The New York Botanical Garden Reviews
Reviews
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![Liana]()
Liana Sent on 10/22/2023Hidden gem in NYC - Lush blooms, rustic scenery and scrumptious food!
The Stone Mill venue is stunning, especially in June. We had photos taken in the Rockefeller Rose Garden, and they came out fabulous.
The price includes a lot more than just the lush backdrop. The food was sumptuous, the cake (included) was beautiful and delicious, and the service was top notch. Plus the linens, tables, silverware, and pretty much all the tables and chairs you’re going to need are all included in the cost. We received numerous compliments from our guests.
Working with the catering staff leading up to the event was a dream. Our poised, attentive, and experienced coordinator had a great disposition, and the team that ended up working the wedding was polished and professional.
Would give more stars if we could. We could not be happier! -
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![Shindy Studio]()
Shindy Sent on 10/18/2023Book them today!
I am a wedding planner who just worked my first wedding at the Stone Mill building in the NYBG. This venue offers the best of the best. The team will move mountains for their couples. Nina, the director of catering at the Garden is absolute top tier. Both empathetic and extremely professional. Victoria, the maitre d was the absolute best. Medardo the couple's attendant was the sweetest most attentive person you've ever met. Only great things to say about this team. -
![Nicolette]()
Nicolette Sent on 09/18/2023Tears of joy for this amazing experience
WHAT A VENUE! I do not have enough positive feedback to give to NYBG and I couldn’t be happier to have had my wedding here. Everything was a dream. The gorgeous ambiance speaks volumes for itself. But what truly made the wedding spectacular was the level of service.
Let me start by addressing the catering manager, Chantal. When I met Chantal, I was immediately sold. Her calm demeanor, chill personality and sweet soul made me love her and want to work with her. There was not one thing she didn’t do for me. From getting the tequila I like to drink, to sourcing a parmesean wheel for cocktail hour, and tying the napkins on the table the way I liked them, she did it all. She answered every phone call, every text and email and never told me that there was something she couldn’t do. Even when things went wrong, she was there to make sure it was made right. I truly consider her family now. She went above and beyond for me for two years and even more throughout my wedding night. I cannot thank her enough.
My bridal attendant, Sasha was a pure treasure. She was with me the whole day and constantly made sure I was drinking, eating, and happy. She came to all of our photos and was so sweet to take some of her own just to send me the next day. She’s an amazing person and I was so lucky to have her.
The food was out of sight!! My family is Italian so we added A LOT to the menu and there wasn’t one bad thing I had. I honestly wish I ate more but I heard it was incredible.
I could cry from all of the gratitude I feel for this incredible company. My wedding day was everything I wanted and I am so glad I chose NYBG. this place will forever hold the most special place in my heart. I can’t wait to come back every year, and reminisce about the time we had. -
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![Anne]()
Anne Sent on 06/14/2023Most beautiful venue of all time
We were married in the Garden Terrace Room on June 3 and everything about the day exceeded our expectations. Katie Parker and her team perfectly orchestrated a beautiful event. Everything involved leading up the day was impeccably organized. Katie coordinated numerous calls and a site visit - she was accommodating to every single request. The day of was incredibly smooth and flawless. Our bridal suite was overflowing with drinks and snacks (so appreciated) and all of our guests raved about the food AND the service. The feedback from everyone was: “The best wedding ever” and the backdrop of the gardens is simply unmatched. The team at NYBG is exceptional at what they do ... would recommend 12/10 and only wish we could do it over again! -
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Tatyana Sent on 01/08/2023
Stone Mill in the winter
nd it was very comfortable both at the downstairs room for cocktail hour and we did round tables (9 tables with a mix of 9 and 8 or 10 seats) and there was elbow room and plenty of dancing space, even with a 7 piece band. We had a jazz brass trio during cocktail hour. The service at our wedding was fantastic. We got married at another location so this was our reception venue only and we had the space from 6-12. Remember that the garden closes before 6 but they won’t let people drive up to the stone mill until then so folks will be lined up before hand. I think that was the only thing to navigate - it’s also a long drive (and in December in the dark!) from the mosholu gate to the stone mill and the golf cart meant to escort the line of cars died on the drive so our parents had to lead the procession themselves lol and got a bit lost but hey - that’s part of the experience of the garden! Maybe having more signage for future weddings making their way there. I would recommend this as a wedding venue to anyone who is looking for a romantic, rustic, intimate theme to their day. Even in December we had the florist put bistro lights on the patio outside and many people went outside to get some fresh air even though it was very cold the day of our wedding! Oh we also had the downstairs cocktail hour turn into a kids zone and the staff was great in turning it around for us. -
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Mickaela Sent on 12/30/2022
Beautiful Venue
My husband and I got married at the Stone Mill at New York Botanical Garden on September 30, 2022. The staff could not have been more helpful and it was a beautiful day. The food was a great quality and everyone said it was the most beautiful wedding they’ve ever been to!
