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Pricing information

Starting at $7,450 Starting at $6,450
Couples usually spend $11,950 Couples usually spend $9,950
Reception
$7,450 starting price
Reception
$6,450 starting price
These prices are available for the months of Jun, Sep, Oct. These prices are available for the months of Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jul, Aug, Nov, Dec.

Attributes highlighted by couples

Unique aesthetic style
Guests comfort
Amenities

About

On WeddingWire since 2020

The Gardens of Castle Rock in Northfield, Minnesota provides a beautiful setting for outdoor wedding ceremonies, receptions, and special events. Located in the lower south metro, The Gardens is a short distance from the Twin Cities. The Gardens welcomes all! Couples that are looking to express who they are and share with family and friends in an environment that is grounded in beauty, nature and design. Where personal expressions are manifested in the ability to create an event that is truly unique. An event that is an extension of your values and beliefs found in your relationship. Come join us! Embrace passion and celebrate love at The Gardens.

FACILITES & CAPACITY

Reflect the love your share by choosing from 4 ceremony sites that can each accommodate 300 guests.

  • The Grand Promenade ~ Formal and elegant…Beautiful white wedding pergola with paver walkway down the center aisle, edged with lush grass and mature trees as a backdrop. Mandap available.
  • The Lath House ~ Rustic and romantic…Impressive 80 ft. paver walkway leads to this charming wood structure covered with luscious grapevines, tucked back in the hill and illuminated with hundreds of lights. It will take your breath away! Chuppah available.
  • Wedding in The Woods ~ Natural and intimate…Find the magical boho wedding arch nestled in the woods behind the two heirloom white pine trees. A short stroll down the country road leads to this enchanted woodland space.
  • The Lawn ~ Classic to creative…Perfect for those who want to create the wedding of their dreams. There is no limit to your imagination with this setting! The drystone walls are a uniquely timeless feature and the modern wedding cube is amazing.

Dressing Rooms ~ Two private spaces allow you to prepare for your big day. The spacious Gardens Suite includes multiple mirrors and seating area, welcoming fireplace and beautifully appointed private bathroom. The Gardens Cottage is cozy and comfortable with rustic pine covered walls, walnut colored floor, floor to ceiling mirror and weathered steel exterior. Both located in the heart of The Gardens.

Garden Pavilion ~ Honest and true, authentic craftsmanship. Natural stone covers the façade, natural stone countertop with wet sink for bar and hand hewed timber frame structure covering the paver patio.

Reception Tent & Area ~ The classic century mate style white tent with its high peaks is striking in the landscape. The 40’ x 100’ spacious tent can easily accommodate 300 guests and is completed with an elegant paver floor and entrance. Permanent wood wall is installed on the east end of the tent. The tent can be completely enclosed and air-conditioned or heated as needed.

Natural Stone Fireplace & Paver Patio ~ Better than you could imagine. A real fire to set the perfect outdoor atmosphere for your reception. Seasoned firewood provided at no additional cost.

Main Assembly Building ~ The hub of your day’s event. Includes, event space, catering, staging....Use as needed.

Restrooms ~ Gardens Pavilion Restrooms – Men & women, spacious with modern touches, handicap accessible. baby changing tables. Main Assembly Restroom – handicap accessible, gender neutral, baby changing table.

Convenient Off-Street Parking ~ Parking attendants assist your guests to the crushed rock parking area with easy access to the reception area.

SERVICES OFFERED

Tables & Chairs ~

  • 20 – 8’ cedar banquet tables
  • 4 – Sweetheart tables (3 rectangles & 1 square)
  • 30 – 60” round tables
  • 10 – 6’ banquet tables
  • 10 – 30” high-top tables
  • 3 – 5’ Mid-Height cedar tables
  • 72 – Pine wood benches
  • 300 – Standard black folding chairs
  • 300 – White fan back folding chairs

Ambiance & Background Music System ~ Set the mood of your event by plugging your playlist into our state-of-the-art music system that covers the patio area in and around the Main Assembly Building.

