Carleen Bright Arboretum

Botanical Gardens and Stunning Ballrooms

300+ guests

Holds ceremonies and receptions

Carleen Bright Arboretum is a wedding venue in Woodway, TX, featuring 16-acres of botanical gardens, babbling waterfalls, and stunning facilities. Locally known as the hidden jewel of Woodway, these lush gardens are sure to create a beautiful backdrop to a memorable day. Couples can celebrate in style, surrounded by the wonders of nature. Widely popular for community events, the Carleen Bright Arboretum boasts a multitude of event spaces for ceremonies, cocktail hour, and reception. Couples can celebrate in style with up to 360 of their nearest and dearest in the Pavilion venue. Featuring magnificent views through floor-to-ceiling windows and a beautiful gazebo, can host in the 5,000-square-foot grand hall. Exposed beams and plenty of natural light give the space an airy and bright feeling that is sure to complement the festivities of the occasion. A getting-ready suite is also on-site for to-be-weds to relax, prepare, and take boudoir photos. Carleen Bright Arboretum offers both indoor and outdoor spaces for every stage of the day. Venues include built-in dance floors, audiovisual equipment and support, and professional catering facilities for a stress-free experience. Additional services include ample car parking and restroom amenities.

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Starting prices don't include service fees, taxes, gratuity, and rental fees. Guest count and seasonality may also affect prices.

Amenities + details

Amenities

Ceremony Area

Dressing Room

Handicap Accessible

Indoor Event Space

Outdoor Event Space

Reception Area

Guest Capacity

300+

Settings

Ballroom

Garden

Park

Venue Service Offerings

Rentals & Equipment

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Availability

4.6

out of 5.0

11 reviews

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Heather C

1/03/2023

So beautiful!! All our guests were impressed with the venue! Thank you so much!!

Hannah C

5/18/2022

We loved our wedding at Carleen Bright Pavilion. It was very easy to tour and book, and we liked the bridal suite and provided tables/chairs. Our biggest hiccup was being promised we could use the gardens for photos, then we were not told that the grounds would be completely under construction on our wedding day until a week in advance. This was probably a miscommunication when the venue coordinator switched from Erin to Lynsie. Lynsie was able to help us come up with a solution for taking photos, so we still recommend this venue.

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V A

2/15/2021

Absolutely stunning! We had our ceremony and reception at the Pavilion. The staff were all lovely and so helpful with all our questions. By far our best choice we made for our wedding. I had an amazing time taking advantage of the beautiful grounds and amazing windows for wedding pictures. Also so happy that everything was not only wheelchair accessible, but that there were no surprise steps in the building or ramps in an odd corner as if it was an afterthought. So pleased with them. I would highly reccomend to everyone.

Chris K

6/12/2019

Location was beautiful. Staff was easy to work with. Price was good for the area. They will provide and set up tables for you.

Devan M

7/30/2018

Loved the location and the people. It was the most beautiful venue we found in the area and the most affordable.

Jessica W

3/15/2017

This place is so gorgeous! I had both my wedding ceremony and reception inside the Pavilion, and it was such a great odea. I didn't want my out of town guests traveling to two different places, so the Carleen Bright Arboretum was the perfect option. Holly was very helpful and explained everything to us very well. The Private room/Bridal suite was really nice. However, the only downside is that the Groomsmen and the Groom don't have a private room to themselves. Before the wedding, they mainly hung out in the restroom. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this place for either your ceremony, reception or both!

Kelli B

1/05/2017

The Arboretum is one of the best places to have a wedding in the Waco area. We held both our ceremony and reception there in December 2016. Although the gazebo was our ideal location for the ceremony, as the cute wooden benches and flora provide for beautiful photos/scenery, due to bad weather, we moved our ceremony indoors into the Whitehall Center. I am so thankful that we did. It is a stunning little chapel-like setting, and it was large enough to comfortably fit our 200 or so guests. The Pavilion is a newer building with vaulted ceilings, breathtaking beams, and bay windows. It is honestly the perfect building for any type of event, but it was a great space for our wedding reception. There is a comfortable bridal suite, large kitchen and serving area, large bathrooms, and two large porches overlooking the grounds. In the main room, despite having several tables and decorations, the room still felt very spacious. I was so impressed by the team at the Arboretum. Holly is so nice and so easy to work with. I called her with several questions throughout the year, and she always answered them quickly. They have seriously thought of everything here, and I couldn't think of a better group of people to work with when planning my big day.

Brittany P

10/06/2015

The venue is stunning, and Holly, the event coordinator, is very professional and helpful. Avoid Janet, the director, she's not great to work with at all.

Sonya M

12/21/2013

We loved this location. They can accommodate large or small events and have a helpful staff.

Stacey W

4/20/2013

Beautiful place with any thing you can think of in their new building, the Pavilion

Rachael S

11/17/2012

The staff was easy to work with and very on top of things! They also take care of their grounds very well. They put in new flowers the day before our wedding and it was beautiful. We were on a small budget but we rented the new pavilion that comes with the outside gazebo. It was pricey for us and our biggest expense, but definitely one of the prettiest places to get married outside in Waco. The pavilion was awesome too! It has a huge commercial kitchen and sound system to use at no additional expense. The high ceiling rafters are beautiful, but unfortunately you can't hang anything from them. Also, even though they technically only rent you half the arboretum, if no one else schedules an event on the other half that day, the whole place is yours. Lots of things were stressful in planning the wedding, but the arboretum and its staff were not one of them! I'd definitely recommend it.

Location

1 Pavilion Way, Woodway, TX

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(254) 399-9204

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Carleen Bright Arboretum

About this venue

Pricing details

Amenities + details

Availability

Reviews

4.6

Location

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