Ellsworth Block, Madison, WI

Sometimes the most luxurious details look the simplest, and this intimate, luxury rehearsal dinner at Ellsworth Block is no exception. Set on the Capitol Square in downtown Madison, Wisconsin, Ellsworth Block offers couples an intimate experience near all the city hustle. It’s one of the most unique wedding venues in Madison, with dynamic spaces throughout the property. Ellsworth Block bridges industrial influence with modern amenities, making the venue – and the couples it attracts and the designs it inspires – wholly unique.

On a wedding weekend, every little detail matters. From the flowers to the napkins to the place cards, taking time to capture each element helps to create timeless memories that reflect the feeling of a place, and the story of the couple. As luxury wedding designers, we create everything with intention. And for this Madison rehearsal dinner at Ellsworth Block every texture, color and design element we chose had to be a perfect complement for the interior architecture of this modern wedding venue.

Our tablescape was the crescendo of this intimate dinner – set intentionally in the sky deck with an expansive glass ceiling. As a nod to the venue’s juxtaposition of industrial features and modern amenities, we leaned into creating moments that paired contrasting elements to elevate the two defining personalities of Ellsworth Block.

At the heart of it all, we wanted to let the dimension of the space for itself. We designed a simple set up that would complement Ellsworth Block’s colors and textures, focusing on a muted and neutral color palette of deep blues, golds and soft pops of rich florals and textures. We leveraged negative space between tablescape elements and floral clusters to create a simple design that wouldn’t compete with the surroundings. But as a nod to the venue’s juxtaposition of industrial and modern detail, we chose place setting elements that both heightened luxurious details and showcased comfort to create an overall elevated and classic vibe.

We paired black heirloom dinnerware and gold accents with simple glassware, marrying industrial chic with modern minimalism. And in the botanical, patterned napkins, we opted for linens with contrasting blues to play off the surrounding tones on the skydeck. Gold table lamps on the tablescape heighten the color continuity throughout the space, creating an effortless balance to the architecture.

Every detail of this wedding tablescape, from the color to the textures down to the location of the dinner, works in tandem to tell a story. A story about a space defined by two identities, a perfect reflection of a marriage represented by two individuals, coming together as one for an evening under the stars in the heart of Wisconsin’s capital.