Fernbank Museum Reviews

Fernbank Museum

Atlanta, GA

4.6 out of 5 rating, 49 reviews

View more information

Reviews

We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

4.6 out of 5 rating

4.6

Very good

49 reviews

Recommended by 92% of couples

Write a review

Quality of service
4.7 out of 5 rating
Average response time
4.6 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
4.7 out of 5 rating
Value
4.5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4.5 out of 5 rating

Write a review

+2 User photos

Sort by:

Grayson Sent on 05/08/2024

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
Best Venue Ever!

Wow! We could not have imagined a better venue. The cafe was the perfect location for our ceremony and looked every bit as grand at the great hall where we held our reception. The great hall perfectly accommodated our 200 guests for a buffet dinner with plenty of room for a large dance floor. The dinosaurs make for a an insanely cool backdrop, but it's also easy to avoid having one in every single picture. We also had a cocktail hour in the lobby of the museum which worked out perfectly. The DJ's music setup in the great hall reverberated up through to the lobby, so he didn't even need to move his equipment for cocktail hour. The museum was extremely accessible thanks to ramps and an elevator, which were much appreciated for our grandparents.

The two event planners with whom we worked were very professional and organized, helping us plan out the space, schedule walkthroughs and rehearsals, and understand cost breakdowns. Their preferred venders lists were very helpful. Overall, the space was perfect for us, and the venue staff were easy to work with. We would highly recommend Fernbank to any couple.
Steve Sent on 11/19/2023

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
An amazing all-in-one venue for your wedding... and your vendors!

The Fernbank was the perfect venue for our wedding of 150+ people, and Hallie Swift & team were amazing to work with!!!

When looking for a venue, we wanted something within the city that had a great room for everyone to be in together all night and had indoor/outdoor combinations for 150+ guests. The Fernbank hit all of that AND MORE!

Finding something that didnt require guests to be in multiple rooms was very difficult in the city but the Fernbank was a great all-in-one for our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception to each have their own dedicated & BEAUTIFUL space!

PLUS, you really can't top the wow factor of having your reception and dance floor under their giant dino skeletons. This will absolutely wow your guests and just add such a fun element to the night.

Also, the venue is perfect for your vendors and will make the day so much easier on you and/or your wedding team. Hallie Swift was our venue coordinator and she was great to work with! All of our vendors also had talked about how great the loadin/strike/loadout and the communication is with the Fernbank. Happy vendors, make for a great wedding as well!

We are so glad with the decision to have our wedding here and love that we can continue to go back in the years to come to relive those memories.
Chris Sent on 02/21/2020

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
Fine Art Wedding Photographer

I've photographed a couple weddings at Fernbank and its truly one of the best venues in Atlanta. I've shot over 150 weddings across the southeast and this is one of my favorite locations. The amount of creative space both inside and outside to work with in making portraits in almost unending. Also, it's just a very classy environment. I hope to photograph another wedding here soon! - Chris Jones, Sowing Clover Photography
- +3 photos

Kaylyn Sent on 07/09/2019

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
Such a unique wedding venue!

The Fernbank Museum is such an awesome and special wedding venue! As museum buffs and science nerds, we loved having our wedding at Fernbank, and our guests really enjoyed the unique space! Lauren was also amazing to work with and did an excellent job making sure that everything was perfect for our wedding!
Nancy Sent on 05/14/2017

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
Our daughter had to get married on May 6th due to grad school schedule and who knew this was the most popular date in Atlanta to get married! We were shocked when our first venue choices were already booked 13 months out from our date. When Fernbank was available we quickly snatched it. We now realize that it should have been our first choice all along. The space they give you is amazing! Our cocktail hour was on the steps outside the museum and beautiful. The guests then went down the spiral staircase to the reception. Everyone stopped to take photos because it was stunning. We got comments like "best wedding I have ever been to," "how did you find such a cool venue?" etc. Sarah was great to work with and always smiling and ready to help us when needed. We embraced the museum and organic theme of the museum with our centerpieces, but you could also create a very formal space. It was more than we had hoped for!
Chanell Sent on 05/11/2017

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
Sarah Parris is amazing! When we met her at Fernbank a year before the date we set, we knew this was the place to go. She was incredibly responsive, always friendly and calming (the weeks leading up can be crazy stressful), and ready to give tips for ceremony/reception logistics. I cannot imagine having the wedding anywhere else. From sending us layouts, telling us what decorations were approved and allowing us to do multiple walkthroughs, Sarah was on it!
Jessica Sent on 12/10/2016

