A Captivating Setting for Your Special Day
201 to 250 guests
Holds ceremonies and receptions
AWARD WINNER (1X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Located in Richmond, VA, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is the perfect park and outdoor wedding venue. Set amongst the flowers, this botanical setting is an ideal choice for you and your partner if you are looking to celebrate your union in style.
Open year-round, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden can play host to wedding ceremonies, receptions, or both. You and your partner can begin the day in one of the venue's get-ready rooms, where you will be able to prim and prep before walking down the aisle. From there, you can enjoy a sunshine-filled outdoor wedding ceremony and say your "I do's" with your family and flowers surrounding you. There are three distinct reception venues available to choose from depending on the time of year in which you choose to marry, which range from a historic home to a nestled-away Tea House or even the Visitors Center. Then, with over 40 acres of land to explore, you and your partner can take some truly memorable pictures to immortalize the day. The venue can host as few as 25 people for an elopement or up to 250 guests for a grand occasion.
When it comes to organizing and planning your big day, the onsite team at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden will work with you directly to ensure that everything is as you have always dreamed. They can provide bar and catering services and even offer a variety of event rentals. Their staff will also be available to assist in any way they can.
Pricing details
Starting prices
Reception:
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Ceremony:
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Bar services:
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Catering:
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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
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Settings
Ballroom
Beach
Waterfront
Garden
Historic Venue
Tented
Trees
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks
Cakes & Desserts
Food & Catering
Rentals & Equipment
Tents
Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
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Reviews
4.4
out of 5.041 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Lewis Ginter is highly praised by reviewers for its stunning location, helpful staff, delicious food, and smooth event flow. Despite some initial planning challenges during COVID, the venue's coordinator, Jaclyn, and her team provided excellent service and ensured a beautiful outdoor wedding at the Bloemendaal House. Guests had a wonderful time, and the catering team even exceeded expectations by creating delicious desserts when needed. Overall, Lewis Ginter is recommended for a memorable and seamless wedding experience.- Top reviews
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Sarah M
Highlighted review.
5.0
1/15/2023
We absolutely loved hosting our wedding reception at Lewis Ginter! It is a stunning location, the staff are so helpful, and our guests had a wonderful time! Our food was delicious! The catering team went above and beyond when our original plan for dessert fell through, they created some delicious cookies and bars.
We highly recommend Lewis Ginter, it was a wonderful experience!
Rachel D
3.0
7/03/2024
We recently got married at Lewis Ginter in June. The venue and gardens are beautiful. However the tents, tables, and chairs are all dated and pretty basic. We paid to upgrade chairs and were happy we did. Catering is overpriced for very average food (you cannot use an outside caterer). We had our baker bring to go containers so guests could take desserts home. The caterers dropped our shooters on the floor and were throwing everything away at the end of the night. We barely were able to get a piece of our own cake to take (only got a piece because our wedding planner intervened). It really was an unpleasant ending to an otherwise beautiful evening.
Any questions?
Sarah J
3.0
6/20/2023
First, I have to say that the venue itself was a dream. The wedding and reception took place at Bloemendaal House . It was a gloriously beautiful day and the Lewis Ginter staff was very accommodating and easy to work with. However their caterer, Restaurant Associates, seemed to try to upset the apple cart. The table linens were wrong--of course too late to change that afternoon. We had specified that a particular beer was not be served and not appropriate for a premium bar--of course it was served. We had chosen Breast of Duck and Portobello Wellington for entrees, which were delicious at the tasting. Actual execution was spotty at best. I, MOB, had the duck and it was tough as leather and the risotto stone cold. I thought at least I could eat the potatoes, but alas it was turnips--probably the most despised vegetable in the world. I asked my new Dutch son-in-law how the Europeans would rate turnips and he said he always heard that turnips were the vegetable of last resort during the food shortages of WW2...great! The portobello was overall cold. Thank heaven the wedding cake was superb and saved the day--of course that was from another vendor (Fat Rabbit). They also did not train their servers very well, in fact some seemed to be serving for the very first time--totally clueless. Some tables were not served at the same time--half the table was served , while the other half waited 5-10 minutes. I almost left no tip, but decided it was RA's fault in training-- not the servers. The only upside was that the hors d'oeuvres were good, but scarce.
