By Jeniece Smith
Managing Editor
Ah, weddings. They're so romantic. So meticulously planned. So preposterously expensive.
If that's your attitude toward a traditional ceremony, you've probably entertained the idea of running away and getting married. Thanks to these Wisconsin bed & breakfasts, you can elope in luxury and skip the courthouse wedding. You'll get enchanted – but cheap – nuptials, minus the minutiae of guest list spreadsheets and reception centerpieces.
Oscar H. Hanson House Bed & Breakfast – Cambridge
This 1880s Victorian mansion just 30 minutes from Wisconsin's capital city was voted Wisconsin's best spot to elope in a 2015 survey of couples by BestPlacesToElope.com. With a range of customizable elopement packages starting at $129 and an innkeeper willing to play double duty as an ordained minister, you'll quickly see why.
Kick off your honeymoon in a second-floor bridal suite with a clawfoot bathtub built for two and tucked beneath a crescent of stained glass windows. Those with restrictive diets will find plenty of gluten-free options on the weekend three-course breakfast menu.
Lazy Cloud Bed & Breakfast – Fontana-on-Geneva-Lake
Enjoy a resort town ceremony without a crippling accompanying price tag, ranging from a private elopement starting at $550 up to small weddings. Stay an extra night and upgrade to a relaxation package for long massages and a private picnic together in your room.
You'll be able to pick from 10 different themed suites, each with a fireplace and two-person whirlpool. And don't miss the sticky buns at breakfast, a favorite recipe passed down from the innkeeper's grandmother.
When it comes to weddings, this Victorian country B&B has the perfect name and location – right in the heart of Door County – so it's no surprise that more than 700 couples have been married on these grounds. The best part is, the owners won't charge you anything extra if you want to say "I do" – in front of their parlor fireplace or out in the garden gazebo.
White Lace's guest rooms are spread out across four houses! You'll get a private bath and full breakfast, and can choose from a queen or king bed and amenities like wood-burning fireplaces and whirlpools for two.
Old Rittenhouse Inn – Bayfield
Want to say your vows at a hillside mansion overlooking Lake Superior? Reserve your room, add the $825 elopement package and let the on-staff wedding coordinator handle everything else! This historic B&B is another BestPlacestoElope.com favorite, with two innkeepers licensed as officiates.
Choose from lake views, fireplaces, whirlpools and more in the 14 rooms and five exquisite suites starting at $140, or rent your own private cottage for less than $300. The on-site Landmark Restaurant offers a delectable complimentary breakfast of upscale American and French cuisine. Come back for dinner, or schedule an appointment for lunch.
Want more options for saying your vows without emptying your bank account? The Westby House Inn and Restaurant in Wisconsin's rugged Driftless Area offers an all-inclusive elopement or small wedding package for $2575, with the cost of your two-night stay factored into the total. And the Brayton Bed & Breakfast, located in Oshkosh just a mile from Wisconsin's largest inland lake, will plan your wedding from start to finish starting at $535, plus the cost of your room. Discounts abound if you rent out the entire five-room inn for friends and family.
Wisconsin is known for its charming B&Bs, and you can browse them all in our extensive directory.
