Private golf and country club on the northwest shore of Lake Mendota whose clubhouse is a historic mansion once used as the residence of the Catholic Bishops of Madison; the shoreline ceremony site and tented Lakeside Pavilion look across the lake toward the State Capitol dome and downtown skyline.
VIDART is a Madison, Wisconsin wedding photography and videography company covering Middleton and the Madison area and the rest of the Midwest with no travel fee. This page is our planning guide for a wedding at Bishops Bay Country Club: the spaces and how they photograph, where the light is, the portrait spots on site and nearby, and the logistics that affect your timeline. Photo or video coverage is $1,500 for a half day and $3,000 for a full day, with no travel fee.
The spaces at Bishops Bay Country Club
| Space | Use | Capacity | Setting | For the camera |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside Ceremony site | ceremony | 300 | outdoor | Green lawn at the water’s edge framed by mature pine, oak and maple trees, with the Capitol dome and Madison skyline on the far shore; open sky over the lake, so midday is bright and contrasty while late afternoon softens. |
| Lakeside Pavilion | reception | 300 | outdoor | 6,000 sq ft semi-permanent tent (May-October) on the lakeshore with a tent liner, cafe string lights and optional uplighting and LED wall; white fabric ceiling bounces soft even light, lake visible through open sides. |
| Clubhouse (The Manor) | both | n/a | indoor | Late-1920s lakefront mansion with classic interiors, dining room and rustic patio used for dinner and dancing per reviews; warm traditional finishes, window light from the lake side. |
| Bride and groom rooms | getting-ready | n/a | indoor | Separate bride and groom getting-ready rooms are included with the Lakeside Pavilion rental; details of finishes and light not published. |
| Clubhouse patio | cocktail | n/a | outdoor | Rustic lakeside patio reviewers describe as the dancing and cocktail area, with the lake and golf course beyond. |
Capacities are the venue’s published figures and change with layout; confirm current numbers with the venue.
How we photograph and film a wedding at Bishops Bay Country Club
Our approach is the same at every venue: two of us (or more for photo and video together), documentary coverage of the ceremony, toasts and dance floor, directed portraits only when the light is worth it, and a timeline built backwards from sunset. What changes is the plan for the building.
- Light. The club sits on the northwest shore of Lake Mendota with the ceremony lawn facing the water and Capitol to the south-southeast; the sun sets to the west over land rather than over the lake, so plan skyline frames for soft late light and golden-hour portraits facing west along the shoreline. We schedule couple portraits for the last hour before sunset and tell you in advance where we will take you.
- Rain plan. The Lakeside Pavilion tent is the weather backup for shoreline ceremonies and reviewers report it kept guests dry in rain; one reviewer noted the tent ran hot in summer despite large fans. We photograph the backup space during our walkthrough so the plan B images are as considered as plan A.
- Policies. Members-only private club, so the wedding coordinator controls access to the course, pier and clubhouse; confirm which holes and interiors are open for portraits during member play. We confirm the venue’s photography, drone and vendor requirements in writing before the wedding and provide a certificate of insurance when one is required.
- Timing. Amplified music is allowed indoors and outdoors with unspecified restrictions; no published curfew. Coverage is planned to end with the last dances rather than the venue’s closing time.
For video we run two camera angles plus a locked-off wide on the ceremony, lavalier microphones on the officiant and groom, and a direct feed from the DJ for toasts. Aerials are included where the venue and airspace allow; see our guide to drone video at Wisconsin weddings.
Portrait spots
On site
- Shoreline and pier — Pier and tree-lined shoreline on Lake Mendota with the Capitol dome visible across the water; the lake lies to the south and southeast, so late-day sun rakes in from the west for side-lit couple portraits.
- Lakeside Pavilion at dusk — String lights under the tent liner glow against the blue-hour lake; good window of balanced light about 20-30 minutes after sunset.
- Mature pines and oaks on the ceremony lawn — Historic trees give open shade for midday portraits and bridal party groups with lake behind.
- 18th green and lakefront fairway — The course finishes on the lake shore beside the clubhouse; wide mown fairway and water for golf-cart or wide-angle portraits, confirm access with the club.
- Clubhouse mansion facade — Historic bishop’s residence makes a classic architectural backdrop; shoot the facade with the couple in open shade or at golden hour.
Within a short drive
- Governor Nelson State Park (Waunakee) — About 5 minutes east along the north shore; prairie, oak savanna, beach and lake overlooks facing the Madison skyline; state park vehicle admission required.
- Pheasant Branch Conservancy (Middleton) — About 10 minutes southwest; boardwalks, springs, prairie and a hilltop overlook with big-sky sunset views.
- Downtown Middleton and Capital Brewery (Middleton) — About 12 minutes southwest; brick storefronts and a brewery beer garden for relaxed urban frames.
Thirty to forty-five minutes of portrait time across the day is enough; we split it between a longer session before or after the ceremony and ten minutes at golden hour.