I truly wish Lewis Ginter would allow other caterers for functions. Every vendor we could pick/control (wedding planner-Marylee Marmer, Band-Soul Expressions wedding cake-Fat Rabbit, photographer-Ashley Eagleston, Richmond Limo & Albemarle Limo) knocked it out of the park. Restaurant Associates is almost a deal breaker for me.
Bailey R
4.0
9/03/2021
Holding the wedding at the park was absolutely gorgeous and felt so special! The food is a bit expensive for what you get and you're required to use their caterer but the pictures we got are stunning and the flowers made for the best background. Throughout planning, staff always responded almost immediately and there is plenty of information available to answer most any question you might have. Highly Recommend
Vendor response 09/03/2021
Hi Bailey,
We're so happy to hear your wedding day was so special, and we appreciate your...
feedback! We can't wait to see you at the Garden again soon!
Heather J
5.0
9/02/2021
Absolutely beautiful place to have my wedding, I couldn't be happier about that. There were a few hiccups, but LGBG did everything to go out of their way and make sure everything flowed smoothly!
Vendor response 09/03/2021
Hi Heather! We're so happy to hear you enjoyed your Big Day at the Garden and we appreciat...
e your kind words! We look forward to seeing you at the Garden again soon!
Dudley S
5.0
8/24/2021
From the second we got engaged, I knew I wanted our wedding at Lewis Ginter. Unfortunately, COVID hit the week after we were engaged and so the majority of my initial planning was done via email and Zoom. Right from the start, Jaclyn made me feel confident in my decision and in my planning. Once we were finally able to tour in person I knew it would be the perfect venue! Jaclyn and her entire time were absolutely amazing from start to finish. They answered all of my questions quickly and made me feel at ease about moving forward with planning when it seemed like COVID was putting a halt to every other event in our lives. On our wedding day, the garden looked breathtaking and being surrounded by all of the blooms was so beautiful. I never stressed about a single detail, Jaclyn and her team were always one step ahead! I would absolutely recommend an outdoor wedding at the Bloemendaal House and am still reliving our day through pictures! Thank you Jaclyn and all of the Lewis Ginter team!
Bella P
5.0
6/29/2021
I got married at Lewis Ginter in June in a micro wedding (20 guests). It was so easy to work with Jaclyn at Lewis Ginter. The venue was absolutely gorgeous! All of my guests were so impressed! The catering provided by Meriwether Godsey was also delicious! Susan and her team were so responsive to all of our questions and requests. They worked with us to create the perfect menu. Everything was above and beyond what I could have imagined!
Linda L
5.0
6/20/2021
It was worth the postponement of my daughters wedding from May 2020 to May 2021! The Grace Ardent Gardens were beautifully blooming! It was a gorgeous setting to celebrate love with family and friends! The staff was courteous, professional and took care of all the set up and breakdown so we could enjoy every moment. Everyone raved about the food! During a stressful year, working with the team at Lewis Ginter made is less so and they responded quickly to all our questions! I can’t thank them enough for being part of a fairy tail day!!
Allison S
5.0
5/06/2021
Despite unexpected weather preventing us from having our micro-wedding in front of the impressive conservatory, the wedding was still amazing. The staff was extremely helpful & responsive to our needs. The facilities were great & the garden was beautiful.
Vendor response 05/06/2021
Hi Allison,
Thank you for the sweet review! We're so happy to hear you enjoyed your cere...
mony and reception at the Garden, despite the unfortunate weather forecast. We loved working with you as a Garden bride, and we can't wait to see you again soon!
Chris J
5.0
9/30/2020
Our wedding in the Flagler Gardens and our reception at the tea house were perfect. The ceremony site was just as we had hoped and the gardens were the perfect backdrop for our special day. The tea house was beautiful set up to accommodate our guests. The caterer that the gardens requires wasn't the best but they were sufficient for our small uncomplicated wedding. If you're looking for a memorable site in Richmond for your wedding go with Lewis Ginter!
