Beautiful Elopement Locations Near Madison WI
Madison is the capitol city of Wisconsin and it’s proximity to beautiful natural and urban spots makes it a hub for picturesque elopement locations.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Olbrich Botanical Gardens is a lush garden space with outdoor gardens and a tropical indoor conservatory. The conservatory is a great option for late fall and winter elopements when it’s chilly outside. The tropical temperature inside the conservatory is a great combat to the outside chill. In addition there are free flying birds whose chirping provide a peaceful soundtrack to your ceremony.
The Bolz Conservatory is only available for evening ceremonies on Monday-Saturday from 4pm-7pm from November-March. Weekday evenings may be available during other parts of the year. There is a 30 person capacity for this space and standing only, no chairs are allowed. For full information or to book reach out on Olbrich Botanical Garden’s website.
Wisconsin State Capitol
The Wisconsin State Capitol building is one of the tallest and most iconic buildings in Madison. Small ceremonies are permitted in public areas of the Capitol during open hours, 8:00am-6:00pm Monday- Friday and 8:00am-4:00pm on weekends and holidays. If you want a bit more privacy certain rooms can be reserved through the Assembly Sergeant at Arms or the Senate Sergeant at Arms. All reservations require a $750 pre-dated security deposit at time of application. In addition there is a non-refundable application fee of $375 for ceremonies at either time slots of 9:30am-12:30pm or 12:45pm-3:45pm or during normal business hours 8:00am-5:00pm Monday-Friday. Outside of those hours or on weekends are subject to a fee of $750.
Madison also hosts a variety of restaurants, bars, and cocktail lounges to host your post ceremony celebration. The Harvey House is one location I’ve photographed at as one of my couples had their reception in the train car there. It offered a private intimate space for their guests to mingle before sitting down for dinner and drinks.
Devil’s Lake State Park
Located just an hour from Madison, Devil’s Lake State Park is one of the most beautiful and popular parks in the state. With miles of trails throughout the park, there’s no shortage of picturesque spots for a state park elopement. While there is no way to block off a portion of the park for a ceremony, picking a quieter part of the day or being up for some hiking can still get you a private spot to exchange vows.
Dogs are allowed in most campgrounds, trails, roads, and outlying areas of the park.
Nearby Baraboo also hosts various lodging options and restaurants to round out your whole experience.
Some of my favorites from spending time in the area:
Bakery:
Neat-O’s
Food:
Log Cabin Family Restaurant
Tumbled Rock Brewery and Kitchen
Wine & Spirits (some of these have food options as well):
Wiscocktail
Balanced Rock Winery
Driftless Glen
Al Ringling Brewing Company
Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area
Gibraltar Rock State Natural area is a lesser known flat topped butte with panoramic views of the Wisconsin River Valley. The 1.4 mile loop trail to the top winds through tall trees and rocks. Dogs are welcome on the trails as well. It’s only 45 minutes from Madison or 30 minutes from Devil’s Lake and can be enjoyed in conjunction with either of those locations.
