Large African-themed waterpark and convention resort off I-90/94 in Lake Delton, with 740 guest rooms and Wisconsin’s largest resort convention center; outdoor ceremonies are held four miles away at the resort’s Trappers Turn Golf Club.
VIDART is a Madison, Wisconsin wedding photography and videography company covering Wisconsin Dells and the rest of the Midwest with no travel fee. This page is our planning guide for a wedding at Kalahari Resort: the spaces and how they photograph, where the light is, the portrait spots on site and nearby, and the logistics that affect your timeline. Photo or video coverage is $1,500 for a half day and $3,000 for a full day, with no travel fee.
The spaces at Kalahari Resort
| Space | Use | Capacity | Setting | For the camera |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa Ballroom | reception | 4080 | indoor | Convention-scale 52,000-56,000 sq ft ballroom divisible into East and West halves (each about 1,320 banquet); very high ceilings, house lighting and pipe-and-drape scale, so uplighting and room decor define the look. |
| Kilimanjaro Ballroom | reception | 1344 | indoor | 20,560 sq ft ballroom divisible into eight sections; carpeted convention room with house lighting and African-pattern decor. |
| Kalahari Ballroom | reception | 1008 | indoor | 17,200 sq ft ballroom divisible into sections A-H, adjoining the 4,000 sq ft South Atrium; mid-size option for weddings of 150-400. |
| North Atrium and South Atrium | cocktail | n/a | indoor | 6,475 and 4,000 sq ft atriums off the ballrooms (750 and 500 standing) with daylight from the resort’s main corridors; used for cocktail hour and ceremony staging. |
| Wood-series meeting rooms (Cypress, Banyan, Ironwood) | reception | n/a | indoor | Smaller 1,300-2,300 sq ft rooms suited to intimate receptions or rehearsal dinners; a dressing room is listed as a resort amenity. |
| Trappers Turn Clubhouse | both | n/a | indoor | Golf clubhouse with rustic brick, warm wood and expansive windows over the course; reviewers report receptions of about 175 with a wrap-around deck and balcony above a pond with a fountain. |
| Trappers Turn Veranda and grounds | ceremony | n/a | outdoor | Outdoor veranda and lawn ceremony sites by the clubhouse pond and stream; reviewers also describe ceremonies on the driving range with open rolling-course views. |
Capacities are the venue’s published figures and change with layout; confirm current numbers with the venue.
How we photograph and film a wedding at Kalahari Resort
Our approach is the same at every venue: two of us (or more for photo and video together), documentary coverage of the ceremony, toasts and dance floor, directed portraits only when the light is worth it, and a timeline built backwards from sunset. What changes is the plan for the building.
- Light. The resort ballrooms have no outdoor ceremony lawn; golden-hour portraits happen at Trappers Turn, so build travel time into the timeline between the two properties. We schedule couple portraits for the last hour before sunset and tell you in advance where we will take you.
- Rain plan. Trappers Turn outdoor ceremonies move inside the clubhouse, and the resort ballrooms and atriums offer fully indoor ceremony options with a provided ceremony arch. We photograph the backup space during our walkthrough so the plan B images are as considered as plan A.
- Policies. All food and beverage must be provided by the resort; packages are quoted per guest with ceremony fee of $250 with a reception rental and a 12-hour event window. We confirm the venue’s photography, drone and vendor requirements in writing before the wedding and provide a certificate of insurance when one is required.
- Timing. Amplified music is allowed indoors and outdoors but must end by midnight. Coverage is planned to end with the last dances rather than the venue’s closing time.
For video we run two camera angles plus a locked-off wide on the ceremony, lavalier microphones on the officiant and groom, and a direct feed from the DJ for toasts. Aerials are included where the venue and airspace allow; see our guide to drone video at Wisconsin weddings.
Portrait spots
On site
- Trappers Turn pond and fountain — Balcony and lawn frame the couple against the pond and fountain with fairways behind; late-afternoon light rakes across the course.
- Trappers Turn clubhouse deck — Wrap-around deck with heat lamps and course views; good for sunset and dusk portraits and reception candids.
- Trappers Turn fairways and tree lines — 27 holes of wooded, rolling terrain designed by Andy North and Roger Packard; mown fairways and mature trees for golf-cart portrait runs.
- Kalahari ballroom foyers and atriums — Carved wood, African art and warm-toned corridors inside the resort for indoor portraits on rainy days; shoot during setup before guests fill the halls.
- Resort exterior and entry porte-cochere — Stone-and-timber lodge facade for arrival and exit shots; evening light on the entrance.
Within a short drive
- Mirror Lake State Park (Baraboo) — About 10 minutes south; quiet sandstone-walled lake with wooded trails and shoreline; state park sticker required.
