We’ve photographed more weddings at Norskedalen than anywhere else we work, going back well over a decade now. Once or twice a year, sometimes more, always for a reason: it’s one of the only places in southwest Wisconsin where the landscape does as much work as any photographer could. This is the guide we wish existed when we first drove out to Coon Valley to see it for ourselves.
What Norskedalen Actually Is
Norskedalen is a nonprofit nature and heritage center on 440 acres inside a coulee near Coon Valley, in the Driftless Area of southwest Wisconsin. It opened in 1977, and at its center sits the Bekkum Homestead: twelve restored buildings recreating a turn-of-the-century Norwegian immigrant farm, arranged in the traditional tun layout. Most of those log buildings were moved onto the property starting in 1982, through the Bekkum family and decades of volunteer restoration work. The Helga Gundersen Arboretum sits nearby, planted starting in the 1960s and home to a bronze sculpture by Paul Granlund tucked into the trees. Nine miles of trails wind through the rest of the valley.
None of that is staged for weddings. It’s just there, the way a farm that’s actually been farmed looks different from one built to look that way. That’s a big part of why we keep coming back.
The Ceremony and Reception Spaces
Norskedalen’s amphitheater handles most ceremonies, with the open-air shelter used for dinner and dancing afterward. That shelter is the workhorse of the property: it seats hundreds comfortably, runs a full kitchen setup, and has roll-down doors if the weather turns. The Bekkum Homestead buildings sit close enough to serve as a backdrop for portraits without any extra travel time.
What we like best about Norskedalen is that the amphitheater isn’t the only option. Most venues give you one ceremony spot and that’s the whole conversation. Norskedalen gives you a handful, each with its own light and feel, so the choice can follow the couple instead of the property. We’ve held ceremonies in the pasture next to the Bekkum Homestead, out in the open field with room to spread out (Jonathan and Ariel got married here). We’ve done them on the far side of the Homestead too, down a trail guests walk to reach, which feels more private and lets the day take in more of the property (Emma and Nicholas chose this spot). And at the far end of campus near the Helga Gundersen Arboretum, there’s a tall line of arborvitae the bride can walk out from for a genuinely dramatic entrance (Diego and Rebecca were married there). That end of the property has tighter parking and asks more of guests on foot, but it opens up more of the valley for the day. Where you land changes the light more than almost any other decision you’ll make, which we get into in detail further down, and more broadly in our guide to wedding day light.
For something smaller, the Benrud Little White Chapel is worth knowing about. It was built in 1886 as a Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church in Sparta, survived a lightning strike, and now stands on the Norskedalen grounds available to rent for ceremonies. It’s a genuinely different feel from the shelter, and it works well for couples who want a chapel wedding without a formal, big-city church.
What sticks with us after however many trips out here:
– Log buildings that have held their shape for well over a century
– Hand-lettered signs gone soft with moss
– Ponds still enough to mirror the sky on a calm evening
– A creek that reshapes its own banks after a big flood
– Valley light that cuts sideways through the trees a little differently every time
When to Get Married at Norskedalen
The wedding season here runs roughly May through October. The shelter has roll-down doors and the property is beautiful in the cold, but everything about a Norskedalen wedding assumes people will be outside for part of it, and that narrows the window in practice.
Early summer. June is when the valley is at its greenest and its most alive, and also when it is least predictable. This is the season for pop-up thunderstorms in the afternoon and for a creek running high enough to hear from the shelter. It is also the season with the longest evenings, which matters more here than it does on open ground, because a June wedding buys you the most usable light after the ridge shadow arrives. Bring bug spray. A valley in June is a valley in June.
High summer. July and August are the busiest months and the hottest. The open field near the Bekkum Homestead takes direct sun through the middle of the day, so a midday ceremony there is a different experience than the same ceremony in the shade past the Homestead. Setup on a hot Friday is real work, especially if you are moving picnic tables. Start early, and put water out for whoever is helping. Bryn and Patrick’s summer wedding is a good look at what this stretch of the year feels like here.
Fall. Late September and October are, for our money, the best-looking weeks of the year on this property. The arboretum turns, the log buildings warm up against the color, and the low sun angle means the whole valley is soft for longer. The tradeoff is that the ridge shadow arrives earlier too, so a fall ceremony wants an earlier start time than the same ceremony in July. October also collides with Norskedalen’s own event calendar, since Ghoulees in the Coulees runs then, so confirm your date early.
