Paine Art Center and Gardens is a European-style mansion and botanical garden located in Oshkosh, WI. With ornate architecture and over three-and-a-half acres of beautiful gardens, it makes a stunning wedding venue.
The historic Paine estate was commissioned in 1925 by Nathan Paine, president of the Paine Lumber Company, and his wife, Jessie Kimberly Paine. Jessie’s father was the co-founder of the Kimberly-Clark paper mill. The estate was designed by Bryant Fleming, an architect from New York, in a Tudor Revival style inspired by both Nathan and Jessie’s English ancestry. Work on the estate was halted for several years by the Great Depression, and in 1946 Nathan and Jessie decided to turn it into a museum. It was opened to the public in 1948. Nathan and Jessie never lived in the house, but Jessie served as the museum’s president until her death in 1973. Today, Paine Art Center and Gardens is a private, non-profit organization that hosts art exhibitions and displays Nathan and Jessie’s extensive collection of art and historical artifacts.
Paine Art Center and Gardens makes a unique and beautiful setting for weddings. Couples can begin their day in the Carriage House Dressing Suite, before exchanging their vows either indoors or outdoors in one of the venue’s many possible settings. Outdoor ceremonies can be held in the picturesque Ceremony Garden, the smaller Rose Garden or Formal Garden, or the sweeping Great Lawn. For indoor ceremonies, couples can choose the bright and airy conservatory or the historic mansion, where they’ll be surrounded by sumptuous period furnishings and art. They can simultaneously book the Ceremony Garden and the conservatory for their ceremony, so that they will be safe in the event of bad weather. The mansion holds up to 80 guests, while the conservatory holds 180 and the garden can host up to 200. After the ceremony, guests can tour the mansion and view the exhibition if desired. Couples can also choose from a variety of locations for their reception. The mansion makes an elegant setting for cocktail hour and dinner, with seating in the Great Hall for up to 64 guests. Dinner can also be held in the conservatory, followed by an extended reception in the charming Tudor-style Carriage House. Tables and chairs are available for ceremonies and receptions, and all catering is provided by the venue’s catering partner, Zuppas. Couples can host a complimentary rehearsal the day before the wedding. Director of Events Laura Rommelfanger would be delighted to get in touch with you to discuss your special day.
My husband and I had our wedding at the Paine in June 2023 and could not have asked for a more perfect venue. I received so many compliments from my guests about how lovely the grounds are. We booked the \"Fairy Tale Wedding Day at the Paine\" package - and highly recommend. We held the ceremony in their \"Ceremony Garden\" which has a lovely arch way at the altar. For the cocktail hour, our guests were free to roam the gardens with their drinks. They loved taking pictures and getting to explore, especially families with young children, as there are several water falls and other features that they can interact with. The Conservatory (where the reception is held) is full of these gorgeous windows that look out into the garden, and the room gets plenty of natural light. We paid a little extra to have photos taken inside their historic mansion, and the Paine staff were so kind and accommodating as they guided us through the building to spots to take pictures. It is a stunning building. As of this year, the Paine offers two caterers depending on which day of the week your event is held. We got married on a Saturday and worked with Zuppas as our caterer - they are fantastic. Penny was incredibly helpful, promptly answering all of my questions, and her staff made the evening go so smoothly. They offer a big selection of options, and I found their prices to be very reasonable. Our guests raved about the food. Lastly, the Paine staff I worked with were incredible. They respond to emails very promptly, and are so friendly and polite. They jumped through hoops to make our wedding day perfect. Our event coordinator was Holley and she was a true pleasure to work with. I would do our wedding over at the Paine in a heartbeat. Best decision we ever made. Reviewed on 14-06-2023
Shoshauna Schmidt(other)5 out of 5 Rating
We came from out of state (Alaska) to have our wedding at the Paine! Working with the staff and them working with our in-state family was a great experience and provided the most magical experience. The gardens were absolutely stunning and the reception spaces were perfect for our 100 person guest list. We especially appreciated their advice and guidance on the planning process as most of us in this position have never done this before! Many of our guests commented on how incredible this venue is and agreed it was the perfect place to celebrate our love! Reviewed on 06-10-2023
Amber Tremain(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 02-09-2022 The Paine is beautiful, with 20 gardens and the mansion and the fountains and the conservatory just amazing. The staff were super helpful and nice and the emails were always answered in a timely manner, the wedding day went so smooth. We had a event planner who helped us thru alot of things with the venue that just made it so easy. We are so happy we had it there. They also had a nature of light exhibit during our wedding it was just amazing. Once in a lifetime chance. Not a cheap place to have your wedding but we are so glad we did. There is only one caterer zuppas who works with the paine and food was phenomenal. Very happy. Reviewed on 26-09-2022
Terri Thomma(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 04-09-2022 We got married here last night and it was the most magical experience for us. My guest all said it amazing and they enjoyed the venue. Staff was so friendly and helpful. I couldn't have ask for anything better then this! Reviewed on 05-09-2022
Alyssa Redman(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 21-08-2021 I am obviously biased, but the Paine Art Center & Gardens is the most beautiful and eclectic venue in Wisconsin! We were married in the Ceremony Garden and had dinner and dancing in the Conservatory. Our guests loved the opportunity to grab a cocktail and explore the grounds throughout the afternoon and evening. The staff members were friendly and very helpful in guiding us through the timeline of our day while ensuring everything went smoothly. Zuppas, the catering company they partner with, served the best food that many of our guests had ever had at an event. Overall, we had an amazing experience and highly recommend the Paine! Thank you to Jenna and all of the staff members who helped make our day so unique and magical! Reviewed on 11-11-2021