- Rocky Arbor State Park (Wisconsin Dells) — About 5 minutes north; sandstone bluffs and pine woods, open seasonally; state park sticker required.
- Downtown Wisconsin Dells Riverwalk (Wisconsin Dells) — About 10 minutes north; river walk along the Wisconsin River with sandstone banks and the downtown bridge.
Thirty to forty-five minutes of portrait time across the day is enough; we split it between a longer session before or after the ceremony and ten minutes at golden hour.
Logistics and planning notes
- Vendor policy: All food and beverage must be provided by the resort; packages are quoted per guest with ceremony fee of $250 with a reception rental and a 12-hour event window.
- Noise/curfew: Amplified music is allowed indoors and outdoors but must end by midnight.
- Parking: Valet parking and a large surface lot at the resort; Trappers Turn is four miles away and the resort offers optional shuttle service between the two.
- Lodging: The resort has 740 guest rooms and suites with wedding room blocks; the couple’s party can stay on site while ceremony guests travel to Trappers Turn.
- Rain plan: Trappers Turn outdoor ceremonies move inside the clubhouse, and the resort ballrooms and atriums offer fully indoor ceremony options with a provided ceremony arch.
- Sunset/orientation: The resort ballrooms have no outdoor ceremony lawn; golden-hour portraits happen at Trappers Turn, so build travel time into the timeline between the two properties.
- Accessibility: Listed as handicap accessible; dressing room and liability insurance are listed among amenities.
Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, Wisconsin Dells, 1305 Kalahari Dr, Wisconsin Dells, WI. Venue website.
About the venue. Kalahari Wisconsin Dells opened in May 2000 and acquired the 27-hole Trappers Turn Golf Club, designed by Andy North and Roger Packard and opened in 1991, in 2006. The Africa Ballroom covers 52,000-56,000 sq ft and seats about 4,080 for a banquet, with the Kilimanjaro (20,560 sq ft) and Kalahari (17,200 sq ft) ballrooms as smaller options. The resort advertises 212,000 sq ft of flexible meeting space, 45 meeting rooms and two junior ballrooms, making it Wisconsin’s largest resort convention center. Weddings at the resort can host up to 500 guests, with catering and alcohol provided exclusively by the venue and music ending by midnight. Trappers Turn’s clubhouse, at 2955 Wisconsin Dells Parkway, features rustic brick accents, warm wood and expansive windows, and sits four miles from the resort.
Pricing
Same rates for photography and videography; book one or add the second for the same price. No travel fee anywhere in our service area.
| Coverage | Photography | Videography | Both |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half day — up to 5 hours | $1,500 | $1,500 | $3,000 |
| Full day — up to 10 hours | $3,000 | $3,000 | $6,000 |
Every booking includes professional editing, an online gallery, a USB drive with the high-resolution JPGs or finished films, and a print release with full usage rights (we do not retain copyright over your photos or films). Videography includes an edited highlight film plus the full ceremony and toasts. Albums, prints and RAW archive drives are add-ons on the pricing page. A $300 deposit holds the date.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to be on Kalahari Resort’s preferred vendor list?
Most venues, including resorts and hotels, allow outside photographers and videographers; some require a certificate of insurance or a short vendor form. We provide event liability coverage and a certificate of insurance whenever a venue requires it, and handle any vendor paperwork before the day.
How much does wedding photography at Kalahari Resort cost?
Photography or videography is $1,500 for a half day (up to 5 hours) or $3,000 for a full day (up to 10 hours); both together are $3,000 and $6,000. There is no travel fee.
How many hours of coverage do we need at Kalahari Resort?
A full day (10 hours) covers getting ready through the dances. A half day (5 hours) works for a ceremony and reception in one place when coverage starts shortly before the ceremony. See our guide to how many hours of wedding photography you need.
Can you fly a drone at Kalahari Resort?
Only where the venue permits it and the airspace allows; we check both before the wedding and include aerials at no extra charge when they are possible.
When will we get our photos and films?
Edited photos are delivered in an online gallery in two to six weeks; wedding films in four to twelve weeks depending on season.
Do you photograph engagement sessions near Kalahari Resort?
Yes. An engagement session can be added to any wedding photography or videography package; the portrait spots listed above work well for it.
Planning a wedding at Kalahari Resort?
Send us the date and we will confirm availability within a day, walk through the timeline for Kalahari Resort with you, and hold the date with a $300 deposit.
Nearby and related
More on weddings in the area: our Wisconsin Dells wedding photographer and Wisconsin Dells wedding videographer pages, the wedding-day timeline guide, the best months to marry in Wisconsin and what wedding photography costs in Wisconsin.
Other venue guides: The Edgewater, Monona Terrace, Garver Feed Mill, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, The American Club, The Pfister Hotel, Milwaukee Art Museum, Grand Geneva Resort, The Abbey Resort.