Photographer: Nicole Adrianna Photgraphy -
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![Lauren]()
Lauren Sent on 12/19/2021Would highly recommend
Estee and the NYBG team put together a beautiful and seamless day for our wedding. Estee did an incredible job coordinating in advance and day of, and the whole team made sure everything went smoothly, from collecting vaccination cards to having drinks ready for the toasts and more! We know it was not easy with frequent date changes and a pandemic, and they were so flexible and patient with us as we worked through it. We initially wanted to get married in the Stone Mill but because we had a larger group, we eventually chose the Garden Terrace and loved the location. The murals in the room are beautiful and the space worked great for getting ready, taking pictures with the conservatory in the background, and having a separate space for the cocktail hour. Everyone had such lovely things to say about NYBG and even though it was the location's beauty and gardens that attracted us, the team really made the different with their top-notch coordination and focus on the details. Would highly recommend! -
![Marie]()
Marie Sent on 06/13/2021Stonemill at nybg was perfect
We knew from the minute we toured that we had to get married there. It’s STUNNING, beautiful and truly an escape from the hustle and bustle of NYC. It’s such a romantic venue. It’s also great because it has indoor and outdoor space.
Estee, the coordinator was very helpful. She was great at communicating / keeping us updated with everything from changes due to COVID to general menu inquires.
The day of the wedding was so great, the catering staff was so nice. The food was AMAZING, the guest could not stop raving about it. Overall we couldn’t be happier, it was the best decision we made for our wedding. -
![Monica]()
Monica Sent on 05/28/2021The Stone Mill is perfection
We (finally) had our wedding at the Stone Mill at New York Botanical Garden in May 2021, after postponing from April 2020 to Sept 2020 to finally May 2021 due to covid. Through it all, the Constellation team, and specifically Laura Bass, were incredibly accommodating and flexible. Beyond the support planning and replanning our event (through all sorts of changing covid guidelines) -- the venue itself is incredible. We were looking for a smaller, intimate venue that also was near enough to the heart of NYC that allowed our out of state guests lots of flexibility and convenient airports and lodging. Stone Mill was perfect. We hosted our ceremony outside behind the building, then dinner upstairs in the dining room, then back outside for dancing under the stars. The staff during the event was incredible. I had multiple people tell me how impressed they were with the service. Our bridal attendant was there exactly when we needed a refresh of drink, offered to get us custom plates of food from cocktail hour and ensured we had everything we could possibly need in the bridal suite. If you're looking to book a picture-perfect venue with a partner team that will make the planning process easy and stress free, book at NYBG. I wish I could do it all over just to be able to enjoy our wedding day again -
Kara Sent on 01/11/2020
Words can't describe how perfect the Stonemill is
As two brides, we were a bit apprehensive about choosing a venue/vendors, but we never felt anything other than welcome/celebrated with NYBG/Constellation. Literally everything was pure magic about the Stonemill. From the food, to the staff, to how stunningly gorgeous the scenery is, you couldn't pick a better place to get married. Our guests are still texting/calling us three months later to rave about what an incredible venue it was. Please put this venue at the top of your list. -
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Deanna Sent on 10/13/2019
Beautiful Venue & Professional Staff
We are so happy we chose to have our wedding reception at The Garden Terrace Room at NYBG. Our primary contact was Laura, who was responsive to our questions months before the wedding day, and extremely helpful in the weeks and days leading up to the wedding to ensure that everything ran smoothly. She was professional and a pleasure to work with, and we trusted that everything would work out as planned with her oversight. The venue itself was absolutely beautiful, a dream come true -- we had our cocktail hour outside on the Hudson Garden Grill terrace overlooking the conservatory and the reception in the ballroom. The room was not only stunning, but spacious enough to accommodate 200 people dancing all night long. The food was also delicious, as our guests continued to remind us even days after the wedding. We had very high expectations for our wedding day, and the Gardens did not disappoint. -
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Sol A. Sent on 09/04/2019
Best venue in NYC!
