Gardens of Woodstock Reviews
Reviews
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Featured
Marilyn Sent on 09/04/2023Guests are STILL talking about the beautiful venue
I am so happy that we chose the Gardens of Woodstock for our wedding. Everything is done thoughtfully and with great organization so that I (the bride) could have a smooth, easy day. We had the space from 10am-11pm, a 5pm-ish ceremony, and 7-ish dinner.
I highly recommend touring and booking early. We knew we wanted a Saturday event when we started looking in Aug 2022, and there were only 2 or 3 available for all of the 2023 season.
I loved that there are a variety of spaces to use. The gardens are amazing for pictures and guests to walk through for fresh air. The tent was comfortable all evening for dinner and dancing (in July heat). Guests have indoor and outdoor seating options during cocktail hour. The Bridal suite had space for lounging, hair and make-up, as well as drinks and food.
The owner, Mike, is also incredibly responsive. He helped us remember billing dates and contract information while promptly responding to questions that came up during planning.
Beverage package prices were comparable to other venues we had toured. The catering was from Noteable Events. It included many options to fit various budgets and our dinner was DELICIOUS.
The biggest difficulty we had was organizing our DJ set ups. He had 1 stand inside the tent for the reception and a second one for the ceremony and cocktail hour. We did have a small gap in music because his gear had to move after our ceremony to be heard clearly for cocktail hour.
A final thing to consider is that the venue requires driving to anything. Closest hotels are a few miles away, and there wasn't really late night options like bars for an after party, or late night fast food without driving 10-15 minutes into Woodstock or Crystal Lake. -
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![Keith]()
Keith Sent on 11/10/2025Beautiful Venue For The Perfect Day!
Holy cow. I grew up in Harvard, I've driven down 47 hundreds of times and I had no idea that the sanctuary that is The Gardens of Woodstock was there, in fact all of the local guests had no idea that something so beautiful was hidden away there. We had so many compliments on our venue and the staff! Our guests enjoyed being able to walk around the gardens and take pictures.
Mike was great! He was easy to work and communicate with. We worked with the preferred caterer, which made things very easy for table linens and whatnot. Included in our total spent at the venue was the open bar. The ladies running the bar were fabulous!
We absolutely loved getting married at the Gardens of Woodstock and couldn't have imagined a better venue! The Gardens were breathtaking. The bridal suite is everything you could possibly need. The heated reception tent kept everyone warm on a chilly October night and the fire outside of the tent was a plus!
Our wedding was absolutely perfect. I couldn't recommend a better venue! -
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Tatsiana Sent on 11/16/2024
We had wonderful wedding at Gardens !
Beautiful venue, super helpful owner and staff. Love every moment. Memories for lifetime! -
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Annie Sent on 09/01/2024The Gardens of Woodstock Wedding Review
Mike at the Gardens made our wedding dreams come true! We couldn’t be happier with the venue, and everything was absolutely perfect. Our guests keep commenting on how beautiful the Gardens was, months after our wedding. Mike was so easy to contact and work with. He responds so quickly to all of your questions, and works with all of your vendors. When we proposed an idea to bring in my cousin’s catering company to do late night snack (homemade chicken tenders and fries fried on the spot), he was so accommodating and worked with them to make it happen. We loved everything about the Gardens!! -
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Vicki Sent on 06/02/2024It was a great day!!
Mike at The Gardens of Woodstock was very professional, friendly and attentive. Any emails were promptly answered with every single question addressed. He was very accommodating with special things we were requesting. We were able to set up the night before the wedding, which helped extremely the day of. We had full access to the tent and the building the night before and day of. The bridal suite is spacious and having access to a kitchen was very convenient. The entire venue is beautiful, from the ceremony area (full of additional flowers), hanging flower baskets everywhere, several water fountains, fire pits, outdoor tables around the building, and of course, the tent. The garden area is gorgeous with the bridges, waterfalls, flowing water and flowers everywhere! Be sure to walk through at night when the lights wrapped around the trees are on, it’s very peaceful and romantic. We heard nothing but good things from our guests, how beautiful it was, how much space there was, the gardens were great for personal photos and how friendly everyone was. I would definitely recommend this venue and Mike! -
Kelly Sent on 11/10/2023
Amazing, gorgeous venue!
