How to get married at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison
- Brianna Kraft
- Nov 15, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 10
Did you know that wedding ceremonies are permitted within the public areas (for free!) and within ornate private rooms (for a small fee) of the Capitol building?
The magnificent indoor space of the capitol is open to the public and offers a variety of quiet corners within the common areas to host your small ceremony. As Madison's crown jewel, having the capitol as the backdrop for your wedding ceremony is a surprisingly budget friendly option for a ceremony space.
Have you considered eloping or having a small and intimate wedding ceremony inside the Capitol? Are you wondering how to get married or how to plan a small wedding ceremony at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison? If so, this blog is for you!
There are two options for getting married at the capitol building in Madison.
Option 1 is to have a small wedding ceremony in the common areas / public spaces of the capitol for free (with a permit)!
Option 2 is to host a wedding ceremony in one of the ornate private rooms in the capitol. Wedding ceremonies are permitted in the following private rooms in the capitol: Assembly Chamber, Assembly Parlor, and the Senate Parlor.
I'll go into more detail for each option below!
How to Get Married at the Wisconsin State Capitol
Step 1: Choose a wedding date:
Check this calendar to make sure there aren't any official events happening in the room you are eyeing during your desired timeframe: Capitol Calendar of Events
If there aren't any clickable items on the calendar, then the date does not have any events happening. As a note, this calendar lists all events in all spaces within the capitol.
Fridays make great wedding or elopement days at the capitol!
Step 2: Choose your ceremony space in the Capitol from 3 options:
OPTION 1 - The Rotunda:
You can have a small wedding ceremony in the common areas / public spaces (known as The Rotunda) of the capitol for free. The process of having your small wedding ceremony inside the capitol common areas is relatively simple.
Here is what you need to do to have your wedding in the public spaces of the Capitol:
Notify Capitol Police of your intended ceremony date and time by filling out this State Facility Use Permit Application (there is no fee to submit the application). It is recommended to submit the application for a permit 30 days or more before your event, because it takes around 10 business days to process applications.
Review the State Facilities Access Policy. Section III Conditions Governing the Public Areas of the Capitol: The Interior is the most relevant part. It outlines what is and is not allowed in the public areas.
Contact Katelynn Updike with Capitol Police if you have any questions! katelynn.updike1@wisconsin.gov
If you need chairs, Capitol Police will help you with reserving them. Chairs cost $1 per chair. After reserving your chairs in advance, go to the information desk on the main floor on your wedding day to collect your chairs. Consider purchasing chair covers to make the chairs look nicer!
Important Tips for Wedding Ceremonies in the Rotunda:
Ceremonies can be held during the building opening hours, which are: Monday-Friday: 8:00am-6:00pm & Saturday-Sunday: 8:00am-4:00pm. Private events are not allowed outside these hours.
Fridays or other weekdays make great elopement days!
Ceremonies should last around 1 hour or less.
The public areas of the capitol can accommodate up to 50 people for a ceremony.
Wedding receptions are NOT permitted within the Captiol, but there are lots of amazing spaces nearby to host a gathering after your ceremony.
If you plan to have your ceremony in the common spaces, these spaces are open to the public so people could be walking around during your ceremony.
OPTION 2 - Assembly Chamber & Assembly Parlor:
For a more private wedding ceremony at the Capitol, consider booking either the Assembly Chamber or Assembly Parlor.
The Assembly Chamber can host a maximum of 200 guests. The Assembly Parlor can host a maximum of 50 guests, but the space is more comfortable for 25 guests or fewer.
Here is what you need to do to book the Assembly Chamber or Assembly Parlor for your wedding ceremony:
1. Reserve your wedding date, time, and room with the capitol by getting a permit
Fill out this application form
Choose what designated time period you prefer: either 9:30 am-12:30 pm or 12:45 pm-3:45 pm
If you want to use the common spaces but need chairs for 12-50 guests, you can note this on your application.
Write a pre-dated check for $750 for the refundable security deposit. (check should be written out to Assembly Chief Clerk)
Write a second check for $375 for the non-refundable application fee payment for weddings. (check should be written out to Assembly Chief Clerk)
All ceremonies are subject to a $375 non-refundable application fee. This charge is for a designated time period either 9:30 am-12:30 pm or 12:45 pm-3:45 pm. Those conducted within normal business hours (8 am - 5 pm, Monday - Friday) are subject to the $375 charge; those conducted after-hours and on weekends are subject to a $750 charge.
