Bartolotta Catering & Events at Discovery World

ed. Madeline was terrific and ushered the wedding planning every step of the way. There really is no need to hire a wedding planner as she is terrific. Lastly, the food was excellent. We had many people visiting from all over the country that went out of their way to comment on the wonderful food.

and it certainly lived up to the hype! Their team was also incredibly helpful with handling details like ordering linens, chairs, and recommending other vendors such as bakery. Liz, our coordinator, was lovely to work with through out the process & kept everything on track the day of. As someone who didn’t feel like I had lots of time to spend planning my wedding- Bartalottas was the perfect choice as they kept the process streamlined and we knew we were in good hands. It all paid off on our lovely wedding day- we couldn’t be happier with how the service & food turned out! Big thanks to the team!

ry about anything & everything was very efficient + organized! From the initial menu tasting to the final invoice, everything was so clear, and the invoices were straightforward. All of the staff were so polite & friendly, so we definitely felt we were in good hands. I really appreciated the special accommodations that were made for me and our guests with allergies! The room was beautiful & exactly what I had envisioned. We really appreciated how structured the whole process was, such as the instructional email for dropping off decor (with pictures!) and the policies on the invoices. We felt reassured that it was all laid out with what we could/couldn't do, because it reflected how experienced they were. We knew we could relax that day while they provided the highest level of service. Also, so many staff members came to check on me throughout the night & made sure we were as content as possible! We wanted to specifically point out that Madeline’s level of professionalism and expertise were very much appreciated throughout the planning process! We can't express how reassuring it was to have her on our team, because it felt like she was always thinking about our vision of the day! It just felt like everything was taken care of & she helped us think of everything, so nothing was missed in the end. It can be quite intimidating planning a wedding for the first time, as I'm sure everyone knows that there are so many expectations/traditions that guests come in with. Madeline helped us so much to consider what we should add or what might be unnecessary. Especially with everything on Pinterest/social media, we just felt that she always considered what was essential to our day, instead of adding everything that could be thought of. I think it is more that we felt like we weren't being taken advantage of/just a way to make money, which is something that can't be said about all wedding vendors & venues. We felt like she really listened to us & made it personal to us as a couple. We would highly recommend having any event at Discovery World with Madeline! We have received so many compliments from our guests about how wonderful the reception was & felt it was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding!

ine (who was our contact there), and Bartolotta catering. Guests have consistently mentioned the uniqueness of having access to the aquarium and exhibits during cocktail hour. It gave a lot of people that didn't know many other guests the opportunity to mingle and start conversation about the surroundings. The appetizers and the dinner food were fantastic - steak and shrimp cooked perfectly, even at such a large scale. Madeline was extremely communicative throughout the whole process and incredibly good at managing the chaos of the wedding day. Huge thank you to her! We had just under 200 guests and we fit perfectly in the space, with room to spare.

everyone!

f fun planning the wedding and found working with Bartolotta’s to be stress free. When we had small last minute requests, Madeline made it happen. It was the perfect venue for our wedding and we got many compliments on the food. The cocktail hour was perfect and guests were able to enjoy the aquarium and outside view of Lake Michigan. I have no regrets with the venue or catering and highly recommend it to anyone considering!

from Bartolotta's took over “day of” tasks for us and played a crucial role in helping to tie all of our wedding details together. She was so organized and helped take the stress off of our families so we could all enjoy the day. We are so very grateful for her help in planning and executing our wedding and would highly recommend the team at Bartolotta's. Thank you Madeline!

he food was amazing! The service was incredible!!! Madeline and Liz were extremely helpful in the wedding planning process! They made a stressful situation so much less stressful! I could not recommend them more, I wish I could give them 10 stars! My dream wedding would not have been possible without them.

munication throughout the whole process. She always got back to us right away, was willing to answer questions over the phone and even meet in person at the venue to discuss logistics again before the big day. Many of our other vendors were difficult to get ahold of and needed multiple reminders to return calls, so it was really helpful that Madeline was always available to communicate with; it helped to relieve a lot of stress and frustration. On the day of our wedding, she was calm, fully present, and went above and beyond what we expected from a venue coordinator. She brought us food during cocktail hour when we didn’t get a chance to try our appetizers due to lengthy family pictures, she calmly gave reminders 10 and 5 minutes before speeches for family members and helped the bride without a purse to keep track of her things the entire evening. We loved working with Madeline and would HIGHLY recommend her to anyone interested! Discovery World as a venue was absolutely breath-taking. We received SO MANY compliments on how gorgeous the space was and how beautiful the surrounding area was. It was very easy for us to take all of our pictures on-site without having to travel around the city to get a good background. My only complaint is that we had to have all of our décor out of the venue on the same night we got married. It would be nice if they had a storage closet for these items that the bride and groom could pick up the next business day because it was difficult to coordinate moving everything into a large car and having a driver that didn’t enjoy the open bar. The staff was extremely helpful in getting all décor items packed up at the end of the night and providing carts to move all of our stuff. OVERALL 10/10 for Discovery World and Madeline Cope-We are incredibly thankful!