The Gardens were absolutely gorgeous for our October wedding! So much color! The owner, Mike, is wonderful to work with. Very flexible, accommodating, and super nice. It’s also very convenient having the ceremony and reception at the same location. I would highly recommend this venue for anyone wanting a stunning outdoor wedding.
The estimated cost I spent includes open bar for 150 guests. -
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Celeste Sent on 09/19/2023
The most perfect wedding venue
The most beautiful venue imaginable, our guests raved about how beautiful it was. Mike was wonderful to work with, the day was absolutely perfect! Everything we wanted and more. The gorgeous ceremony space, cocktail room, and reception made it so nice for our guests to move around the grounds freely and not have to travel to separate places. I would recommend Gardens to everyone looking for the most beautiful outdoor wedding! -
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![Brittany]()
Brittany Sent on 08/03/202310 out of 10!
We were thrilled to have the Gardens of Woodstock as our venue for our special day! Many people (including ourselves) described our wedding as a fairytale and that is truly what it felt like. This venue has so much natural beauty you hardly have to do anything in terms of decorations which was exactly what we were looking for! Mike was fantastic and answered any and all questions we had and was so prompt with responding to us. Our guests could also not stop raving about the amazing food from their caterer! We highly recommend the Gardens of Woodstock! -
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Wendy Sent on 07/08/2023
July wedding 2023
Wow! I can’t say enough great things about The Gardens of Woodstock! Lived in the area for 30 years and didn’t know it was there! Such an unexpected gem! The venue is truly spectacular, from the moment you arrive the entrance welcomes you to this beautiful hidden garden with incredible attention to details. Mike is so helpful and accommodating throughout the process. He was such a pleasure to work with. Everything is elegant and cozy with everything you need in one location. Highly recommend! Can’t wait to see the photos! -
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Karly Sent on 09/05/2022
The Gardens of Woodstock
The Gardens of Woodstock is a fairytale venue! Beautiful plants and flowers everywhere that make for some amazing photos! Mike and his team are so easy to work with, and help make sure your dream wedding comes together. I can’t recommend The Gardens enough! -
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![Matt]()
Matt Sent on 07/19/2022This was the perfect venue for our wedding!
Rebecca and I were eager to find a wedding venue that would allow for an intimate, personalized ceremony and reception with some sort of connection to nature. The Gardens of Woodstock exceeded our expectations in every category. The outdoor courtyard was a perfect place for us to have our ceremony, enabling all in attendance to hear our vows. There was ample room indoors for Rebecca to get dressed and have our “First Look” photographed. The gorgeously designed trails were a sublime place for wedding photographs to take place (we especially love the picture of us kissing on a bridge overlooking a creek). The catered dinner and dessert stations were absolutely delicious, and the tent where our reception occurred was a joyous setting in every sense. Though this is a deservedly popular venue, it felt like our own “secret garden,” and we could not have asked for a lovelier spot to spend the happiest day of our lives. -
![Kerry]()
Kerry Sent on 08/03/2021Gorgeous Garden Venue
Our wedding at the Gardens 07.17.21 was perfect. We visited the venue at the very beginning of March 2020 before the world shut down. Even with snow on the ground and no leaves/greenery I could tell this place was beautiful. The Garden's natural beauty is its own decor and helped us save money on additional decorations. All of the staff was friendly and made us feel special. Our guests loved the venue as well and enjoyed taking pictures through out the garden. I cannot wait to see my professional photos from the day. Mike was a pleasure to work with. He usually responded to all questions within 24 hours (even during the craziness that was 2020-2021). The rules, information, pricing and expectations were clear. I would suggest the Gardens of Woodstock to anyone looking for a beautiful outdoor venue. -
Josie Sent on 07/18/2021
The Most Magical Garden Wedding
