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Weddings

About

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is a wedding venue located in Athens, Georgia. This 313-acre preserve is located three miles south of the University of Georgia campus and features themed gardens, natural trails and a tropical conservatory. With five beautiful and catering-friendly indoor and outdoor event spaces surrounded by gorgeous and fragrant garden displays, The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is equipped to handle intimate to grand wedding celebrations.

Facilities and Capacity

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia contains several specialized theme gardens and collections, more than five miles of nature trails and five major facilities including a tropical conservatory. This unique and beautiful space can accommodate up to 300 wedding guests and features the beautiful Flower Garden, brick-paved Heritage Garden, International Garden with lush tropical flowers, and Shade and Native Flora Gardens with a pergola. Wedding ceremonies can be held in the Day Chapel, an intimate space with a rich wooden interior, carved glass entrance, outstanding acoustics and an abundance of natural light. The reception hall is downstairs and includes a dining area that extends onto a beautiful terrace overlooking a nearby ravine. Other event spaces include the following:

  • The Gardenside Room
  • The Great Room
  • The Terrace Room
  • The Administration Building
  • The Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum

Services Offered

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia offers venue rental for weddings and other social events. The garden’s facilities are catering-friendly. Event services offered include the following:

  • Bridal suite
  • Chairs and tables
  • Parking
  • Wireless Internet
  • Wheelchair access

Other Services

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is an ideal location for hosting private parties of varying sizes. In addition to wedding ceremonies and receptions, this location can accommodate all of your wedding events, such as engagement parties, bridal showers and rehearsal dinners. This venue is also available for hosting corporate meetings, holiday parties, birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions.

History

Since its establishment at the University of Georgia in 1968, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia has served Georgia’s diverse communities. This garden was designated as the state’s botanical garden and a tranquil retreat where visitors could see and explore natural wonders. Today, these gardens attract more than 300,000 visitors each year.

Location

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is located miles from the University of Georgia and approximately 70 miles east of Atlanta. This venue is a short drive from downtown Athens. The gardens are on the Riverbend and South Milledge UGA bus route.

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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?

$2,300

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

$1,200

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?

$1,100

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

$825

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Bridal Suite
Chairs
Parking
Tables

Describe your venue:

Ballroom
Banquet Hall
Garden
Museum

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 event services do you offer?

Wifi

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Wheelchair Access

Reviews of The State Botanical Garden of Georgia

Tracy
Tracy Sent on 04/16/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Dream wedding at the Conservatory

We had our wedding ceremony and reception at the Conservatory at the State Botanical Gardens of GA. We planned our wedding from out of state and worked closely with Dierdre (venue coordinator) who was extremely responsive and often went out of 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!
Collin
Collin Sent on 06/07/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful chapel, wonderful ceremony & reception site

We had our ceremony in the chapel around 6pm in May, and had our reception and cocktail hour at the Conservatory (Visitor Center) which is a huge, expansive room with glass ceilings and walls and beautiful garden setting. It is an absolutely gorgeous venue for a wedding with a competent staff, a manager very good at communicating with myself and my wedding planner, and a good list of vendors that are very familiar with the venue and will make your day go smoother. (For this reason, I picked a specific catering company, tent rental, and DJ). Will never forget our special day!
starjonea
*Jonea Sent on 01/16/2014
5 out of 5 rating
We used the Cecil B. Day Chapel for our wedding and reception. The location is beautiful and the chapel is gorgeous! It was just the right size for us - we had about 80ish guests. We reserved the space for the entire day so there was plenty of time to set everything up and decorate.
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Awards

38

Professional Network & Endorsements

3 Endorsements
Entertainment Purposes Only DJ Entertainment Purposes Only DJ Wedding DJs

Excellent venue to have your celebration especially for weddings! The State Botanical Garden of Georgia has multiple options including the chapel with a downstairs ballroom, an amazing outdoor private garden for ceremonies, the classical Terrace room with the outdoor patio for your bartender and hors d'oeuvres, and of course the Conservatory / The Great Room with it's exotic plants. Overall a great choice for your Athens event!

Christopher Helm Photography Christopher Helm Photography Wedding Photographers

One of the best venues in Athens, GA. No matter the time of year the Botanical Gardens always delivers beautiful scenery. The craftsman style of the Day Chapel is truly amazing.

Carefree CELEBRATIONS Carefree CELEBRATIONS Wedding Planners

Carefree Celebrations loves the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. The venues there are perfect no matter the season. Your guests will be delighted with the beauty at the Gardens!

Map

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia frequently asked questions

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Bridal Suite
  • Chairs
  • Parking
  • Tables
The space offered by The State Botanical Garden of Georgia for wedding events is known for:
  • Ballroom
  • Banquet Hall
  • Garden
  • Museum
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Wifi
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is recommended by 90% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.8 in quality of service, 4.6 in professionalism, 4.5 in average response time, 4.5 in value and 4 in flexibility.

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