Vendor response 10/06/2020
Hi Chris,
We're so thankful for your sweet review, and that you chose the Garden as your...
backdrop for your big day. We loved working with you for your wedding, and hope to see you both at the Garden again soon!
Jessie R
5.0
11/18/2019
The Gardens are a sentimental spot for us, as we had many of our first dates here. No matter what season your wedding is in, SOMETHING in the Gardens is blooming. They have three great locations within to choose from, that suit multiple sizes, styles, and budgets of weddings. We chose the Tea House/Flagler Garden combo, and I couldn't have been happier with how it all turned out! There were attendants on-site to help guests navigate from the ceremony to reception (walking distance), and coordination between my vendors and the Garden staff seemed flawless. The staff communicated promptly via e-mail and were very accommodating. Note that you MUST use their caterer for the reception dinner - I found this to be a relief, as it meant I didn't have to review and choose my own. And all of my guests complimented the food! Another stipulation is that there can be no sound amplification during the ceremony (since the other 2 wedding spots might be used during that time) - we hired a 3 piece "orchestra" of harp, cello, and violin, and it was absolutely gorgeous. We worked with Lindsay (who has since moved to another position), Jaclyn, and Michele, and they were all super helpful throughout the whole process.
Vendor response 11/18/2019
Hi Jessie,
Thank you so much for your kind words and for choosing to have your special day...
with us! We are so grateful and hope to see you at the Garden again soon!
Ashley J
5.0
10/25/2018
My husband and I got married at Lewis Ginter on October 6 and it was absolutely magical! We rented the whole Visitors Center and had our ceremony in the Rose Garden.
The only room for improvement that I would recommend to Lewis Ginter is to be more clear on who the point of contact is for certain tasks OR assign one point of contact for each couple.
For background, we were planning from afar in Chicago and couldn't meet in person, so everything was done via email. Throughout the process I was unclear of who I should contact for certain things. We worked with a variety of people from the facilities coordinator, an administrative assistant, catering manager. Because there isn't a single point of contact, communication was all over the place. For example, the ONE time we were in Virginia, the catering manager did not show up to our meeting that was planned far in advance. Whomp.
All in all, we highly recommend this venue because at the end of the day... we had the most magical wedding day in a beautiful setting at LGBG!
Samantha G
5.0
7/11/2018
We were extremely happy with how our wedding turned out at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. During the year plus leading up to our wedding from when we booked it, Lindsay always answered my many questions promptly and was such a huge help! You do have to use their on-site cater, Meriwether Godsey but it was great working with Ashley to customize our menu and our guests raved about the food.
We choose the Rose Garden for our ceremony with the reception held in the Robins Room & Garden Cafe. The rain held off until after our ceremony so we were able to be married out doors and enjoy our reception indoors. The venue is beautiful on it's own so I didn't have to decorate much at all and it looks beautiful in the background of our pictures! The Rose Garden already has an arch to be married under so that was one less thing to think about. I also really appreciated all of the chairs, tables, linens, glassware, etc. being provided -unless you have something specific in mind- as we didn't have to use a rental company at all. Overall, we are thrilled with how our wedding day went here.
Brittney B
1.0
5/30/2018
This place is the worst. The actual set up is wonderful and beautiful it is working with the team that is so awful. Facility Events are unreasonably and strict their emails back are rude. We felt like we booked them under false pretenses. First they described how much of the gardens our guest would have access to only to find out that our guest can’t go in the gardens at all only the bridal party for pictures. Then we discovered we might not have access to the gardens at all for pictures is another event was happening there that same day. At the end of the day not having access to the gardens would make them a glorified ballroom. Not to mention the fact that you only have access to the site 2 hrs before so you are obligated to book a wedding planner. My wedding was wonderful and beautiful but I would save yourselves some stress and book somewhere else.
Shelby P
5.0
1/26/2018
Lewis Ginter was amazing, we had our ceremony in the Rose Garden and the reception in the Cafe area. The space was perfect and we didn't have to do any decorating aside from centerpieces for the tables. Having the on site caterer made everything run so much smoother since they set up and broke down everything for us. Aside from picking the menu and how we wanted to the table's set up they coordinated everything else for us and it felt super stress free.
