Garden House Transforms into Wedding Venue

They're already taking wedding reservations for next summer and envisioning the redesigned space.

SOLON SPRINGS, Wis.- The Garden House is transforming into a wedding venue, hear the goodbye from the current owners and see who’s taking over.

Since 1995 the sisters Lisa and Kristi Reque have been helping the Garden House blossom, but now they’re selling the shop to help pay for their mother’s assisted living care.

“And honestly this is a rough gig for ladies of a certain age,” Kristi Reque–Hutton said.

The journey began when their parents purchased the Garden House.

“It was a true leap of faith, it’s really a cool thing, it taught us a lot,” Kristi Reque–Hutton said.

Gardening was a whole new project for the pair.

“It took 22 years but we figured it out,” Kristi Reque–Hutton said.

“Well we’re still figuring it out,” Lisa Evans said.

For some working alongside a sister might cause trouble.

“It’s mostly always good,” Lisa Evans said.

But the Reque sisters couldn’t picture it any other way.

“You know we really do look out for each other and can sense without talking,” Kristi Reque–Hutton said.

But now a new pair is set to buy the Garden house. They’ll turn it into a wedding venue called the Atrium.

“It’s a really cool environment and we want people to have that feeling when they come for weddings,” Lyndsey Johnson said.

Lyndsey has been coming to the Garden House since she was a little girl.

“I never really imagined it being anything different,” Lyndsey Johnson said. “It’s just such an inviting welcoming place.”

They’re already taking wedding reservations for next summer and envisioning the redesigned space.

“Whimsical and laidback,” Lyndsey Johnson said.

Owning a venue has been a dream for the couple for many years, which grew from their wedding photography business.

“We just love the community,” Al Johnson said.

The transformed greenhouse can host outdoor wedding regardless of the weather.

Both new and old owners are already counting down the days until switchover.

“We do tell our customers we’ll probably see you around at other places next year,” Lisa Evans said.

“We’ll be toodling around with a big van without the seats in it,” Kristi Reque–Hutton said.

“We decided instead of opening on May first we’ll get the staff together and go greenhouse hopping,” Lisa Evans said.

But it’s safe to say the Garden House will be missed as well.

“People are sad that they’re not going to be here they’re really quite cracked up about it,” Kristi Reque–Hutton said. “I’m grateful that that’s the response we get, it means we did a good job.”

The Garden Center will be open until June 30th. For more information on the Atrium.