Former John Pritzlaff Hardware Company wholesale complex on the west bank of the Milwaukee River at the edge of the Historic Third Ward, a National Register-listed group of cream city brick buildings (1875-1920) renovated in 2018 with two event halls, a four-season courtyard, rooftop and wedding suites.
VIDART is a Madison, Wisconsin wedding photography and videography company covering downtown Milwaukee and the rest of the Midwest with no travel fee. This page is our planning guide for a wedding at Pritzlaff Events: 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 Pritzlaff Events
| Space | Use | Capacity | Setting | For the camera |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 333 (Space 333) | both | 350 | indoor | 13,000 sq ft hall with cast iron columns, exposed industrial beams, large arched windows that fill the room with daylight, a private elevated mezzanine, walk-in vault, decorative staircase, historic clock and a reclaimed iron, steel and concrete bar; cream, blush, gray and ivory palette with dark bar and stair accents; plated dinner 350, social 600. |
| 325 (Space 325) | both | 250 | indoor | About 7,200 sq ft of exposed cream city brick, tall wood beams, a reclaimed wood bar and an iconic clock; warmer and more intimate than 333 with the courtyard adjoining; plated dinner 250, social 315. |
| Four-Season Courtyard | both | 250 | outdoor | Roughly 15,000 sq ft enclosed outdoor space off 325 with fire pits and lounge furniture, covered and uncovered sections; ceremony capacity 250 uncovered or 200 covered, also used for cocktail hour and late-night food trucks. |
| Rooftop | cocktail | n/a | outdoor | Private rooftop with city views, offered as an add-on for first looks, portraits and a break from the party; open sky, so best at golden hour and blue hour. |
| Wedding suites | getting-ready | n/a | indoor | Each hall has its own private suite with lounge furniture, floor-length mirrors, private restroom and lockable doors; window light not published. |
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 Pritzlaff Events
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 building fronts Plankinton Avenue on the west bank of the Milwaukee River with downtown rising to the north and east; interior light comes from the arched windows and sunset falls behind the building to the west, so plan golden-hour portraits on the rooftop or along the river rather than at the facade. We schedule couple portraits for the last hour before sunset and tell you in advance where we will take you.
- Rain plan. Courtyard ceremonies have a covered option for up to 200 and either hall can host the ceremony indoors (333 seats 350); the courtyard is marketed as four-season with fire pits. We photograph the backup space during our walkthrough so the plan B images are as considered as plan A.
- Policies. No indoor sparklers or cold sparks, no bird seed, glitter, confetti or real red petals on the aisle; rooftop access for photos is included in rentals per the weddings page but listed as an add-on on the space pages, so confirm in the contract; the building’s Doors Open listing allows photography, video and tripods. 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. Volume is capped at 95 dB during events; the standard rental is 10 consecutive hours (most ceremony clients buy 11) with dinner and dancing typically ending at midnight and extra hours at $250 each. 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
- Arched windows in 333 — Tall arched warehouse windows give big directional window light for couple portraits and the first look during the afternoon.
- Cream city brick and wood beams in 325 — Pale brick and timber for warm, textured portraits; string light and bar light carry evening frames.
- Walk-in vault and decorative staircase — Original hardware-company vault and stair in 333 for editorial detail and couple frames.
- Courtyard fire pits at dusk — Enclosed brick courtyard with fire pits and lounge seating for blue-hour and night portraits.
- Rooftop skyline backdrop — Add-on rooftop with downtown Milwaukee behind the couple; verify the add-on is booked before planning sunset portraits.
- Plankinton Avenue facade and 1875 pediment — Cream city brick elevation with the round-topped “1875 – Pritzlaff” pediment and arched windows for street-side portraits; the facade faces east toward the river so it gets morning light.
Within a short drive
- Milwaukee Riverwalk and Third Ward bridges (Milwaukee) — Steps away; riverwalk, bridges and brick warehouse backdrops along N Water St and Broadway.
- Milwaukee Public Market and Broadway (Milwaukee) — About 3 minutes east across the river; market hall, awnings and Third Ward storefronts.
- Milwaukee Art Museum and lakefront (Milwaukee) — About 6 minutes east; Calatrava pavilion, lakefront promenade and Lakeshore State Park.
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
- Load-in: All vendors load in through the courtyard at 143 W St Paul Ave via the metal service door for their space, never through the Plankinton Avenue or guest doors; typical vendor load-in is 3pm with guests at 5pm, and load-out must be complete before 1am with everything removed the same night.
- Noise/curfew: Volume is capped at 95 dB during events; the standard rental is 10 consecutive hours (most ceremony clients buy 11) with dinner and dancing typically ending at midnight and extra hours at $250 each.
- Vendor policy: No traditional kitchen on site, so caterers must come from the approved list with Zilli Hospitality Group as preferred all-inclusive caterer and exclusive bar provider (no outside alcohol); installations must go through Zilli to protect the historic building; the venue offers a suggested vendor list but publishes no photographer restrictions or insurance requirement; no A/V, extension cords or gaffer tape provided.
- Permit or photo policy: No indoor sparklers or cold sparks, no bird seed, glitter, confetti or real red petals on the aisle; rooftop access for photos is included in rentals per the weddings page but listed as an add-on on the space pages, so confirm in the contract; the building’s Doors Open listing allows photography, video and tripods.
- Rain plan: Courtyard ceremonies have a covered option for up to 200 and either hall can host the ceremony indoors (333 seats 350); the courtyard is marketed as four-season with fire pits.
- Parking: The complex includes a 300-car parking structure and the venue lists rentable parking options; downtown street and ramp parking is nearby.
- Accessibility: Fully wheelchair accessible with a day-of venue manager and security guard included in every rental.
- Sunset/orientation: The building fronts Plankinton Avenue on the west bank of the Milwaukee River with downtown rising to the north and east; interior light comes from the arched windows and sunset falls behind the building to the west, so plan golden-hour portraits on the rooftop or along the river rather than at the facade.
Pritzlaff Events, 333 N Plankinton Ave, Milwaukee, WI. Venue website.
About the venue. John Pritzlaff moved his hardware business to this site in 1875 and it grew into one of the largest wholesale hardware houses in the Midwest with 450 employees by 1931, closing in 1958 after three generations of family ownership. The complex of six brick buildings was built between 1875 and 1920 by architects John Rugee, Ferry & Clas and Klug & Smith, and the 1875 block carries a round-topped pediment reading “1875 – Pritzlaff.” The John Pritzlaff Hardware Company buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 14, 2013. After sitting mostly vacant for more than 40 years, the complex was fully renovated by 2018 into two event halls, three restaurants, 50,000 sq ft of offices, 100 apartments and a 300-car parking structure. Space 333 seats 350 for plated dinner and 600 social, Space 325 seats 250 plated and 315 social, and the courtyard holds 250 for an uncovered ceremony or 200 covered, across about 28,000 sq ft of event space.
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 Pritzlaff Events’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 Pritzlaff Events 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 Pritzlaff Events?
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 Pritzlaff Events?
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 Pritzlaff Events?
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 Pritzlaff Events?
Send us the date and we will confirm availability within a day, walk through the timeline for Pritzlaff Events with you, and hold the date with a $300 deposit.
Nearby and related
More on weddings in the area: our Milwaukee wedding photographer and Milwaukee 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 Pfister Hotel, Milwaukee Art Museum, The Ivy House, The Edgewater, Monona Terrace, Garver Feed Mill, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, The American Club, Grand Geneva Resort.