Did you know that not all wedding venues are created equal? How about a B&B wedding experience! It should come as no surprise that Valentine's Day is one of the most popular days, and February the most popular month, to get engaged. Think charming inns, quiet breakfasts, manicured gardens, and bedrooms with ensuite baths appointed with high-end linens and comfy featherbeds. Sound nice? We have a few ideas for you!

 

Westby House Inn, Westby

At Westby House Inn in Westby, several Wedding Packages are offered when planning your wedding. Begin your happily-ever-after in one of the most unforgettable all-inclusive Wisconsin wedding venues with a beautiful indoor or outdoor wedding at Westby House Inn. Their charming and historic inn is the perfect venue for intimate weddings with its historic charm and elegant tenor. They also cater to loving couples who want to elope and get married without the fuss, muss, stress, and expense that goes along with formal weddings. They provide an Officiant for your marriage ceremony, whether it is a traditional non-denominational ceremony, a secular ceremony, or a simple signing ceremony. You can also renew your vows and say "I do!" all over again.

 

Old Rittenhouse Inn, Bayfield

Each year, Bayfield’s Old Rittenhouse Inn, and its historic Le Chateau property, are home to many unique and beautiful celebrations including wedding ceremonies, bridal showers, groom’s dinners, and banquet receptions. Both romantic Wisconsin wedding venues create a “home base”, providing not only accommodations, but places for family and the wedding party to gather while preparing for the festivities surrounding these events. Whatever your wish, let their experienced Wedding & Events Director assist you with the planning and handle the behind the scenes work to ensure the worry-free event you deserve.

 

Is small & intimate more your style? The Katherine Holle House in Watertown provides wedding packages for 2 - 30 people. Whether you are looking for just a venue, or a full package including food, music, decorations and someone to perform the ceremony, they work with local caterers, florists, photographers, videographers and bridal shops to make your event memorable.

 

Willow Pond Bed, Breakfast, & Events, Weyauwega

Willow Pond Bed, Breakfast, & Events in Weyauwega specialize in weddings. Willow Pond has been the site of weddings, anniversaries, and other celebrations for over ten years. From the rehearsal dinner the night before, through the ceremony, and even the honeymoon, the variety of services offered is enough to take much of the stresses of planning away. Whether outside under the gazebo, surrounded by willow trees, pond and waterfalls, in the beautifully restored barn, or elsewhere on their expansive property, they strive to make your event everything you dream it can be!

We're only scratching the surface of possibilities for couples! Want more wedding venue ideas? You can search for B&Bs that offer just what you need on our website under "Find An Inn" and "For Weddings".

 

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

There are so many reasons to go to a B&B, but in the Valentine month of February, that reason is often romance. Here are a few inns that clearly love a good romance package:

 