My husband and I had the most magical wedding that the Gardens of Woodstock. Everything was perfect. The ceremony area on the patio was gorgeous with all the flowers and the arbor/stairs. Every guest had a perfect view. The tent for the reception was BEAUTIFUL and not at all what people expect for a "tent". It is air conditioned with plenty of space for our guest count of 100. The dance floor was packed all night, but there was also space for guests to enjoy the outdoors with fire tables and the gardens (with waterfalls, paths, and bridges). We loved our experience at the Gardens. Mike does everything in his power to make sure your day is perfect! He was responsive and willing to work with us to make our vision come true. -
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![Becky]()
Becky Sent on 06/19/2021Can't Say Enough Good Things
I cannot say enough good things about The Gardens of Woodstock! My husband and I were originally supposed to have our wedding reception here following a church ceremony in May of 2020, but COVID happened and we all know how that went. My husband and I decided to get married on our original wedding date anyway and The Gardens of Woodstock made that possible. The church we were supposed to get married at would not allow us to have our ceremony there, but Mike at The Gardens stepped up and told me if we postponed our reception with them, they would allow us to use there ceremony area for free, which normally would cost $300, and they didn't charge us extra for moving the reception date. So we ended up having a small, private wedding ceremony at The Gardens of Woodstock in May of 2020 with a reception at a different location, and then in May of 2021 we had our postponed wedding reception and called it our 1st Anniversary Reception. Mike and the rest of the staff at The Gardens of Woodstock were flexible, helpful, kind and compassionate, and really allowed us to make the most of a pretty crappy situation. Our May 2020 wedding ceremony was absolutely beautiful. The ceremony site is gorgeous with flowers everywhere, a beautiful stage area, room for a good number of guests, and just a lovely atmosphere. Our May 2021 1st Anniversary Reception was stunning as well. We were able to have about 100 guests. The Garden was absolutely gorgeous. The bar was well-stocked and the staff was attentive to the needs of myself, the bridal party, and the guests. The facilities were beautiful, you almost forget you're in a tent. The bridal suite inside the building is a huge asset and is clean and well-stocked with anything a bride and her bridesmaids could need. Their caterer, Notable Events, was fantastic too! Ann was so pleasant and easy to work with. The tasting was a great experience, and the food was outstanding! Everything was delicious! And they were so accommodating. We went with buffet style and had the chicken parmigiana with roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes, which by the way are life changing! The caterer was accommodating of our gluten free guests and gave them chicken without breading. They had great kids meals available too! The Gardens was a phenomenal place for photos. We were going for a sort of fairytale theme for our wedding and The Gardens of Woodstock helped us accomplish that. Our photos look like we were in our own fairytale story! The firepits outside the tent add an excellent touch. Our guests had a wonderful time gathering around them and making friendly conversation. We were even able to designate one of the firepits for making s'mores, which was super fun and unique touch to our reception. Our guests had only good things to say and all had a fantastic time. I love that guests had the option of either hanging out in the tent and dancing or getting away from the music to make conversation. It was sweet seeing other couples strolling through The Garden taking romantic walks, especially at night when all the fairy lights were on. There are so many ways for guests to enjoy themselves at The Gardens of Woodstock. Every part of our experience working with The Gardens of Woodstock was excellent from planning our ceremony there last minute, to postponing our reception there, to having the actual reception. This place is a quality venue and worth every penny and more. A true hidden gem. -
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![Meagan]()
Meagan Sent on 06/15/2021The Gardens of Woodstock Did NOT Disappoint!
The venue was absolutely gorgeous. Mike was attentive and very helpful getting in contact with vendors. We took his recommendations for entertainment and decorations. We are so happy that we did. Both Felix & Fingers and Everlasting Impressions were professional and spot on for what we wanted. We could not be happier with the how our wedding turned out. Thanks, Mike and everyone from the venue who helped make our wedding day so very special! -
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Alexandra Sent on 05/14/2021
Loved it !