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
We worked with Jennifer, who isn't even their wedding contact, and she was absolutely FANTASTIC! She gave wonderful advice and was extremely accommodating. The Fernbank made our dream wedding happen. We've gotten nothing but compliments on the wedding, including that it was the best wedding they'd ever been to!
User2660611 Sent on 06/16/2016

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
Fernbank was a great location for a wedding reception! The space was large enough to accommodate all of our guests without feeling crowded. We got so many compliments on the uniqueness of the space! All of the staff were extremely helpful and wonderful to work with, especially our main contact Sarah Parris. She was willing to work with us on any details or ideas we had and ultimately helped to make the night better than all of dreams!
Ashley Sent on 06/12/2016

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
We loved having our wedding at Fernbank! Everything went as planned, and it was a gorgeous venue. It was nice to be able to have the ceremony and reception at one location since we had a lot of out of town guests that didn't know the area very well. Sarah was amazing to work with, she responded promptly to each and every one of my many emails. Im so glad that we were able to create memories at this amazing venue.
Stephanie Sent on 03/30/2016

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
We had our recent wedding at Fernbank and it was great. Sarah the event coordinator was great as well. The venue is beautiful. We were able to use much of the facility, the ceremony was in the cafe, the cocktail hour in the main entrance, and the reception in the great hall (with the dinosaur in the background). My only suggestion if you want extra cool photos is to add uplighting. If you are looking to have a beautiful and unique venue, this is a great place to have your wedding.
Dayma Sent on 02/23/2016

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
The Fernbank Museum was the perfect venue for us. We used the Lobby for our ceremony and the Great Hall for our reception. The venue is beautiful and and spacious. Our group of ~91 fit in both the Lobby and Great Hall with plenty of space for tables, chairs, and vendor areas. The dinosaurs are so impressive that we were able to keep to our budget by using professional lighting to really make them "pop" and forgo a lot of expensive decorations. Since this is a museum, we knew that we would not have full freedom to decorate the space. The coordinator, Sarah, was specific in what we could and couldn't do, and she helped come up with ideas to make the space ours and yet respect the museum.

Our initial meeting was very informative, and we felt taken care of even though we booked a year ahead of time. Sarah was always quick to respond to emails and she was very flexible and kind while working around my hectic schedule for our meetings. She spoke with my other vendors and organized them very well. I don't know how many times I would ask to tweak something about the beverage contract, it must have been at least 5 times! I was met with patience each time and a quick updated estimate.

On the day-of Sarah was absolutely wonderful. She was attentive and quick on her feet; a great problem-solver. She made sure my husband and I had as stress-free of a day as possible.
Heather Sent on 04/20/2015

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
Britain was absolutely amazing! Our reception at the Fernbank was flawless. I would highly recommend this venue. She was very accommodating in our request for a special Georgia beer bar. The final walk through was a breeze. You could tell she's done this before and could anticipate anything each vendor might need. I can't recommend the Fernbank enough!
User1996779 Sent on 01/13/2015

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
Fernbank was AWESOME! Such a fun and unique venue and Jennifer and Britain were so easy to work with. I was planning my wedding from Texas and they made it as stress free as it could be. Jennifer was great about constant communication as well as working with the vendors to coordinate things (both the ones I brought in, and the caterer that they work with a lot). There were not many places that could hold over 200 people for both ceremony and reception indoors (for a January wedding) and they did it flawlessly! Would absolutely recommend! If you are concerned about cost consider an off season wedding - its saves you money not just on the venue but other things as well (cake, caterer, band etc!)
Holly Sent on 08/16/2014

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
Our wedding at Fernbank was absolutely perfect. The museum is so beautiful on its own that it doesn't require a lot of decoration, and our event looked so fancy with just a few simple floral arrangements. Also reasonably priced for a summer wedding in Atlanta. Would recommend to anyone!
User1619600 Sent on 05/15/2014

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
The venue was beautiful and very accomodating. Britain Lamon was fabulous. She was very professional and very attentive to all of our needs.
Amy Sent on 04/15/2014

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
Fernbank was all I could have ever imagined and asked for as a wedding venue. We decided to have all components of our wedding in one place; Fernbank made this not only possible, but unique. We had our ceremony in the lobby, our cocktail hour on the terrace, and our reception (dinner and dancing) in the Great Hall under the dinosaurs. So while our entire day was housed under one roof, each part of our special day had its own unique area. I do not know many other people who can say they were married and danced the night away under a T-Rex!