Portable Sound System for Ceremony Site ~ Two microphones and a connection to play pre-recorded music.

Open Wi-Fi Network ~ Share your memories instantly.

Lighting ~ Thousands of lights make The Gardens sparkle at night!

Patio Heaters

Space for lawn & yard games

Potted plants and all The Gardens

Late Night Pizza Oven ~ Finish the night off right with pizzas from the woodfired stone pizza oven.

Inclusive Welcoming Environment ~ The Gardens believes in the power of love and welcomes LGBTQ+ couples. The Gardens does not discriminate based on race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age, size, ability, family dynamic, or socioeconomic status.

CUISINE
It’s your day so choose what you eat! The Gardens of Castle Rock has an open catering policy. Caterers who are licensed insuranced and provide full-service catering are welcome to serve at The Gardens.


HISTORY
The Gardens of Castle Rock is located in Castle Rock Township, south of the city of Farmington in Dakota County. The Township derives its name from a nearby St. Peter sandstone formation. A nursery business has existed at The Gardens location since 1926. William “Grandpa” Switzer named the business Castle Rock Nursery shortly after becoming proprietor. Another name change was in order when William’s son, Garry C. Switzer, returned from working in the National Park Service as a Landscape Architect to join the family business. Switzer’s Nursery & Landscaping, as it is still called today, has been a family owned business for three generations. Garry’s love of designing and constructing beautiful landscapes was passed down to his son, Glenn, the current owner.

Glenn has continued his father’s love of landscaping and refocused the business on his passion, Design/Build Landscapes. The Gardens highlight the business’s expertise in paver patios, pergolas, outdoor living spaces and yes, gardens! Glenn is the recipient of several local, state and national awards for his landscape designs and installations.

Switzer’s is known for creating life enhancing outdoor living environments. The Gardens of Castle Rock Wedding & Event Center is a natural extension for Switzer’s creativity. Working with new materials and techniques, along with time honored standards, The Gardens is always expanding, growing and changing with the seasons. We hope that you enjoy your time at The Gardens as we share our love for beautiful gardens & landscapes!

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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?

7,450

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

6,450

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

No

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Bridal Suite
Chairs
Clean Up
Lighting/Sound
Parking
Set Up
Tables

What is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue?

2

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

10+

Describe your venue:

Garden

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Covered Outdoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Clean Up
Event Rentals
Get Ready Rooms
Outside Vendors
Pet Friendly
Wifi

What event items are available?

Altar/Arch
Audio Equipment
Chairs
Dance Floor
Decor
Furniture
Lighting
Tables
Tents

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

June
September
October

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
March
April
May
July
August
November
December
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Any other questions?

Reviews of The Gardens of Castle Rock

We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
4.8 out of 5 rating
4.8 out of 5 rating
19 reviews
97% recommend it
  • Quality of service
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.8 out of 5 rating
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

Powered by AI

The Gardens at Castle Rock is highly recommended as a wedding venue. Reviewers loved the beautiful ceremony locations, great patio and lawn space, and the tent for the reception. The venue's standout feature is the Lath House, and there are many other picturesque spots for photos. The staff, including the owner and wedding planner, are praised for their helpfulness and professionalism. The venue itself is described as stunning and in need of minimal decorating. Guests appreciate the attentive day-of staff and highly recommend The Gardens for any event.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

The Gardens at Castle Rock is highly recommended as a wedding venue. Reviewers loved the beautiful ceremony locations, great patio and lawn space, and the tent for the reception. The venue's standout feature is the Lath House, and there are many other picturesque spots for photos. The staff, including the owner and wedding planner, are praised for their helpfulness and professionalism. The venue itself is described as stunning and in need of minimal decorating. Guests appreciate the attentive day-of staff and highly recommend The Gardens for any event.

