Krissy & Dave: A Floral Dress and a Golden Rooftop at The Tinsmith

Krissy’s gown had soft watercolor florals painted right into the fabric, and that told us plenty about the day ahead. She and Dave were relaxed and sure of what they wanted, and The Tinsmith in Madison suited them. Krissy got ready among the plants in the glass Alley. They got married under a big arched ceiling and finished portraits on a rooftop at golden hour. Bold, never fussy, and surrounded by people who were all in.

Getting Ready in the Greenhouse

The Tinsmith’s glass-walled Alley is a great place to start a wedding day. Tall tropical plants, steel-frame windows, and soft light coming from every side. It needs no extra styling. Krissy’s bridesmaids gathered there in matching purple robes and held up their pastel dresses for a minute before things got busy.

Then the dress. Teal, pink, and lavender watercolor florals on an off-the-shoulder gown, hanging from a custom “Krissy” wire hanger beside Atmospheric Floral’s copper ceremony arch. The rest of the details followed suit: a sapphire ring in a wooden box, crystal earrings tucked into succulents, wedge sandals lined up next to Dave’s brown leather shoes. Nothing matchy. All of it very them.

Dave and his groomsmen kept it low-key in the open industrial space, tying floral ties and fixing suspenders under exposed ductwork and big leafy plants. Two rooms, two moods, and the story was already moving before the ceremony started.

The Ceremony Under the Arched Ceiling

The ceremony was in The Tinsmith’s main hall: wide hardwood floors, white walls, an arched truss ceiling, and industrial pendant lights with a warm glow. The copper arch and its florals stood at the front, with white chairs lining both sides of the aisle. Jack Reed officiated to a room that was clearly ready for this.

Dave waited at the front looking nervous and happy at the same time. When Krissy showed up at the end of the aisle, you could read the whole thing on his face. We went wide for the ceiling and the crowd, then tight for the vows and the kiss. One of our favorite frames from the day is the black-and-white one right after: guests cheering, arms up, Krissy and Dave heading back up the aisle like they’d just won something. They kind of had.

Urban Portraits and a Rooftop at Golden Hour

After the ceremony we took the wedding party outside for quick group photos against The Tinsmith’s corrugated metal and the downtown Madison streets. We kept those in black and white. Loose, loud, bouquets in the air. Then it was just Krissy and Dave.

Within a few blocks we had corrugated steel, glass storefronts, modern buildings near the convention center, and tree-lined sidewalks spilling over with summer flowers. Krissy’s dress stood out against all of it, and Dave’s cream linen suit caught the warm light nicely.

Then we headed up to a rooftop. Open concrete, the Madison skyline behind them, and warm golden-hour light. The wide skyline frames are some of the strongest in the gallery. So is the kiss under a concrete overhang with the sun flaring through the gap. That one is a favorite.

A Reception Worth Staying For

Back inside, the reception space was ready: sage green table numbers, white linens, candles, and simple centerpieces. Blue Plate Catering handled the food and bar, and Neat-O’s Bake Shoppe brought a clean three-tier white cake on a wooden board. Thoughtful, not overdone, which was pretty much how Krissy and Dave did everything.

Their first dance was not stiff. Dave lifted Krissy, spun her, and dipped her, and they laughed the whole way through. The arched bar mirrors and warm pendants behind them gave those frames a moody look. The cake cutting was more laughing (and a little frosting). Once Kuhl Entertainment opened the dance floor, it stayed full.

Guests circled Krissy and Dave with their arms up, singing along. Same building, same people, a very different mood from the ceremony, and both looked great. To see more of our work in Madison and beyond, take a look at our wedding photography portfolio.