The contacts at Fernbank (we specifically worked with Britian) were always helpful and timely in responses. She answered all of the questions we had along the way and was available each of the times we came through to explore and do walk-throughs. She was very flexibile and helpful with getting our final numbers, beverages, plans, etc. together.

I can not say enough positive things about getting married at Fernbank or using it for another event. The people were helpful and amazing, and the physicality of the museum speaks for itself.
User1124721 Sent on 04/02/2013

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
Fernbank is the perfect place for a reception! I was amazed by the venue from the moment we first went for a visit. Britain, the event coordinator is wonderful! She and her staff made sure that my visions of a perfect wedding came true. Everyone at Fernbank is extremely friendly and flexible to work with; they promptly return calls and emails and ensure that all details are covered. I highly recommend this venue for anyone looking for a site that is unique and that guests will talk about for years!
Elizabeth Sent on 12/06/2008

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
I could not have chosen a better place for my reception (the wedding was at a church). It was beautiful and so unique--all of our guests still talk about it! Jessica was very helpful and we had our own planner, too. It was all so beautiful and perfect! Just what we wanted!
Eleanor Sent on 07/16/2008

5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
I had my ceremony and reception at Fernbank and it was the most beautiful setting. (My photographer had a field day!) Everything was so easy because it was all in one place and the people at Fernbank were very helpful, responsible and just plain wonderful!
Barbara Sent on 05/29/2016

4.9 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  4.5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
Advise that if you rent this space, you really think about using special lighting (uplighting and pinspot lighting) - with lighting and the right florist the space, which is already gorgeous, will be absolutely magnificent. Our guests were completely wowed! Sarah Parris is wonderful to work with!
Zunera Sent on 10/07/2014

4.9 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  4.5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
We were so excited to get in during Labor Day weekend! The Fernbank is one of the most beautiful museums (architecturally) in ATL and we're both science dorks, so of course we wanted to dance the night away with dinosaurs :-).

Britain Lamon was responsive, professional, and worked well with our planner (Molly McKinley). We had our ceremony on the terrace and mocktails. The reception was in the great hall.

Our guests were excited and we loved every minute of spending our day in such a beautiful setting.
Rachel Sent on 09/30/2014

4.9 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  4.5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
Fernbank was the perfect place for our wedding. The indoor space is gorgeous, the terrace is gorgeous, and Britain was hugely accommodating and easy to work with. It is a little pricey, but worth it.
Allison Sent on 07/12/2014

4.9 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  4.5 out of 5 rating
Fernbank was absolutely amazing! It was beautiful for my June Wedding. Britain was great to work with. My photos there (I had the ceremony elsewhere) were stunning! My only qualm is that you have to use their approved caterers, which is typical and understandable, but I did not have the best experience with the caterer I used.
Karinna Sent on 06/22/2014

4.9 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  4.5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
We held our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception at Fernbank. I absolutely loved the venue -the architecture and grounds are beautiful and made for great photographs. We received lots of compliments on how awesome the venue was from many of our guests. We initially selected the venue because it had space to have the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all inside. Thankfully the weather was great on our day and we were able to have the cocktail hour outside, but we appreciated the options.

The team at Fernbank is awesome. They have vendors that they work with regularly and know how to work an event there.
Tia B. Sent on 12/13/2024

4.8 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  4 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
We love Fernbank!

