Rainy Capitol Ceremony & Candlelit Harvey House Reception in Madison, WI | Oliva & Eric

Oliva and Eric’s rainy Friday celebration proves you don’t need perfect weather for a perfect day. Their Wisconsin State Capitol wedding ceremony and Harvey House reception combined historic beauty, candlelit warmth, and all the documentary focused moments that make wedding photography worth passing down through generations.

A Rainy Wisconsin State Capitol Wedding Ceremony

Oliva and Eric spent the morning just five floors apart, anticipation humming quietly through the halls of their downtown hotel. When the time came, they met and walked a single block through the rain to the Wisconsin State Capitol, umbrellas swaying and laughter bouncing off stone columns.

Friends and family arrived one by one, pouring in like the rain. They exchanged simple, heartfelt vows. No elaborate staging, just honesty and love. As they recessed down the aisle, they paused in the doorway for a quiet kiss, the kind that says, we did it, and we’re still us.

Portraits Around the Capitol

After the ceremony, we lingered on the Capitol grounds for portraits. The rain softened to a mist, creating a romantic haze over the marble steps and leafy streets. Oliva gathered her dress, Eric held her close, and the city around them seemed to slow down. The grandeur of the Capitol’s columns mixed with raindrops on their shoulders made for frames that felt cinematic yet deeply personal.

Candlelit Harvey House Wedding Reception

The celebration continued at Harvey House Madison, a restored historic train depot turned restaurant that’s quickly becoming one of the best intimate wedding reception venues in Madison. Inside, candles flickered across long tables, illuminating every emotion in the room. Glasses clinked in soft applause, forks tapped plates in delight, and outside thunder rolled as rain streaked the windows.

Oliva and Eric cut their cake, laughed with their whole bodies, and filled the space with an energy that made every hug last a little longer. By the time the candles melted into wax pools, the dance floor was alive with movement, music, and memory.

Why I Photograph Weddings Like This

As their photographer, I had a front row seat to every fleeting glance and unplanned moment. This is why I approach weddings in a documentary first way, not for posed perfection, but for the genuine feelings that will matter decades from now.

Vendors

• Venue: Wisconsin State Capitol
• Reception: Harvey House Madison
• Floral: https://www.daffodilparker.com/floralcsa
• Photography: Gmartel Photography (Madison & Chicago documentary wedding photographer)