We are so happy we chose this beautiful venue ! We were originally supposed to get married April 2020 and unlike many horror stories that wedding couples had during covid with their venue, we had zero issues with our venue ! Mike was able to arrange another wedding date for us at no charge. He was so understanding of the situation with covid and he made the process so easy for us and not stressful at all. We loved everything about the venue. Our guests loved it too. We are so happy we chose this magical place for our wedding day ! -
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![Jonathan]()
Jonathan Sent on 09/23/2020Picture-perfect venue
We got married August 2020 at the Gardens of Woodstock, and it was the -perfect- venue, especially given local and state restrictions. Mike and his team were always welcoming whenever we dropped by to check out the Gardens and helpful as we did our original planning and adapting. The grounds are beautiful, a hidden gem that we drove past for years, and we loved how the reception tent looked with the new chandeliers and string lights. The venue works with one caterer (Noteable Events, 10/10!) which made that decision easy. Pandemic-specific notes: Mike was great to work with to make sure we met CDC guidelines (masks, chair/table spacing, airflow in tent, no-touch surfaces) without making it feel rigid or uninviting. We were also able to connect to their internet to stream our ceremony to friends and family who couldn't make it. Everyone couldn't stop talking about what a magical evening it was--thank you for the picture-perfect memories! -
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![Kristen]()
Kristen Sent on 09/08/2020The Most Beautiful Venue
From the moment we stepped foot at the Gardens just over a year ago, we fell in love with the venue. It's one of the most beautiful venues I've ever been to. The grounds are incredibly well kept and they have the most beautiful flowers, plants, stone walkways and endless bursts of color around the venue. The modern rustic touches also add to an incredibly comfortable atmosphere. We knew we wanted to get married there!
Working with Mike, the owner, was a pleasure. He was very knowledgeable of any vendor questions we had, and he made it easy for us to plan the perfect day. Everyone at the Gardens made sure to always treat you with incredible kindness.
The day of our wedding was no exception. Mike, his team and our vendors did an excellent job making our day the best day of our lives. Having a wedding during a pandemic was no picnic, but we are truly grateful that even with all of the limitations, the Gardens made it the perfect day. Mike was in constant communication with us through every step and we would recommend the Gardens of Woodstock to any Bride and Groom that want to feel like a Princess & a Prince.
Thank you for hosting the most amazing day of our lives. Xo
Kristen & Matthew Sheldon -
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Ally Sent on 11/13/2019
Fantastic Venue
The gardens of Woodstock impressed me the first time I went there. It’s tucked away on the corner of 47 and 176 and I had no idea! I heard of the venue from a friend who attended a wedding there. I was very pleased with Mike, the venue coordinator he was responsive, professional and communicative. What made our day even better was that Mike was able to get us a raised platform for our sweetheart table to overlook the reception. The venue turned out absolutely perfect and helped me have that dream wedding of mine! Totally recommended!!! -
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Ashley Sent on 10/30/2019
A truly one of a kind experience
If I could give The Gardens of Woodstock 10 stars I absolutely would. Mike has an amazing venue that’s different than any other. From the beautiful outside ceremony area, to the wine like open cocktail area inside, to the hidden reception tent and fire pits, it was absolutely perfect. The Garden area is perfect for all the pictures you and your guests could want! It also makes for a great place for the bride/groom to step away from the reception and have a few minutes alone. I love that you can add different things to the reception tent to truly make it exactly what you are wanting and mix and match to fit your budget.
When we booked with Mike it was February and snowy, and I still loved the venue! Every time we went back the garden was fuller and prettier as the season went on. We did our engagement pictures there in late May and they turned out perfectly. The gardens may not be huge but trust me there’s so many places to take unique and different pictures. Mike and his nephew were so helpful with answering any and all questions, and trust me I asked ALOT! Mike was always quick to respond to my emails and gave great recommendations. The companies he partners with for his preferred vendors are fabulous! Especially Kristen (Love her!) who does all the extra lighting, fabric, and hanging things in the tent! We also hired her as our day of coordinator (again Love her!). And the food from Noteable Events, who is the caterer for this venue is great!! People are still talking about the food!
We couldn’t be happier after working with Mike and having our big day at The Gardens. Our guests are still talking about it and how it was so different and unique than a typical wedding set up! And so are we!!
