquisite day could not have been produced by the all the best Hollywood has to offer! We felt as thought we'd stepped in heaven for a few hours and your service was impeccable. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! The property was stunning in May! The sanctuary was so warm and so inviting! It was pure joy and and happiness and beauty! We got so many comments from our guests on how awesome this place was too. read more

Would highly recommend this venue! We had our wedding here on 9/16. The family and staff were amazing from start to finish. They were truly a pleasure to work with. The communication was great throughout the whole process. Whenever we had a question, they were very responsive and helpful. On the wedding day, they really helped everything go smoothly. We received so many compliments on the venue and food from guests. The way The Gardens transformed at night was just beautiful! You can tell they put a lot of time and love into the venue. We could not have imagined having our wedding anywhere else. read more

We had our fairytale wedding at the gardens, and it could not have been more magical! Amanda and Johan are truly, remarkable people. They helped our wedding day be perfect and run smoothly. They maintained great communication and were very genuine. We continue to have guests rave about the venue and the food. Their Italian mac and cheese is out of this world!! We have already recommended the Gardens to others and could not be happier. Still in wedding bliss:) read more

I cannot recommend The Gardens enough! They made our wedding day incredibly easy to plan and everything was even more special than we imagined. Johan, Amanda, and Julie are fantastic at what they do and they make you feel warm and welcome in their beautiful space. This is truly a one of a kind venue and you should book with them! read more

Beautiful setting for a wedding. Outdoor gardens surround the area for the ceremony. Historical church has been updated for dinning and reception use. Dinner menu was very good. read more

We attended our great niece's wedding here. The wedding started at 11:30 and the ceremony was held in the beautifully landscaped and lush garden. A brunch reception was provided in a tented area of the garden by a food truck who offered several dishes. Dinner was served inside the church. Every was well organized except for one thing that they did not anticipate that night which was the mosquitos. At exactly 7pm sharp a ton of mosquitos attacked us and we had to run to our car & hurriedly say good bye. This is the only reason why I deducted a star. As an event venue I think they should have anticipated this to happen and contingency plans could have been made. Instead of those bug sprays. It was horrible. We literally had to run to the car. We're not local. So we aren't use to mosquitos at all. A bug zapper would have been far more effective I think or citronella candles. So in future please note. read more

Came out here for Diana and Johns wedding. Start time was 12:00? according to my information I got there 20 minutes ahead to an empty parking lot I drove around back. To see that it circles around to another driveway. I thought I was at the wrong church. Till people started showing up. The setting is nearby just north of milwaukee in Allenton. The basement had a changing room for the bridal party. Along with a few tables and chairs all included. We brought a few extra tables and coolers of water. At this time they were working on a bar made with reclaimed wood and bricks that matched the church. Eventually they will have beer available. This was a very scenic venue. With great photo opportunities throughout the church and at the gardens. Food 5 we had a potluck with plenty of food as usual I'm sure they also have a list of catered options as well. Ambiance 5 Nice gardens for outdoor ceremony photos. The weather is somewhat good in June for jackets and suits. Service 4 setup was nice they could have an extra garbage can to make cleanup easier. Location 5 limited parking in glad most people carpooled. 15/2017 read more

