After all that visiting in one weekend, and about a month of discussing with future husband, we decided on…
Pier Wisconsin!
Overall, it was the best fit.
1. The space is gorgeous, with huge windows which should be awesome with the morning light
2. The staff made me feel confident & comfortable
3. The rental costs and food/beverage minimums were within our budget
4. There’s a great outdoor amphitheater right on the water that will be beautiful for the ceremony
5. In case of rain or other bad weather, this was my favorite plan B. We can split the room and have the ceremony in the pilot house before the reception, and with the big windows, even a stormy day will look awesome.
6. Although sometimes an exclusive caterer is a drawback, it means ONE less decision for me to over-research and over-think. And it means we took care of TWO big decisions at once. The only thing better than making a list is checking things off the list!
7. If it’s in town, we could have the Denis Sullivan sailboat as a backdrop to our ceremony (the closest I’ll come to K’s request for a pirate-themed wedding!) 🙂
Photo from Discovery World: http://www.discoveryworld.org/denisSullivan-volunteer.php
Emo in the City & the Country 
I found your blog by doing a google search of pier wisconsin. We’re having our wedding reception in the Pilot House in July ’11. Good luck with all of your planning!