Mail your form to the address at the top of the form
2. If you have questions about booking the Assembly spaces, you can reach out to Pat McKee, the Assembly Sergeant-at-Arms, by calling 608-237-9624 or emailing Pat.McKee@legis.wisconsin.gov. You can also read more about the booking process here: https://legis.wisconsin.gov/assembly/asgt/resources/ceremonial-reservations/
3. After applying and being granted approval for your date, time, and room (optional if you want to use the common areas), you will be put in contact with an event coordinator at the capitol and you can make any requests through them.
The event coordinator can help arrange chair rentals ($1 per chair) and other special requests you may have (within reason).
OPTION 3 - Senate Parlor:
The Senate Parlor can host a maximum of 50 guests, but the space is more comfortable for 25 or fewer guests.
Here is what you need to do to book the Senate Parlor for your wedding ceremony:
You will need sponsorship from your Wisconsin Senator to book the Senate Parlor for your wedding ceremony.
You can find out who your Wisconsin Senator is by going to the Wisconsin State Legislature website and typing your home address into the "Who are my legislators" section.
Once you know who your Senator is, you can contact your Senator directly requesting sponsorship to host your wedding ceremony in the Senate Parlor.
After you have requested sponsorship, you can complete this application form: Online Senate Room Application Form
Once you have submitted your application form, you will need to mail a check for $500 to the address listed on the application. The payment is a partially refundable deposit to hold the room and it will be returned shortly after your event date.
It does cost $50 per hour to rent the Senate Parlor (for a minimum of 3 hours), so $150 will be deducted from your $500 payment to cover rental costs.
Step 3: Plan Other Details for your Wedding Day:
Once you are all booked at the capitol, see the list of next steps below for planning your intimate ceremony or elopement! Once you have decided which option works for you to get married at the Wisconsin State Capitol, here are some other wedding or elopement planning tips for your special day.
Other things to plan for your capitol elopement or small wedding:
1. Hire a photographer to capture your event!
If you hire me as your photographer, I can also act as a witness for you.
2. Hire an officiant for your ceremony.
Your officiant can be a friend or family member if they are ordained. (It's easy to get ordained online!)
If you want to hire a civil official or judge, you can find a list of available here: Officiants
There are often people who are ordained that perform wedding ceremonies that are not civil officials. Search on google for wedding officiants to find someone who suits you.
You can work with your officiant to write your wedding ceremony script.
Note: You will need your officiant's information when applying for your marriage license (step 3).
3. Apply for a marriage license
You can apply for a marriage license in Wisconsin starting 60 days out from your wedding day. Learn more about applying for a marriage license here
Don't forget to bring your marriage license to your ceremony!
You and your partner, your officiant, and your witnesses will sign the marriage license after the ceremony to make it official!
Note: to be considered a legal wedding ceremony in the State of Wisconsin you and your partner will need to have two witnesses and an officiant present during the ceremony in the capitol.
4. Plan other wedding details such as:
your wedding attire (dresses, suits, rings, etc)
hiring other vendors such as a florist
guest list (in Wisconsin you need two witnesses present during your ceremony to make it legal)
vows
5. Plan your after party/celebratory dinner/drinks at a nearby restaurant or bar.
Even if your wedding ceremony at the capitol takes only an hour, I highly recommend extending photography coverage for after the ceremony to get celebratory portraits of you and your spouse as well as photos of your after ceremony celebrations.
Some excellent options downtown near the capitol for post-wedding celebratory dinner/drinks include:
Lucille (they have a private vault room that makes for an excellent event space),
Cooper's Tavern (they have a second floor event space AND a cozy private dining cubby that make for memorable dinners),
Cento,
The Great Dane,
The Statehouse at the Edgewater Hotel,
Merchant,
Graze,
Heritage,
and so many more!
Note: Maybe even consider renting out a park shelter for a budget-friendly post-wedding ceremony party!
Are you ready to get started planning your Capitol wedding? See a detailed pricing guide and package options for photography for your Capitol Wedding or Elopement!
Pricing starting at $1800 for 2, 4, 6, or 8 hour photography packages.
All photos by Brianna Kraft Photography
Are you ready to get started planning your Capitol wedding?
Contact me to book photography coverage for your small wedding or elopement at the Wisconsin State Capitol. I'm happy to offer vendor recommendations for dresses, florals, etc, just ask!
Reach out now to get a detailed pricing guide and package options for photography for your Capitol Wedding or Elopement!
Pricing starting at $1800 for 2, 4, 6, or 8 hour photography packages.
Other considerations for getting married at the capitol building in Madison:
time of year, (i.e. weather)
parking for guests
Learn more on their website: Capitol Wedding Ceremonies
Location: 2 East Main Street, Madison, WI
Capitol Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday: 8:00am-6:00pm & Saturday-Sunday: 8:00am-4:00pm. Private events are not allowed outside these hours.
