Wedding videography in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, from VIDART — a Madison, Wisconsin studio that films across the Chippewa Valley with no travel fee anywhere in our service area. You get an edited highlight film plus the full ceremony and toasts, delivered digitally and on a USB drive.
We know the rooms. We know the 18 Eau Claire-area venues listed below, so we already know where the light falls at ceremony time and where to mic the officiant.
Simple pricing. $1,500 for a half day (up to 5 hours) or $3,000 for a full day (up to 10 hours). Add photography for the same rate and one crew covers both.
Clean audio, steady pictures. Wireless lavaliers on the officiant and groom, a recorder on the DJ board, two camera angles on the ceremony, and 4K, aerial and 360 options where the venue allows.
Eau Claire wedding venues we film
These are the Eau Claire-area venues couples ask us about most. The notes are the things that matter when we plan a wedding film there — where the light is, whether the ceremony is indoors or out, what the room looks like once the dancing starts.
Waterfront venues
- Lake Wissota Golf & Events (Chippewa Falls – Lake Wissota, up to 300 guests) — Outdoor ceremony site on the lake beside the 6th green (water on three sides, strong sunset light); remodeled event center seats 300; lakefront patio and 360-degree covered wraparound porch; dressing room in lower level.
Downtown, hotel, historic and industrial venues
- The Lismore Hotel (DoubleTree by Hilton) (Downtown Eau Claire, up to 1000 guests) — Renovated downtown hotel with 14,000 sq ft of event space; Richmond lower-level ballroom is the largest room, Wilson Ballroom second; high-ceilinged ballroom with bridal and groom suites; rooftop deck (The Dive Bar) for skyline shots; ballrooms are artificially lit.
- The Oxbow Hotel & The Lakely (Downtown Eau Claire – Galloway St, up to 150 guests) — 1947 boutique hotel on the Chippewa River Trail with mid-century rooms and a music theme; intimate indoor/outdoor ceremonies and property buyouts; Lakely restaurant catering; small spaces, plan for tight framing.
- The Crescent at Eau Claire Event District (Eau Claire – northwest side, up to 650 guests) — 11,000+ sq ft hall with vaulted ceilings and exposed beams, 7,000 sq ft covered pavilion, patio with outdoor fireplace, bride and groom suites; sits on the Country Jam festival grounds.
- High Country at Eau Claire Event District (Eau Claire – northwest side, up to 1000 guests) — 18,000+ sq ft steel industrial-style building; large garage doors open in summer, 80-foot double-sided bar, stage and outdoor patio; very large volume, bring lighting for receptions.
- Eau Claire Masonic Ballroom (Downtown Eau Claire – Graham Ave, up to 500 guests) — 1928 neoclassical building on the National Register; 8,000+ sq ft ballroom with columns and chandeliers, 300-seat auditorium upstairs; one event per weekend.
- Holiday Inn Eau Claire South I-94 (Eau Claire – south, up to 300 guests) — All-inclusive hotel ballroom with 4,300+ sq ft of banquet space, dance floor and a two-room suite for getting ready; catering by Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse; no outdoor ceremony space.
- Westgate Sportsman’s Club (Eau Claire – west side, up to 300 guests) — 69 acres overlooking the Chippewa River with outdoor ceremony areas; two connecting indoor halls, one with a stage, as the rain plan; get-ready rooms.
- UW-Eau Claire Davies Center (Event Services & Weddings) (UW-Eau Claire campus, Eau Claire, up to 500 guests) — Modern student-center ballroom with on-site catering, rooftop cocktail hour and suites; campus and Chippewa River footbridge are steps away for portraits.
- River Prairie Center (Altoona – River Prairie district, up to 250 guests) — Rustic-industrial hall with riverside, amphitheater and garden outdoor options; River Prairie plaza has string lights over the central patio and riverfront trail; hotels and restaurants adjacent.
- Lilydale Dance Hall & Event Venue (Chippewa Falls – County Hwy N, up to 450 guests) — Rustic-elegant hall with countryside views; indoor and outdoor ceremony spots; year-round reception hall.
Barns, gardens, country clubs and wineries
- The Florian Gardens Conference Center (Eau Claire – south side, up to 525 guests) — Garden ceremony sites (Rock Cress, Rosemary, Indigo gardens) plus three ballrooms with a wall of windows overlooking the gardens; indoor fireplace ceremony option for winter; outdoor patio for cocktail hour.
- Eau Claire Golf & Country Club (Altoona, up to 280 guests) — Private course open to members and non-members for weddings; manicured fairways for ceremony and portrait backdrops.
