News Room

Readers of Wisconsin Bride magazine nominated Monona Terrace as a 2013 finalist for Best Indoor Reception Site!  Thank you for allowing us to continue to serve as the backdrop for some of your most precious, memory-making events!  See all of the finalists here.

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It was a beautiful fall day for Mandy and Kevin who chose to celebrate their special day at Madison’s Monona Terrace.  With Lake Monona shimmering in the background, the ceremony was truly romantic and timeless… and colorful!  The yellow- themed wedding party then moved to the Grand Ballroom for the where everyone danced, laughed, and had a great time.  Bucky Badger even bust some moves Gangnam Style on the dance floor!  See images here.

Megan & Matt chose the Monona Terrace rooftop to exchange their wedding vows and celebrate their most special occasion with family and friends.  The beautiful wedding flowers, and the flowers in the rooftop gardens, were offset by the sparkling waters of Lake Monona, and the rooftop fountain. Read more here.

Kristin and Patrick's wedding and reception at Monona Terrace could be described in one word: classic. From photos in front of the Capitol to the exchange of red roses during the ceremony to the breathtaking views of Lake Monona, their wedding was reminiscent of old Hollywood elegance. This video, recorded on super 8mm film, gives the celebration a vintage air that only adds to the flawless reception in the Community Terrace.

On St. Patrick's Day, Sarah and Ryan saw two families become one at their wedding reception at the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Monona Terrace. The luck of the Irish must have been with them, for March was unseasonably warm, with no snow in sight! The couple was able to get some amazing shots outside in the Monona Terrace rooftop gardens with twinkling lights and shimmering lake views. The evening culminated with a beautiful reception in the Grand Ballroom for a night of dancing with family and friends. Click here to see a video of Sarah and Ryan's big day at Monona Terrace!

The readers of Corporate Report Wisconsin voted Monona Terrace as the Best Conference Center in Wisconsin, honoring Monona Terrace with the Platinum Award. The winners were announced in a ceremony on June 8, 2012 at the Madison Concourse Hotel, and a total of nearly 3000 votes were cast online by readers. Click to view the award or the ceremony program.

Over the past year, meeting and event planners voted in the annual Awards of Excellence program sponsored by Facilities & Destinations Magazine, and Monona Terrace received the Prime Site Award for 2012. This was the tenth year in a row that Monona Terrace was honored by the magazine. Click to view our name on the list of winners and a feature on Monona Terrace!

In 1956, a 12-year-old named Jim Berger wrote a letter to Frank Lloyd Wright asking the famous architect to design a dog house for his beloved black lab, Eddie. Shortly thereafter, Wright sent the designs, free of charge. Berger, now age 68, has recently reconstructed the dog house. Monona Terrace hosted the dog house for one week in June during its national tour in 2012, as well as the original letters. See more about the dog house event here and in the Huffington Post!

Love was in full bloom when Kari and Cullen celebrated becoming man and wife with a wedding and reception at Monona Terrace this past spring. Undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin, they got married in true Madison fashion, with breathtaking views of Lake Monona and the Capitol serving as the backdrop for their first photos as newlyweds. Click here to see the memories made at Monona Terrace!

Monona Terrace received its first ever Common Council resolution for the biennial community program, Terrace Town, which serves 1450 Dane County school children, utilizes 25 local architects, urban planners and countless other volunteers for the design and creation of sustainable model cities. View the Proclamation here.

The 2011 year end performance summary for Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center compares 2011 performance in contrast to 2009 and 2010. As it indicates, 2011 was a successful year for Monona Terrace in fulfilling our mission to be a community gathering place, tourism destination, and catalyst for economic activity. In 2011, Monona Terrace hosted 630 events.  Financial outcomes were slightly above 2010 results, and were the third best in the facility's history. We are hopeful for a stronger economy accompanied by even better results in 2012 and 2013. Despite a trend toward smaller events, a contraction in social, not-for-profit banquet events and new and increased competition, the Monona Terrace team capably managed its expenses resulting in a surplus of $78,000. Click here to read the full report.

MONONA TERRACE 2011 AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

See how Ryan and Angie celebrated their eternal love in a beautiful Autumn ceremony on the Monona Terrace rooftop, accompanied by the lake glistening in the sun and the colorful changing leaves.  Afterward, the couple danced the night away under the illuminated chandeliers in the elegant Monona Terrace ballroom.  See photos captured here.  

Beautiful Lakeside Wedding & Reception

Recommendation: "One must consider the entire evening when planning their wedding. Monona Terrace makes the most of the entire day. We found them accomodating to all of our needs. We had a beautiful ceremony right on the water and then enjoyed the excellent reception in a room with a view. The ceremony space was outdoors on the deck overlooking the lake. We were able to have all of the oral and musical accompniants that we requested for our service. The ceremony evening was enhanced by the location of the reception, right downstairs! No one had to drive, let alone walk from the cocktail hour held outside directly following our service. Then the entire reception was facilitated by their excellent staff. We had a great band on a stage that was all arranged by the Terrace. There is certainly a benefit to having your service and reception at the same place. We enjoyed the food, service and atmosphere of this full-service venue. One doesn't need to worry about much with such a professional operation like the one found at the Monona Terrace."  See more reviews on Eventective here.

Follow the link to see why they chose Monona Terrace:

Congratulations Megan & Matt !