Winter. Rare, but not impossible. The Benrud Little White Chapel makes small winter ceremonies workable, and the property under snow is genuinely something. If you are considering it, talk to the venue directly about what is open and heated.
Timing Your Day for Coulee Light
The single thing we would tell any couple considering Norskedalen: the sun sets earlier here than your weather app says it does.
That is not a figure of speech. Norskedalen sits down inside a coulee, and the west ridge rises high enough that direct sun leaves the valley floor at least 30 to 45 minutes before the official sunset time you will find when you Google it, and depending on where you are on the property, often more than that. If you plan a 6:00 ceremony in July because sunset is at 8:40, you are fine. If you plan portraits for 8:15 expecting golden light, the valley will already be in shadow and you will be shooting something else entirely.
We do not say that as a warning. It is actually one of our favorite things about this place. What replaces direct sun is not darkness, it is a long, even, soft light that fills the whole valley at once, with the ridgetops still lit above you. It lasts far longer than a golden hour does out on open ground, and it is forgiving in a way harsh late sun never is. Couples who understand this stop trying to chase the sun and start using what the coulee gives them.
A few practical notes we have collected over the years:
Morning light arrives late here for the same reason it leaves early. The east ridge holds the sun off, so getting-ready light in the cabins stays soft well past when it would be hard anywhere else. If you are at the Paulsen Cabin or Thrunegaarden, you have more room than you think.
Midday in high summer is the hardest light on the property. The sun clears the ridges and comes straight down into the open field near the Bekkum Homestead. If your ceremony lands between 11 and 2 in June or July, the pasture site will be bright and contrasty, and the shaded trail site past the Homestead is the kinder choice.
Fall shifts everything earlier. By late September and October, the sun angle is low enough that ridge shadow arrives sooner still. October ceremonies want to start earlier than the same ceremony in July, even though it feels counterintuitive when you are looking at a calendar.
The arboretum end and the pasture end do not share a schedule. They face differently and they shade at different times. Where you put your ceremony changes your timeline as much as what time you start it, which is why we always ask couples which site they have chosen before we help build the day out.
And a coulee holds fog. Not every morning, and not on demand, but often enough that if you are getting ready early on a cool morning after a warm day, it is worth looking outside.
We are happy to build a timeline around whichever site you pick. After this many weddings here, we mostly know what the light will do before we arrive.
The Practical Details
Norskedalen offers several package options depending on how much time you need and whether you are renting for a ceremony alone or the whole day. We break those down in the FAQ below. Because the venue is essentially a blank slate, plan on bringing in your own caterer, rentals, and coordination, the same as you would at most nature centers or parks. A day-of coordinator earns its cost here more than almost anywhere else we’ve shot.
Guests who want to stay on-site have two options: the Paulsen Cabin, an authentic log cabin built roughly 150 years ago, and the farmhouse at Thrunegaarden on 40 acres nearby. Both book through Airbnb, and both double as getting-ready spots on the wedding day itself since they sit on opposite sides of Coon Valley.
For a bigger bridal party, two more options nearby are worth knowing about: Valley Lodge, which sleeps 8 and has a hot tub and an arcade room about 4 miles from the venue, and the Large Cabin Retreat, which sleeps 16 or more on 150 acres if you want the whole crew under one roof. For general guest lodging, La Crosse hotels are the easiest option.
Norskedalen sits at N455 O. Ophus Road in Coon Valley, about twenty-five minutes southeast of La Crosse. For pricing and availability, email info@norskedalen.org or call 608-452-3424.
Norskedalen Wedding FAQ
How many guests can Norskedalen accommodate?
Up to 300. The open-air shelter handles the full count for dinner and dancing.
What are the wedding package options?
Four. Picturesque is three days, covering ceremony and reception with time for setup, rehearsal, and cleanup. Classic is the same amenities in one day. Just Us and Sweet & Simple are ceremony-only, and Just Us includes an overlook above a natural spring in the woods. Additional hours can be added a la carte.
What does it cost?