Con: the only con I really had was the caterer tasting. It was advertised as a big tasting event but we only tasted appetizers, we had no idea what the actual entrees would taste like until the day of (but food the day of was still amazing though)
Kata B
5.0
7/30/2017
Beautiful place with an all natural setting. Very little was required to set the perfect scene because it was so perfect already. Small or large weddings, they are sure to please!
Lauren G
1.0
6/13/2017
While this is a beautiful venue, they are absolutely terrible to work with. They lost my florists vases, they never filled water glasses at dinner, they are very strict about music, the caterer is chosen for you which I was thrilled about because, one less thing to do, however the caterer takes advantage of that fact and is unwilling to work with you on anything. The tasting with the caterer consisted of boxed crackers and cheese, not showcasing any entrees. You pay all this money to rent the facility, they assign you a "facility coordinator" and then when it comes time to rehearsing, your facility coordinator doesn't even walk you to your site or help with anything. It was a bad experience and I would never recommend having your special day there.
Visit the garden for a day for the flowers, but do not rent their facilities.
Kristin W
5.0
10/02/2016
We cannot thank everyone at lewis ginter enough for making our day so special. The venue is beautiful, the staff is amazing and attentive. The food was amazing and we received rave reviews.
Alicia T
4.0
2/07/2016
We used Lewis Ginter for our August wedding reception. The day of was everything we wanted it to be. We used the tea house which is set by a lake/ stream in a more Asian part of the gardens. It has a beautiful inside lined with windows for an amazing outdoor view with a deck and outside seating. For me this was the perfect compromise for the outdoor reception I thought I always wanted. This way my guest could have relief from the muggy August heat but still experience the outdoors and we could have beautiful pictures in the garden. We set our bar up on the deck and had an assigned rented area of the gardens which our guests could take a walk through in some of the down time. All in all they were very timely in answering all of the questions we had and pretty detailed in the contract. The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because they are pretty strict about a few things which in the end for us ended up being fine but are nice to be aware of. They have strict set up and reception times. There are no evening receptions. Only in the evening/night Friday-Sunday from 6-10/11 pm. The set up times start at 4 pm so you couldn't come the night before and set up yourself. They also have specific decor on the walls that can not be removed for the event so what you see when you tour will be there for your wedding. There is a no sparkler rule and various lantern rules. They also will pretty much not let you touch any of the plants even to put light on them etc. because preserving the garden is very important to them and they have a required caterer. You can not chose your own. The food/staff were wonderful though and it ended up being a pro for us but could be a con for people wanting to shop around. There are other things but my recommendation would be to read the contract carefully and think of everything you might want for the event ahead of time to make your decision so you will not be disappointed by any specific rule after the venue is already secured. Like I said before the the day of was perfect and beautiful and everything I wanted, just be very informed before you sign.
Racine P
5.0
6/18/2015
I got married at Lewis Ginter on May 24, 2015 and it was an absolute pleasure! My venue within Lewis Ginter was the Bloemendaal House. The weather was absolutely beautiful and the gardens were well manicured, bright and sunny. Donna, the Facility Coordinator was the best! By the end of the process I felt like we were good friends. She was so responsive, professional, accommodating and overall very eager to assist.
The service did not stop there. Presilda, my catering manager was such a delight! Again, willing to bend over backwards to make sure my day was exactly what I wanted. So many of my guests said that our wedding was the best wedding they have ever attended and raved about the venue as well as the catering provided through Meriwether Godsey. I would recommend Lewis Ginter (specifically the Bloemendaal House) to any couple that is willing to take a risk with weather, but wants a beautiful outdoor wedding and impeccable service. You honestly will not be disappointed. Make sure you request Donna and Presilda! They are fabulous and made wedding planning so much easier and enjoyable.
