Weddings
Convenient Campus Location
Pres House is a home in the heart of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Our chapel is a Madison landmark on the Library Mall—just steps away from the Memorial Union and Lake Mendota, at the foot of State Street and in view of the State Capitol. Our central location in downtown Madison provides convenience and ease in capturing classic and spontaneous outdoor shots of you and your wedding party. Pres House is within walking distance or only a short drive from numerous popular reception venues—the ideal location for your dream wedding.
Simple Gothic Elegance
Established in 1907 by the Presbyterian Church, this striking Neo-Gothic stone building is an architectural landmark on the UW–Madison campus. Newly renovated in 2007, Pres House maintains its historic charm with beautiful stained-glass windows and hand-carved woodwork, and has added modern amenities such as air conditioning and new upholstered chairs that seat up to 250 guests in the chapel. The Pridham Lounge, with its gas fireplace, provides an intimate setting for your rehearsal dinner, seating up to 70 guests. The beauty, character, and simple elegance of Pres House makes it the perfect setting for a traditional, yet intimate, ceremonial site for your church wedding.
Non-Denominational
Pres House is a campus ministry for the University of Wisconsin. As part of its outreach to the community, anyone may rent the chapel for a wedding. Many couples that are married at Pres House do not have a home church or parish. They might live outside of Madison or are of different denominations and need a neutral location for their wedding. Pres House allows you the flexibility to choose your own minister or a judge to perform your ceremony. We can also provide names of people if you need help finding someone to officiate. You have the freedom to customize any style of ceremony, using whatever words and music you wish. We are happy to offer our experience and suggestions to help you create a unique and meaningful service.
Wedding Coordinator
Our experienced wedding coordinator, Pat Werk, will give you a tour of the facility and help coordinate some of the details leading up to your wedding day. Pat will be there to help orchestrate the flow of the rehearsal and is available for any questions and support needed by the wedding party. On your wedding day, she is available to troubleshoot any issues that might arise for the wedding party or guests and will help make sure the ceremony runs smoothly.
Availability
To see if your wedding date is available, review the Pres House Calendar. Each Saturday has three different time slots (8-11:30 a.m., 12-3:30 p.m., and 4-7:30 p.m.) available for weddings. Friday weddings can be scheduled if the building is available. The time block for the Friday wedding will be worked out with the Wedding Coordinator.
Reserving A Wedding Date
For information on reserving Pres House for your wedding, including the cost, guidelines, and to print the Wedding Reservation Form, download the 2010-2011 Wedding Ceremony Guidelines (PDF)
Pres House Calendar
2010-2011 Wedding Ceremony Guidelines (PDF)
Wedding Videos: Kate & Josh at Pres House
Wedding Video: Tanis & Terry at Pres House
Photos of the facility
Google Map: Pres House
For More Information, Contact:
Pat Werk, Pres House Wedding Coordinator
wedding@preshouse.org
608.257.1030 Pres House
608.216.7319 voicemail number
Comments From Past Brides And Grooms
“Everything was beautiful and all went as planned. Thank you so much for everything! I would recommend The Pres House to ANYONE for their wedding!!”
“Pat Werk went above and beyond in every way possible to insure that my wedding was a success. "Excellent" does not begin to describe her performance and her dedication to her job. In addition to her many duties that day, she also helped to create extra flower arrangements, drove us to our photo site when we were in a pinch and created a wedding script that won rave reviews by our guests. When I walked down the aisle, the church decorations were more beautiful than I could have imagined. Even in the stress of the rush, she made the room feel calm and made sure everyone was on task. You are very lucky to have Pat Werk at the Pres House. She is amazing!!!”
“Everything was beautiful and went very smoothly! Pat was very helpful in coordinating everyone and making sure the quartet knew when to play, the ushers knew what they were doing, and everyone was in the right place at the right time. I appreciate everything you did to make sure the day was perfect for us. Thank you.”
“Everything was so phenomenal ...and because we had our ceremony here we were able to refer some close friends for their wedding next October!”
Room Reservations
Pres House is also available for other events including use by student organizations, religious groups, classes, etc. The following rooms are available:
- Pridham Lounge:
Main floor of Pres House, capacity: 60
- Allison Lounge:
Second floor of Pres House, capacity: 40
- Pres House Residence Lounge:
Main floor of residence, capacity: 80-100
For more information about reserving a room at Pres House one time or weekly please contact us at 257-1030 or brandon@preshouse.org.
2009-2010 Room Reservations & Use Guidelines (PDF)
Other Organizations
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at UW-Madison has its offices in the lower level of Pres House. IVCF seeks to establish and advance at colleges and universities witnessing communities of students and faculty who follow Jesus as Savior and Lord: growing in love for God, God's Word, God's people of every ethnicity and culture and God's purposes in the world. You will find the following offices at Pres House:
