The State Botanical Garden of GA

her way to help us. She recommended several vendors who we loved working with, including our wedding planner, DJ, and photographer. The greenery and natural light of the conservatory were just beautiful, and we received (and are still receiving) compliments from our friends and family about the venue. We had a tented cocktail hour on the patio when the room was flipped which worked out extremely well. We highly recommend the Conservatory and the wonderful people who work there for a gorgeous wedding experience!

my reception in the large conservatory room. It is absolutely gorgeous and surrounded by so much beauty, that I didn't even need a lot of decorations. Aside from some table decor items where the guestbook was, a few signs, and centerpieces, nothing else was needed! So although this venue was a little bit on the pricier side, you will save a lot on decorations. And we all know how expensive flowers can be! Since it is a garden, there are a few restrictions, which is expected - but the biggest restriction was not permitting vendors to start setting up until after visitor hours were over at 4, so we had a later ceremony start time at 6 (which was the absolute soonest my vendors were able to offer to allow for set up time, guest arrivals, etc). I would say that was the biggest drawback and caused the most planning headaches for me, but luckily I had amazing vendors that were able to work with it. I would say the pros far outweighed this con, but I just wanted to make others aware! Aside from the beauty the Botans offer, I would say the biggest plus of getting married here, specifically at the conservatory, is being able to enjoy the outdoors while being inside. I know many brides worry about the weather on their special day and I could have cared less! It ended up not raining on our wedding day but we did get a heat wave - luckily we were able to enjoy the sunshine from the inside :)

wedding after Botanical Garden hours so my guests were free to roam the gardens without other people poking around. Deirdre who handled our space rental was so helpful and genuinely cared about helping us have a beautiful day.

oked into. It was nice to have both the chapel (for our ceremony) and the Conservatory (for our reception) so close to each other, and both locations were air conditioned (essential for a Southern spring wedding). Dierdre was pretty easy to work with as well - I just needed to be proactive in reaching out to her about some things. They do so many weddings at the venue that it was easy for details about our particular event to get lost in the shuffle. OK, now for the drawbacks. This is a garden, which is outdoors and controlled by nature. You can’t control the weather. You can’t control what will be blooming when. We had an early spring this year, so not as much was in bloom as I would have liked, but it was still beautiful (that is the good part about gardens). Also, we couldn’t get into the reception venue (the Conservatory) until 4:30pm, and we couldn’t get into the chapel until 2:30pm. Because of these time constraints, we all had to get ready for the wedding elsewhere. Keep that in mind if you choose this venue, especially for an evening wedding. Also, the chapel basement (where the dressing rooms are) lighting is not the best for getting ready pictures, and the groom’s dressing room is about the size of a walk-in closet. However, given the reasonable price and the beautiful gardens, I would still say this venue worked out and was worth it :)

he cocktail hour on the patio where the weather was just perfect and the sun was setting. The reception in the Conservatory was just the perfect space, lit up with all sorts of twinkle lights and plenty of space for a great dance party. Everyone was incredibly helpful answer our questions all throughout the process. We also used the Day Chapel's reception space for our rehearsal luncheon, which proved a great size and very convenient.

ers and several species of beautiful orchids! At night it really comes alive with the soft lighting that is in place and any that you might add yourself. Just add some music and you have a perfect reception venue! I only have 2 minor complaints about the rental. The first thing is the chairs they let you 'rent' for 'free' are not very comfortable and kind of hideous. But, on the other hand, no one is really going to remember the chairs, are they? Probably not. The other thing is there is no where to get dressed, which we knew about up front, but I think that they should change that with the amount of weddings and other events they have there every year. I think it might help their business in the long run. Other than that, everything was great. We didn't have any issues.

ful the venue was. The staff was very helpful and easy to work with.

e middle of January. I would recommend to anyone who can afford it.

k a full year in advance for a June wedding. There are LOTS of rules here, so make sure you are informed before you sign your contract. One of the most difficult situations we encountered was our rehearsal the day before the wedding. Since the Botanical Garden is run by the University of Georgia, all rehearsals must take place during University business hours which end at 4:30 pm on Friday. Our rehearsal time was assigned for 1-2:30 pm, and that was a challenge since everyone (except my parents and wedding coordinator) was driving in from out of town. Also, the chairs in the Terrace Room are not in spectacular shape, so we rented chairs for the reception from Grand Rental Station in Watkinsville.

ens were easy to work with, friendly, and explained everything. Once the chapel was unlocked for our rehearsal and the actual wedding we pretty much had free reign to make ourselves at home and the staff member was available when we had questions or needed help but otherwise kept to himself. The chapel itself is very very very beautiful and elegant and the reception space is simple and neutral with a pleasant outdoor terrace. Also, the place is fully handicap accessible which was very important for me and especially wonderful since I was looking for a woodsy setting and most others were not. All my guests have raved about this beautiful little gem tucked in the woods. The only thing that could be a possible concern is that your rehearsal time is determined by the time slot you select for the wedding, so my sunday morning wedding had a rehearsal friday afternoon, which was not easy for everyone to attend.

, but ultimately worth it. I can't imagine getting married anywhere else. However, there are restrictions on the site--only white wine and champagne allowed for receptions, for instance. The staff at the Botanical Gardens were upfront with the restrictions, though, and all the information you need is on the website and in the contract. If you choose the chapel, I recommend that you determine when your wedding ceremony will be held early, because the rental times are divided into blocks before and after 4:30 p.m. You don't want to cut it too close, one way or the other, or you'll find yourself rushing, though the staff was good about making sure that you have access when you need it.

helpful. In fact there was only one man that was friendly at all. Everything was an additional cost, including a rehearsal time slot. At out rehearsal (and the reception) we were being kicked out either right at the time we were supposed to be leaving or (in the case of the reception) thirty minutes early! It was unfortunate because the venue is so incredible...and the staff took away from the experience. If it had not been for that I would have easily rated the Gardens a Five for BEAUTY.