Logistics and planning notes
- Sunset/orientation: The club sits on the northwest shore of Lake Mendota with the ceremony lawn facing the water and Capitol to the south-southeast; the sun sets to the west over land rather than over the lake, so plan skyline frames for soft late light and golden-hour portraits facing west along the shoreline.
- Vendor policy: Catering and bar are exclusively in-house (no outside alcohol under the club’s liquor license); The Knot and WeddingWire list outside vendors as permitted and name preferred photographers (Caynay Photo, The Paper Elephant, Kaley Rae Photography) and DJs; no published certificate-of-insurance or drone rule found.
- Rain plan: The Lakeside Pavilion tent is the weather backup for shoreline ceremonies and reviewers report it kept guests dry in rain; one reviewer noted the tent ran hot in summer despite large fans.
- Parking: Free on-site self-parking is included in the site fee; shuttle service and wheelchair access are listed and golf carts move mobility-limited guests between ceremony and reception.
- Noise/curfew: Amplified music is allowed indoors and outdoors with unspecified restrictions; no published curfew.
- Permit or photo policy: Members-only private club, so the wedding coordinator controls access to the course, pier and clubhouse; confirm which holes and interiors are open for portraits during member play.
- Lodging: No overnight lodging on site; Here Comes The Guide lists none and the club is about 15 minutes from Middleton and west-side Madison hotels.
- Seasonality: Peak season is May through October when the semi-permanent tent is up; reception site fee $9,000 and ceremony fee $900 per WeddingWire, with a 100-guest minimum and in-house bar from about $35 per person.
Bishops Bay Country Club, 3500 Bishops Bay Drive, Middleton, WI. Venue website.
About the venue. The clubhouse began as a late-1920s family home called The Manor, was purchased by the Catholic Diocese in the 1940s as the residence of the first Bishops of Madison, which gave the club its name, and became a country club after the founder bought the property in the 1990s. The 18-hole private course is credited to architect Bob Lohmann (1995); it starts and ends on the Lake Mendota shore, and the 18th green was recently moved closer to the water. The club hosts up to 300 guests for ceremony, cocktail hour and reception, indoors or outdoors, and the Lakeside Pavilion covers 6,000 square feet. The Knot rates the venue 4.9 from 24 reviews with a starting price of about $22,000 and typical spend around $28,000; reviewers mention a fireworks display over the lake. The venue is available year-round daily per Here Comes The Guide, while the lakeside tent is seasonal May through October.
Pricing
Same rates for photography and videography; book one or add the second for the same price. No travel fee anywhere in our service area.
| Coverage | Photography | Videography | Both |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half day — up to 5 hours | $1,500 | $1,500 | $3,000 |
| Full day — up to 10 hours | $3,000 | $3,000 | $6,000 |
Every booking includes professional editing, an online gallery, a USB drive with the high-resolution JPGs or finished films, and a print release with full usage rights (we do not retain copyright over your photos or films). Videography includes an edited highlight film plus the full ceremony and toasts. Albums, prints and RAW archive drives are add-ons on the pricing page. A $300 deposit holds the date.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to be on Bishops Bay Country Club’s preferred vendor list?
Most venues, including resorts and hotels, allow outside photographers and videographers; some require a certificate of insurance or a short vendor form. We provide event liability coverage and a certificate of insurance whenever a venue requires it, and handle any vendor paperwork before the day.
How much does wedding photography at Bishops Bay Country Club cost?
Photography or videography is $1,500 for a half day (up to 5 hours) or $3,000 for a full day (up to 10 hours); both together are $3,000 and $6,000. There is no travel fee.
How many hours of coverage do we need at Bishops Bay Country Club?
A full day (10 hours) covers getting ready through the dances. A half day (5 hours) works for a ceremony and reception in one place when coverage starts shortly before the ceremony. See our guide to how many hours of wedding photography you need.
Can you fly a drone at Bishops Bay Country Club?
Only where the venue permits it and the airspace allows; we check both before the wedding and include aerials at no extra charge when they are possible.
When will we get our photos and films?
Edited photos are delivered in an online gallery in two to six weeks; wedding films in four to twelve weeks depending on season.
Do you photograph engagement sessions near Bishops Bay Country Club?
Yes. An engagement session can be added to any wedding photography or videography package; the portrait spots listed above work well for it.
Planning a wedding at Bishops Bay Country Club?
Send us the date and we will confirm availability within a day, walk through the timeline for Bishops Bay Country Club with you, and hold the date with a $300 deposit.
Nearby and related
More on weddings in the area: our Madison wedding photographer and Madison wedding videographer pages, the wedding-day timeline guide, the best months to marry in Wisconsin and what wedding photography costs in Wisconsin.
Other venue guides: The Edgewater, Monona Terrace, Garver Feed Mill, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, The Lageret, The American Club, The Pfister Hotel, Milwaukee Art Museum, Grand Geneva Resort.