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Kanapaha Botanical Gardens
Kanapaha Botanical Gardens
The happy couple
The happy couple
Classic portrait
Classic portrait
Wide open spaces
Wide open spaces
Indoor setting
Indoor setting
Ceremony in the bamboo garden
Ceremony in the bamboo garden
Studio gazebo
Studio gazebo
Simple table setup
Simple table setup
Playing with angles
Playing with angles
Couple's portrait
Couple's portrait
Reception hall
Reception hall
Posing on the bridge
Posing on the bridge

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Kissing by the pond

About

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, located in Gainesville, Florida, is a picturesque wedding venue. A 68 acre space, it has both indoor and outdoor spaces available for events. The gardens feature a large, idyllic body of water, beside which you are welcomed to exchange your vows. Meticulously landscaped grounds offer a beautiful backdrop for wedding photos at every turn. The gardens have welcomed hundreds of events, from corporate gatherings to private parties.

Facilities and Capacity

With over 25 distinct sections, Kanapaha Botanical Gardens contains plants from all over the world. For an indoor celebration, the visitor’s center and Summer House are both available to host weddings. Outdoor sites are scattered across the gardens, welcoming celebrations with up to 100 guests. As part of the rental fee, you are granted access to a certain area of the grounds for your rehearsal. You also have exclusive use of your chosen event space for a certain period of time, creating a haven just for you. A golf cart can be rented to hep transport your guests to your wedding’s site.

Services Offered

The colors of the plants in Kanapaha Botanical Gardens truly shine between June and September, offering an unforgettable setting for your magical day. The team have gained invaluable experience in hosting events, and have a carefully curated set of guidelines to support you in using their venue. They are happy to set up tables and chairs before your event, so you can focus on preparing for the day ahead. The picturesque gazebos dotted around the grounds can be delicately decorated for a whimsical, fairytale appearance.

Location

The gardens sit just a 15 minute drive from the center of Gainesville city. For guests arriving from out of town, they are spoiled for choice when it comes to hotels and overnight accommodations near your wedding venue. Gainesville Regional Airport is also close at hand, with Ocala International Airport taking less than an hour to reach for those making longer journeys.

illustration popular

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$629

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?

$629

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

$672

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

$672

Which of the following are included in the starting site fee?

Chairs
Parking
Set Up
Tables

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

8

Describe your venue:

Banquet Hall
Park

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Wheelchair Access

Reviews of Kanapaha Botanical Gardens

Write a review
Write a review
Kanapaha Botanical Gardens - 1
Kanapaha Botanical Gardens - 2
Lacy
Lacy Sent on 05/13/2019
5 out of 5 rating

We loved having our wedding here!

When we started the planning process we knew we wanted an outdoor wedding and Kanapaha Botanical Gardens immediately caught our eyes. The gardens themselves are gorgeous, and there are numerous options for a ceremony space. We chose to have ours in the Bamboo Garden and we couldn't have been happier. The weather in April was perfect. There are also two options for an indoor reception area. While only one is included in the base rental price, you can opt to rent the second for an additional fee. We rented both and used one to get ready in. They also have a golf cart you can rent, which was super helpful when we were going around with our photographers.
The event coordinator, Mischella, was super helpful and very prompt in her email responses. She made sure that the tables and chairs that were included in the rental were set up exactly as we wanted them to be. She also made sure we had several options for a backup ceremony space just incase of inclement weather. They are also very flexible on which vendors you use, but I would recommend asking for their preferred vendor list. These vendors, most of which we used, are excellent and all of them offer some sort of discount. Overall, I highly recommend them.
  • Kanapaha Botanical Gardens - 3
A
Audrey Sent on 03/23/2018
5 out of 5 rating
I loved having our wedding at Kanapaha! There were several options for outdoor ceremony locations, and plenty of room in the main building for the reception. Our guests loved exploring the grounds before the ceremony, and kept commenting on how beautiful it was. The only minor issue we had was the reception rooms got a little warm after hours, but phone calls were made and it was quickly fixed. I would highly suggest this venue for anyone looking for a beautiful setting at a reasonable price!
J
Jennifer Sent on 12/07/2017
5 out of 5 rating
We just got married at Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in November and they were wonderful to work with. Adam (the former event manager) was responsive to my million emails about different date availability. He took us on a nice tour around the gardens to find the perfect spot. When he left, Michelle checked in to make sure we turned in our layouts on time.