Chelsea R
5.0
7/06/2014
I LOVED having my wedding at Lewis Ginter (ceremony in rose garden, reception in visitors center). It was an absolutely beautiful location – the ceremony was picturesque and we had more options for great portraits than we knew what to do with. The guests had a great time taking pictures in the front area of the garden and raved about how beautiful the ceremony site and reception location were. By having the reception in the Visitors Center we were able to have separate rooms for dinner and dancing/cake/etc., which worked out beautifully. No one felt cramped and everyone was able to mingle and flow through the rooms. The staff was also wonderfully helpful. I highly recommend this beautiful location!
Andrea K
5.0
6/29/2014
Pros: Location is quite ideallic. Even the walk for the guests to get down the Bloemendaal house is beautiful. The new addition in 2014 is a fixed tent in front of the house (in addition to the fixed tent on the side of the house where dinner guests are seated). I wasn't thrilled about the new tent b/c it takes away from the house, but when it poured at ceremony time and we couldn't go to the arbor I was happy the tent was there to have the ceremony under.
Because you are in a botanical garden you don't need much decorations- the space speaks for itself- it's gorgeous, so you can save on flowers. We had vintage furniture on the lawn, and cornhole games set up on the patio and it was all perfect.
Other pro was feeling like I could go anytime to lewis ginter and show my engagement ring (ie free pass) and go check out the site in order to visualize how I wanted the grounds to look.
Cons: Onsite catering. Can be a pro and a con. While it's one less decision you have to make (pro), you have no choice on costs- you just have to accept it. Me and my family were underwhelmed at the big tasting they do bi-annually, but on the day of, the food was great so I my expectations were exceeded. We did crab cakes, steak, lots of veggies and a mashed potato bar. We ordered our own wine thru them, which cost more, but at least we weren't stuck paying $30 for an $8 bottle of Mark West Pinot Noir.
Lewis Ginter has particular rules, which although seem strict, are not insurmountable. Examples- because it's a public garden, you can't go onsite more than 2 hours before your ceremony time. Not a minute before. Therefore, you just need be organized and have planned well to make set up quick and efficient.
You can't have amplified music before 6:30p as there may be other events at other areas of the garden. While it didnt' bother me that other events might be going on at the same time. I found that frustrating because I wanted an acoustic guitar, but you can't hear that when un-amplified, so I ended up with a string quartet so at least the music could be heard. Again, not the end of the world- just be prepared to work within their guidelines.
All of the Lewis Ginter facility coordinators were very helpful with questions, but are not particularly forthcoming with information. While they have FAQs I felt like I still had a ton of questions to ask and was a little frustrated that no one ever reached out to me to see how things were progressing and if they could help answer any questions. Generally, keep in mind that although it's your wedding and it's special, at the end of the day, this is just another business transaction and you are just another customer.
Jenny P
5.0
1/23/2014
My guests loved Lewis Ginter as a reception venue. I was happy with the facilities, the professionalism of the staff members I worked with, and of course the beautiful gardens. There are several different rooms to choose from for a reception, from very small to a large auditorium or historic house on the grounds.