Norskedalen does not publish rates. Secondhand, from a couple who married here recently, a Saturday rental was somewhere in the $2,400 to $2,600 range, so budgeting roughly $2,000 to $3,000 for the space is a reasonable starting point. Treat that as a ballpark rather than a quote, and confirm current pricing directly with Norskedalen at info@norskedalen.org or 608-452-3424.
What is included, and what do we bring?
It is a blank slate. Bring your own caterer, tables, chairs, linens, decor, and bar. There is a kitchen setup in the shelter and bar rental is available through the venue. A refundable damage deposit is required. One couple’s advice we would repeat: bring your own extra toilet paper and small supplies, because not everything is stocked.
Can we have candles or a sparkler send-off?
No. Open flames are not permitted anywhere on the property. Battery tea lights and string lights are the workaround, and they photograph better than you would expect in a valley at dusk.
Do we need a day-of coordinator?
Not required, but we would push for it. Every couple we have watched do this without one worked harder than they needed to. One bride who self-coordinated with her mom said it is doable but that a coordinator would have helped enormously.
What about the picnic tables?
The shelter comes with picnic tables. If you want rented tables and chairs instead, someone has to move them, and it is more work than it sounds. Line up help, and do it before the heat of the day.
Is Norskedalen accessible for guests with mobility limitations?
The venue is listed as handicap accessible, and there is a dressing room, indoor event space, and wireless internet on site. That said, the terrain is a working coulee: gravel, grass, and slope. Guests in heels struggle. Tell people to bring comfortable shoes, and if you are using the far end of the property near the arboretum, plan for the walk.
How do guests get there?
Norskedalen is at N455 O. Ophus Road, about 25 minutes southeast of La Crosse. Most guests stay in La Crosse. Shuttling works well, and one couple used Ready Bus Company for three runs across the evening.
Is it a good venue for kids?
Unusually good. There is a pond with tadpoles, the Troll Trail, and open space for yard games. Kids at Norskedalen weddings entertain themselves.
Is there a chapel option?
Yes, the Benrud Little White Chapel, an 1886 Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church moved to the grounds in 2009. It rents separately and suits small ceremonies.
Should we check the venue’s event calendar?
Yes. Norskedalen hosts public events through the year, including Midsummer Fest in June, the Threshing Bee, Ghoulees in the Coulees in October, and Old-Fashioned Christmas. Confirm your date does not collide.
Can guests stay on site?
Two options: the Paulsen Cabin and the farmhouse at Thrunegaarden, both roughly 150 years old, both bookable through Airbnb, both usable as getting-ready spaces since they sit on opposite sides of the valley.
Package details and policies above are current as of August 2026 and come from the venue and from couples who have married here. Confirm specifics with Norskedalen directly.
What We’ve Learned After Several Weddings Here
The first few times we shot at Norskedalen, we assumed we’d run out of new angles eventually. We haven’t. The creek moves after a flood. Even the same corner of the property reads differently depending on what time the ceremony starts and how the light is sitting in the valley that day.
We shoot documentary-style, which means we’re not setting up shots so much as reading what’s already there and responding to it. A place like this, with this much texture built in, rewards that approach more than a blank ballroom ever could.
Who This Fits
Couples who choose Norskedalen tend to want their wedding to feel like it belongs to a specific place, not a rented event space that could be anywhere. A lot of them grew up in or near the coulee region, or have family land close enough that Norskedalen felt like the natural extension of it. It’s also a strong option for couples planning something smaller and more hands-on, since the venue leaves room to bring in your own flowers and your own décor instead of a package deal.
We’ve photographed several weddings here over the years. A few of them:
Rob and Veronica’s wedding at Norskedalen, Brian and Anne’s wedding in the valley, Diego and Rebecca’s Norskedalen wedding, Jonathan and Ariel’s intimate ceremony in the pasture, Emma and Nicholas’s wedding by the Homestead, Bryn and Patrick’s summer wedding at Norskedalen, and Dana and David’s waterfall first look. We’ll keep adding to this list as we shoot more here, which, given our track record, won’t take long.
We’re Ray and Kelly. We’ve been shooting weddings together for nineteen years, mostly in Wisconsin, always documentary-style. We follow what’s happening rather than directing it. If Norskedalen is on your list and you’re curious whether we’d be a good fit, we’d love to talk.
