Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Phipps is a one-of-a-kind wedding venue in Pittsburgh that blends gorgeous architecture and botanicals in a historic space. The location and atmosphere are unrivaled in Pittsburgh. We had fond memories strolling the gardens the first time my husband visited Pittsburgh, and we loved the idea of a romantic garden party wedding, so Phipps was a no brainer. We used the Phipps garden space for our wedding ceremony & reception for 130 guests in early September. The outdoor ceremony took place in the gardens in front of the fountain, which was beautiful, and the reception occurred under the tent Phipps has up from April-October. Although the garden space is a beautiful backdrop for a wedding ceremony & reception, the outdoor reception space is essentially a concrete slab with a tent and folding chairs setup that Phipps provides. As a result, we spent extra money and time investing in decor, linens, and florals to brighten and warm the tent space. Our coordinator at Phipps was kind and helpful in the month leading up to the wedding, but I recommend hiring an external coordinator/planner to communicate with Phipps & your other vendors. The catering staff was incredibly helpful and communicative in answering our many questions. The food was one of the highlights of the night; guests raved about their entrees and were fighting over extra meals to take home. The staff beautifully displayed our homemade cookies for the cookie table and coordinated cookie delivery and clean up, which was a huge lift! The bar staff was offering generous pours and tasty cocktails that were much appreciated by guests as well. My only complaint was that the venue markets itself as having an "inclusive" package including food, rentals, & linens at one relatively moderate price, but there are multiple add-ons and upgrades that can easily make the rental more expensive, so be sure to review the contract carefully. Additionally, there are so many weddings and events happening at Phipps that you may have limited times for rehearsals, walk throughs, and vendor set up time. Our vendors were given 2 hours of set up time. (You could purchase additional set up time for $500, but our vendors had to be out at a specific time for another event before ours). As a result, our florists' team was working frantically to complete their designs, and Phipps catering staff were still setting up tables right up until our ceremony. Our guests weren't allowed in the garden ceremony space until 5:00 (which is Phipps' policy), and weren't allowed in the tented reception space until 6:15 after cocktail hour. It was chilly the night of our wedding, and guests wanted to be able to warm up out of the wind, but they weren't allowed inside immediately. Thankfully, this was a small issue for our guests that could be have been a significant issue if we had guests with mobility and/or health issues. I highly recommend Phipps for its beauty, food, and historic location, especially for microweddings inside the conservatory, but I would be sure to clarify with the event staff that your vendor team has sufficient set-up time as well. Overall, Phipps is an incredible wedding venue, and we would do it again in a heartbeat!

My fiancé and I had always envisioned a small, intimate wedding. Having gotten engaged during the pandemic, we wanted something understated yet full of joy and traditional charm. That's when we discovered Phipps Pop-Up Weddings. Having grown up visiting Pittsburgh, it felt special to celebrate our day in the city. As soon as I learned about Phipps Pop-Up Weddings, I knew it was the ideal choice for us. Despite my initial concern about securing a spot (they offer only four slots per event, usually twice a year), Caroline Walker, the Event Sales Assistant Manager, quickly put my worries to rest. She reached out immediately after I expressed interest, provided the date well in advance, and supported us throughout the entire process, much like a wedding planner, at no extra cost. The early notice gave us ample time to organize other details. We could plan our post-wedding dinner at The Porch, arrange transportation with Molly’s Trolley, and book our hotel without stress. Our Phipps wedding was a dream come true. It included a wonderful officiant, stunning bouquets and boutonnieres, a cake to take home, cookies and a champagne toast for the guests, and even a live pianist—something we had always hoped for. We were permitted to invite 20-30 guests, which was perfect for us. The ceremony took place in a picturesque outdoor garden, and our guests enjoyed the rest of the time under a lovely and spacious tent, where the provided photographer captured beautiful moments. We also had the joy of including a maid of honor, best man, and flower girl. Afterward, everyone in attendance received a complimentary ticket to explore Phipps! Our entire event, with all inclusions, cost less than a fraction of the price of a venue alone elsewhere. We experienced the best of both worlds: the elegance and tradition of a wedding without the usual stress and financial burden. I wholeheartedly recommend Phipps Pop-Up Weddings for anyone who desires the beauty and tradition of a wedding with minimal hassle. Everything we dreamed of was included, and the planning was expertly handled. We couldn't have asked for a better start to our happily ever after. Thank you, Phipps and Caroline, for making our day unforgettable!

Loved our venue! Staff was helpful for our ceremony and our overall planning. We had our ceremony in the outdoor garden, which is handicap accessible. This is an ideal location, especially for out-of-town guests who want to see a cool part of Pittsburgh while they’re in town.

We had the best experience with the events team at Phipps. We were married in a small ceremony in the Broderie Room with about 50 guests present. Abbey, our day of coordinator was absolutely fantastic. She answered our many, many questions leading up to the day and was incredibly organized and such a calming presence during our rehearsal and on wedding day. We are so grateful for her assistance in making sure all details (seating configuration, microphones, order of entrances, etc.) were captured the way we wanted. Everything was exactly as specified in our contract and our guests were raving about how unique and beautiful of a venue Phipps was. At no fault of the Phipps staff (it is a greenhouse!!!) the Broderie Room can get quite warm in the summer months. We were blessed with a cooler day and Phipps graciously offered extra fans, but for future couples getting married in the Broderie Room during the summer months, just know that it may be quite hot in there. We tried to mitigate the heat by having a rather short 5:30pm ceremony and provided fan programs to all guests. Thanks again for everything, Abbey and the Phipps team! Highly recommend!