CHIPPEWA VALLEY (WQOW) – Wedding venue owners across Wisconsin gathered to find solutions to the new liquor license laws.
The Chippewa Valley Wedding and Event Professionals group held a roundtable with wedding venue owners across the state and State Senator Jeff Smith.
Their goal: finding ways for venues to navigate a new bill that goes into affect in 2026. This bill will require them to either obtain a permit that would allow them to only host events six times a year, no more than once a month, or obtain attain a liquor license to sell alcohol as many times as they want. That could be difficult in so-called ‘dry townships’, which don’t issue liquor licenses.
Through this roundtable, many owners talked about how they’re already losing business. They said many couples are looking to plan their wedding in advance without having to worry if they can have alcohol at their celebration.
“Everybody has got the same concerns throughout the state,” said Jean Bahn, owner of Farmview Event Barn. “Once I explain parts of this bill, even to my guests at my venue, I have not found anyone who thought this was good. That this was benefiting anyone. I don’t think consumers are realizing this is now pressuring them. Their choices are going to be gone and it’s going to cost them more.”
The owners of Farmview Events in Berlin and Monarch Valley in Blair are suing the State Department of Revenue over the new law. Bahn hopes this lawsuit will eliminate any restrictions and send a message that laws need to benefit the people of Wisconsin, without the expense of penalizing specific groups.