Natalie Woelfel(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 08-10-2021 Beautiful venue and great staff! They did everything they could to make our day magical! Reviewed on 11-10-2021
Heidi Ott(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 19-06-2021 Let's just start with how breath-taking the venue is! Beautifully manicured grounds with countless opportunities for photos. We had a mini Covid wedding at the Paine and a larger one this year. Both dates they were incredibly easy to work with, accommodating, and went above expectations to assist in making the wedding day go smoothly. Thank you so much Laura, Eden and Rachel! Reviewed on 22-06-2021
Wendy Glessner(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 22-08-2020 The most gorgeous venue with the best pre and day-of wedding coordinators. Could not have asked for a more beautiful setting and more attentive and caring staff. Our day was perfect, our pictures are stunning, and Taylor and the other coordinators are wonderful! Reviewed on 29-08-2020
Clare (Tuchscherer) Wallace(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 22-06-2019 This location is a total dream. Our guests could not have said enough, with many of them living in Chicago, LA, and other large cities. They all said that they felt like they were in Europe and the location and its gardens felt like they were on a mini vacation. The grounds are beautiful but the best part is the guests never felt like they were being carted from location to location. It was relaxing and they could walk around and do as they pleased, which was a HUGE hit. I truly cannot say enough about Laura and the team at The Paine. From our first meeting to 11:30pm at the end of the wedding night, we felt like we were the most important people in the world. The staff was incredibly kind, informative, and so helpful during the process. Additionally, Laura is extremely honest when discussing how you'd like for your day to go. She lets you know if what you want can happen, is a bad idea, or if there's a better solution for what you want to achieve. That felt SO important as I want to know right away what my options are for my day, versus finding out at the last minute that something I want can't happen. Last, but certainly not least, Laura and her team are funny and so kind. I would have my wedding there again many times over if I could! Reviewed on 13-08-2019
Stefanie Armstrong(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 13-09-2014 Michelle and all of her workers are simply amazing at The Paine! Our wedding ceremony could not have turned out anymore perfect! They are so extremely organized and make sure everyone is where they need to be!\rHIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! Reviewed on 30-09-2014
Carrie Hass(bride)4 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 14-09-2013 We had our ceremony in the new Conservatory and it is gorgeous! Perfect place if you are looking for an indoor venue, but still want to have outdoor garden photos afterwards. My big complaint is a couple weeks before the wedding, we were told someone else wanted to reserve the Conservatory during our Rehearsal time, so we were bumped to the Garden. I thought it was very disrespectful since we had booked our time months in advance and it added to the pre-wedding jitters. Reviewed on 27-10-2013
Tracy Phillippi(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 17-08-2013 My husband & I have nothing but positive feedback about this gem in Central Wisconsin!!\r\rFrom the very beginning, their on-site planner - Michelle Rector - handled every issue (large & small) promptly & positively. The day of the wedding, Michelle & staff seamlessly pulled off our dream wedding, including every last quirky desire.\r\rI highly recommend The Paine for a destination wedding. Although I'm from Wisconsin, we planned our wedding from Halifax Nova Scotia. The Paine was very easy to work with remotely & liaisoned directory with other vendors. \r\rAbove all - The Paine is BEAUTIFUL, and you'll be very happy with your photos :) Reviewed on 12-09-2013
Dana Shew(parent)5 out of 5 Rating
The Paine Art Center and Gardens provided the most beautiful setting for my daughter & son-in-law’s wedding. Michelle Rector, the event manager, was amazing. She provided a sense of calm and direction in the hectic planning stage, rehearsal, and wedding day! With her help and guidance, as well as her wonderful staff, Kelly and Dave had a spectacular wedding. The Paine now has a beautiful new facility, the Conservatory. As the weather was a bit gloomy just prior to the ceremony, Michelle and her staff, provided us with the option to move the ceremony from the Garden to the Conservatory. It was a perfect choice…the wedding in the Conservatory and pictures in the Gardens. We had the best of all possible opportunities and Michelle made that happen! From the rehearsal to the wedding, all details were covered and everything went smoothly because Michelle and her staff are so professional and organized. Kelly and Dave were so happy with their ceremony and picture location and our guests were equally pleased with the opportunity to enjoy such a spectacular location. Thank you! Reviewed on 24-07-2013
Harley Atkinson(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 29-06-2013 Michelle Rector, who handles all the weddings at the Art Center, was the most helpful and excited for our wedding. She helped us the whole way through making even our rehearsal night perfect and restful. She took care of everything for us. Due to another wedding right after ours she was a little absent for our ceremony and instead left most things to her capable assistant. My only regret is not having our reception at the Paine Art Center as well. Reviewed on 10-07-2013
Kayla Nissen(bride)4 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 06-10-2012 I loved getting married outside in the gardens. But they had another wedding going on and they usually don't so i was unable to take the pictures i wanted before hand. Reviewed on 30-10-2012
naomi Krzyzanowski(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 22-09-2012 The Paine was amazing. they were so organized and helpful they made my ceremony feel as \"stress free\" as possible. The whole process went very smooth. there was a wedding right after ours and we barely even noticed. Reviewed on 12-10-2012
Weddings at the Paine are truly extraordinary and it is a privilege to work in such a beautiful setting every day. With more than twenty five years of experience in the Special Events Industry, I believe in treating every wedding as a unique and extraordinary event. There are just so many possibilities.Our breathtaking three and a half acre property is the perfect backdrop for creating the wedding of your dreams. I'd love to show you around! Contact me to learn more or to schedule a tour.