Jennifer J
5.0
10/19/2013
We had a small wedding so we had our ceremony in the Flagler Garden and the reception was held in the Robins tea House which accommodates a max of 60ppl. The garden was beautiful so little decorations were needed, we just lined the aisle with mason jars filled with flowers and thats it! Our back up rain plan was already included with the Tea House too, which we liked. Donna Reynolds was very helpful and answered whatever questions I had, if not within a few hours then the next morning. We also loved that there was onsite catering. My advice: The less venders you have to deal with the better and Lewis Ginter was a one stop shop! Mary Harvey was also very helpful with my catering questions and responded in a timely manner. The day of the wedding we arrived at 4 to set up our decorations but the staff hadn't set up the linen and tableware so we had to wait. I just assumed that would be done before we got there, but it wasn't that big a deal. They also said they didn't know about the photo booth (even though it was on the vendor list form) we had coming so it was a good thing we didn't need a table for favors since we put them at each table seat, so that made room for the booth. The guests found the parking and ceremony site with ease with the help of the day of coordinator. The food was amazing, everyone loved everything on the buffet. My biggest gripe is during dinner we told our dj to call each table number up one at a time to avoid a huge line at the buffet, the bridal party went first and by the time we sat down there was a huge line of ppl at the buffet. One of the staff members took it upon themselves to go to each table and tell them to get up and eat. I wasn't going to make everyone sit back down until there table number was called so I just let it go but I really hated seeing everyone jumbled around the buffet table like that. Other than that, I would still highly recommend Lewis Ginter :)
Kelly W
2.0
6/03/2013
We initially booked with Lewis Ginter a year+ in advance because we knew how beautiful the venue was. Unfortunately, as the planning progressed, there was no flexibility with the venue and it was sometimes impossible to get in contact with the correct people. Little things really started to add up - we had to rent an additional tent as rain back-up, when we were already expected to pay thousands to use the venue alone; we couldn't have any amplified music during our ceremony since there are MULTIPLE other ceremonies going on at the same time throughout the gardens; we had to set up and move our own chairs between the ceremony and reception; we weren't given a straight answer on getting a different beer supplied for the wedding (their selections are TERRIBLE). When you are planning to spend over $25,000 on a wedding venue, these are details you expect to be included and handled by the staff. Unfortunately, our breaking point came at the tasting. The food was terrible. Frozen and boring for the most part. Not worth the money. There is no personal connection to the staff - it's just a job. We changed our minds, forfeited our deposit, and had our wedding somewhere else... best decision we made!
Adam V
5.0
5/16/2013
Incredible lovely place. Great weather, too.
Emily M
5.0
11/07/2012
The staff was easy to work with and they helped make my wedding day perfect!
Sarah Beth C
3.0
9/06/2012
I used Lewis Ginter for my ceremony and reception. Unfortunately the ceremony was rained out, no fault of the Garden. Donna Reynolds was always very professional and responsive to my needs. They allowed us to wait until the very last moment to make the decision about a rain plan. They were always very generous with their time and had no qualms about answering the countless questions I had. It was a lovely setting.
Erin M
5.0
8/26/2012
Lewis Ginter was amazing. The staff was so accommodating. The in house caterer was fabulous too. My guests were RAVING about the food. I couldn't be happier with my decision to have the wedding here!
Alina M
5.0
8/06/2012
Gorgeous venue, nice staff.
Kimberly P
5.0
7/18/2012
I got married at the Bloemendaal house. It was beautiful! Donna Reynolds was very accommodating, and there was never a moment when I was worried about the outcome of the wedding/reception. It was very apparent that Donna and catering were on top of their game.
We went with the buffet option, and food was warm and great quality (this is often where caterers go wrong-with cold buffet food). Table settings were pristine, chairs are recently purchased garden chairs! Overall this venue is worth the money, and I was very pleased.
Sarah W
4.0
7/05/2012
The venue was gorgeous and the staff were amazing. Everyone involved answered all of my questions in a timely manner and were more than happy to accommodate any weird requests we had.
We had our ceremony in the Perennial Garden and the reception in the Tea House. They are small so if a small wedding is what you want then this will work perfectly.
My only nitpicky complaint was how the catering tasting worked. I understand they have a lot of couples getting married there but the tasting event was crowded, badly organized, and a bit overwhelming. Only serving water at the wine tasting table which quickly formed a long line? Why not open the other empty room and offer a little bit of seating to clear out the crowding?
The food was excellent though, and the service was fantastic.
Marithe P
4.0
6/04/2012
I had my wedding here May 2012. Absolutely Gorgeous ceremony in the Rose Garden (if any of the sites they have, this is the most beautiful). The Robins Visitor Center is a great venue to have different areas, but also confusing sometimes for guests. We had a photobooth that was put in the back. I would suggest having a map out for your guests and/or let them know whats around because that gets confusing. Food was amazing, even if it was cooked in mass quanities. Kudos to Meriweather Godsey. The venue is very strict though. Please be sure to look through the rules before you book the venue...all in all it was good.
Sarah G
5.0
11/10/2011
We held both our ceremony in the Rose Garden and our reception in the Robins Visitor Center. The weather was perfect and the location is just absolutely stunning! Donna was excellent and highly professional and made sure that our day went smoothly. We used the required on-site catering company, Meriwether Godsey, and received nothing but compliments on the quality of the food and drink. I just received our pictures from the event and cannot say enough about how much we loved and enjoyed our wedding.
