There is nothing as charming as a garden wedding. Saying I-DO surrounded by greenery is both timeless and unforgettable, whether you’re getting married on the grounds of a historic estate, or your own backyard. We’ve curated a collection of our favorite garden weddings—and tented wedding designs—to inspire yours. Browse through ceremony set-ups, tablescapes, and dance floor details, and hire the vendors behind the garden weddings you love.
If you’re planning to get married in the near future, and love the idea of an outdoor celebration, you and your partner should consider a garden wedding for your special day. Garden weddings can offer an appealing blend of rustic style and elegance while allowing you to enjoy the beauty of nature in a serene and well-manicured setting. Finding the perfect garden wedding ideas and venues can be tricky, however. At Carats & Cake, our directory of real-life weddings includes some of the most popular garden wedding venues and vendors. We provide you with insider access to some of the most beautiful weddings in the United States and around the world to inspire your own once-in-a-lifetime wedding day. Plus, our search and filter functions can provide you with the perfect answer to the question, "Where can I find the right garden for a wedding near me?"
This guide will provide you with basic information on planning a garden wedding. This includes finding the most beautiful garden wedding venue and coming up with ideas that will make your wedding as special as possible. We have collected some of the most important tips for planning your garden wedding along with ideas for some of the best venues for your wedding day. This will help you manage all aspects of planning your garden wedding and can allow you to create a memorable experience for those you invite to share this special day with you.
Whether you are thinking about planning an intimate garden wedding or a museum wedding with a garden reception afterward, there are so many themes and other ideas to consider along the way.
The tranquil environment and natural aesthetic in these serene venues have made garden wedding ideas a popular choice for centuries. Garden wedding celebrations offer a rare opportunity to share your vows of love in an elegant setting complete with flowers, living plants, and the general beauty of nature. If you and your partner love the outdoors and the idea of being surrounded by manicured plants and pathways, a rustic garden wedding could be the perfect choice for your once-in-a-lifetime celebration.
Garden weddings can be adapted to almost any theme. If you are planning a vintage or even Edwardian wedding, a garden wedding venue is the perfect backdrop for these elegant celebrations. A botanical garden wedding can also be designed around a classic or formal wedding theme too, depending on the exact vibe you’re going for. Whatever your garden wedding theme may be, you can bring any ideas to life in these types of settings.
Garden wedding venues feature flowers that can lend an air of authenticity to your ceremony and your reception. Working with the venue itself, you can find floral arrangements that serve as an idyllic backdrop for your big event, and flowers that complement the space and your chosen garden wedding theme is key. With the flowers and other pieces of decor at top of mind, you can more easily create an unforgettable experience for everyone at your wedding.
Affordability is another reason for the ongoing popularity of garden wedding venues. Garden wedding venue options should be available at nearly every price point. Backyard gardens at the homes of friends or family members can often work well with smaller weddings and might be more widely available than other high-demand spaces. More prominent or historic options, like booking a Brooklyn Botanic Garden wedding at peak season can be a significant investment for you and your partner. The wide price range of garden wedding venues can make it much easier for you to find the best venue for your event at your desired price point.
Most botanic garden wedding options offer facilities that can make your event planning process much easier. These may include a kitchenette for your catering team, accessible bathrooms, and even indoor spaces that can be used if the weather outside refuses to cooperate with your wedding plans. Depending on where you host your event, you’ll want to weigh these options, especially if you’re getting married in a place with a variety of weather concerns.
One of the biggest “pros” for choosing a garden wedding venue, however, is the romantic backdrop that gardens can provide for your ceremony and reception. A botanic garden wedding can combine romance and practicality to ensure that your day is as perfect as possible and to allow you to manage costs for your romantic garden wedding day.
Because garden wedding venues are located all over the world, and vary so much, it can be challenging to determine exactly which type of venue is best for you. If finding a local garden wedding venue is an important priority for you and your partner, you can often ask friends, family members or work colleagues, "Do you know of an available garden for a wedding near me?" And if you are fortunate enough to live in a city with established botanic gardens, you may also be able to choose a garden wedding venue that includes all the amenities to make your event happen without a hitch.
If possible, visiting the garden wedding venues you are considering can allow you to determine if they are accessible for all those on your guest lists and if they feature the appropriate facilities. In the event that the venue does not have venues or a kitchen area that can be used by guests and wedding vendors, you will have to make arrangements for these facilities on your own. Think through exactly how you want your garden wedding reception to go, and work with your vendor team to make it all happen.
Working with a wedding planner can also provide you with reliable information on the available amenities and features of nearby garden wedding venues. Your wedding planner will typically be able to provide you with added help in finding venues. These wedding professionals can provide the answers to your questions, including "Where are the most beautiful venues for garden weddings near me?"
