How to Plan a Roger Williams Botanical Garden Wedding

How to Plan a Chicago Botanical Garden Wedding The Ultimate Guide for Planning a Chicago Botanical Garden Wedding (complete with pricing, capacity, and photos) Planning your wedding can be stressful, but it should also be an incredibly happy time! Part of that happiness comes from choosing the perfect location to look forward to. A great example is the Chicago Botanical Garden, one of the most beautiful gardens in Illinois.  A wedding in a botanical garden? It’s true! Below is why you should consider a Chicago Botanical Garden wedding and how to plan one! Why You Should Have a Chicago Botanical Garden Wedding If you want a beautiful wedding that you will always remember, then Chicago Botanical Garden is perfect for you. With a variety of wedding venues and areas to choose from, you will be sure to find one that fits your needs and offers you and your guests an amazing backdrop. There will be tons of wonderful views and photo opportunities all around! Read below for some tips on planning a Chicago Botanic Garden Wedding for ideas and inspiration! If you are interested in contacting the venue, click this link to go to their contact form. photo by Bliss Events Chicago Chicago Botanical Garden Wedding Venues EsplanadeRental Fee : $30,000Capacity : 500 ceremony, 1,500 reception The Esplanade is the final and most expensive wedding venue offered at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The vast, dramatic landscape makes you feel like you and your guests have been transported to an incredible estate. In fact, this space was planned and designed by two renowned architects, giving it a touch of fame that is sure to impress your guests. This area includes pristine lawns that are surrounded by tall, lush trees that line down to the water’s edge, opening up to an elegant water feature. As the more expensive cost would suggest, this is the single largest venue you can have for a Chicago Botanical Garden Wedding, with the capacity to seat as much as 500 guests for a sit down dinner, and up to 1,500 guests for a cocktail reception. The dining space does require additional tenting for guests. Like the Rose Garden, those looking to utilize the incredible pavilion for their wedding must get approval. Also similar to the Rose Garden, the Esplanade is only available during the evenings, and the fee is consistent no matter which night of the week or weekend you choose for your wedding.  Wedding venues are going fast, making it a challenge to lock in a wedding date as early as possible. With this guide, you’re sure to find your ideal venue for your Chicago Botanical Garden wedding, and at a price that works for you.  Rose GardenRental Fee : $12,000Capacity :  The Rose Garden may be a bit pricier, but for those looking for some of the most exquisite and stunning displays of roses – as its name would suggest – look no further than the Rose Garden. The Rose Garden is as elegant, graceful, classy, and romantic a venue as one would expect, given the cost. With over 5,000 rose bushes to delight your guests, it might fit a preconceived idea of what a Chicago Botanical Garden Wedding would look like with it’s greenery and any shade of rose you might imagine.  It is reserved for weddings and other elegant events regularly and requires special approval to use the space, making it a more exclusive location. Although the fee remains the same regardless of whichever evening you’re having your wedding, the space is not available in the daytime for any ceremonies or events. It’s also important to note that the venue requires a tent reservation for any private weddings, which is used to make your wedding feel more private and exclusive. Rose Terrace Rental Fee : $1,500 – $4,000Capacity : 275 ceremony, 250 reception The Rose Terrace is another splendid garden space, with a similar romantic and elegant vibe as what the Walled Garden offers, and is also unavailable during the daytime. But, if you want a beautiful evening ceremony and party surrounded by charming greenery and vibrant roses that contrast the perfectly manicured lawn – this is your spot! This also has a slightly larger capacity for your guests, offering a cocktail reception of 250 guests and a wedding ceremony capacity of 275 guests.  In order to best enjoy the vibrant nature of this venue, it is only available from May to October, which means you’ll have all of the gardens in their prime and growing beautifully. Chicago Botanical Garden even recommends pairing cocktails at the Rose Terrace with a dinner at the McGinley Pavilion, if your budget has the room for both.  English Walled GardenRental Fee : $1,500 – $4,000Capacity : 175 ceremony, 250 reception If elegance, grace, and romance are right in-tune with your wedding vision and aesthetic, and your budget is on the more modest side, then the English Walled Garden is the perfect fit for your Chicago Botanical Garden Wedding. The garden features a beautiful brick courtyard that is surrounded by lush, manicured greenery. It feels fully enclosed in towering trees that open up gracefully to the open sky. The ceremonial space is often perfectly perched across the bridge, next to a serene, small pond.  It also has excellent capacity, and with its unique seating space typically being enclosed around the pond, it is able to comfortably seat up to 175 guests. With the reception space, it gets even better, with the capacity for 250 guests. Although, as most wedding planners will tell you, it’s always ideal to have a backup plan, even with an elegant, charming space like this one. The English Garden also has a backup room in the event of unfavorable weather. It’s also important to note that the English Garden is only available in the evenings. CONTACT ME TO DISCUSS YOUR CHICAGO BOTANICAL GARDEN WEDDING McGinley PavilionRental Fee : $2,500 – $8,500Capacity : 125 ceremony, 350 reception The McGinley Pavilion blends some of my favorite venues together-