Barbara B
4.0
10/26/2011
It was a beautiful site, but the cost to rent it was hefty. You must use their caterer, but their food was delicious. They didn't set up my table decorations like they said they would though, so I won't give them 5 stars.
Lisa L
5.0
6/29/2011
First of all the entire garden is beautiful and they offer a variety of different venues within the garden to accomodate the size of the wedding. The staff was wonderful and was able to answer any questions. Someone was there on the wedding day to make sure everything went as planned. I would definitely recommend this venue! The only drawback is that you have to use the cater on staff and the allotted time is only from 6pm to 10pm for Saturday weddings since before 5pm the garden is open to the public. The total cost indicated includes the location fee and the catering fee combined. That said, we had an open bar and plated dinners with about 125 guests.
Noell R
4.0
11/23/2010
We had our rehearsal in the tea house and it was beautiful at night! Lily is so nice and really helpful with the set up. The food was delicious, except the beef was well done (which our Texas guests weren't fans of) and the creme brulee wasn't completely set. They had great vegan and vegetarian options!
Natalie C
4.0
10/27/2010
Pros: Beautiful location for ceremony and reception. We were in the rose garden and the visitors center. Decent rainy day options (still glad we didn't need to use them though). Experienced staff that knows what they are doing. Included in package is time for bridal portraits if you are interested. We were allowed to take some of our wedding party photos before the ceremony and they came out beautifully. We didn't even have to buy any decorations for the ceremony! Above all else though, this place is a bargain, especially on a Sunday or off-season.
Cons: location does multiple wedding at a time, however we didn't run into anyone else's wedding guests/party. Apparently sometimes you can hear the music and clapping from other people's ceremonies, especially if you run late, but they do their best to make sure everyone knows this and is on time. I was perhaps a bit distracted at the time, but I didn't hear anything from the other venues. The major con for me was that you have to use their onsite caterer and you must purchase all of your alcoholic beverages through them. Honestly, some of their selections are not that great, but after attending the tastings my husband and I picked a pretty decent menu comprised of some of our favorite foods, not a preselected menu and in the end we even got some compliments on the food (mashed potato martini bar and gelato bar were big hits). On the other hand, having the venue be a one stop shop for your ceremony location and catering needs is also convenient.
Pam R
5.0
10/27/2010
Beautiful anytime of year! We were blessed with an 80 day in October. The gardens were beautiful, as always!
Jo H
4.0
6/28/2010
I booked the Flagler Pavilion for the ceremony and the Asian Teahouse for the reception. During the planning stages, everyone was very nice and accomodating. (Tony the chef created an amazing and yummy menu for my Asian themed wedding.)
The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars was the wedding coordinator. I had not met her previous to my wedding date. So an hour before the ceremony start time, a freak thunderstorm comes. 30 minutes before the ceremony start time, I arrive at the site and immediately the coordinator is pushing for an indoor wedding. Although the rain was obviously letting up, she continued to push for indoors. We really do not need to give them a decision until start time, and even then if rain is subsiding, they should allow for up to 10 minutes for us to make the call. Unfortunately I was extremely emotional so I gave in to have it indoors.
Brides, please do think about the rain plan. I refused to think about this and I regret this. Not only did I get pushed to have it indoors, the Asian Teahouse really is not that conducive to having a ceremony. Guests have really no where to sit or stand to really watch the ceremony. If I had thought it out better, I would have tried to get some people to arrange some chairs.
Overall, I would still recommend Lewis Ginter. It is so gorgeous. Rain is part of the risk in an outdoor wedding so please plan for it. If it does rain on your fateful day, calm down and WAIT!! Don't let the wedding coordinator who doesn't know you make the decision for you!
Ashley F
5.0
6/10/2009
Everything. Ceremony was on site in a rose garden. The reception site offered a back up plan in case of rain. As the bride the location 'assigned' me a server tomake sure I had everything I needed. It was well run (timely) and beautiful.
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Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
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