While the venue is beautiful and the food was delicious, the owner was hostile and intentionally intimidating. Johan seemed to be looking for reasons to create conflict instead of providing support and a welcoming venue as was promised in the contract. He behaved like a bully and demanded negative attention while creating unnecessary drama. The buildings are charming and well maintained. The gardens were gorgeous and provided a beautiful backdrop for photos and the ceremony. We used the church for the reception and meal. It is a clever use of space. The wait staff was courteous and the food was very good. They made extra efforts to accommodate menu requests. Although pre-planning with Amanda was effortless, our first sign of trouble in The Gardens came during rehearsal in 90-degree heat. Johan created a scene by yelling disrespectfully in the face of one of our guests in front of the entire party saying that the guest had disregarded the rules and was not welcome on the property for the wedding. Johan then pulled the bride aside and disrupted rehearsal again to tell her that the guest, a family member, was not allowed on his property for disobeying the rules. The rule that had been broken was that this guest had brought water to several people attending rehearsal on an extremely warm day. According to Johan, the guest showed disrespect by not taking Johan's warning seriously the first time, and brought another bottle of water to an elderly grandmother after he had been told of the venue's strict "no carry in" policy. There was an implication that the guest had been disrespectful in his response. While I did not hear the guest's response, I did hear the loud and disrespectful manner that Johan intentionally addressed our guest in front of the entire rehearsal party. I did see how he singled out this individual and caused quite a scene in the middle of what was supposed to be a happy event. I believe that Johan had several other options in how to respectfully address this situation, instead he chose rudeness and intimidation. After learning the details that caused the scene, myself and another family member spoke to Amanda and offered a sincere apology. The rules were clarified and we assured her that we were looking forward to making wonderful memories the following day. She agreed, saying they were looking forward to a good day with our entire guest list. While I was talking to Amanda, Johan spoke to the bride and groom in an escalated and intentionally intimidating manner regarding "the contract expectations". The manner which he spoke was disrespectful and brought the bride to tears. The day of the wedding came and things were running smoothly until family began arriving for photos. The "water offender" guest arrived and Johan demanded he leave the venue. I shared that I had spoken to Amanda and felt we had come to an agreement that he was cleared to attend. Myself and a few other family members including the "water offender" offered another sincere apology and the "water offender" extended his hand to Johan. Johan refused to shake his hand initially, then begrudgingly accepted the handshake and allowed the guest to attend the wedding. Meanwhile a different guest was standing by a waste can when Johan tossed his soda can from across the room. The can splattered soda all down the front of the guest's dress, permanently staining it. When the guest looked at him in distress, he casually said "oops". During photos Amanda pulled me aside and privately but assertively denied having given permission for our "water offender" to attend the wedding. I apologized again for any misunderstanding or miscommunication and asked if I would simply attend my daughter's wedding. At this point the continued confrontations felt like bullying and harassment. Some of our guests commented on signage that they felt was offensive and unwelcoming. One sign indicated that all children should be within arms' reach of their parents. If the child was found to be in violation of this rule, the child and the parents would be asked to leave the venue. Several guests told me that Johan made them feel uncomfortable. They described him as "the lurking hippie" and felt that he was eavesdropping on conversations. They felt he was especially targeting the "water offender" throughout the event. So, is the venue beautiful? Absolutely! I have no complaints about the food, service, pre-event coordination or pricing. It would be a perfect place for a small event with no children and docile, well hydrated adults. I find it rude and disrespectful that Johan would burden the bride and groom with such trivial grievances and add drama to an otherwise happy event. Continued confrontations over a single, minor issue was harassment on a special day that had been paid for in advance. I have a big problem inviting guests to a celebration where the host lacks communication skills, is intimidating, dramatic, rude and a bully. read more

Venue was beautiful, food was great, owner was very rude to my family on what was otherwise a loving day. I enjoyed working with the garden wedding center staff in all our meetings up until the day of my wedding. Amanda was very responsive to emails and questions/requests throughout the process. The food tasting was a great experience and they were able to accommodate a request that was not on their website, which was very appreciated. The food the day of was also very delish and we had multiple guests specifically mention this to us. Unfortunately I felt compelled to write a review that includes negative feedback due to the way myself and my family were addressed the day of the rehearsal and day of my wedding by the owner of the venue, Johan. There was a conflict he had, while not in my presence, that led to him walking through the middle of our rehearsal and "banning" this family member due to bringing in a water bottle after being told there was a "no carry in policy". Following the scene that was made by this owner, he pulled myself and my partner away separately and were talked to in an elevated way and warned about our "contract" because we were "in hour two" of our rehearsal, which was past the slotted hour time. He made threats if we were in violation of this again he would terminate the event the following day. We apologized and when returned to our car we were 10 minutes over our "hour". It was not so much WHAT was said by Johan, but HOW this information was delivered that was over the top and uncalled for. It was aggressive and lacked the customer service and respect expected when making an investment in a venue for a special day. I, the bride, was in tears that night due to the tone used towards me for a seemly small rule violation that could have been handled in a much more graceful and customer centered way. This being said, we went into the day of the wedding optimistic that this was behind us and my family made extra effort to be respectful of drinking their facilities water. Unfortunately, the day of our wedding I stood in my wedding dress with my soon to be husband prior to our ceremony, again needing to settle conflict with Johan. He was again disrespectful with the tone he addressed my family and lacked awareness, or accountability, of the aggressive manor he was communicating. Again, I can be understanding of needing to enforce rules, it was HOW he talked with my guests and myself that led me to feel that people need to book this venue with both eyes open. read more