We couldn’t have found a better place to celebrate our wedding! The venue, service, food, staff were outstanding. Our guests kept complimenting the wedding days after and we can’t recommend the Stone Mills at NYBG enough. Dream place for a dream wedding! -
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![Kevin]()
Kevin Sent on 08/11/2019Idyllic setting + Professional staff!
My wife and I are so glad we chose this beautiful venue in the Bronx! Our guests raved about the natural beauty of the place, and the staff from Starr Catering (the NYBG caterer) did a wonderful job with drinks, dinner and cake. The food was delicious.
It was nice not to have to arrange for a separate caterer and cake vendor!
Our wedding attendant, Yonas, was outstanding -- the kindest guy, who looked out for us the whole evening and made sure everything went smoothly. We absolutely recommending choosing NYBG for your big day - we were thrilled as were our guests. -
![Amy I.]()
Amy Sent on 08/07/2019A Dream Venue.
It's hard to put into words just how incredible our wedding day was, and that is in large part because of the venue we chose. The Stone Mill at the New York Botanical Garden was the perfect blend of being an intimate, sophisticated, beautiful, and outdoorsy space. If you are looking for a place to get married that is in between a farm and a grand ballroom -- the Stone Mill could definitely be the right fit! The Constellation catering team was a dream to work with -- they were so quick to respond and were just as detail-oriented as I, the bride, wanted to be. We were able to visit the venue several times, which proved helpful to visualize everything and get all of our questions around. The team on-the-day was so professional and lovely to be around. Everything was just really top-notch! If we would do it all over again, we would always pick the Stone Mill at the New York Botanical Garden. Thank you to the team for everything! -
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![Xiaoxian]()
Xiaoxian Sent on 08/03/2019Best choice of our wedding
We had the most amazing wedding in the NYBG Stone Mill. If we were to start again, we would have chosen Lauren and her team again without the blink of an eye.
Planning: It was extremely easy to plan the wedding with Lauren and her team. We decided the venue approximately one year prior to the wedding for its perfect location (we had friends traveling across the country), reasonable pricing and its full privacy, not to mention that we would have full access to the rose garden for the most romantic wedding pictures and the Bronx river as the back drop of our ceremony, which fits perfectly with our harp. There are a list of recommended vendors who we ended up working with for various services, including planner, lighting, officiant, music, and rental, who are absolutely amazing. This saved us so much time! During the one year's planning, we had millions of questions and Laruen's timely responses made our life much easier and helped us tremendously to make the most efficient decisions. We had some unfortunate hiccups one week prior to the wedding and Lauren was so accommodating and ensured that we are stress relieved.
Food: We cannot speak more highly of the food. My friends cannot stop complimenting the food and service. Some of the friends even thought the cocktail hour is the main reception because the food tastes soooooo amazing. We had almost all of them in our bridal suite and we absolutely loved them. If we had a wish, it would be that our friends could get married in Stone Mill and we could enjoy more of the food.
Experience: Everything runs smoothly during the wedding day. We had early access to the bridal suite on the wedding day so that we could have our makeup and hair done on time. The assistant was amazing and provided plenty of food for breakfast and lunch as well as coffee and drinks. We had our cocktail hour food ready in the bridal suite right after the ceremony. The reception main dishes, wedding cake and desserts (with different flavors) were also ready for us on the table when we were partying with friends and relatives.
Everything was amazing and we could not thank NYBG more for the breathtaking experience. Truly the best day of our lives! -
![Alyse]()
Alyse Sent on 07/31/2019Amazing Venue!