As far as location goes, it was beautiful and amazing. We really wanted to be out in nature for our ceremony and this offered the best option in Gainesville. We didn't even need flowers on the rows of chairs at our site. We chose the wedding oak. The weather in November was perfect. We had the reception inside in the room with all the windows. We loved having the kitchen for our cocktail hour and people were able to hang on the porch. Overall, I would highly recommend Kanapaha Botanical Gardens!
  • Kanapaha Botanical Gardens - 4
T
Taylor Sent on 11/11/2017
5 out of 5 rating
Very lenient on your choice in vendors and you can do a lot with decor very little restrictions on what you an do:) beautiful setting, very friendly staff! Outdoor chairs for ceremony are nice but I would recommend renting your own indoor chairs;) I loved having my wedding here!!
A
Amanda Sent on 09/25/2017
5 out of 5 rating
After looking at a few venues for our wedding, we decided on Kanapaha. We already loved this place and can't imagine having had our wedding anywhere else. The staff were easy to talk with and get things set up for us. Hurricane Irma blew through a week and a half before our wedding. I was nervous about how things would look but they worked tirelessly to get the gardens back to as normal as possible and did an amazing job with the set up we had requested. The employee who stayed through the night until we were done was very kind and helpful (especially when the AC turned off for a little while!)
A
Andrea Sent on 06/13/2015
5 out of 5 rating
We had a late afternoon outdoor ceremony on the Balanoff lawn and it was beautiful and not too hot, despite being early June. Kanapaha is a great option if you're looking for an outdoor venue and their summer house also has a couple of nice rooms for an indoor reception or ceremony. The porch makes a great cocktail hour space, and your guests can walk around the gardens during that time as well.

The staff will set up your chairs and tables for your ceremony, which is especially easy if you have a caterer who has worked with Kanapaha Botanical Gardens before. There is also a lot of parking for guests, in case you plan on having a large number of people in attendance.

There is a lot of space at the gardens, so I definitely recommend visiting them and making an appointment with one of their gardeners, who can offer some guidance about the space. You have the option of renting a golf cart for your event if you choose to use one of the spaces farther away from the summer house (though there are some beautiful spaces near the main entrance).

While the gardens remain open to the public during rentals, no one disturbed us during our ceremony or reception and we felt that the gardens offered an intimate and beautiful space for our small ceremony.
G
Gregory Sent on 03/28/2015
5 out of 5 rating
Kanapaha is a beautiful venue. The staff was extremely helpful and our guests raved about how pretty and peaceful it was.
My one regret was not taking more time to walk the gardens.
L
Lauren Sent on 03/13/2014
5 out of 5 rating
I love kanapaha! It was absolutely beautiful. Given, we didn't get our deposit back but that was our fault. We kinda ruined the golf cart. However, the event coordinators were more than helpful and the staff was great! Is recommend it to anyone who wants an outdoor wedding.
M
Elizabeth Sent on 04/25/2008
5 out of 5 rating
Absolutely beautiful site for the ceremony and reception. The wedding oak is a perfect location for a ceremony and the garden allowed us to use their chairs for the ceremony. Staff and coordinators were very helpful and flexible. They made sure everything was ready for the tent providers and caterers. The setting is beautifully maintained and the ceremony felt very private. Highly recommend this site!
P
Renata Sent on 11/07/2011
4.6 out of 5 rating
Kanapaha is a beautiful place for a wedding. They also provide all the tables and chairs for the reception and ceremony, and set them up according to your instruction. I was very pleased and everyone said how pretty it was. It was a bit pricey, but we decided to go with them anyway because it's such a unique venue.
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Awards

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Kanapaha Botanical Gardens frequently asked questions

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Chairs
  • Parking
  • Set Up
  • Tables
The space offered by Kanapaha Botanical Gardens for wedding events is known for:
  • Banquet Hall
  • Park
Kanapaha Botanical Gardens offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
Kanapaha Botanical Gardens offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
Kanapaha Botanical Gardens is recommended by 95% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.7 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.9 in quality of service, 4.8 in value, 4.7 in flexibility, 4.7 in professionalism and 4.6 in average response time.
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