Converted brick warehouse in Milwaukee’s Harbor View/Fifth Ward area just south of the Third Ward, run by Two Birds Event Group, with a skylit cream city brick ballroom wrapped in living ivy and an adjoining green-scaped patio bar called Fernweh.
VIDART is a Madison, Wisconsin wedding photography and videography company covering Milwaukee and the rest of the Midwest with no travel fee. This page is our planning guide for a wedding at The Ivy House: 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 The Ivy House
| Space | Use | Capacity | Setting | For the camera |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Ballroom | both | 300 | indoor | Open-plan warehouse ballroom with exposed cream city brick, skylights that flood the room with daylight, ivy woven along the ceiling beams, string lights and a statement bar built from reclaimed Grafton Middle School bleacher boards; used for in-the-round and traditional indoor ceremonies as well as receptions. |
| Fernweh Patio & Garden | both | n/a | both | Indoor-outdoor green-scaped patio just beyond the ballroom with a 360-degree concrete-clad central bar, ivy-covered pergola, market lights and a covered section; summer ceremonies, cocktail hour and dancing happen here, and reviewers note space heaters and fire pits for October. |
| The Penthouse (Bridal Suite) | getting-ready | n/a | indoor | Upstairs suite with a full kitchen, garment steamer and separate entrance, available from 7-10am on wedding day for hair and makeup. |
| Green room / quiet room | getting-ready | n/a | indoor | Small quiet room reviewers describe as a retreat from the noise of the reception. |
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 The Ivy House
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. Interior light comes from overhead skylights rather than a single wall of windows, so the ballroom reads evenly through the afternoon; the enclosed patio is open to the sky and best for portraits at golden hour and blue hour when market lights come on. We schedule couple portraits for the last hour before sunset and tell you in advance where we will take you.
- Rain plan. Outdoor patio ceremonies move into the ballroom or under the covered portion of Fernweh; reviewers cite “amazing rain options” and last-minute weather flips. We photograph the backup space during our walkthrough so the plan B images are as considered as plan A.
- Policies. Sparklers are allowed with advance notice to the venue manager; fireworks are prohibited and indoor cold-spark effects are rented through Milwaukee Airwaves. 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. The venue markets Fernweh as “a city oasis without the noise ordinance” and amplified music is allowed indoors and outdoors; no fixed end time is published, and all spaces must be vacated within 30 minutes of the contracted end time. 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
- Ivy and skylights in the ballroom — Midday skylight gives soft overhead daylight on the brick and ivy; reviewers single out the golden-hour light that comes in across the room.
- Reclaimed-bleacher bar — Wood bar with original seat numbers intact for detail and cocktail-hour frames under string light.
- Fernweh 360-degree bar and pergola — Concrete bar ringed by greenery and market lights; strong evening and blue-hour portrait spot once the lights come on.
- Cream city brick exterior and Barclay Street — Warehouse-district brick, loading-dock character and street scenes within a block of the building for urban couple portraits.
- Covered patio with fire pits — Shoulder-season evening frames with heaters and fire pits per reviews.
Within a short drive
- Historic Third Ward and Milwaukee Riverwalk (Milwaukee) — About 5 minutes north; brick warehouses, Broadway storefronts and riverwalk bridges.
- Lakeshore State Park and the Hoan Bridge (Milwaukee) — About 7 minutes east; lakefront prairie, breakwater paths and skyline views with the Hoan Bridge behind.
- Milwaukee Art Museum and lakefront (Milwaukee) — About 8 minutes northeast; Calatrava wings and lakefront plaza for architectural portraits.
- Walker’s Point murals and Fifth Ward (Milwaukee) — Immediately adjacent; murals, breweries and industrial streetscapes within walking distance.
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: Catering is from the venue’s published preferred list of 14 caterers; the site also lists preferred photographers (11) and videographers (4) but reviews indicate couples may bring their own; Milwaukee Airwaves is the exclusive DJ, lighting, photo booth and production provider; all alcohol must come from Ivy House staff; no published certificate-of-insurance or drone rule found.
- Parking: Ample non-metered street parking plus a renovated 50-car lot just north of the Fernweh patio bar; valet service is listed on WeddingWire.
- Noise/curfew: The venue markets Fernweh as “a city oasis without the noise ordinance” and amplified music is allowed indoors and outdoors; no fixed end time is published, and all spaces must be vacated within 30 minutes of the contracted end time.
- Rain plan: Outdoor patio ceremonies move into the ballroom or under the covered portion of Fernweh; reviewers cite “amazing rain options” and last-minute weather flips.
- Load-in: Ballroom and patio access begins between noon and 2pm (earlier by arrangement with the Event Lead); the Penthouse opens 7-10am; same-week deliveries are accepted if coordinated with staff.
- Permit or photo policy: Sparklers are allowed with advance notice to the venue manager; fireworks are prohibited and indoor cold-spark effects are rented through Milwaukee Airwaves.
- Sunset/orientation: Interior light comes from overhead skylights rather than a single wall of windows, so the ballroom reads evenly through the afternoon; the enclosed patio is open to the sky and best for portraits at golden hour and blue hour when market lights come on.
- Accessibility: Listed as wheelchair accessible; year-round daily availability; rental fee runs about $8,250-$11,750 by day and time per Here Comes The Guide.
The Ivy House, 906 S Barclay St, Milwaukee, WI. Venue website.
About the venue. The building was a warehouse and later a nightclub before its conversion to an event venue, and the Two Birds Event Group that runs it began as a DJ company. The ballroom bar is built from reclaimed Grafton Middle School bleacher boards with seat numbers still visible, and the patio centers on a 360-degree concrete-clad bar. The Knot lists The Ivy House as a six-time Best of Weddings winner with Hall of Fame status, and WeddingWire awarded Couples’ Choice in 2020-2023. Here Comes The Guide lists 300 seated for ceremony and reception indoors or outdoors, while Wisconsin Bride reports up to 400 in the ballroom. The Ivy House is one of several Two Birds Event Group venues alongside The Journey, The Society, Filament and The Starling, with a team claiming more than 50 combined years in weddings.
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 The Ivy House’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 The Ivy House 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 The Ivy House?
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 The Ivy House?
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 The Ivy House?
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 The Ivy House?
Send us the date and we will confirm availability within a day, walk through the timeline for The Ivy House 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, Pritzlaff Events, The Edgewater, Monona Terrace, Garver Feed Mill, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, The American Club, Grand Geneva Resort.