A Bright, Vintage-Inspired LGBTQ+ Wedding at The Cooperage in Milwaukee

Suzan and Rachel hold their wedding dress skirts up and dance in front of the live music on stage during their wedding at The Cooperage Milwaukee.

Celebrating Love at an Iconic Milwaukee Wedding Venue on the water.
Industrial and Historic Riverfront Wedding Venue with Soul and Style
- A Vintage Wedding Full of Meaning: Blended Families, Music, and Magic
How to use thrifted items in your vintage-inspired wedding
- Unique Wedding Entertainment Ideas
- What to thrift for your vintage wedding?
Six Tips for Planning an LGBTQ+ Wedding at The Cooperage
Milwaukee and Madison Wedding Inspiration
- Pilot Project Brewing – A Milwaukee Brewery Wedding Venue
- A Sophisticated Wedding At the Madison Club

Suzan rests her head on Rachel's shoulder at their head table during their colorful wedding day at The Cooperage.

A custom printed menu on a place setting with a golden vintage goblet. Photographed by O and B Photo Co.

An overhead view of two brides and their guests dining during a colorful and vintage inspired LBGTQ wedding at The Cooperage MKE.

A glass of vibrant florals sits atop three vintage suitcases as styled wedding decor in the Cooperage MKE.

A quilted chuppah hangs on a copper frame with live florals crawling up it in the Cooperage.

Celebrating Love at an Iconic Milwaukee Wedding Venue on the water.

The Cooperage wedding venue in Milwaukee made Suz & Rachel’s uniting all the more special; it was vibrant, eclectic, vintage-inspired, and heart-felt wedding day firmly rooted in family and the nostalgia of thrifting. The riverside venue is in the heart of the city yet feels secluded and intimate as it overlooks the river with a stunning view of the Hoan Bridge.

A view of two elaborate and vibrant flower arrangements in repurposed thrifted and vintage brass floor lamps through two cream city brick columns. Behind the brass lamps are wooden folding chairs. Farther back is a floral decorated chuppah. This is the ceremony space in The Cooperage MKE, set for a Jewish wedding.

The Cooperage, a converted warehouse in Milwaukee, is set for a wedding ceremony. It features exposed steel beams, cream city brick, and vintage multi pane windows.

Sunshine streams across wooden folding chairs on a worn wooden floor at the ceremony setup for weddings at The Cooperage in Milwaukee, WI.

The bar space and chalkboard signage with offerings at The Cooperage bar in Milwaukee.

A worn vintage piano is used as a dessert table for a chocolate wedding cake and plates of other desserts at The Cooperage for a wedding.

A man and a woman dance during a wedding reception at The Cooperage Milwaukee

A group of kids watch the adults dine from the upper balcony at The Cooperage during a Milwaukee wedding at the venue.

Wedding guests clink their drinkware glasses together in a cheers; photographed by O and B Photo Co.

Guests and brides all hold hands during a wedding ceremony at The Cooperage

A bride bends down to pet her dog during her Jewish wedding ceremony at dog-friendly wedding venue, The Cooperage

Two wedding guests sit in wooden folding chairs, looking at the camera, as they wait for a wedding ceremony to start at The Cooperage in Milwaukee.

Handmade clay figurines of two brides and a black dog sit on a two tier chocolate cake.

Rachel and Suzan are on a yellow couch in front of vintage paintings and a pair of skis. Suzan lays across Rachels lap while holding her wedding bouquet and Rachel leans in close to Suzans temple while brushing hair out of her face.

Suzan and her mom laugh together in the sunshine of the bar space during Suzan's wedding at The Cooperage in Milwaukee, WI.

Industrial and Historic Riverfront Wedding Venue with Soul and Style

Nestled along the sparkling Kinnickinnic river, the Cooperage is a lively, eclectic blend of history. That history is what makes it what it is today. The industrial building was a race car frame manufacturer, Salsa Club, and just about everything in-between. The buildings’ journey began in the 1800’s and reopened in 2018, an inclusive third space blending community and music.

A little girl in a dress holds a woman's hand while pointing at a vintage piano top laden with cake and desserts at a Cooperage wedding.

Now, shows and events are regularly hosted on the memory worn floors, surrounded by sky-high windows, and cream city brick. It really is the ultimate industrial and historic venue in Milwaukee.