- Leinie Lodge (Leinenkugel’s Brewing Company) (Chippewa Falls, up to 200 guests) — Historic brewery grounds with a red barn, Northwoods-style lodge, outdoor beer garden and a bridge over the Chippewa River; giant Leinie Lounger chair is a signature photo prop.
- Dixon’s Autumn Harvest Winery (Chippewa Falls, up to 100 guests) — Intimate winery setting with a stained-glass gazebo among apple trees; best in late summer and fall color.
- Emerald Ridge Weddings & Receptions (Menomonie, up to 400 guests) — Full-service outdoor venue open May through October; upscale wedding barn, dedicated outdoor ceremony site, patios and pavilion; two indoor spaces as rain plan.
- The Barn at Copper Creek (Menomonie, up to 300 guests) — Refurbished early-1900s barn on a working farm; rural rustic-elegant setting with indoor and outdoor ceremony options.
- Tanglewood Greens Golf & Event Venue (Menomonie, up to 300 guests) — Renovated indoor and outdoor event spaces on an 18-hole course cut through forested terrain; outdoor ceremonies on the course.
If your venue is not listed, it is almost certainly somewhere we can scout before your date — ask when you check availability.
Getting married in the Eau Claire area: licenses and civil ceremonies
Marriage licenses for Eau Claire weddings come from the county, not the city. In Eau Claire County the office is the Eau Claire County Clerk (Eau Claire County Courthouse) at 721 Oxford Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54703. The license fee is $95 (cash, local check or card; $10 extra to waive 3-day wait). Waiting period: 3 calendar days (apply 3-63 days before ceremony; license valid 60 days). Courthouse ceremonies are available in Eau Claire County: free courthouse ceremony by the Eau Claire County Family Court Commissioner, schedule at (715) 839-6029; license applications by phone appointment (715) 839-4801, Mon-Fri 8-4. Rules and fees change, so confirm on the official page before you book a date. If you are planning a courthouse or civil ceremony, our half-day coverage ($1,500) covers the ceremony, a celebration meal and portraits nearby.
| County | License fee | Waiting period | Courthouse / civil ceremony | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire County Eau Claire County Clerk (Eau Claire County Courthouse) | $95 (cash, local check or card; $10 extra to waive 3-day wait) | 3 calendar days (apply 3-63 days before ceremony; license valid 60 days) | yes – free courthouse ceremony by the Eau Claire County Family Court Commissioner, schedule at (715) 839-6029; license applications by phone appointment (715) 839-4801, Mon-Fri 8-4 | official page |
| Chippewa County Chippewa County Clerk’s Office | $90 ($25 extra to waive 3-day wait for good cause) | 3 days | yes – any of the three county judges perform courthouse ceremonies at no charge by appointment (715-726-7781); traveling court commissioners also available for a fee; office Mon-Thu 7:30-4:30, Fri 7:30-11:30 | official page |
| Dunn County Dunn County Clerk (Dunn County Government Center) | n/a | n/a (Wisconsin statewide 3-day wait applies) | n/a | official page |
Where Eau Claire couples take their portraits
Portrait and engagement-session locations we recommend around Eau Claire. Where a park or garden requires a photography permit, we arrange it as part of the day.
- Phoenix Park (Downtown Eau Claire – North Barstow) — Confluence of the Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers; riverfront lawn, flower beds, pedestrian bridge and downtown skyline; sunset over the river is the go-to time.
- Eau Claire bridges (High Bridge, S Bridge, Haymarket Plaza) (Eau Claire – citywide) — Nine-plus bridges; High Bridge trestle glows at golden hour, S Bridge near Banbury Place, Haymarket Plaza bridge is lit at night for blue-hour shots.
- Carson Park (Eau Claire – Half Moon Lake peninsula) — Wooded pine trails and lakeside waterfront on a peninsula in Half Moon Lake; strong fall color; historic ballpark and museums on site.
- Rod & Gun Park (Eau Claire – behind Carson Park) — Low-hanging willow trees give a soft, fairytale look; quieter than Carson Park next door.
- Owen Park (Eau Claire – Chippewa River) — Riverside lawn and mature trees along the Chippewa River; simple, uncluttered backgrounds; bandshell and footbridge nearby.
- Downtown Eau Claire / Barstow Street (Downtown Eau Claire – South Barstow) — Historic brick storefronts, street art and murals; Barstow Street has twinkle lights in the evening; Pablo Center glass facade at the confluence.
