This Halloween wedding had mad scientist decor and a Sola wood flower wedding bouquet

When Erin and Matt first pictured their wedding, they imagined a library full of friends and family. But like so many couples in 2020, their big plans hit the reality wall of COVID. Instead of giving up, they turned to the strange magic of Halloween and conjured an intimate micro wedding at the historic John George Ott House in Madison, WI… complete with bubbling mad scientist details, bookish nods, and a floral twist that deserves its own thesis.

Getting ready at home, but with spooky flair

Erin’s morning was less about a crowd of bridesmaids and more about her own creativity. She worked with Sola Wood Flowers to handcraft her bouquet and Matt’s boutonniere, choosing wood blooms that looked both ethereal and permanent, something that could outlast the chaos of 2020.

She pulled on her gown from Vera’s Bridal, tailored by Monetti, while Breanna from JV Hair Artistry layered in soft waves and makeup that nodded at romance without veering into costume. Matt, sharp in his tux from The Black Tux, had the look of someone ready for a masquerade that was more intimate salon than grand ballroom.

Ceremony among stacks, screens, and science

Instead of the Madison Central Library, they brought the library to them. Guests logged in from around the world via Zoom… over a hundred faces beamed into the room, turning the Ott House into a hybrid celebration that was part analog, part digital séance.

Their friend Janelle officiated, holding the space with warmth. Erin and Matt exchanged rings from TQ Diamonds, Maksimoff Designs, and Middleton Jewelers, each piece carrying its own origin story, as if they’d built a collection of artifacts for their personal museum.

Mad scientist meets library science

The decor was where this Halloween micro wedding truly slipped into the alchemy lab. Imagine tables dotted with beakers, glass flasks, and vessels that looked ready to bubble over with strange potions.

The floral team at Daffodil*Parker leaned in, arranging lush seasonal greens and florals with a twist, then crowning members of the wedding party with flower crowns that felt like a woodland-meets-witch hybrid. Erin’s sola wood bouquet added to the sense of permanence, a crafted relic instead of a fleeting bloom.

Bookish details wove through everything: save-the-date bookmarks designed by Erin herself, Minted invitations, and place cards handmade from JDCraftStudio on Etsy. The message was clear: this wasn’t a wedding that fit neatly in a magazine spread. It was a collection of curiosities, artifacts, and personal touches that made the Ott House feel like their own eccentric laboratory of love.

A reception with bite

Even with a small guest list in person, the reception had texture. Adamah Catering filled the tables, and The Looking Glass Bakery produced a cake that was more potion than pastry, a centerpiece that begged for slicing. At the bar, a cheeky “RIP Lounge” sign made guests grin before raising their glasses. Everywhere you looked, there was a wink: a little dinosaur skeleton tucked into the decor, a reminder that history, science, and playfulness were the real honored guests.

A wedding that time-capsuled 2020

Every wedding reflects the year it happened, but Erin and Matt’s micro celebration captured 2020 in a time capsule. Safety mattered. Creativity mattered more. The Zoom grid of guests wasn’t a concession, it was an expansion. Their choice to lean into Halloween gave them freedom to skip tradition and let their personalities speak in beakers, bookmarks, wood flowers, and wit.

This wasn’t the library wedding they imagined when they first got engaged… It was smaller, a little stranger, and maybe even better. Because when you strip a wedding down to its bones, the artifacts that remain (bouquets carved from wood, a skeleton keeping guard at the bar, a hundred faces glowing from screen) tell the story of resilience and imagination.

Vendors

• Dutcher Photography @robandsamphoto
• Venue: John George Ott House (AirBnB)
• Coordinator: The Get Together Events Co. @thegettogethereventsco
• Florals & crowns: Daffodil*Parker @daffodilparker
• Dress: Vera’s Bridal & Monetti Tailoring
• Groom’s tux: The Black Tux @theblacktux
• Rings: Maksimoff Designs @maksimoffdesigns, Middleton Jewelers, TQ Diamonds
• Hair & makeup: Breanna D, JV Hair Artistry @jvhairartistry
• Wood flowers: Sola Wood Flowers @solawoodflowers (assembled by the bride)
• Cake: The Looking Glass Bakery @thelookingglassbakery
• Catering: Adamah Catering
• Officiant: Janelle Greene (friend of the couple)
• Placecards: JDCraftStudio (Etsy)
• Paper goods: Minted.com, save-the-date bookmarks designed by the bride