Rachel and Suzan are on a yellow couch in front of wooden pallet wall of vintage paintings and a pair of skis. Suzan lays across Rachels lap while holding her wedding bouquet and Rachel smiles down at Suzan. Their wedding is at the Cooperage in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Brass candles and a variety of clear and colored glass vases with flower arrangements sit on a wooden shelf with a white brick background.

Suzan sits, laughing, in a wooden folding chair at her wedding ceremony site; Rachel stands behind her, smiling down, with her hands on Suzan's shoulders.

Bride, Rachel, waits with her parents to walk down the aisle at her wedding at The Cooperage. She stands in a sunbeam next to floor to ceiling windows.

A dog walks up the aisle towards two brides during their wedding at The Cooperage in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

A Vintage Wedding Full of Meaning: Blended Families, Music, and Magic

The kids,Ingrid and Oliver, have the best mom’s in Suzan & Rachel. Blending together was natural. There wasn’t a dry eye when Rachel’s mom (grandma) turned toward Suz and told her that was an amazing mom to her grandkids.

Guests clap and smile during reception speeches at The Cooperage MKE.

Bride, Suzan, laughs while posing with a rambunctious group of wedding guests at The Cooperage.

First Dance to the Beastie Boys? Yes, Please

A blended family first dance to the Beastie Boys was a no brainer. It really was the epitome of Rachel, Suzan, Ingrid, and Oliver. Also, HOW refreshing is it to just be able to let loose during your first dance, not having to worry about swaying just right or putting your feet in the right place.

A member of the Blue Water Kings Band plays the sax.

Ingrid dances with her mom, the bride on the reception dance floor at The Cooperage.

Rachel and Suzan share their first dance with their son to live music by the Blue Water Kings band during their wedding reception at The Cooperage MKE.

The Blue Water Kings band preforms at a wedding at The Cooperage; photographed by O & B Photo Co.

Pink and purple stage lights light up the Cooperage signage on a wooden wall.

How to use thrifted items in your vintage-inspired wedding

Unique Wedding Entertainment Ideas

A magician during cocktail hour, trumpets and sewing machines filled with flowers, tender moments of helping each other into their gowns, and quirky jokes across goblet filled tables were some of the the things that made Suzan and Rachel’s day truly their own.

Unique, thrifted decorations double as table and flower decorations.

A Milwaukee Brewers mug is used as a flower vase on a guest table during an eclectic and vibrant wedding at the Cooperage MKE.

Guests audibly gasped as Magician, Glen Gerard, read from a book of real flames. This wasn’t just for the kids. With complex tricks, Glen entertained the grown-ups all the way through cocktail hour, even going from table to table for up-close, hands on tricks!

A magician performs with fire during a wedding at The Cooperage Milwaukee

What to thrift for your vintage wedding?

Rachel & Suzan thrifted as many unique table decor items as possible; things that brought back nostalgic memories like Brewers Stein’s and baseball mitts to hilarious and just plain cool items like table top pink flamingos, dog statues, and brass instruments.

Tip- Harness your florists’ creativity and have them incorporate your florals into the thrifted elements. The more unique, the better!

Live floral arrangements on a thrifted, vintage sewing machine.

Live floral arrangements in a thrifted vintage fishing bag and metal strainer.

Wedding table centerpiece utilizing a thrifted trumpet and decorated with live flowers.

Six Tips for Planning an LGBTQ+ Wedding at The Cooperage

Here’s how to make this stunning Milwaukee venue totally yours!

1. Book the connected Airbnb connected to the Cooperage- The Castor House

Getting ready has never been easier or looked better. A hip, spacious, suite nestled above Boone & Crockett (and connected to The Cooperage), that has a kitchen, two bedrooms, and within walking distance for great Milwaukee amenities in the Harbor District. It’s numerous windows create dynamic lighting for you two get ready in. And the best part, you get to spend the night, which means can walk right over from your wedding reception!

A view between brides Suzan and Rachel, of their kids Ingrid and Oliver turning and seeing their moms on their wedding day inside The Castor House, the airbnb of The Cooperage.

Rachel and suzan make a funny pose in front of their wedding dress, in the Castor House getting ready space for their Cooperage wedding.