ur vision and expectations were met. They were not only met but exceeded our expectations. Throughout the whole process Joanne at Bartollota’s was beyond professional, friendly, easy to work with, had great communication and was flexible. Numerous times we had to pivot and change our plans due to COVID and updated city orders. From the food to the service, all expectations were exceeded. Our guests could not stop talking about how safe they felt during the entire reception. We knew that we would be in good hands throughout the entire wedding venue planning process and that was confirmed with the experience we had especially during the pandemic.

ooked the Italian Community Center in October of 2019 for my wedding in September 2020. Unfortunately, just one month before my wedding after every single detail was set at the Italian Community Center, Bartolotta told me I had to switch my venue to the Discovery World. They acted like they were doing me a favor because the Discovery World is a more expensive venue and they would give it to me for the same price as the Italian Community Center, but they were not acknowledging the frustration of having everything measured, arranged and set for one venue and having to change it with only a month to go before the wedding, not to mention notifying all guests. I understand the pandemic was hard on many businesses and people, but Bartolotta put everything on the customer. It started with them not allowing me to have a buffet which we chose because you get way more food for a cheaper price. With the entrees you spend a lot more money. They proceeded to add on a fee for having to package the appetizers individually and another fee for "extra cleaning" due to COVID19. The most frustrating part of it all is they do not give the customer the option to cancel without losing 5,000+ of a deposit. My only option was to either reschedule before March 31,2021 or after March 31,2021 for an extra 5,000 dollars. If a contract can be broken by a vendor, it should be able to broken by the customer as well. There were several easy things they could have done for us to have made our experience better, for example we wanted a backdrop placed on a wall that clashed with our decorations, instead of bringing extra draping over from another venue they told us they couldn't do. They offered things for an extra charge that could have easily been given to us at no extra charge without a loss to Bartolotta to make up for all of the issues along the way, but they chose not to do it. Bartolotta was extremely poor at communicating the entire time, they are the only vendor I am extremely disappointed in from my wedding.

nd the aquarium, and your guests will be blown away. I will never, ever doubt my decision to go with the Pilot House, because Discovery World is one of the best places to visit in Milwaukee period, and the Pilot House has all the charm of a luxury venue, with all the beauty that downtown has to offer. Madeline made the whole experience absolutely easy - from the initial consultation, to the Bartolotta group tasting, to the days before the wedding, to the day of. I've been a part of many weddings, and I couldn't be happier to say that my wedding was the smoothest I've ever been a part of. Bartolotta's and the Pilot House made our wedding absolutely amazing. The food was incredible, the fireworks off the lake were an excellent touch, and I am thrilled that I'll get to visit my wedding venue whenever I want! You will not be disappointed with anything through the Pilot House, they make the process so simple, so comfortable, that all you have to think about is getting married!!

Museum as my venue because I really like the way the building looks and the views are easily some of the best in Milwaukee. My point of contact and venue coordinator was Madeline Cope. From my initial email to the last one, she was extremely attentive, gave awesome recommendations and thought of details that both my (now) wife and I didn’t even think about at the time but now realize how impactful it made our wedding. I have seen the wedding planning process done with friends and other family and I was always afraid of having that same stress with my wedding, but with Madeline helping and all the options available through Bartollota Catering, the whole process was unbelievably easy. The food was outstanding – especially the grilled cheese and tomato soup appetizer (GET IT - trust me on this one) and the ravioli and steak meals were probably some of the best dishes we’ve had. Our guests could not stop talking about the food all night! We had our cocktail hour in the aquarium and our main event at the Pilot house. The aquarium was perfect for that portion because it felt intimate and the lighting and tanks were just stunning and a great conversation starter between guests. The pilot house was perfect for the wedding because it has this amazing 360 degree view of the city and lake (and Summerfest) plus the balcony is just an added bonus for guests to walk around, enjoy their drinks and take in the views. The service was that of a 5 star hotel – all of the staff members were super kind, always smiling, sharply dressed and just so pleasant to talk with. Madeline coordinated just about everything once the celebrations started, from us walking out for ceremony, the transition between the ceremony to dinner (another cocktail hour), drinks after dinner and lastly our fireworks. We chose to have our first dance after dinner and wanted to surprise our guests with fireworks during our dance (Discovery World offers that service by the way). She knew how long our song was and coordinated it PERFECTLY with their fireworks crew so that as soon as I dipped my wife at the end of the song, the fireworks launched EXACTLY at that moment. My family, my guests and especially my wife were so amazed at how beautiful this wedding turned out that they kept talking about it all weekend and I’m still getting texts and emails as I’m writing this review! Madeline Cope was perfect, Discovery World was perfect and Bartolotta Catering was perfect. I honest hope that my sincerest admiration shows in this review.