  [caption id="attachment_427" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Simple Holiday Enjoyments[/caption] If you’re in need of ideas that will put you in the holiday spirit without having to endure massive amounts of commercialization or hefty price tags, then you’ll want to read on. Getting in the holiday spirit needn’t come with an over-the-top price tag or extravagant commitment of time and energy. We asked member inns to submit ideas for holiday doings that we would all do well to experience at least once and the ideas are magical. [caption id="attachment_2123" align="alignright" width="264"] Westport B&B Wine and Roses[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2119" align="alignleft" width="254"] Red Forest Inn Breakfast by Candlelight[/caption]           In the Manitowoc area, the “Lights of Lincoln Park” is a beautiful drive-through light show to benefit the local zoo and it’s just $5 per car and runs through Dec. 23. Stay at the beautiful Westport Bed & Breakfast in Manitowoc or the equally beautiful Red Forest B&B in neighboring Two Rivers where you can warm up during their evening wine and cheese hour. [caption id="attachment_2114" align="alignleft" width="271"] Winter at Inn at Wawanissee Point[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2120" align="alignright" width="274"] Ringling House in the Winter[/caption]                   Take in a classic holiday movie at the historic Al Ringling Theatre in downtown Baraboo – “Holiday Inn” is playing Dec. 20 and “It’s a Wonderful Life” is playing Dec. 22. Ticket price is just $7. This theatre is considered one of America’s prettiest playhouses. Stay at the Ringling House B&B, the original estate of local son Charles Ringling, one of the founders of the Ringling Brothers Circus. This 1901 Colonial Revival Home is on the National Register of Historic Places. The breathtaking views that Inn at Wawanissee Point features are also not far from these holiday events. [caption id="attachment_2110" align="aligncenter" width="191"] The London Room of Astor House[/caption] In Green Bay, marvel at the more than 40 decorated trees on display at the National Railroad Museum during their annual Festival of Trees event now through Jan. 7. Admission is just $5. Then retreat to the Astor House B&B where there are five distinctly decorated rooms – ask for the London Room with fireplace. [caption id="attachment_2116" align="alignright" width="205"] Justin Trails Resort Winter Lights[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1672" align="alignleft" width="191"] Grapevine Log Cabins in Sparta[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2122" align="aligncenter" width="143"] Westby House Inn Christmas[/caption]   The community of Sparta has its traditional German holiday market known as a Kriskindlemarkt Dec. 8-9 with authentic German food, horse-drawn carriage rides, and artisan vendors. Then cozy up in one of the three log cabins at Grapevine Log Cabins, where towering pines set the holiday scene naturally. You can also find Justin Trails Resort, which offers cross-country ski and snowshow rentals along with two sledding hills for your outdoor winter fun, and Westby House Inn, where there is something for every vacationer to enjoy, in the Sparta area. [caption id="attachment_2121" align="alignright" width="164"] Sweet Autumn Inn at Christmas[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2113" align="alignleft" width="248"] Fargo Mansion Staircase[/caption]               In Lake Mills, get last-minute Christmas shopping done at their annual Winter Market, Dec. 9 where crafters, growers and artists present their treasures. Sweet Autumn Inn will be your spot for the night, where you’ll wake up to a full breakfast feast courtesy of innkeeper Teri Nelson. The beautiful Fargo Mansion Inn is also in Lake Mills, where you can "relax, unwind, and make yourself at home". [caption id="attachment_2112" align="alignleft" width="153"] Eagle Centre House Kitchen[/caption]   The Old World Christmas event at Old World Wisconsin in Eagle, running the first two weekends of December, comes highly recommended by Eagle Centre House B&B. This “living museum” state historic site will be decked with holiday greenery and there will be horse-drawn rides plus wassail to warm the soul.     [caption id="attachment_2115" align="alignright" width="300"] Inn On Lake Wissota Christmas[/caption] In Chippewa Falls, the Christmas Village in Irvine Park running through Jan. 1 is a display of life-size Christmas scenes reminiscent of the Victorian era. Stay at the Inn On Lake Wissota where visions of sugar plums will surely dance in your heads as you sleep peacefully at this quiet inn tucked away on the shore of the lake. Otter Creek Inn lies in nearby Eau Claire, WI on a one-acre wooded lot that simply glistens with the winter snows. [caption id="attachment_2117" align="alignright" width="300"] Snow-covered Otter Creek Inn[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2108" align="alignleft" width="199"] Hidden Serenity Sleigh Ride[/caption]                   Take a sleigh ride through the woods lit up by thousands of twinkling lights when you book the horse-drawn sleigh ride package at Hidden Serenity B&B in West Bend. Available on a dozen dates in December and January. [caption id="attachment_2118" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Phipps Inn Winter Evening[/caption] The Phipps Inn B&B in Hudson, an elegant Victorian mansion, always opens its first floor for tours on the first Friday in December when the Octagon House Museum across the street holds its Victorian Christmas Night from 6-8 pm. Expect a magical night.  

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

 

The music scene in Wisconsin has taken some intriguing, indie twists in the last few years, with festivals featuring performers you’d only expect to see on the coasts. Buy your tickets and book your B&B for music events in Eau Claire, Appleton, Wausau and more.