Two brides and their kids stand get ready for their wedding in the Castor House airbnb getting ready space at The Cooperage.

Rachel and Suzan peek through a porthole style window in door at The Castor House airbnb at their Cooperage wedding day.

Bride, Rachel, leads her bride, Suzan, by the hand down a pair of stairs in a white, brightly lit hallway at the Castor House, the getting ready space of The Cooperage MKE.

Two bride in wedding dresses kiss in the doorway of a brightly lit hallway at The Castor House, the getting ready space and airbnb of The Cooperage.

A man in a suit sits in a wooden rolling chair reading a magazine in the Castor House airbnb, as he waits for a wedding to start at the connected Cooperage MKE.

A "you are here" neon sign on a wall with forest wallpaper in the kitchen of the Castor House; a airbnb for weddings at The Cooperage in Milwaukee, WI.

The paws of a black dog standing next to pale blue heels with diamond buckles on a worn wooden floor at pet-friendly Castor House and The Cooperage.

Rachel and Suzan are in their wedding dresses, leaning down to pet their black lab, Reba, on their wedding day in the Castor House at The Cooperage Milwaukee.

Rachel laughs with other women on her wedding day.

Suzan hugs her mom in the Castor House airbnb, part of the getting ready space for weddings at The Cooperage in Milwaukee.

Rachel and Suzan sit on a yellow couch, leaning in for a kiss, between their two wedding dresses, at the Castor House airbnb on the Cooperage Milwaukee wedding day.

Rachel hugs her son, Oliver, who is in a suit, on her wedding day.

2. Host your casual rehearsal at the connected restaurant – Boone & Crockett

“Pretentious drinks without the pretentiousness” is their slogan. Bonne & Crockett has got some of the city’s best mocktails, cocktails, and even a taco truck to keep those tummies full and smiles on your faces!

Bride ,Suzan, holds bride, Rachel, from behind as they pose in front of a rainbow flag in front of Boone and Crockett, next to their wedding venue, The Cooperage, in Milwaukee, WI.

3. Light the Hoan for Your Milwaukee Wedding

Milwaukee’s iconic Hoan Bridge lit up a rainbow – Suzan’s gift to Rachel on their wedding day because “our love lights up the whole damn sky” Suzan said. It did. And it does ❤️ 

That night, the entire city of Milwaukee, and anyone who flew over it saw those rainbow lights. And we have no doubt that these individuals felt a little more seen. All because of Rachel and Suzan’s love.

Reach out to the non-profit behind the cause (linked below) to learn more and even dedicate a single bulb to show your support of the Milwaukee community!

The Hoan Bridge, commission lit up in rainbow by Suzan for her and Rachel's wedding day at the nearby Cooperage venue.

Two brides gaze at each other during their Cooperage Milwaukee wedding; the Hoan bridge is lit of rainbow in the background. The lighting of the bridge was Suzan's gift to Rachel on their wedding day.

Rachel and Suzan hug each other while posing for nightime rooftop photos on the Cooperage on their wedding day. The Hoan Bridge is lit up rainbow in the background.

Brides, Rachel and Suzan, pose with their family in front of the rainbow lit Hoan bridge at night. They got married at the nearby Cooperage in Milwaukee.

4. Bring your dog- it’s a Milwaukee dog-friendly wedding venue!

Just ask Reba, the dog of honor, who not only got ready with her people at the connected Castor House airbnb, but also made the rounds during Suzan and Rachel’s ceremony at the Cooperage.

Reba the black lab visits with the live musicians during a ceremony at pet-friendly Milwaukee wedding venue, The Cooperage

A senior black dog, Reba, sits on a yellow couch, next to a wedding dress in front of a cream city brick wall at The Castor House, which is the getting ready space and an airbnb for The Cooperage weddings in Milwaukee.

5. Supporting Diversity Through Wedding Favors

In lieu of favors, the couple donated to a variety of diversity centered organizations: the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU),Lambda Legal, and Transgender Law Center (TLC).

A printed note of gratitude from the brides on each place setting.

6. Look for Inclusive Wedding Vendors in Wisconsin

We’re taking the search off your shoulders. Here is THE list of queer, LGBTQIA+ alleys, and inclusive Milwaukee vendors for your wedding day (and the ones that made Rachel & Suzan’s wedding day a dream come true!)