nd the team were incredible at keeping us updated about the progress of the space, and helping bring our vision to life even before there was a completed building in place! They were beyond organized and had every single detail taken care of. Come day of, there was absolutely nothing to stress about, we knew they had it all under control! The day itself was just incredible. The new pavilion is one of the most ideal spots in Milwaukee to get married, and Bartolotta Catering just brought it all to life. We couldn't count the number of guests who talked about how amazing the venue, service, food and overall experience was. So many people commented on how different it felt from other weddings they had been to. The service elevated everything, and was worth every penny in our opinion! Thank you everyone for making it the best day ever!! We're so lucky to have been able to share our day with you all!

tings before the wedding, she was also so reassuring and well organized. Everything the day of went flawlessly. The food was amazing, and we have received numerous comments that it was the best food people have ever had at a wedding. Thank you for a perfect wedding in every way!!!

2015, and it was a dream of ours to have our wedding reception in the new Pavilion. It could not have been more perfect. Madeline and the rest of the staff made sure we had everything we needed, kept us organized, worked with us through every decision and answered every single question we had. My mother was sick during the reception with an awful cold, and one of the severs Charles, literally checked in with her ALL throughout dinner to make sure she was feeling good and had everything she needed. At one point he even tracked down a hot cup of tea for her! If we could do it all over again we wouldn't change a single thing. Thank you all SO much!

rack and organized. The food was delicious, the venue was superb and the staff was welcoming and made our day even more perfect.

for us in order to make it work. Everything was so beautiful and everyone was so easy to work with. We did have a small issue on the day of the wedding as the meals we requested we accidentally flip flopped but they reached out the next day to correct the issue and make sure we didn't pay for anything we didn't originally order or want. Any one who is that quick to notice and correct an issue is one I would want to continue to work with. Thank you very much to Joann and Jamie!

th it) helped baby sit us to stay on track for the ceremony and dinner. Our guests had complimented that it was the most delicious, fun, and beautiful wedding that they have ever experienced. We had a very positive adventure with Jamie and Bartolottas; one that I would highly recommend to anyone! Thank you Jamie and her staff, you've made it a memorable day for us!

f the new Lakeview Pavilion is what sold us. Everyone thought we were crazy for committing to a rendering, but we knew that it was the right decision - it turned out to be the most gorgeous place we could have held our reception. Jamie and the team at Bartolotta Catering are top notch. She was wonderful to work with and it felt like working with a friend, not a vendor. Thank you for helping us celebrate the best day of our lives! We hope we get to work with you again in the future.

s and the staff is very friendly. Our guests could not stop raving about how wonderful our wedding was. We made the best decision deciding to get married at the Pilot House in Discovery World.

the way. I can't imagine how busy she is with all of the events she plans, but she never appeared that way when speaking with her. We always had her undivided attention. She sent us emails letting us know what we should be thinking of and when things were due at different times. She made the day off so stress free. The venue is AMAZING and so unique (we got married in the Pilot House). The food was equally amazing. We had so many guests from out of town and each guests (travelers or local) were so impressed with the venue and food and we had multiple people saying this was the best wedding venue they had ever been to. You certainly get what you pay for and if I had to do it all again I would go through them, no questions asked.

way I had imagined. I cannot say enough how much she helped and eased the stress of wedding planning. I couldn’t have imagined planning our wedding without her!

helped make sure every detail was accounted for. We felt like she was a guest at our wedding and wanted her to be a part of our day like family. She made everything as stress free as possible. The night manager even helped pack up our centerpieces..and by help I mean she packed them up without us asking and it was super kind and super helpful! Discovery World was our dream venue (a bit out of our price range) but she helped make that dream come true. We recommend the large tasting. LOVED this venue!

e they knew where to be and when to be, and even was about to switch some seating around the day before the wedding after I found out there were some cancellations. The venue was flipped seamlessly from ceremony to reception and nobody in the wedding had to worry about a thing. The food and drink service was amazing, nobody went hungry!! Everyone just kept repeating how beautiful the venue was. I can't say enough good things. Wish I could do it again!