Fernbank is a beautiful venue! We had our first date there, and my fiancé proposed there, so it was incredible to round it all out with our wedding. The staff is communicative, friendly, and easy to work with. We actually had our point of contact change twice throughout the planning process, but each transition was quite smooth and didn’t lead to any bumps in the road for us. We’ve gotten so many compliments from guests about how cool our venue was. If you’re looking for something really unique, Fernbank is the place for you!
Ken Sent on 11/23/2014

4.8 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  4.5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  4.5 out of 5 rating
We absolutely loved our November wedding at the Fernbank Museum! As we started to look at different venues, we knew we wanted something different than your traditional banquet hall and the beautiful setting of the Fernbank was perfect. We also wanted something that would allow us to have our whole wedding at one venue, considering half of our guests were out of town. Our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all were hosted in different places within the Fernbank. The natural beauty of the Fernbank allowed us to decorate with minimal decor of flowers and candles to create a classy but simple elegant setting. And, probably most important, the staff, especially Britain Lamon was incredible easy, flexible, and an amazing pleasure to work with! The Fernbank really went above and beyond to ensure our day was special. For some individuals, the only two downsides may be the limitation on caterers (you have to choose one of their preferred caterers) and you must choose of one of the Fernbank's alcohol packages, but for us, it actually made our planning even easier (plus, we chose Proof of the Pudding and they were flawless). The advantage of the preferred caterers equates with your caterers knowing the space and delivering a quality experience. Since our wedding a few weeks ago, our guests have continued to comment on how beautiful and classy our wedding was and we cannot think of a better place to have started this next chapter in our lives. A special thank you to the incredible team of the Fernbank (and Britain Lamon) for making our day amazing.
User1817088 Sent on 09/18/2014

4.8 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  4 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
The museum is beautiful and versatile as a venue. We rented out the Great Hall which comes with the use of the adjacent outdoor terrace and the lobby. Because the weather wasn't cooperating, we moved our terrace ceremony inside to the lobby that day. A venue that comes with a built in rain plan is hard to find!
Working with Britain, the coordinator, was wonderful- she was responsive and professional but still easy going. All of our meetings were on time, all of my questions were answered and quickly, and the event went very smoothly. Vendors knew where to go, what times to be there, etc.
The only downside to Fernbank was the bar set up- you have to buy alcohol through the museum which ends up being quite a bit more expensive than if you were able to bring your own. However, most wedding venues operate this way (unfortunately) so it is not a deal breaker.
All in all, I'm very glad we used Fernbank as our wedding venue.
Samantha Sent on 10/16/2012

4.8 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  4 out of 5 rating
The Fernbank was simply perfect. It was the beautiful, unique venue we were looking for, and when it was transformed for our wedding night, it was breathtaking. We can't imagine having used another venue. Britain, our event coordinator, was amazing and a joy to work with every step of the way. Our guests were blown away by the Fernbank and we just loved it!
Kaitlyn Sent on 04/28/2018

4.7 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  3.5 out of 5 rating
Fernbank was a super stunning, spectacular space. It was so beautiful I felt like I didn't have to do anything wild with decorations and could just count on the natural beauty of the space. Everyone loved the space. It is pricey but I think you get the value you pay for -- a stunning space and very helpful team. One small note is that you do have to use an approved caterer and their alcohol service-- no big deal, both were great, but worth noting in terms of flexibility.
Suzanne Sent on 08/03/2015

4.7 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  4.5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  4.5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  4.5 out of 5 rating
Fernbank was a beautiful setting for our wedding and reception. They were easy to work with and eager to please. Our photos were gorgeous. Their preferred vendors were equally great to work with. We are so glad we chose Fernbank.
User1953231 Sent on 06/10/2015

4.7 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  4 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  4.5 out of 5 rating
I am SO happy my husband and I decided to get married at Fernbank. We're both kind of nerdy in the respect that we love both museums and historical artifacts, and I grew up in Atl, so Fernbank was one of my top 5 dream venues. That being said, we'd assumed Fernbank would be out of our price range so we looked around Athens, GA (we both stayed here after college) first but decided to actually look at Fernbank's prices when we realized the venues in Athens were too small for our families. Well I am glad we looked. Fernbank was only about $5k to rent, including chairs and tables if you aren't particular about your furniture (and we weren't). Honestly it's better that we looked at other places first though because being that neither of us have been married before we definitely would've been reeling from sticker shock seeing a price tag of $5k and not knowing that it was actually a competitive rate for wedding venues. Our family was skeptical at first, most individuals are traditionally AME or baptist, about it not being a church and seeming an "odd" place to get married but we're still receiving compliments about how beautiful everything was. And the "giant dinosaur" everyone thought would interfere with our pictures was actually a "pretty cool backdrop" as reluctantly admitted by my friends. I only didn't give them 5 stars because the individual I was working with ended up getting a new position elsewhere and there were some lapses in communication between when she left and when I started working with Jennifer Yard (who was amazing by the way). If you're considering this place, don't hesitate.
User2155091 Sent on 05/30/2015