I cannot say enough good things about this venue. My fiancée and I just had our tasting last night and the food was unbelievable. From my experience at other weddings its far beyond what you would expect. Each time we tried another dish we were left with harder and harder decisions because every single food option just blew our minds. Beyond this they have been incredible to work with. They've helped us through the wedding planning process and really made this planning process easy. I cannot say enough good things about the people here and their beautiful property. They do things on so much more of a personal level thsn literally anyone else in the industry we spoke to before meeting them. Normally when you go to a venue you get a very corporate money hungry vibe, here you get open communication and passion for what they're doing. This is their life's es work and dreams and it shows in every thing they do. This is the perfect venue to make the perfect wedding happen. read more

I fell in love with The Gardens within the first few minutes of stepping foot on the grounds, and the love continued to grow as we met the amazing family who makes the Gardens not just a beautiful setting, but a place of peace and kindness for all to enjoy. I said I wanted to be married but not plan a wedding so I was looking for an easy button and was blessed to find the Gardens. We were covered rain or shine with the stunning gardens and beautiful chapel. The coordinator made decision making non stressful and kept everything organized with great proactive communication. And did I mention the food...OMG I am still daydreaming about the food...and our guests raved about it for days. Good thing I don't have to fit back into my wedding dress! We will definitely go back for Tuesdays in the gardens and would love to go back for special occasions as it has a special place in our hearts as do the people who work so hard to make it the amazing venue that it is. Thank you Gardens team for the love and hard work that you pour into making The Gardens such a spectacular place to become husband and wife. read more

I had the opportunity to have some bridal photos taken here. It's by far the most beautiful place I have seen to showcase a wedding! I love the outdoors .. the natural surroundings .. and the visually and spirituality appealing outdoor areas for both the ceremony and pictures. Flowers, trees, blue sky.. its creativity and romantism came out in every picture I took. It's even got a whimsical little tree swing. For those who like an indoor wedding, it's got a magestic non denominational chapel .. with stained glass and meaningful quotes. Downstairs there is a large area for all your bridesmaids to get ready and chill before and after the ceremony.. bring the mimosas and enjoy your day! read more

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We just had my daughter's wedding at the Gardens Wedding Center this past weekend. After spending 2 days at the Gardens, and with the owners and staff, I don't think it would be possible to find a better place for a wedding! The venue is beautiful, the staff was wonderful, and we had a great time. It was really nice having everything in one place. We had the rehearsal on Friday, and the rehearsal dinner outdoors Friday evening, catered by the Gardens. Wonderful food. Everyone spent the day on Saturday getting ready and enjoying the grounds. The ceremony was held outdoors, but it was nice knowing we could use the beautiful church if the weather wasn't so nice. We have so many memories created. My daughter said it was the best wedding she could have had! Thank you to the Gardens Wedding Center! read more

The gardens food truck came out to Girl Scout camp and served us the most delicious dinner on our big overnight. The girls and volunteers were so excited and we even ate them out of green beans!! read more

All in all, a solid place for a wedding. PROs - Although I was hesitant, the enforced wedding coordinator (we had April) was actually really helpful. As someone who has never been married before, and hasn't been apart of any weddings, April was able to help with rehearsal and kept the whole show sailing smoothly. - There is plenty of parking available (even if you don't hire a parking attendant) - Lots of seating indoors CONs - I really felt as if I was being nickled and dimed to death. They charge you X amount for the ceremony, then make you pay another X amount for a wedding coordinator (which is a member of their family), then try to make you pay for things like pew decorations, parking attendants, etc. I didn't really feel like I was getting a good value for the price even before the add-ons they tried selling. - The speakers apparently broke during a thunderstorm this summer and they hadn't had a wedding inside since, so there was no sound system for our rehearsal and then during the wedding the mic kept getting feedback or it was so low no one could head - They do multiple weddings in a day, so you have to pick a certain time slot for your ceremony and then make sure you are in and out before the next wedding. We had a Friday wedding so we were able to leave our decorations overnight on Thursday, but we would not have been able to do that if our wedding was on a Saturday, meaning someone in our wedding party would have had to come in early to set up. - My Mother-in-Law was my contact person for the gardens and she had a hard time getting a call back the week of the wedding. Her emails were never answered Our ceremony was inside the chapel. It was a little cookie cutter, but it got the job done. If a location inside Milwaukee is out of your budget, this is a good nondenominational option. read more