I could honestly go on and on about how grateful I am that we found Mike and his venue and that he fit into our budget and had a date we liked. I never thought I would get married outside in a garden but once I saw this place in person and met with Mike, there was no turning back! Thank you Mike and everyone at The Gardens of Woodstock for making our wedding day absolutely perfect and for giving us and our guests an experience to remember for forever!! -
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![Ellen]()
Ellen Sent on 10/16/2019Wonderful experience at The Gardens of Woodstock
The Gardens of Woodstock was such a beautiful venue and a joy to work with! The owner, Mike, was friendly and informative, responding to emails promptly and always speaking to my family and I with a smile. We never felt that we asked too many questions or were getting rushed out the door. The Gardens has preferred vendors ( caterer and decorator for the tent) and they were absolutely wonderful! All our guest raved about the food and loved the decor that was placed in the tent. It can be a bit nerve wracking when you have to use a specific vendor but boy was I glad we had them! It takes the searching away and they are truly the best we could ask for. The caterer was easy to work with and the options are truly limitless. They worked with specific dietary restrictions at no extra charge. The tent decor is done by a specific company and there are so many options to truly customize your wedding to match your vision. If you are on a tight budget they will work with you but also the tent decor is honestly just an add on as the tent is beautiful without any extras! I love that they also have to option to hire someone as your wedding planner or just day of director. We chose not to use them but the amount of options they had was reassuring and a great tool had we needed it. Overall The Gardens of Woodstock was the best place I could have picked for my big day and I would recommend to everyone!
Photos by : Studio Pop Photography -
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User2337960 Sent on 06/17/2019Absolutely incredible!
Had our wedding here this past weekend & everything was perfect!!! Mike & the entire team are so easy to work with & their caterer they use is phenomenal. Couldn’t ask for a better place for our wedding! -
Laura Sent on 10/19/2018
The Gardens Exceeded Our Vision!
The Gardens of Woodstock is an absolutely lovely venue to hold a wedding. My husband and I fell in love with The Gardens the first time we stepped out of our car and it only kept getting better from there. From the beautiful setting to the kind owner and staff – our wedding was perfect.
Let me tell you, planning a mid-October wedding outside can be a little unsettling given you don’t know if it’ll be 70 and sunny, or 40 and rainy. Of course we wanted an outdoor wedding and we were given ample time the day of to decide if we wanted to go ahead with the outdoor wedding or move it indoors. We kept it outdoors and it was a little cool (but our call), and so beautiful.
Mike was so accommodating and was always and email or call away. He has so much patience and he genuinely cared about our day and making it memorable. He even allowed us to bring our furbabies and they joined us for the ceremony and cocktail hour.
Everything about the Gardens is extraordinary! The ceremony area, bridal suite, cocktail area and pavilion tent were better than we ever imagined. You always have a picture in your head of how things will go and this place exceeded every vision. We received so many compliments on the venue we chose and how happy all the guests were. You will not be disappointed if you choose The Gardens for your venue, especially if you are looking for an outdoor and rustic type of venue.
Thank you Mike and staff for making our day perfect! :)
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Nicole Sent on 08/08/2018I wish I could leave more than 5 stars!
My husband and I were married here on July 21st 2018 and we cannot stop raving about how perfect our day was. The venue alone is absolutely gorgeous, and Mike and his team were incredible. Mike was very organized and responsive with all of the insane questions and requests I had leading up to the wedding, he helped guide us through our rehearsal, which was a BIG help as we had no idea how those usually go, and our musicians/DJ kept raving to me about how helpful and approachable he was with all of their questions. My husband arrived at the venue for pictures and to get ready the day of our wedding at 1pm, so from then on I had to let go and be hidden away in the bridal suite, and EVERYTHING got done somehow and ran so smoothly.
I wanted to give a special shout out to Mike's son, Kevin, who ran the bar during our reception with his wife. All of my guests of course made sure I constantly had a drink in my hand, and Kevin made sure I was staying hydrated and would hunt me down and give me water. Thanks Kevin!! :) -
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Emily Sent on 08/01/2018I can not say enough amazing things about this place. It is absolutely gorgeous!! We had our wedding here last night and it was everything I imagined it to be and more. Mike and his staff are extremely professional and accommodating. It was an absolute pleasure to work with him. The bar tenders were wonderful also! Everything ran so smoothly and exactly as planned. I am so happy we chose this venue for our special day. It was a dream come true. Thank you so much for everything Mike, we had an amazing time!