WISCONSIN BRIDE MAGAZINE 2011 - BEST INDOOR RECEPTION SITE
The finalists are: Lake Windsor Golf Club, The Madison Club, Monona Terrace
The winner is: Monona Terrace
Madison | 608.261.4000 | mononaterrace.com
“After one stroll around the building, we knew Monona Terrace was where we wanted to get married. The site and location are absolutely gorgeous for a wedding and reception, and we liked that it was all in one building so we didn’t have to travel. The ballroom looked beautiful for the reception, and the staff was professional, kind and helpful. They paid attention to every detail and fulfilled all our requests, from planning to setup to clean-up.”  – Abigail Clark Oliver, Jefferson, married Sept. 5, 2010  

See all of the award recipients at http://wibride.com/best-of

Visit here to see a beautiful Indian- American wedding at Monona Terrace captured by Jamie M. Swanson Photography.  The brilliant colors in the dresses and wedding flowers only serve to enhance Frank Lloyd Wright's living work of art that is Monona Terrace... one of the midwest's premiere wedding venues.

Monona Terrace was named 2011's "Best Conference Center" by Corporate Report Wisconsin! Nearly 2000 readers cast their votes online this year to determine the winners for each of the Best of Wisconsin Business Awards categories. The winners were announced Friday, June 10th at Corporate Report Wisconsin's annual Best of Wisconsin Business Awards ceremony. For a listing of all the award categories and winners click here.

The Association of Architecture Organizations conducted the U.S. portion of the Golden Cubes Awards to bring attention and awareness to the tremendous work being done each day in the area of design education. During the jury’s review of more than 40 applications from 15 U.S. States, a number of very strong programs were identified. The U.S. Jury passed a Special Recognition citation to four applicants, including Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, for its project Terrace Town Goes Green.  This Special Jury Recognition application is available, with photos, for public view at https://www.wizehive.com/voting/goldencubes/73/92810.  The program award was based on robust community participation, types of partnerships, and scale of participation.

“The sheer diversity of work in this education sector is an absolute virtue,” commented Association of Architecture Organizations Executive Director Michael Wood. “We thank our partners in this project, the UIA and the American Institute of Architects. We gratefully recognize the American Architectural Foundation for its technical support as well as the entire jury for volunteering their time and services. Most important, we celebrate the hard work of every applicant, as they are pioneering new learning experiences for students every day – ones they will carry forward with them well past graduation.”  

Heather Sabin is the Tourism Coordinator for Monona Terrace and the organizer of Terrace Town since its inception in 2000.  “We are excited to share this award with the many teachers, students, and mentors who participate in the Terrace Town program.  They value the built environment as a powerful tool for student learning.  They have also integrated sustainable practices into the program with great success,” says Sabin.   

Located at One John Nolen Drive, Monona Terrace hosts approximately 620 events each year resulting in over $35 million in annual economic impact for the region.  In addition, the Frank Lloyd Wright designed center produces and sponsors free or low cost community events that serve over 38,000 people each year.  The Monona Terrace mission is to be a high quality, customer focused facility that serves as a community gathering place, a tourism destination and a catalyst for economic activity for the City of Madison, Dane County and the State of Wisconsin. For more information, find us on Facebook, visit our website or call (608) 261-4000, TTY (608) 261-4150.

Monona Terrace was nominated in two catogories for Wisconsin Bride Magazine's 2011 "Best of" Awards... for Best Wedding Ceremony Venue and Best Indoor Reception Site.   Thanks to the many couples who choose to share one of the most important days of their lives with us!  http://wibride.com/node/10618

Since last August, Monona Terrace and Monona Catering have diverted 6.8 tons of organic kitchen waste from the landfill by composting. Not only have these efforts saved landfill space, they also reduced the production of methane, a gas 20x more potent than CO2. See more here http://mononaterracecompost.weebly.com/

Newlyweds Lorelei and Eric celebrated their beautiful winter wedding in the Community Terrace at Monona Terrace. http://www.christinabeam.com/blog/?p=1244.  The colorful holiday decor, the Frank Lloyd Wright designed environment, and striking lake views all made for a perfect wedding celebration!

Wedding receptions that take place at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wisconsin not only feature beautifully decorated, custom wedding cakes and pastries, but also feature one of the most spectacular views in the country to serve as a backdrop to your Wisconsin wedding or special occasion.   

What better way to capture your special day than by coupling picturesque views with artfully decorated delights!  Here are a couple examples of weddings that took the cake at Monona Terrace!  For more information, or to check facility availability for your wedding or special occasion, call 608.261.4000. 

Cupcakes in bottom photo by Cupcakes-A-Go-Go

The 2010 Answer Book was published this week and revealed that Monona Terrace was voted Best Wedding Reception location as voted by Wisconsin State Journal and  Madison.com readers!  See page 112 of your 2010 Answer Book!

Monona Terrace has been named the best reception site for a small wedding by Wisconsin Bride Magazine!

Wisconsin Bride Magazine's Best of 2010 readers' choice awards recognizes the best wisconsin wedding vendors of the year, from the best bridal gown to the best dance instructor.

Monona Terrace was voted as the best reception site for a small wedding of fewer than 200 guests, surpassing the other finalists Heidel House Resort and The Madison Club. 

“I chose Monona Terrace because I knew the location was beautiful. I held the ceremony on the rooftop overlooking the lake and had the reception in one of the ballrooms. The food was delicious, and the staff and planners were friendly and great to work with. I was planning everything from New York, and they were very accommodating in terms of planning over the phone and through e-mail. I had an amazing experience and would recommend Monona Terrace to anyone.” – Mikaela Figueroa, Madison, married June 16, 2009

For more details, click files/intranet/news/bestreception(1).pdf  To see a list of all the Best of 2010 winners, visit www.wibride.com/best-of

Monona Terrace Hosts an Esteemed Isthmus Green Day Wedding!

Wisconsin Bride Magazine showcases beautiful wedding reception at Monona Terrace with lovely attire, beautiful wedding cake and fabulous table settings! http://www.wibride.com/real-weddings/emily-josh

A member of the Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau joins in on the meeting of two pioneers of "green" practices.  To see the full article, click here.