A Frank Lloyd Wright-designed civic building of curved concrete terraces stepping down to the northwest shore of Lake Monona, two blocks from the State Capitol, with a 68,000 sq ft public rooftop garden used for outdoor ceremonies.
VIDART is a Madison, Wisconsin wedding photography and videography company covering downtown Madison on Lake Monona and the rest of the Midwest with no travel fee. This page is our planning guide for a wedding at Monona Terrace: 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 Monona Terrace
| Space | Use | Capacity | Setting | For the camera |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rooftop Gardens West Circle | ceremony | 250 theater | outdoor | Open-air circular ceremony space on the William T. Evjue Rooftop Gardens with Lake Monona as the backdrop; curved walkways and railings make leading lines; white folding chairs included; no open flame. |
| Rooftop Gardens Center | ceremony | 500 theater | outdoor | Larger central rooftop ceremony area with lake views in three directions and the Capitol dome behind to the northwest; event-rental capacity listed up to 3,000. |
| Madison Ballroom | reception | 600 seated (A-D), 310 (AB), 230 (CD), 140 (one section) | indoor | 13,524 sq ft ballroom with 16-ft ceilings that divides into four sections; Wright-inspired horizontal banding and circular motifs; no lake windows, so lighting is largely controlled. |
| Grand Terrace | both | 350 seated | indoor | Long curved pre-function hall along the lake side of the building with floor-to-ceiling windows over Lake Monona; cherrywood folding dividers can create privacy; often paired with Hall of Ideas or a Madison Ballroom section. |
| Community Terrace | both | 250 seated | indoor | Glass-enclosed lakeside room at the building’s curved end with wraparound Lake Monona views; abundant natural light for daytime ceremonies and receptions. |
| Hall of Ideas | reception | 290 seated (six sections), 160 (four sections) | indoor | 16-ft ceilings, divides into six rooms; a mid-size reception alternative frequently used with the Grand Terrace for dinner. |
| Exhibition Hall (one section) | reception | 494 seated | indoor | 37,200 sq ft hall that doubles as the indoor rain backup for rooftop ceremonies; high ceilings and a blank canvas for uplighting. |
| Meeting room (changing room) | getting-ready | n/a | indoor | No dedicated changing rooms; a meeting room is provided free if available 10 days out or can be rented at booking; the skywalk-connected Hilton Madison Monona Terrace is the recommended getting-ready location. |
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 Monona Terrace
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 rooftop faces southeast over Lake Monona, so sunrise is over the water and sunset falls behind the Capitol to the northwest; the rooftop is open Fri-Sat 8 a.m. to midnight and Sun-Thu 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. We schedule couple portraits for the last hour before sunset and tell you in advance where we will take you.
- Rain plan. The rooftop closes in inclement weather; an indoor weather backup room is complimentary when both ceremony and reception are at Monona Terrace, and ceremony-only rooftop bookings pay the full rooftop fee plus half the backup room fee. We photograph the backup space during our walkthrough so the plan B images are as considered as plan A.
- Policies. No photography, videography or drone policy is published on the wedding pages; open flame is prohibited on the rooftop and candles indoors must be in non-flammable containers with the flame below the rim. 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. Rooftop music (DJ or band) must end by 9 p.m.; indoor events end at midnight with move-out from midnight to 1 a.m. 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
- Rooftop parapet over Lake Monona — Clean curved concrete railing with open lake behind; the rooftop faces southeast so it is front-lit in the morning and softly back-lit by reflected sky in the last 90 minutes of light; blue hour gives silver and pink lake tones.
- Rooftop circular planters and walkways — Wright’s circular motifs, arched trellises and low plantings create concentric leading lines; shoot wide for geometry and tight for intimate frames.
- Rooftop looking northwest to the Capitol — Turn away from the lake for the State Capitol dome rising above Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd; the sun sets behind the dome, giving rim light at golden hour.
- Grand Terrace curved glass wall — Interior corridor of floor-to-ceiling windows along the lake; even window light on overcast days and warm directional light in the afternoon; strong horizontal lines for editorial portraits.
- Lake Monona lakeside path at Lakeside Commons — Walk-out from the lower level to the shoreline bike path and water’s edge directly below the building for low-angle lake portraits.
Within a short drive
- Wisconsin State Capitol (Madison, WI) — Two blocks up Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd; granite steps, columns, rotunda interior and Capitol Square lawn, all walkable from the venue.
- Olin Park (Madison, WI) — Across Lake Monona on John Nolen Drive about 5 min by car; the classic open-lawn view back across the water to the Capitol and Monona Terrace skyline, especially at sunset.
- Period Garden Park (Madison, WI) — Formal fountain garden with brick paths in the Mansion Hill historic district, under 10 min by car.
- Memorial Union Terrace (Madison, WI) — UW-Madison’s Lake Mendota terrace with sunburst chairs and piers, about 10 min by car across the isthmus.
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
- Parking: An attached state-owned ramp has 600 spaces; the weekend rate starting 5 p.m. Friday is $5 per car per day (subject to change) and tallied guest parking can be arranged at least 21 days ahead.
- Rain plan: The rooftop closes in inclement weather; an indoor weather backup room is complimentary when both ceremony and reception are at Monona Terrace, and ceremony-only rooftop bookings pay the full rooftop fee plus half the backup room fee.
- Noise/curfew: Rooftop music (DJ or band) must end by 9 p.m.; indoor events end at midnight with move-out from midnight to 1 a.m.
- Load-in: Vendors get a three-hour move-in window before the event start when available (e.g., 2 p.m. for a 5 p.m. start); nothing may be affixed to walls, windows, floors or ceilings.
- Vendor policy: Monona Catering is the exclusive caterer (tiered cakes from a Wisconsin-licensed bakery excepted), Monona Terrace is the exclusive AV provider, DJs/bands may bring their own sound and tripod lighting, and couples may use any decorator.
- Permit or photo policy: No photography, videography or drone policy is published on the wedding pages; open flame is prohibited on the rooftop and candles indoors must be in non-flammable containers with the flame below the rim.
- Lodging: The Hilton Madison Monona Terrace is connected by skywalk and recommended for room blocks and getting-ready rooms (608-255-5100).
- Sunset/orientation: The rooftop faces southeast over Lake Monona, so sunrise is over the water and sunset falls behind the Capitol to the northwest; the rooftop is open Fri-Sat 8 a.m. to midnight and Sun-Thu 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, 1 John Nolen Drive, Madison, WI. Venue website.
About the venue. Frank Lloyd Wright first proposed a civic center on this site in 1938 and approved the final design in 1959, seven weeks before his death; the building opened July 18, 1997. The interior was completed by Wright apprentice Anthony Puttnam; construction began January 25, 1995 and cost $67.1 million. The William T. Evjue Rooftop Gardens cover about 68,000 sq ft atop a 250,000 sq ft building that is LEED Platinum certified. The Madison Ballroom seats up to 600 at rounds of 9-10 across all four sections, the Grand Terrace 350 and the Community Terrace 250. Starting 2027 room rental fees range from $920 for one Madison Ballroom section to $2,895 for the full ballroom, with $1,050 (West Circle) and $2,100 (Center) for the rooftop; fees drop as food and beverage spending rises.
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 Monona Terrace’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 Monona Terrace 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 Monona Terrace?
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 Monona Terrace?
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 Monona Terrace?
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 Monona Terrace?
Send us the date and we will confirm availability within a day, walk through the timeline for Monona Terrace 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, Garver Feed Mill, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, The American Club, The Pfister Hotel, Milwaukee Art Museum, Grand Geneva Resort, The Abbey Resort, Kalahari Resort.