We used the Monona Terrace Rooftop West for our ceremony and the Monona Terrace Community Terrace for our reception. I am blown away by how smooth everything ran and how professional the Monona Terrace staff was until the very last detail of our wedding day! A few highlights:

• Marcia was an amazing catering coordinator, it was like having our own personal wedding planner. She walked us through every stage of our wedding day and curated a plan for the day that kept us organized and everything running smoothly the day-of. She really made us feel like it was "our day" and took care of so much in the background: timing the bridal party as they walked down the aisle, cueing our DJ, timing the grand entrance, saving us hors d'oeuvres, and having a cocktail ready to go for us when we sat for dinner! She probably did much more than I am even aware of. It was evident she is an experienced professional when it comes to events, she knew all the right places to get staged and had great timing.
• Monona Terrace did most of the set up so we were only responsible for the centerpieces and a few more decorative items. They moved all our decor from the loading dock to the reception space so it was ready to go early!
• We received a lot of compliments on the food. I thought my meal (Portobello Wellington) was absolutely amazing! Several people told me it was the best vegetarian option they've ever had at a wedding. Overall, there were great portion sizes and I didn't hear a single complaint.
• Monona Terrace did all the cleanup after the reception was over, we just needed to pick everything up in the loading dock the next day.
• The building is an architectural marvel. You can't ask for a better view, a better location, or a more beautiful space. I am being 100% honest when I say: the day was all I dreamed of and more. The Monona Terrace may seem like an expensive venue, but we compared the pricing to many venues in the area and it ended up being about the same price. We got everything we wanted by using the basic wedding package, moderately priced meals (pot roast & bone-in pork rather than steak & salmon for example), we had an open bar for cocktail hour and open beer & wine for the rest of the night, and it ended up being less expensive than we expected. With all the extra benefits we received from an event planning standpoint, not to mention how gorgeous the space is, the Monona Terrace is an amazing value. I would highly recommend The Monona Terrace to any couple getting married in Madison!