4.7 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  3.5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
This event space is nothing short of magical and I would definitely chose them all over again! It's expensive and that's my only slightly negative feeling about it but it was worth the money to have such a grand space! The event coordinator was organized and very easy to work with - everything was very smooth and I live 5 hours away!
Douglas Sent on 08/03/2017

4.6 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  4 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  4 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
Fernbank was great to work with (venue, alcohol and bars). They were professional throughout the planning process and did everything to help make our wedding perfect. They were able to work with our caterer, band and other vendors to make sure everything ran smoothly. All our guests raved about how cool it was to eat and dance below the dinosaurs and we couldn't have asked for a better experience.
Leigh Sent on 08/05/2008

4.6 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  3 out of 5 rating
I could not have asked for a more beautiful, unique wedding and reception site. Definitely on the pricey side, and they provide nothing except the room in your package, anything else such as chairs, etc, you have to rent but it was worth it. The museum has a lot of rules you have to abide by such as a certain list of caterers you have to choose from, etc.
Margaret Sent on 11/04/2015

4.5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  4 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  3.5 out of 5 rating
I'm so excited to get married here in two months! Everyone we've worked with has been wonderful; I can't say enough good things about Sarah Parris and Sara Brumfield. Even when we were really picky about what wines we wanted, they bent over backwards to make sure we were happy. I wish the venue cost less, but hey, it's a museum, right? Oh--you can't take home any unused alcohol, so be aware of that. Small price to pay, in my opinion!
User1178153 Sent on 05/29/2013

4.5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  4 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  4.5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  4 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
Jennifer Yard is probably the best planner and vendor I had for this whole event! My wedding did not go as planned and it would have been a lot more chaotic if she had not been involved. She ran around beforehand helping my friends set up for the event. The other person who was left afterwards to help, Katie, was not helpful at all and was barely seen afterwards. Our reception was in the dino hall and it was beautiful! It was such a classy venue with great details all over. The guests loved the stairs, dinosaurs and architecture of the venue. The booze was said to be delightful! It is a little pricey but when you drive up the driveway and look up at the ceilings it is really amazing.
Perri Sent on 10/22/2009

4.4 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  3 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  4.5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  4.5 out of 5 rating
NO other venue compares to the ambiance created with dining under a T-REX. The only problem we did have was the event coordinator's lack of prompt responsiveness to our questions and concerns. It would take days and days for her to respond to e-mails. Besides that, everything was absolutely PERFECT!
Leslie Sent on 10/18/2009

4.4 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  3 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  4 out of 5 rating
We held our reception at Fernbank with cocktails upstairs in the lobby and dinner and dancing downstairs amid the dinosaurs! It was a wonderful location - breathtakingly beautiful with the decor from our caterer and our florist. The staff at Fernbank was great to work with. The wine cost was very high but otherwise, no complaints.
Anna Sent on 11/03/2008

4.4 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  4 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  3 out of 5 rating
Fernbank is an incredible venue. Many of my guests say they will never forget it. We had our ceremony on the large deck in the back overlooking the woods, and our reception in the great hall (featuring two GIGANTIC dinosaur skeletons, along with lots of smaller skeletons). The staff was helpful and Jessica, the coordinator for Fernbank, was super helpful, patient and nice.
Naren Sent on 12/08/2016

4 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  4 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  4 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  4 out of 5 rating
- Value
  4 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  4 out of 5 rating
They were great. they were able to work with us.
Mary Sent on 01/30/2013

4 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  3.5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  3.5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  4 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  4 out of 5 rating
This place is magnificent! Huge hit!!
Sarah Sent on 12/10/2017

3.9 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  3 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  4 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  4 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  3.5 out of 5 rating
We had a beautiful wedding and it was well worth every penny.
Sarah Sent on 12/01/2016

3.8 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  4.5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  2.5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  3 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  4 out of 5 rating
It was a very beautiful venue. It transformed into a wedding venue seamlessly. The bridal suite aka conference room was a bit small as well as the bathrooms.
Alyssa Sent on 11/17/2010