- UW-Eau Claire campus (Eau Claire – Water Street / Third Ward) — Billed as Wisconsin’s most beautiful campus; river footbridge, wooded hill and brick halls; popular with alumni couples.
- River Prairie (Altoona) — Wide-open green space, riverfront trail and string lights over the central patio; restaurants and hotels adjacent for a quick turnaround.
- Lake Altoona County Park (Altoona) — Public beach with a beachy, open-sky look; best at sunset or golden hour.
Good to know. Chippewa Valley Regional Airport (EAU) serves the metro with Sun Country Airlines flights, including three weekly roundtrips to Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP); Minneapolis is about a 90-minute drive and Groome and Green Fleet run shuttles. The Eau Claire River and the Chippewa River meet in downtown Eau Claire at the confluence, where the Pablo Center at the Confluence arts center and Phoenix Park sit. Eau Claire’s downtown is divided into named districts including North Barstow, South Barstow, Water Street, West Grand and the Cannery District, with Phoenix Park in North Barstow.
What is in your Eau Claire wedding film
Every wedding film includes an edited highlight film (typically 4–8 minutes, cut to licensed music) and a full-length edit of the ceremony and toasts. We record audio separately — wireless lavaliers on the officiant and groom plus a feed from the DJ or band — so vows and speeches are clean even in a loud barn or a windy lakeside ceremony. Drone and 360 coverage are available where the venue and airspace allow.
Want photos too? See Eau Claire wedding photography, or watch recent films in the video portfolio.
Pricing
Same rates for photography and videography. Book one, or add the second for the same price.
| 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 flash drive with the edited high-resolution JPGs (or the finished films), and a print release so you can print anywhere. Videography includes an edited highlight film plus the full ceremony and toasts.
Albums, parent albums, prints, canvases, archive drives with the RAW files and discs are available as add-ons — see the pricing page for the full list. A $300 non-refundable deposit holds your date; the balance is due on the day. Destination weddings are the full-day rate plus travel.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a wedding videographer cost in Eau Claire?
Wedding videography in the Eau Claire area typically runs from about $1,500 to $4,500 for a full day. VIDART charges $1,500 for a half day or $3,000 for a full day, and photography is available at the same rates on its own or as an add-on.
Do you charge travel fees to Eau Claire?
No. Eau Claire is inside our service area, which covers Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, Missouri and Michigan with no travel fees. Destination weddings outside the Midwest are the full-day rate plus travel.
Can you film a courthouse or elopement wedding in Eau Claire?
Yes. Our $1,500 half day covers a civil ceremony, a celebration meal and portraits nearby. Courthouse ceremonies are available in Eau Claire County: free courthouse ceremony by the Eau Claire County Family Court Commissioner, schedule at (715) 839-6029; license applications by phone appointment (715) 839-4801, Mon-Fri 8-4. Check the county page for current rules.
How far in advance should we book?
Popular Saturdays from May through October in the Eau Claire area book 9-12 months ahead. Off-season and weekday dates are often available on shorter notice.
How long until we get our film?
Finished files take 2-12 weeks depending on the season and our editing backlog: edited photos usually arrive in 2-6 weeks and finished films in 4-12 weeks. If you need something right away, we can deliver the unedited JPGs – or raw footage on request – within 72 hours of the wedding.
Where should we take portraits in Eau Claire?
Our favourites are listed above – Phoenix Park, Eau Claire bridges (High Bridge, S Bridge, Haymarket Plaza), Carson Park among them. We will suggest two or three that fit your venue, the season and the light at your ceremony time.
Can we get the raw footage, and can you fly a drone?
Raw footage is available on an archive drive ($450 with the RAW photos, or on request within 72 hours). Aerial and 360 coverage are available where the venue and local airspace rules allow – we check both before the day.
Beyond Eau Claire
We film weddings across the Midwest with no travel fee inside our service area: Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, Green Bay, Rockford, Dubuque, Davenport and the Quad Cities, Cedar Rapids, Appleton and Oshkosh, Iowa City, La Crosse, Minneapolis and St. Paul, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Des Moines and Omaha, Wausau, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Dells and Baraboo, Door County, Galena, Kenosha and Racine, Janesville and Beloit, Waukesha County and Lake Country, Sheboygan, Kohler and Fond du Lac, Peoria and Bloomington-Normal, Rochester and Winona, Grand Rapids and Holland, South Bend and Elkhart. We also produce corporate video and film production.
Check your date
Peak Saturdays in the Eau Claire area book 9–12 months out. Send your date and venue and we will confirm availability within a day.