Cost will almost certainly be a factor in your choice of garden wedding venue. Whether you are choosing to hold a church wedding and then a garden wedding reception or planning an entire botanical garden wedding in Brooklyn, or anything in between, you have a lot of options. Once you’ve narrowed down your priorities, hosting a flower garden wedding and reception will be even simpler.
There is no easy way to determine the amount you will pay to achieve your garden wedding theme. The average cost of weddings in the United States is almost $34,000, but that number could vary depending on a range of choices. Garden wedding celebrations can cost much less or much more, depending on the venue you choose and the vendors you and your partner decide to work with. Some of the most important factors that can affect the cost of your garden wedding are listed here:
By scoping out real garden weddings online, you can learn more about exactly what you want for your own celebration. Oftentimes, that includes determining the best garden wedding theme and decor for your big day. By checking out the vendors responsible for the best garden wedding examples on our website, you can find it all: garden wedding dresses, decor, and more ideas that will work well for you and your partner. This can help you to find everything from elaborate to simple garden wedding ideas that will suit your theme and that will create the most incredible mood and feel.
You can choose from numerous garden wedding themes when planning your celebration. When selecting your garden wedding theme, you should consider the overall look of your venue and the decor you already have planned. This can allow you to create the best garden wedding for your budget, your venue and your overall preferences. Some of the most popular garden wedding themes are listed here:
When choosing a garden wedding theme, it is important not only to consider your own tastes but also the look and feel of the venues you may choose for your ceremony and reception. A botanic garden wedding can be personalized with your own wedding ideas and can incorporate most types of decor to enhance the beauty of these natural surroundings.
Plus, choosing a garden wedding dress that corresponds with your theme can create the dreamiest atmosphere as you walk down the aisle, share your vows, and then dance the night away. Garden wedding dresses and complementary decor can turn almost any venue into the most magical, flower-packed setting. By making sure that your garden wedding themes shine through in all aspects of the planning process, you can create a cohesive look for every part of your upcoming celebration.
Garden weddings can be held almost anywhere with greenery and adequate outdoor space. What makes a garden wedding unique, however, is the manicured and elegant look of the green spaces that are offered with this style of venue. Some of the most popular locations for garden wedding venues include the following options:
Choosing the right venue and garden wedding decor can have a significant impact on the impression your event will make on your guests. By incorporating your own garden wedding ideas into your celebration, you can ensure the most beautiful and memorable occasion for you, your partner, your wedding party, and each of your guests. The right decor can enhance the experience and can make your wedding the very special day you have always dreamed of sharing with friends and family.
Finding the perfect garden wedding ideas can be both fun and challenging at the same time. Most of the look and feel of your wedding will come from the garden wedding theme you choose and the decor that works best for your ceremony and reception. Some basic elements, however, are common among nearly all garden weddings. These fundamental components of your decor can be enhanced by your own garden wedding ideas to create the perfect atmosphere for your once-in-a-lifetime celebration of love.
One key to creating your garden wedding decor is to use what is already available at your venue. If there is a fountain at the heart of the space, this can qualify as one of the best built-in, simple garden wedding ideas–and it can serve as a focal point for photos of you, your partner, and your wedding party. Green spaces and trellises are other natural visual elements that can be dressed up with your own garden wedding ideas and preferences to effortlessly work with your chosen theme.
When incorporating your own garden wedding ideas, it is important to keep in mind the most important logistical issues associated with these types of events. Thinking all of this through as early as possible can help you to sidestep some of the logistical problems that could affect the planning process leading up to your big day.
While some garden wedding venues offer full-service support for your special day, others may offer little to no facilities or services. Some garden wedding venues also limit the types of decor and alterations that can be made to their indoor or outdoor areas, while others may require permits to prevent damage to delicate natural ecosystems. Here are some of the most commonly reported challenges for garden wedding ideas:
Permits and restrictions: Contacting the venue you are considering can help you to determine whether you can implement your own garden wedding ideas in these locations. For example, if you are planning a botanic garden wedding out west, you may need to check with the agencies that offer California botanic garden weddings to determine availability and to obtain a permit for your particular celebration. Look into the information provided by your garden wedding venue, or set up a call, and be prepared to ask about these potential limitations.
Catering services: Depending on the garden wedding venue you choose, you may need to select a caterer from a pre-approved list or use an affiliated catering company. Catering for your Chicago Botanic Garden wedding, for instance, will be provided by the venue and will be limited to those items listed as menu options and the packages provided by the in-house catering company.
Availability: For some venues, finding an available time for your wedding may be the most significant challenge in the process. Garden wedding venues in high-demand areas are often booked years in advance. For this reason, if you are considering a New York botanic garden wedding or a Brooklyn Botanic Garden wedding, you may need to reserve your date as soon as possible to make sure that you can get married on one of your preferred dates. Alternatively, you may be able to schedule a wedding more quickly at one of the other garden wedding venues in your area. In California, a similar situation may arise with popular venues that offer vineyard weddings. Fortunately, other vineyard and garden wedding venues are available that may offer greater availability and lower prices for you and your partner.