3.7 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  3 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  4 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  4.5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  3 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  4 out of 5 rating
The Fernbank lobby ended up being a beautiful setting for our ceremony. With the draping in place and candles lit, it looked warm and inviting. The reception was in the Star Gallery and is a great setting as well. The draw back would be working with a venue that is open to the public while you are trying to take pictures, set up, get ready etc. There is only one room available for the wedding party. The guys had to hang out in the cafe or outside. The museum was open until 5 and the wedding was at 6:30. They also scheduled a private IMAX showing at 5:00. When we arrived the room for the bridal party hadn't been cleaned from the previous event. The staff really didn't know what to do with us until the event coordinator arrived. All in all, everything turned out fine - it was just a little hectic.
Judy Sent on 06/16/2022

3.4 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  3 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  4 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  3 out of 5 rating
- Value
  3 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  4 out of 5 rating
Beautiful venue. But......

Make sure you have a good planner and they are on top of Fernbank event planner. Bar set up was awful. 160 people and an absolute fail for cocktail hour. Not enough bar staff. Placement of bar was not sufficient. At 9:45 pm my dad, wheelchair bound, waited 25 minutes to access the elevator. It was full of chairs from the 6:30 ceremony. No one to empty it. FULL! As the mother of the bride, I wish I had someone overseeing the reception. Fernbank needed 2 event coordinators and we needed another planner. Beautiful setting. But understaffed and not enough attention to details
Katie Sent on 08/14/2007

3.4 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  3 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  2 out of 5 rating
- Value
  4 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  3 out of 5 rating
The venue of Fernbank itself is incredible, and the planning processs was fine all the way through until about 2 months before the wedding. Suddenly, I began to have some issues with the coordinator there. I let them go and wouldn't have even mentioned them, but she was extremely unprofessional to my coordinator, photographer, and mother on the wedding day. I also overheard her talking very unkindly to my photographers which was not cool. Overall, I would recommend this venue highly although I would have nipped these issues in the bud long before.
Lynn Sent on 08/18/2020

3.2 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  3 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  4 out of 5 rating
- Value
  3 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  1 out of 5 rating
50% In Control

We weren't able to pick our own caterers but at least we were able to pick our own date, photographer and DJ. For what we spent a simple "congratulations" card, membership discount or free bottle of champagne would of been a "classy move." Instead, one of the staff made off with our champagne and we still had to pay for the bottle of champagne that they selected for our wedding! Not cool.
Pat Sent on 05/02/2017

3.2 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  3 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  2 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  3 out of 5 rating
- Value
  3 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  5 out of 5 rating
While the venue itself is beautiful, beware of costs that are not apparent when you sign the contract. In particular, alcohol costs are high and if you want anything outside of what they offer, plan to pay a premium......we paid $75 per bottle for wine that retails for $15. Alcohol costs for 125 people was over $7000!! Sarah was great whenever you could reach her......however, emails were not answered for over a week, and phone calls were not returned. If you have more than 120 people, request two bar set ups not one bar with two bartenders. Guests waited in line way too long for a drink. If the reception is at night, I suggest getting a lighting engineer to bring in accent lighting. Really makes a difference but again, an additional expense ($1500++)that you may not be planning on. It is a dramatic, lovely space but it costs considerably more than you think it will. And for what we paid, I expected better service.
Lauren Sent on 07/05/2008

3 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  3 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  3 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  3 out of 5 rating
- Value
  3 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  3 out of 5 rating
We had both our ceremony and our reception at Fernbank, and I'd definitely recommend it. Our guests loved the uniqueness of Fernbank. They had great spaces for both ceremony and reception, and we had no problems working with them. They could have been more responsive and/or timely in their responses to emails and phone calls, but everything worked out ok. They provide some level of coordination (they can help cue DJs, show people where to set up, direct guests), but if you're going to spend the money on Fernbank, I'd recommend having some kind of additional planner as well to do things that Fernbank does NOT do, like help direct your rehearsal, tell you when to walk down the aisle, and oversee all your other vendors.
While the service wasn't GREAT, it was fine, and the awesomeness of the setting was definitely worth it. I totally recommend having a wedding at Fernbank.

Message vendor

Message

First and last name

Phone number (Optional)

Location

Month

Year

Approx. Guest count

0-75 75-125 125-175 175+

By clicking "Send," you accept our Terms of use and agree to WeddingWire creating an account for you. Your messages may be monitored for quality, safety, and security according to our Acceptable Content Policy. See our Privacy Policy to learn how we handle your data.

Write a review