She was so detail-oriented and on the ball! Plus, literally every staff member my family or friends encountered the day of were super professional and helpful. It made the day go without a hitch! Plus, the view is AMAZING.

t of. She answered every email on time, helped me make decisions on color and style, helped me to accommodate the layout I wanted, and let me add things in last minute! The service staff at Discovery World were amazing too! the dinner service was impeccable and the food was amazing. There was never a line more than two people long at the bar, and with a wedding of 250 guests that is saying something!!!. I didn't have to lift a finger. The staff even put all of our presents in the car for us, so all we had to do was drive away at the end of the night! every single moment of the evening was perfect. I couldn't be happier.

and reception in the Pilot House and cocktail hour in the Great Lakes/Aquarium. Guests were blown away!! The most beautiful venue right on the water, amazing food (hors d'ouvres/entrees/latenight), stunning aquarium, incredible balcony views, and surrounding boardwalk/park for pictures was laid out perfectly. Every detail of vendor and day-of coordination was all done by Madeline, so we were able to enjoy every minute of our big day!! Our dream wedding day was a reality and we can't thank Madeline, Discovery World, and Bartolottas enough - highly recommended!!

was amazing, the views, the best that anyone could hope for on the best day of their lives, all thanks to the hard work of the workers at this venue! The best part, they gave us a personal plate of the appetizers and food, so we got to eat on our day! :)

however I got lucky and got married in their "off season." This saved us a lot of money and hassle. Besides this being an expensive venue (and what venue isn't? getting married is incredibly expensive!) and we went over our bar bill, which didn't make us happy; I couldn't be happier with the venue itself and the staff. They were ABSOLUTELY amazing to work with! Amanda was our wedding coordinator and she went above and beyond and kept everything organized and on time. The staff helps set up the event and make sure everything you want is included and beautiful. All of my guests were in absolute AWWW of how beautiful and unique this wedding venue is! The food is also fantastic! A month later I am still hearing about how amazing our wedding was, and especially the venue, I would highly recommend this place!

awesome, fun, and delicious wedding! Our guests raved about the great food, fast professional service, and the gorgeous venue and scenery at Discovery World. I'd highly recommend working with Amanda and Bartolotta. Amanda, thank you so much and I'd give you 10 stars if it would let me! :-D

coordinator and she was absolutely amazing to work with! She made the planning process so easy and stress-free, and she contacted all of our vendors the week before to make sure everything ran smoothly. We had the most memorable day and all of our guests were raving about the venue and how beautiful it was. Our guests got to interact with some of the fish during cocktail hour as well, which made it very unique. The whole Bartolotta Catering team did an excellent job at flipping the room and decorating for our reception, and the food was delicious! The staff was very attentive to our needs, checked on us at the head table several times during dinner, and one staff member even made sure that I got to try all of our hors d'oeuvres at cocktail hour. Overall, an amazing unforgettable day in a gorgeous setting! Thank you, Madeline!!

ugh your actual event. I was so impressed and so grateful for Bartolotta's operating procedures, detailed planning, and elegant service throughout the planning process and our actual reception!

erience fun and exciting completely stress free! Bartolottas did a spectacular job with the food and service and the presentation of the plates topped the whole thing off!! The venue was beyond beautiful and by the lake was a dream come true! I would highly recommend this for a wedding or any special occasion!! It was amazing ! Best wedding I have ever been to and every one of my guest said the same thing! You cannot compare to any other venue just amazing!

