Sugar Island Barn exterior at night with moonlit sky
A family farm. A sister's wedding. A decision that changed everything.

Built in 1895.
Loved ever since.

Sugar Island Barn was not designed by committee. It is a farm that has been in the Robus family since 1984 -- and a barn that got a second life because a daughter asked her Dad a question.

Sugar Island Barn ceremony space
1895
Original Build
How It All Started

Hannah asked Dad a question.

The Robus family moved to the farm at W3801 County Road O in 1984. Dennis and Evanna raised four kids on that land -- Will, Clint, Brady, and Hannah. The 1895 barn was part of the property from day one, holding equipment, hay, and a few decades of farm history.

In 2012, Hannah got engaged. She and her fiance Paul wanted a barn wedding -- but when they toured existing venues, they kept running into the same things: high prices, rigid rules, and places that felt more like a business transaction than a celebration.

So Hannah came home and asked her dad a simple question: "Hey Dad -- could we do it here?" The wedding was set for October 26th, 2013. Which meant they had about six months to turn a barn full of junk -- with a leaking roof and rotting floors -- into something worth celebrating in.

Dennis looked at Brady and asked what he thought. His answer: "We are Robuses. We can make it happen."

-- Brady Robus, Co-Owner
1895
Original Barn
40+
Years on the Farm
300
Guest Capacity
46+
Events Per Season
How We Got Here

The road from farm to venue

1984
The Robus Family Arrives
Dennis and Evanna move to the farm in September 1984 with three of their children. Hannah arrives Christmas Eve, 1986. The 1895 barn becomes the backdrop of a childhood.
2012
Hannah Gets Engaged
Hannah and Paul want a barn wedding. They tour existing venues -- and find them overpriced, overruled, and underwhelming. The idea starts forming.
April 2013
The Build Begins
Brady and Dennis work on the barn almost every day, April through October, with the help of friends and family throughout. While Dennis is still recovering from double knee replacement surgery he had in February, they are clearing junk, replacing floors, and having a tin roof installed.
October 26, 2013
Hannah's Wedding Day
The barn is ready. Guests cannot stop complimenting it. The family faces a decision: pile the barn full of junk again, or do something with what they just built.
2013 - 2016
Building It Legit
The Robuses decide to give it a shot. They host friend and family weddings while working through state and county requirements to make it fully legal.
May 2017
Fully Licensed
Sugar Island Barn receives its full liquor license and all necessary permits. They start promoting. The bookings snowball fast.
2019
The Big Addition
A major expansion off the northeast corner: full bathrooms, bridal dressing rooms, a full catering kitchen, and a lounge bar. The venue becomes completely self-contained.
Today
46+ Events a Season
May through November, Sugar Island Barn runs nearly every weekend — weddings, private celebrations, and community events like Food Truck Tuesdays. The Robus family still answers the phone. The barn still has its original bones. And it still feels like someone's home — because it is.
Sugar Island Barn exterior at night with string lights
Wedding guests enjoying the evening outdoors
Bonfire
What Couples Say

Straight from the people who were there

The Robus family were so accommodating and attentive. The barn is stunning, and we received a ton of compliments on how it was the perfect venue.
-- Kim R.
I tell everyone I know to use Sugar Island. You will not beat the price for everything they include. The best part is they only allow one wedding per weekend and you can start setting up on Wednesday.
-- Sarah L.
The dad will give you a detailed history of the barn and how they have kept it so perfect. It is the most beautiful barn venue I have seen. This is the one to pick.
-- Sarah L.
More Than Weddings

A barn for every celebration

Weddings are our bread and butter, but Sugar Island Barn hosts all kinds of celebrations — corporate parties, birthdays, graduations, retirement parties, baby showers, gender reveals, engagement parties, celebrations of life, and more. We also open our doors to the community with Food Truck Tuesdays and other public events throughout the season.

View Public Events Inquire About Private Events
Why Sugar Island

What you get when you book with us

01
One Wedding Per Weekend
We do not double-book. Your weekend is yours. Setup starts Wednesday -- no scrambling, no sharing the property with strangers the night before your day.
02
The Family Still Answers
When you call, a Robus picks up. Dad Dennis has been known to give guests a personal history of the barn. That is not a policy -- that is just how they are.
03
Bring Your Own Caterer
Your food, your choices. Sugar Island is a bring-your-own-caterer venue with a full catering kitchen and a licensed bar -- your way, your vendors.
04
4,000 Sq Ft of Real Barn
Original 1895 wood walls, partitions, and flooring. Not a warehouse dressed up as a barn -- the real thing, with a full modern addition built in 2019.
05
Pets Welcome
It is a farm. Of course pets are welcome. Well-behaved animals are part of the family here -- same as yours probably is.
06
No Rigid Deadlines
No teardown clocks ticking during your reception. The team focuses on making every moment feel right -- not on getting you out the door.
📍 W3801 Co Rd O, Watertown, WI 53098
🚗 45 min from Madison
🚗 45 min from Milwaukee
🏢 10 min to hotels
Come see it for yourself

Tours are personal.
Just like the barn.

A member of the Robus family will walk you through the property personally -- no sales pitch, just an honest look at the place.

Schedule a Tour View Packages