Lack of necessities: Remote venues and those that do not routinely offer garden weddings can often lack some very important facilities. While installing your own wedding lighting and decor is usually not a problem, moving portable bathrooms, generators and water supplies to these spots can be challenging. Unless you are confident that you can easily have these large-scale machines and facilities delivered, you may want to choose a garden wedding venue that already has these must-have items and services in place for you, your vendors, and your guests.
Accessibility: Even if a venue is ideally suited for your garden wedding themes, it may not be easily accessible for guests in wheelchairs or those with mobility issues. Temporary walkways are available and could make your venue much more accessible for those who may not be able to walk for extended periods or may have problems with navigating through garden wedding venues. Depending on your resources, you may also be able to enlist some wedding guests or hired assistants to carry or guide wheelchairs to the appropriate areas of your garden wedding venue.
Transportation: On a related note, making sure that your chosen venue has easy access for cars, trucks, and vans is essential to allow for deliveries to your wedding. Many dedicated garden wedding venues have loading dock areas to keep delivery trucks out of the main traffic areas. Checking out the transportation situation before deciding on a venue is one of the most practical garden wedding ideas and can allow you to find the best venue for your needs and your invited guests.
Seasonal issues: Not all gardens offer wedding services all throughout the year. Some places may specialize in spring or summer wedding ceremonies. Others may have less dramatic foliage and flowers at certain times of year. Checking with your venue or examining the photos of real-life weddings featured in our directory will often provide you with a good sense of the best time of year for specific garden wedding venues in your area or anywhere in the world.
Keeping these challenges in mind can allow you to incorporate your own garden wedding ideas into a ceremony and reception that is precisely right for you and your partner. Your friends, family members, and online sources can provide you with brilliant garden wedding ideas that will make your celebration truly special for all those who are privileged to attend your major life event.
Some of the most appealing garden wedding ideas are also the simplest. For instance, choosing a color scheme for your wedding can help you to coordinate your decor and can ensure that your garden wedding themes complement your venue perfectly. You can search online to find garden wedding ideas that are designed to go with your chosen event theme.
For example, woodsy elements or even whitewashed metal pails can often be used to enhance a rustic garden wedding theme. These pails can be filled with flowers to create a pathway through the spot where you have chosen to host your ceremony or reception. Similar garden wedding ideas include the use of simple pottery planters as place cards for reception guests. By painting the names of your guests on these small planters and then using a votive candle in each planter, you can create a welcoming glow for these practical items of decor.
Gift bags are among the most popular garden wedding ideas and can provide added fun for members of your party. Some of the most popular items for these thoughtful gifts include silk eye masks, ear plugs, candles, small bottles of alcohol, gourmet foods (bonus points if they’re locally sourced!), chocolates, and bath salts. Tailoring your gift bags to each member of your wedding party can add a personalized touch to your efforts in implementing these elegant garden wedding ideas.
The attire you choose and the hairstyles selected by members of the wedding party can also reflect your garden wedding theme. Floral accents for hair can be matched to boutonnieres that reflect the color scheme of your entire wedding. This can help you and your partner to create the most unified look for all members of your wedding party and for the decor you choose for your wedding celebration.
Whimsical signage is another idea that can dress up your venue and that can provide your guests with a better idea of your garden wedding theme. Signs can include flowers, foliage, or can be constructed of real wood to create an elegant look that will set your wedding apart from any other gathering. Best of all, your wedding signs can serve as keepsakes long after your big day has concluded.
Flower bouquets can be arranged on each table of your reception to convey your garden wedding theme too. Flowers in the appropriate color scheme can make your wedding photos extra special for you and your partner. On a similar note, flower petals are often scattered along the aisle to greet the happy couple. Garden weddings can also provide you with the opportunity to show off your commitment to eco-conscious living. Opting for online wedding invites rather than printed options can reduce the environmental impact of your wedding and can demonstrate a commitment to ecological responsibility for you and your partner.
Your friends and close family will often be a great resource for garden wedding ideas too. For added help, you can also consult the directories featured on our website. We offer detailed information on garden wedding venues, vendors, and photos to help inspire your own unique event plans.
Our directory of beautiful photos from real-life weddings can serve as an excellent starting point for planning a garden wedding that will wow your guests and that will be long remembered as a joyous occasion for all who attend this celebration. From determining the most on-point garden wedding dress to selecting cohesive decor, these couples can serve as your online inspiration. We highly recommend working together to look at all of these photos, and from there, it’ll be easier than ever to identify the best garden wedding venues and to choose vendors for your big event. Once your overall garden wedding theme is outlined and vendors are hired, you’ll be in the perfect position to get excited about your big day. Trust us, everything’s coming up roses for you and your spouse-to-be!