Weddingwire
4.8/5 19 reviews
Google
4.7/5 159 reviews
J
Juao Sent on 05/25/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Amazinggggggggg

This was the last venue we toured before deciding on a venue and instantly my now, husband fell in love with it. I was lucky enough to convince him to make the drive and it was worth it! This venue is super accommodating and best of all on the day of the wedding, their staffing is phenomenal. We worked with Kris throughout the process. Given we booked on September 2019 and then Covid happened, with many of our families from both sides coming out of town, we knew it was the right decision to postponed. Thankfully we did and we were able still have up to 250 guest at our wedding. Everyone who attended told us our venue was beautiful and we did such an amazing job choosing the Gardens. At night everyone loved the patio lights that turned on and it just made the place super romantic and lovely for the evening. Everyone enjoyed the fireplace and late night pizzas that the Gardens would cook for us too! This place has so many inspo photo spots that it made it memorable. We were able to find all our own vendors to cater and service at our wedding day and it was amazing!!!! Super flexible and trust me, your guests will not be disappointed!! The thought of an all outdoor wedding may seem risky but take this gamble, the place is beautiful and all your guests will enjoy it! If you're from the metro, coming out to this place is so worth it!!! One of our guest told us he lived in Farmington and has always drove past this venue and now attending a wedding there, it is beautiful!!! My wedding day got so many compliments and it is so well-deserving to hear that after all the heartbreaks and covid mishaps!!! TOUR IT! BOOK IT! You will not be disappointed!!!
P
Prathyusha K. Sent on 01/24/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Awesome Venue Awesome Day

THE GARDENS AT CASTLE ROCK - This wedding venue was perfect for our BIG day. Glen (the owner) and Chris (amazing wedding planner), I didn't had much time to plan for my wedding with Chris and Day of coordinator all things are perfectly planned. We are so happy how amazing the venue looked and how beautifully everything was set up. If I had to pick one thing that really makes the venue stand out, its the Lath House. Not only Lath house , it has many other places to take lots of pictures. We fell in love with the Venue. On the day of the wedding, Chris was amazing, she made sure everything is in place. Everything was taken care of, set up, and coordinated accordingly to enjoy the beautiful day. October 29th, 2022 was indeed the best day of our lives and THE GARDENS AT CASTLE ROCK helped us make that happen.
Cassie
Cassie N. Sent on 09/21/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful Venue

Most importantly, The Gardens was SO beautiful! We didn't need to do any decorating because it decorated itself. The Gardens was so easy to work with throughout the entire process and provided quality day-of staff that really cared about making sure our wedding was the best it could be for us. I would highly recommend The Gardens to anybody and everybody for any event!
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Awards

19
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2021 Winner

Real Weddings

Brianna & Dakoda
81 photos · 09/15/2024
Emma & Harrison
24 photos · 09/17/2022
Melissa & Zigmars
42 photos · 08/22/2020
Lisa & John
20 photos · 09/07/2019
Jordan & Marty
16 photos · 06/29/2019
Haley & Makonnen
37 photos · 08/17/2018

Deals

Team

Glenn Switzer
Glenn Switzer
Founder ~ Venue & Event Designer

Professional Network & Endorsements

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Map

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The Gardens of Castle Rock frequently asked questions

The Gardens of Castle Rock includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Bridal Suite
  • Chairs
  • Clean Up
  • Lighting/Sound
  • Parking
  • Set Up
  • Tables
The space offered by The Gardens of Castle Rock for wedding events is known for:
  • Garden
The Gardens of Castle Rock offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Covered Outdoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
The Gardens of Castle Rock offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Elopements
  • Rehearsal Dinner
The Gardens of Castle Rock offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Clean Up
  • Event Rentals
  • Get Ready Rooms
  • Outside Vendors
  • Pet Friendly
  • Wifi
The Gardens of Castle Rock offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Altar/Arch
  • Audio Equipment
  • Chairs
  • Dance Floor
  • Decor
  • Furniture
  • Lighting
  • Tables
  • Tents
The Gardens of Castle Rock is recommended by 97% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.8 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.9 in average response time, 4.8 in quality of service, 4.8 in flexibility, 4.8 in professionalism and 4.8 in value.
The Gardens of Castle Rock currently offers 2 offer promotions for wedding services.

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