Wisconsin’s live music calendar this summer should impress even east and west coast concert fans. Here are a handful of still-insider gems that are getting bigger by the year. Eaux Claires in Eau Claire, June 16-17, the brainchild of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, is a multi-stage experience with live music, performance art and visual art. Stay: The English Tudor-style Otter Creek Inn gives you room to spread out after being in the crowd at Eaux Claires. [caption id="attachment_1903" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Otter Creek Inn[/caption] Driftless Music Festival in Viroqua, July 8, features jazz, swing, bluegrass and zydeco genres. Stay: Cream Pitcher B&B in Blue River and Westby House Inn in Westby are both an easy drive from this music fest. [gallery columns="2" ids="734,396"] Acoustic Fest in Manitowoc, July 15, showcases the talents of accomplished acoustic musicians. All proceeds go to local scholarships and community organizations. Stay: Guests of Westport B&B are treated to a full candlelight breakfast, a nice complement to the unplugged vibe of the acoustic festival. [caption id="attachment_1904" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Westport Bed & Breakfast[/caption] Mile of Music in Appleton, August 3-6, prides itself on being cover-free, meaning only original music from hundreds of artists and it’s all free. Stay: Franklin Street Inn is the perfect mix of Victorian charm and modern amenities, providing a quiet oasis after hearing all those great artists perform. [caption id="attachment_1905" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Franklin Street Inn[/caption] Big Bull Falls Blues Fest, Wausau, August 18-19, is Wisconsin’s longest running blues fest. Stay: The Stewart Inn was designed by one of the founders of the American Arts & Crafts movement with luxurious rooms that will make you feel like an A-list musician yourself. [caption id="attachment_1906" align="aligncenter" width="450"] The Stewart Inn[/caption] Music Festivals allow fans an opportunity to sample a large number of bands in just a few days.  The rise in the popularity of the living like the locals also adds to the allure, giving folks who value experiences much more than owning things, an opportunity to not only enjoy some music, but also experience the community around the festival. They get a chance to break away from the business of their everyday lives and sample something out of the ordinary.  For those who love the camaraderie of a diverse group of folks coming together for one weekend to enjoy their favorite genre of music, but then would prefer to leave that all behind for a quiet, restful night's sleep, the WBBA Inns are the place for you.  Our Innkeepers can provide the peaceful respite you crave to rejuvenate and be ready for all of the mayhem another day has to offer.  We always like to remind our readers that all WBBA members are licensed, inspected and insured.  So rest asured, you will get a good night's sleep when you stay at a WBBA B&B, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated the next morning.

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

Multi-Destination Getaway: The Driftless Area [caption id="attachment_1794" align="aligncenter" width="300"] WI Driftless Region[/caption] Taking a page out of European travel, why not plan a trip that takes you to multiple destinations instead of just staying put. The Driftless Area in the southwest part of the state, with its deeply carved river valleys untouched by glaciers, would be a great place to give it a try.

If you’re looking for a stateside getaway that carries the same types of discoveries you’d expect to find on a multi-destination European holiday, we bring you the Driftless region of Wisconsin. The last continental glacier bypassed this area, giving it its distinctive terrain of deeply carved valleys and the largest concentration of cold water streams in the world. The earliest inhabitants of this southwest corner of the state were Native American Mound Builders. Today the region is home to hundreds of artists who take inspiration from the hills and valleys and the Kickapoo River and mighty Mississippi. [caption id="attachment_1795" align="alignnone" width="300"] The Driftless Region in Wisconsin offers a variety of choices for bike riders, from rugged mountain trails to challenging on-road routes to constructed bike trails.[/caption] Bird migrations are a mainstay in the spring, farmers’ markets abound, and mountain biking is plentiful. And you can forget malls, as independent boutiques and Amish goods define the shopping experience here. As for places to rest your head, there’s the Tritsch House B&B in the Mississippi River town of Alma. It’s a Queen Anne house hugged by river bluffs. Walnut Ridge Log Cabin Guest House in Platteville offers two handcrafted log cabins set on six wooded country acres. [caption id="attachment_1797" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Westby House Inn, Westby, WI[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1796" align="alignright" width="300"] Walnut Ridge Log Cabin Guest Houses in Platteville, WI[/caption] Four Gables B&B in La Crosse is listed on the National Register and serves guest a four-course country breakfast. The Westby House Inn & Restaurant in Westby has a rich history, but it is the inn’s modern amenities that are a pleasing point of difference. They also serve lunch and afternoon tea. The Driftless Region is a unique part of Wisconsin's geography.  An area where visitors will find a wide variety of places to explore.  The Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association member Inns in the Southwest region of Wisconsin are also plentiful, each one of them unique in their own way.  With a little research, we are confident you will find one that suits your personality.  We always like to remind our readers that all WBBA members are licensed, inspected and insured.  So rest asured, you will get a good night's sleep when you stay at a WBBA B&B, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated the next morning.  Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

Why is it that most of us neglect to take advantage of those last mild days of autumn to hang Christmas decorations outside?  No, we wait until the mercury registers freezing, flurries fill the air, and the north winds whip to finally get to this task.  If you’re in need of some fresh Christmas curb appeal ideas, here are a few from some of Wisconsin’s most stylish B&Bs.   Westby House Inn - Westby, keeps it elegant and simple by stringing thousands of white lights matched by fresh balsm garland and warm lights glowing in each window.  And there's nothing like a fresh snowfall at dusk at the Westphal Mansion - Hartford, with warm lights glowing inside, to remind us of the beauty of the season.   [caption id="attachment_923" align="alignleft" width="300"] Come right inn, shake the chill off! The Westby House Inn, just 20 miles south east of LaCrosse, surrounds you with Victorian architecture complimented by contemporary comforts. With 15 years of B&B innkeeping experience, Mike & Marie know how to treat their guests![/caption]