ing views and scenery, our wedding coordinator Julie Gerber was beyond amazing! She was always so responsive to my many emails, including last minute requests/questions. She was so well organized and made sure we thought through everything before the night of our wedding. The planning process was so much easier with her guiding us through. During the night of our wedding she was just as amazing. She made sure everything was running smoothly, would check in with my husband and I to make sure we were ready for various things, such as getting introduced, first dances, etc. She coordinated everything with our other vendors before our wedding and night-of to make sure everyone was on the same page. The food was delicious (roasted chicken and mushroom risotto) and we actually got a lot of compliments from our guests. The servers and bartenders were extremely professional and everything ran right on schedule. We could not have been happier with every aspect of Discovery World and Bartolotta Catering. Highly recommend!!

ws, the service, the food, the staff. . . it was simply incredible. First, the coordination team at Pier Wisconsin is top-notch. Unlike other vendors, the staff at the Pier is consistent, reliable, responsive, flexible, and timely. Joann, our coordinator, was always available, even for the smallest/detail-oriented questions. Joann worked very well with all of our vendors and was especially patient accommodating my fiancé and I (we were planning the wedding from out of state). Because Bartolotta’s is so well-established in Milwaukee, they have great insight about vendors, as well. We found our florist and our DJ through their recommendations! The fact that Bartolotta’s regularly works with these vendors made it easy for all of the teams to coordinate the day and make everything run smoothly. I can honestly say that we had NO issues, whatsoever during our wedding. I don’t know many people that can say that! One of the most popular compliments from our guests was the food- it was AMAZING! The best part about this was that Joann worked with us to accommodate a custom duet plate that accommodated our guests’ dietary needs. She also coordinated with a local, kosher caterer to make sure ALL of our guests would enjoy their meals. In short, Joann and Bartolotta’s made the meal planning process easy, enjoyable, and most of all, delicious. Thank you Joann and Pier Wisconsin staff for making our wedding so incredible!!

in answering all of my emails, which would be like 4 different emails in an hour sometimes. She made sure that everything was just as it was supposed to be on our wedding day. And with us having an out of town wedding (we are from Chicago), she was so helpful in arranging meetings with us and helping find different things in the area. And the day there was perfect! The views are awesome! Our cocktail hour was held indoors because it was a bit chilly out, but the deck was open for people to go on. All of our guests raved of the pictures that they got it there (the sun was setting and the sky was gorgeous)! I don't say this often, but the food was delicious. We gave our guests the choice of Italian roasted chicken or ricotta and mushroom ravioli (my personal favorite). People were commenting on how great everything tasted and how juicy the chicken was. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect place to celebrate the beginning of our lives together with all of our friends and family.

s raving about the appetizers and food, which we were a little nervous about without the kitchen right there. The views are so beautiful. It is a wonderful way for family and friends to see Milwaukee. It had the WOW factor we were looking for and are so happy we made the decision to have our reception here!

ind and contact vendors, to keeping us organized throughout the process, and coordinating her schedule with ours (both my husband and I live out of state and had to travel back and forth to plan). She took so much of the stress off of my mom and me, which was absolutely invaluable, and was always reachable if we had questions or concerns. Bartalotta's did a wonderful job the night of, and we have gotten so many compliments from friends and family on the venue, the food, the atmosphere, and the staff. Would highly recommend this venue, and Julie as your wedding planner!! Can't imagine it having gone any better.

ly complaint is that some of the steak was overcooked, but otherwise, I could not have asked for a better day.

r a bride without a wedding planner it can be very stressful juggling every vendor, all the options, and everyone's timeline. Julie, our wedding coordinator from Pier, ensured that every detail no matter how minute was addressed and taken care of without a second thought. There was never a moment of doubt in my mind whether an issue was solved or items were ordered. The true dedication Julie has to the weddings she is working on is unparalleled. For as great as Julie was for the planning process, Adam and Matt executed the wedding flawlessly. The schedule was kept to the minute while catering to every one of our needs as well as our guests. There clearly was a genuine effort to make our night the best possible night. Every dream was seen through and every memory created, so thank you Julie, Matt, Adam, and the rest of the Bartolotta Catering staff for your phenomenal professionalism, hard work, and exceptional skill in what you do, you helped create an experience Joe and I will truly never forget.

perfect the day of. The food was fantastic! All of my guests are still raving about how great the food was and how attentative the staff was. The location of the venue is the best in downtown Milwaukee. We also had a front row show to the festa fireworks which were amazing. Our guests are still calling to tell us how beautiful the wedding was. We had cocktail hour in the aquarium which was a huge hit! The reception followed upstairs in the pilot house. Overall we are so happy we went with Bartolotta Catering at Pier Wisconsin and would highly recommend any bride to have their special day there. You will not be disappointed! Thanks again Julie!