A Luxurious Art Deco Wedding at The Tinsmith in Madison, Wisconsin | Trent & Clay

Shortly after meeting in July of 2022, Clay made the first move by asking Trent to dinner and drinks at Taqueria Guadalajara. They felt an instant attraction, bonding over their shared interests in plants, the outdoors, and craft beer. Their first date led to many more, despite not living in the same town. Since Clay did not have a car at the time, he would often run or bike the 10 miles to visit Trent.
Knowing that this connection was special, the couple moved in together in March of 2023, closing the distance and beginning life together alongside Trent’s dog, Banjo. Later, Trent & Clay added another dog to their family, a corgi named Charlie.

It wasn’t long into dating that Trent knew Clay was “the one.” Certain Clay felt the same way, Trent channeled his inner hopeless romantic into a sweet and sentimental proposal. While Trent and Clay enjoyed many nights out, their favorite were often the quieter nights together cooking, playing card games, and watching a show. In 2024, between Christmas and New Years, the couple reflected,

The wedding theme? An extravagant and luxurious, jewel-toned celebration incorporating the style and beauty of the Art Deco movement. OSO In Love Wedding and Event Curators were the perfect match for Trent & Clay, helping them turn their vision into reality at The Tinsmith in downtown Madison.

Their color scheme of blue, green, gold, and black was inspired by peacock feathers, which they also included in the day’s florals by Melody Rose Designs. Keep scrolling to see all the details captured by Brad Ryan Photography.

While peacock feathers are distinct and undeniably beautiful, their inclusion in the wedding was about more than looks. To share in their own words, the couple wrote:

“A lot of our décor and color palette for the wedding was inspired by the peacock feather. We were both really drawn to the colors and look of the feather, and it fit well into our Art Deco vibe. But it also carried some personal significance that most people aren’t familiar with, and so we wanted to take the opportunity to educate our guests a little about queer history. Long before rainbow flags and parades, queer people often found strength in subtle symbols of community.
In the early 20th century, the peacock feather became a quiet symbol of elegance, theatricality, and distinction. The peacock’s flamboyant beauty, its proud display, and even the reversal of gendered norms in its plumage (where the male is the one who dazzles) made it a natural icon for gay men—and who dared to be seen. Over time, the peacock feather symbolized rebellion and celebration. It represented self-expression over conformality, and a refusal to dim one’s light in the face of shame or silence.
For many, the feather whispered: you are perfect just the way you are. The display of peacock feathers in our florals felt especially fitting. Our love is radiant, proud, and unapologetically full of life. Like the peacock, we each came through our own journey of transformation—growing into ourselves, finding one another, and choosing to love in full color and in grand display.”

Located roughly a mile from the state Capitol and originally built in 1925, The Tinsmith has since become a beloved industrial-chic venue with vaulted ceilings, an open floor plan, and a 4-season solarium. The venue’s abundant greenery and Mid-Century Modern feel were a perfect match for Trent & Clay’s summer wedding.

Trent & Clay both found their unique but coordinating fashions at Men’s Wearhouse. They matched in black dress pants, black vests, white undershirts, black ties, and polished black shoes, but chose different colored, patterned tuxedo jackets. Trent wore a black and grey jacket, while Clay added a subtle pop of color in a deep, jewel-toned blue.

Hair Artistry by Kaitlyn, LLC, provided hair styling for the grooms and their wedding party, who were dressed in black suits and emerald green and black satin dresses.

The grooms walked down the aisle side-by-side for an indoor ceremony set against a black curtain backdrop. Ground floral arrangements lined both sides, composed of blue delphinium, white campanula, white roses, white spray roses, white ranunculus, pulmosa, anemone, white veronica, fern, leather leaf, gunni eucalyptus, and—of course—peacock feathers. (See our Summer Floral Inspiration Blog for more!)

The ring exchange was especially meaningful for Trent & Clay. During the ceremony, the rings were loosely tied together and passed among their guests in a practice known as a ring warming. Standing at the front, the grooms were able to watch their loved ones pause and silently interact with the rings. They wrote,

Long before they met, both grooms dreamed of one day throwing a beautiful and fun wedding, which included a lively reception. While their wedding was a reflection of their personalities and love, Trent & Clay also wanted their guests to feel cherished and included. This meant time to mingle and enjoy small bites and signature cocktails (named for the couple’s dogs!), followed by a delicious plated dinner from Blue Plate Catering, cake and desserts from Craig’s Cake Shop, and entertainment from Dream Day Entertainment.

Blue Moon Event Rentals also provided rentals and décor options that helped shape the couple’s Art Deco atmosphere.

Reflecting on the planning process, Trent & Clay recall learning a lot more about each other along the way. Along with their wedding planner, OSO In Love Wedding and Event Curators, they worked together, tackling stress, decisions, and hiccups that arose. Overall, the grooms really enjoyed watching their day go from vision board to reality—so much so that Trent has since joined OSO’s team as a Wedding Curator, helping other couples’ dreams come true!

He wrote,

For more Madison, Wisconsin area wedding inspiration, keep exploring our blog and follow us on socials @wedplanmadison!