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![Amy A.]()
Amy Sent on 09/11/2013I'm so lucky that I found the Gardens of Woodstock. It really is a hidden gem. It's absolutely stunning in pictures and even more beautiful in person. Mike was a pleasure to work with. He was easy to communicate with, and he was incredibly helpful in making my vision come to life. The in-house caterer was also phenomenal - and affordable! The food was excellent, and the bar was always stocked. The catering and venue staff were so attentive, they even helped in setting up all of the decorations we brought in ourselves, which was such a relief! I am so grateful to the Gardens for everything they did for us. The wedding was perfect, and our guests loved our unique location. I wish we could do it all over again! -
Liz Sent on 01/27/2019
Absolutely Beautiful!
Absolutely Beautiful!
It was the first venue we visited, and every other venue we checked out, we compared to the Gardens. We can’t say enough about how gorgeous the venue is – the plants, water features, gazebo, fire pits, patio, cocktail area, and bridal suite are all amazing!
It’s a great place for a one-stop-shop wedding because the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception are all within 50 yards of each other and the whole venue flows really well. Another great thing about this place is that on the day of the wedding, you have the whole place to yourself, you’re not sharing any space with any other weddings. Mike was great throughout the entire wedding process and was great about communication – all of our questions, whether they were emails or phone calls, were answered very quickly.
During the day of our wedding it rained, but cleared up just in time for the ceremony and our photos turned out stunning! As it got darker, the fire pits were a nice option for our guests and the gardens are all lit up as well. We received so many compliments from our guests about the venue!
One thing to consider is that the dance floor was a little undersized given that the venue can hold 225 guests. The dance floor was a little over-crowded the night of our wedding (we had about 165 guests at our wedding, and they were ready to celebrate!). The venue is also pretty secluded (which is really great, there’s nothing else going on for miles around); however, it means that you most likely have to provide transportation for your guests, which is an extra expense you’ll have to budget for. -
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![Teresa]()
Teresa Sent on 06/24/2023Gorgeous venue
The Gardens of Woodstock is a stunning location to have your wedding, it’s a hidden gem. The photos from my event are gorgeous, the ponds/waterfalls, the gazebo, the flowers, the lighting at night…. All amazing. Given the option, I would do it all over again. Some of the things I wished could have been different/better are:
Since they are somewhat open to the public/sell flowers there, there is always a chance people will be walking around during the day as you are setting up. We had a few rando’s stop by during our setup time. And there is no place to lock anything up, so you are keeping valuables with someone in your party at all times. It was great that they opened at 10am for us to begin setting up tables/decorations. There was enough time to run back home if we needed to.
They require you to use their caterer, Noteable Events, whose food was amazing- our guests gave us sooo many compliments on the food! However, we had a buffet, and the food was whisked away pretty quickly once everyone went up to eat. The dessert table was also “out”/done quite early. We had 9 people that we paid for who couldn’t make it, so it’s not like we were short on our guest headcount/food allotment. I wish I had known this at the event, I would have made them put more food back out. I wanted some chocolate covered strawberries for a guest and was able to ask for some of them and get them… so clearly there was more food stored away. (I found out later that my bridesmaid asked for more dessert and was told there was no more).
You are also required to do open bar (there is no option for cash bar) so this adds to the expense. You are also required to bring your own bottled water for guests! At over $20 a person for the open bar, I would have thought they could provide bottled water. That was a little much- dragging cases of water to the location, on top of everything else that day.
The last thing you should be aware of is the rehearsal timing. You get a 1 hour rehearsal window. This was a little tight for us, and we had a small wedding party/low fanfare type of wedding. There was a party before us that was wrapping up, and we had to finish up on time to get out of the next party’s way.
Overall, the day went very smoothly, the event was excellent, the food was amazing, Mike is a great help and quick to respond to planning and questions. The bridal suite/preparation rooms were great- big rooms, lots of mirrors and tables, nice and cool AC running. The tent is also temperature controlled. There are beautiful fire pits outside too. The pricing was reasonable compared to other options we considered. I would choose the Gardens again in a heartbeat. It’s just there are some things you need to know going into it.
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