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 four major facilities including a tropical conservatory. This unique and beautiful space can accommodate up to 300 wedding guests and features the beautiful Flower Garden with a covered awning, 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
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 230,000 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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Absolutely gorgeous venue for a wedding & reception.
Our wedding was being planned during the COVID19 pandemic. We weren’t sure if we would be able to plan let alone actually have our wedding during this very unpredictable time! Deirdre & her staff were so helpful, supportive, ready, willing & able to help us all they could. We were not only able to have our wedding & reception, but it turned out so beautiful! More than we ever dreamed possible! Deirdre sent a list of vendors they have approved to use the facilities & once we selected the vendors we wanted to use it all started to fall into place & before we knew it our wedding day was here!! We had such a wonderful experience, our guests were all amazed how beautiful the Day Chapel was, where the ceremony took place, to the Visitor Center where the reception took place. The Day Chapel is a very quaint but elegant venue to have a wedding ceremony, there’s absolutely gorgeous woodwork throughout the entire building from the rafters to the pews to the hand carved wood & etched glass on the doors as you enter into the chapel. The chapel made such a beautiful backdrop for not just the ceremony but for pictures as well. There was a garden area that was filled with beautiful plants, flowers & natural settings that also made for breathtaking pictures! We arrived at the reception area, we had an evening wedding & the Visitor Center was a glass enclosed area that had beautiful flowers, many types of plants, trees & various foliage that it made for a gorgeous backdrop. You could also look up & see the sky from the glass enclosed ceiling & see all the stars, it was phenomenal!! We had a great DJ, fabulous food from Dawg Gone Good BBQ, everyone danced the night away & had awesome food, great atmosphere & so much fun with family & friends! It made for a very magical night & a perfect wedding & a perfect venue!! We highly recommend The State Botanical Gardens of Georgia, located in Athens. We couldn’t have picked a better place to have had our wedding & reception. It was no doubt the best place for a wedding & a reception!!
Tommy & Sharon
Sent on 09/13/2020
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia's reply:
Sharon and Tommy,
Thank you so much for choosing the State Botanical Garden of Georgia for your wedding and reception. We had such a great time working with you and your marvelous group of friends and family. They are troopers! I hope we'll see you all soon. And, as always, if you have any questions . . . :) DP
Tracy Y.
· Married on 03/07/2020
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
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!
Sent on 04/16/2020
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia's reply:
Tracy,
Thank you so much. You and Andres deserve every happiness! It was truly a joy to have worked with you on your wedding. You two and your families are wonderful. Please come see us next time you are in town.
Collin S.
· Married on 05/26/2019
5.0
Quality of service:
5.0
Responsiveness:
5.0
Value:
5.0
Flexibility:
5.0
Professionalism:
5.0
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!
Sent on 06/07/2019
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia's reply:
Collin, we were honored to be a part of your wedding. Congratulations! Even though you all are moving, we hope to see you out here in the future. Don't forget to send pictures!
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!
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 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
2450 South Milledge Avenue Athens, Georgia, 30605 See on map
706-403-4240(Phone number)
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia frequently asked questions
What items and services are included in the starting site fee at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia?
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
What are the most important characteristics of The State Botanical Garden of Georgia in terms of venue type, style and location?
The space offered by The State Botanical Garden of Georgia for wedding events is known for:
Ballroom
Banquet Hall
What kind of indoor/outdoor options are available at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia for wedding events?
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
Indoor
Uncovered Outdoor
What kind of wedding events does The State Botanical Garden of Georgia offer?
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia offers the following types of wedding events:
Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
What services does The State Botanical Garden of Georgia offer for wedding events?
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia offers the following services for wedding events:
Wifi
What percentage of users recommend The State Botanical Garden of Georgia and which are the most valued aspects of their wedding services?
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is recommended by 97% 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, 4.7 in professionalism, 4.5 in average response time, 4.5 in value and 3.9 in flexibility.