We are so happy we chose to have our wedding at The New York Botanical Gardens! We had our ceremony outside and then the reception in the Garden Terrace Room. You can't beat the landscape that the venue provides, it was absolutely magical. Lauren was extremely helpful throughout our planning process, making sure everything was in order for our day. We received so many compliments that it was one of the most beautiful venues they have ever been to. The best part about getting married here is that we can go back and visit for years to come! -
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![Sara]()
Sara Sent on 06/01/2019Magical Venue, Awesome Team
I recently got married at the Stone Mill at the NYBG and it was the most magical and special venue. Our main contact was Lauren and she was super helpful, very sweet, and on top of everything! We really didn't have to worry at all throughout planning and on the day of our wedding - we were well taken care of. On our wedding, we were driven around in a golf cart to get all the photo shots we needed, and Sasha was so sweet and helpful, cleaning off my dress before the ceremony and taking us to hidden, beautiful spots. It was fun and very stress free!
One thing we loved about the garden (outside of how beautiful and unique the grounds are) is how Constellation is really a one stop shop that makes planning a breeze. The catering, drinks, rentals, venue, linens and more are all done through Constellation which made things quite streamlined.
If you're worried about not having more than one catering option, don't be! Our guests were raving about how delicious the food was (and how much food there was!), and my husband and I actually ate a decent amount and it was all amazing - from passed bites to dinner entrees to desserts and late night pizza! Our guests could not stop talking about the cake! Our wedding was a dream - we had the perfect backdrop and the best team supporting us! -
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Joetta Sent on 08/27/2018I got married at the Stone Mill on August 12, 2018 and it was perfect! They took us around the garden with a golf cart for the photo shoot and we got the most stunning pictures from various sites around the garden. Outside the Stone Mill was the perfect backdrop for our wedding ceremony. The rush of stream flowing in front of us made for the most beautiful ambiance. The interior and exterior of the Stone Mill was so charming and intimate. Perfect setting for a smallish wedding (maximum of 115, we had about 80 guests and it was perfect). John Garone, Laura Bass, and all of the staff at the BYBG were so nice and so accommodating of our every need throughout the entire planning process and day of the wedding. Everything went perfectly as planned, on schedule. The staff of NYBG took care of everything. If there was another event going on at the main ballroom, I would never know, we didn't cross paths with them once. The Stone Mill is in a completely separate location, weddings are hosted after the park closes to the public, making it a perfect, intimate setting. Not your typical cookie cutter wedding.
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![Kiara]()
Kiara Sent on 08/16/2018I knew NYBG would be our reception venue the first time we visited. The entire team was incredibly warm and the beautiful gardens alongside the elegant Garden Terrace Room was a perfect location for us to celebrate our marriage just outside the hustle and bustle of NYC. We had the honor of working with Laura who made our experience from beginning to end so seamless. She was always quick to respond and so accommodating with our requests. On the day of, everything ran so smoothly and our bridal attendant, Sasha, was so incredible and on point with every single detail. Our family and friends cannot stop talking about how beautiful the venue was and the food was incredible! My husband and I will never forget this day and thank the Starr Catering team at NYBG for helping create the best day of our lives! -
Maria Sent on 08/05/2018I hosted my wedding reception at the Stone Mill at New York Botanical Gardens and had an absolutely fantastic experience The venue was gorgeous, the food was amazing, and the staff was beyond brilliant. Laura and her team made the entire process so stress free, and our guests raved about the evening! 5 stars all round.
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![Katie]()
Katie Sent on 07/13/2017NYBG was AMAZING! My wedding turned out to be better than I imagined. John Garone, was TRULY amazing to work with. He was always so cool, calm, and collected. No task was too large for John. He was always quick to respond to emails, phone calls and any questions I had. Even the day after my wedding when we were missing items, John helped us locate a few very important items that got left behind. It rained on my wedding day, however we had an alternate rain plan, which turned out to be more than great. The food was delicious and my wedding guests are STILL taking about it!! The oyster bar was really a huge hit with our wedding guests!! The bridal attendant was BEYOND spectacular. He was there every time I turned around, bring me water, shoes-you name it! Thank you to everyone at NYBG who made our wedding perfect! - Katie and Leo -
![Amanda]()
Amanda Sent on 08/24/2016My husband and I got married in June 2016 at the Stone Mill. On a whim, we decided to tour the venue and it didn't take long for us to fall in love with this magical place. In its own right, The New York Botanical Garden is a breathtaking oasis, especially in such a big city. We fell in love with Stone Mill in particular, for its beauty, warmth, and layout, all of which allowed us to create the intimate wedding we dreamed of.
