Central Reservations

Celebrations

Members of the Wisconsin Union are eligible to reserve Union facilities for their personal events, such as wedding receptions, birthday and anniversary parties, family reunions, football tailgate parties* and other celebrations. Our staff will be happy to work with you to create your dream event! The information provided on this site will help you begin your planning – take a look here and then give us a call to make your reservation.

*Businesses, agencies, and campus organizations are required to follow University guidelines for tailgates. Guideline information is included under the Campus Activities link of this web site.

In this section:

Questions For Us
Questions For You

Click here for available Friday and Saturday dates for weddings and other member events.

Questions For Us

Following are a number of commonly asked questions and answers that will assist in planning your event at the Union.

Does the Union charge a room rental fee?
Are there any up-front costs?
Do I sign a contract?
Can I have my wedding ceremony at the Union?
How do I secure the date I want?
What Friday and Saturday dates are available for weddings and other events?
How do I select a location and room?
May I decorate the room for my event?
Can the Union provide a cake?
What information does my band/DJ need to know?

Does the Union charge a room rental fee?
Union members are not charged a rental fee for the use of areas designated for weddings and other large-scale social events. This includes Great Hall, Tripp Commons and deck, the Main Lounge and deck, and The Lakefront on Langdon at Memorial Union and Einsteins, room 240, the Main Lounge and room 109 at Union South. However, the use of these rooms is contingent upon a $500 pre-tax minimum in food and beverage revenue (this includes cash bar, hosted bar, and all other bar options).

Exception: If one of these spaces is not rented fourteen days prior to a proposed event, it may be reserved without food and beverage minimums.

Main Lounge Are there any up-front costs?
For large rooms, we require a $500 deposit at the time you make your reservation. This deposit is non-refundable, however it will be applied to your catering, AV and other charges. Large performance and dance spaces available for use include:

Tripp Commons (Memorial Union)
Great Hall (Memorial Union)
109 Dag Hammerskjold (Union South)
240 Varsity Room (Union South)
Einstein's Café (Union South)
Main Lounges in both buildings*

As of May 1, 2008, The Wisconsin Union will charge a $500 service fee for qualifying member events in Great Hall, Tripp Commons, Memorial Union Main Lounge, Lakefront on Langdon* or the Theater Stage*.

* Certain additional restrictions apply.

Qualifying Criteria

All member events in the Main Lounges in both buildings.
Member events, requiring catering service taking place on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Holiday, and
Any event needing early access* to the room for such things as setup, decoration, cake and floral delivery, D.J./ band deliveries and setup.

*Early access is entry to the event room more than 1 hour prior to guest arrival.

Do I sign a contract?
Yes, in addition to making your deposit, you will be asked to sign a written contract to secure your reservation.

Can I have my wedding ceremony at the Union?
Wedding ceremonies are allowed under certain circumstances. For more information, please click on the link below or contact the Central Reservations office. Wedding Information

Great Hall How do I secure the date I want?
We begin taking reservations for events on the first working day of the month, 18 months in advance of a requested event date. Example: If you would be interested in having a wedding reception on August 16, 2004, the earliest you can make a request for a reservation would be the first working day of the month, 18 months prior to the event (Monday, February 3, 2003).

In February 2003, the Union implemented a lottery system for member reservations in our popular large reception spaces. Popular rooms for receptions at the Memorial Union include Great Hall and Tripp Commons. Popular rooms at Union South include Dag Hamerksjold (109) and the Varsity Room (240). On the first business day of each month, those Union members who arrive at Central Reservations between 8 am to 9 am will be given a number upon completion of a form. At 9 am we will hold the lottery with reservations made in the order that the numbers are drawn.

Due to University conferences and events, not all weekend dates may be available. Before coming to Central Reservations for the monthly lottery, please call us to check on the most current availability.

PLEASE NOTE: Wedding Lottery Day will be Monday, January 7, 2008 for July 2009.

Pertinent information and requirements to be eligible for participation in the lottery include:

Wisconsin Union Membership Number
Name of Member
Name of Event
Maximum of One Lottery Number Assigned Per Event
Reservations are non-transferable
$500 Non-refundable deposit

Reservations for events occurring less than 18 months in advance are accepted via our normal reservations processes.

In the next 18 months, what Friday and Saturday dates are available for weddings and other member events?
Available Friday and Saturday dates for member events including weddings can be found on our weddings page.

Atrium How do I select a location and room?
We have event facilities in both Memorial Union and Union South with a maximum single-room capacity of up to 400 people, depending on the room configuration. Our staff will work with you to determine the most appropriate venue and room set-up.

May I decorate the room for my event?
Of course! Rooms are generally available an hour ahead (five to six hours ahead for large catered celebrations) on the day of your event for you to bring in flower arrangements, balloons, etc. (Please note, however, that affixing anything to the walls or woodwork with tape, glue, staples, nails, etc., is strictly prohibited. We also ask that you not use decorating materials such as glitter or confetti, which can be difficult to remove from the floor.) Our Catering Staff will also gladly help out by placing any simple table decorations and party favors that are dropped off the day before your event.

Can the Union provide a cake?
Our experienced Catering staff is happy to prepare large sheet cakes for birthdays and other events. We do not, however, offer tiered wedding cakes. We welcome wedding cakes from outside bakers, and will cut and serve your cake at no additional charge. Please ask your baker to deliver your cake within two hours of your event, as we have limited cooler space for storing these valuable items.

What information does my band/DJ need to know?
Your band or DJ will need to provide their own sound equipment, and should plan to set up one hour prior to the arrival of your guests. In consideration of our other patrons, we also ask that DJ or band music stop at the end of your event, or 1/2 hour before the building closes, whichever is earlier. All sound equipment also needs to be removed within this timeframe. Your cooperation will help ensure a smooth transition for the next event scheduled in the room.

We do not provide parking permits. Please refer here for parking options.

Questions For You

When you call to make your reservation, we are going to have some questions for you about your event. Here are a few things to think about in advance:

What is your Wisconsin Union Member ID Number?
What time would you like your event to begin and end?
What type of food service do you envision? A sit-down dinner? Hors d'oeuvres and cocktails? A buffet? A barbeque?
How many guests are you inviting?
Will you have a band or a DJ and dancing?
For weddings, how far away is the ceremony? Is there a break between the ceremony and reception?
What type of payment will you use for your deposit ($500)?

Wisconsin Union Central Reservations
2nd Floor, Memorial Union | (608) 262-2511 | centralreso@union.wisc.edu

Wisconsin Union - Experiences for a Lifetime

Meetings and Conference Services

Celebrations

Questions For Us

Questions For You