Stephen Starr Catering partners with NYBG to provide food and beverages, wedding cake, linens and furniture, and wedding coordination. Throughout our journey, from tours to booking to walk-throughs, we were met with warmth, professionalism, and flexibility as each team member worked with us to execute our vision. If you're foodies like we are, or just interested in providing your guests with a unique dining experience, you can't go wrong with Stephen Starr. From cocktail hour to dinner, the food was delicious, perfectly cooked, and beautifully presented!
My husband and I will always be happy we chose The New York Botanical Garden. Stone Mill, and the garden at large, has history and credibility, as it is such an important New York landmark. We feel so fortunate that we'll always have the option to visit this magical place where we shared the best day of our lives, and to one day bring our children there to share the memories. -
![Kenneth]()
Kenneth Sent on 10/28/2019Beautiful venue - top notch catering - convenient NYC location
My wife and I just had our wedding at the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx three weeks ago. The wedding was gorgeous (we got compliments on everything from ceremony through last song), and we are still coming down from the excitement!
*Pros*
The NYBG itself is a magical place. The grounds are stunning in every season, the plants are immaculately maintained, and the architecture is beautiful yet unpretentious, so that it enhances your event rather than distracting from it. Along with the Garden comes Constellation Culinary Group, who provided top-notch food that left our guests completely stuffed and yet still wanting another round of everything. Honestly, picking our menu from among Constellation's options was one of the hardest things we had to do. Everything from the more basic sliders, fries and mac-n-cheese to the more unusual pastrami-roasted carrot salad, smoked salmon rillette, and horchata shooters was outstanding (we even got compliments from some of our picky eaters!). The day-of staff were on point, taking care of things like fetching an extra dress-steamer, setting up the decorations we brought, directing wandering relatives, even holding aside a plate of cocktail hour food for my wife and me, since we had to miss it to take photos (thanks, Sasha!).
*Cons*
There were a few fairly major construction projects at the Garden that started some time after we had put down our deposit, and continued through our wedding date: the main dome of the Haupt Conservatory was being renovated, the Great Lawn was fenced off as exhibits were being changed, and the pergola in the ceremony space simply got removed due to its getting old. We had expected some seasonality when choosing a botanical garden, but these changes were fairly dramatic, and while they didn't directly impact the ceremony or reception spaces, the various construction tarps and fences were a bit of an eyesore in our photos. To their credit, Constellation was pretty flexible (offering us alternative photo locations, extra setup time, etc.), but we would have appreciated more of a heads up that these changes were coming in the first place, since some of them (like the pergola removal and an extra layer of construction tarp on the conservatory dome) we didn't learn about until we went to the garden for our second to last or last walk-throughs. -
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![Katie]()
Katie Sent on 01/03/2025Beautiful Wedding Venue
My husband and I got married at NYBG - The Stone Mill in October 2024. It was a wonderful wedding. If we could, we would get married there again.
PROS:
1. Location is beautiful both inside and outside! Includes a golf cart to take pictures around the garden.
2. The food is delicious. Our guests raved about the food.
3. The staff work really, really hard to bring your vision alive. We are so appreciative of all their efforts leading up to and on the day of our wedding. They like to joke "We'll never say no" and it definitely felt true!
4. The Stone Mill is literally the only venue we toured that was 100% accessible for our loved ones in wheelchairs or walkers.
CONS:
1. We had some beverage issues including upgrading beers which took a long time to figure out. This is not the fault of the people we worked with at the garden but Constellation Culinary as a whole entity should be more organized with this. They also missed wine service at my family table which is a bit of faux pas.
2. Our wedding started before the garden closed and required us to book the mandatory NYBG Operated Garden Trams from the entrance to The Stone Mill. The shuttles were a 1/2 hour late, leaving our guests stranded in the parking lot with no seating. This was disappointing but we were extremely upset that they wouldn't let our guests make room for 4 more people to get on the shuttle, including elderly and non-able-bodied folks. They had to wait an additional 20 minutes for the next shuttle. Although we were not there, we've been told that our guests and the staff exchanged unhappy words over this. Despite this issue, I would like to share that Constellation Culinary handled this extremely professionally. In email follow-ups after our wedding, they immediately apologized and offered us a refund (which we didn't ask for). Not all wedding vendors are this professional so it really shows how much they value giving their couples the very best day.
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