How to Plan a Tower Hill Botanical Garden Wedding The Ultimate Guide for Planning a Tower Hill Botanical Garden Wedding (complete with pricing and photos) Planning your wedding can be stressful, but it should also be an incredibly happy time! Part of that happiness comes from choosing the perfect location to look forward to. A great example is the Tower Hill Botanic Garden, one of the most beautiful gardens in Massachusetts.  A wedding in a botanical garden? It’s true! Here is why you should consider a Tower Hill Botanical Garden wedding and how to plan one! Why You Should Have a Tower Hill Botanical Garden Wedding If you want a beautiful wedding that you will always remember, then Tower Hill is perfect for you. It has walking trails, woods, and even 17 separate and unique gardens. There will be tons of wonderful views and photo opportunities! If you’re worried about weather, you’ll be happy to know that their garden weddings also come with a plan to move indoors. That means that you will have a wedding that is beautiful, well-planned, and prepared for a weather emergency. You will have a perfect Tower Hill Botanical Garden wedding! If you’re convinced, congratulations! Now let’s go over how to plan the best ceremony for you. Tower Hill Botanical Garden Wedding and Elopement Pricing Elopement Fees : $500 – $1250 Wedding Fees : $3500 – $11000 The first thing you will want to do is decide on the type of ceremony that you want. Tower Hill offers an elopement package, or the standard larger wedding package with more guests and a bigger ceremony. Decide what you and your partner want, and that will help you begin planning. The elopement package will include the couple and up to 20 guests for an hour-long rental in the garden of your choice. There will not be food, drinks, or chairs, which makes it the perfect ceremony for pictures before heading to a reception somewhere else. If you are a couple with a small circle who wants things to be short and sweet, this package is for you! You can also choose the standard wedding ceremony, which can have up to 120 guests. It comes with a ceremony and a long reception in whatever location you want. This is more expensive, but it is perfect for a more traditional wedding with many guests.  Best Time of Year for a Tower Hill Botanical Garden Wedding Once you have picked out the type of ceremony that you want, it is time to pick a date! Tower Hill Botanic Garden has an “on season” from May to September, and that will be the time for a bigger wedding in good weather. There is also an “off season” from February to April that would be smaller and have fewer dates available. A date and a budget will help your wedding planner build the perfect wedding. That’s right – a Tower Hill Botanical Garden wedding includes a wedding coordinator to make sure everything goes smoothly! A Ceremony and Reception Venue It is important to note that Tower Hill books the actual wedding ceremony for 30 minutes, starting anytime after 6:00pm. That might seem short, but it is still a good amount of time for the bridal procession, a speech, and exchanging vows. The perk of being offered a shorter ceremony is that you can have a long reception – up to five hours! There are not many places that offer a ceremony and reception in the same location. At Tower Hill, you can have both on-site! This cuts down on the time spent rushing between locations and lets you and your guests start the party as soon as possible. Tower Hill Botanical Garden also offers you a ceremony rehearsal to make sure that everything goes smoothly. You can do this the day before your wedding from 3:00-4:00pm. Decide what you want your ceremony and reception to look like, and you will have a great time.  Tower Hill Botanical Garden Wedding Restrictions A Tower Hill Botanical Garden wedding is one of the most beautiful venues to choose from. However, there are some restrictions that you should be aware of. The first is if you are getting married in the on-season May – September, your wedding cannot include more than 120 guests. That number falls to only 50 guests in the off-season February – April, due to limited availability. Tower Hill also does not have a bridal suite on location, mainly due to their primary function as a botanical garden. Without a bridal suite to get ready in, you will need to arrive at the site fully dressed and ready for the ceremony.  Pictures, Food, and More Tower Hill makes things easier by working specifically with one catering company: Peppers Artful Events. This company will provide all of the food and drinks for your wedding; the cost of catering is not included in the cost of the venue. You can meet with your wedding coordinator and with Peppers Artful Events to build a food and drink menu you will love.  You can take photos starting one hour before your ceremony. With a wonderful photographer that you trust (ahem!), these photos will bring back fond memories of your wedding for years to come. Conclusion With careful planning and a little bit of luck, you will have an absolutely gorgeous wedding that everybody talks about for years to come. The location is beautiful and filled with flowers, making it the perfect place for a ceremony and an even better place for photos! Begin planning and making your decisions to prepare for a perfect Tower Hill Botanical Garden wedding! If you would like to discuss your wedding, please CONTACT ME to chat details! Interested In More Information? Please Fill Out the Form Below! 415 756 9335  ianchinphotography@gmail.com 762 10th Ave San Francisco, CA 94118

Carmel Valley Wedding Venues The Ultimate Carmel Valley Wedding Venues Guide (with Pricing + Photos) Carmel Valley wedding venues offer an authentically Californian experience with wineries, rustic landscapes, and golf courses, making it a favorite choice for destination weddings. Just a short drive from the Pacific Ocean, Carmel Valley offers a rustic respite from the busy coastal life. Whether you live nearby or are traveling from around the world, there are plenty of perfect options for your Carmel Valley Wedding. Here are some of the top Carmel Valley wedding venues to consider! Gardner Ranch Rental Fee: $8,000 Gardner Ranch is a great location for wedding large and small alike. The sprawling estate provides many locations including three banquet rooms, a clubhouse, an outdoor patio, and many different lawn locations. The backdrop of the Santa Lucia Mountains makes for a great setting for an outdoor wedding in virtually any season. This is also surprisingly one of the more affordable Carmel Valley wedding venues given its elegance and charm. All weddings include exclusive use of Gardner Ranch, plenty of on-site parking, wine barrel cocktail tables, landscape lighting, wooden chairs, and plenty of other perks. This is one of the more popular Carmel Valley wedding venues around for good reason. Bernardus Lodge & Spa Rental Fee: $5,500 – $13,500  This is one of the larger Carmel Valley wedding venues that offers six different wedding locations that range from vineyard views to rose gardens. For intimate ceremonies or elopements of 10 people or less, the Vintner’s Suite is a favorite or can be used as a bridal suite. Of all the locations, the Wedding Garden is possibly the most beautiful with immaculate landscaping, over 100 varieties of roses, and the chef’s own vegetable garden. Wedding packages include luxury accommodations for the couple and an open bar with Bernardus’s own wines.  Los Laureles Lodge Rental Fee: $2,500 – $3,300 One of the more unique Carmel Valley wedding venues, Los Laureles Lodge is a ten-acre ranch with three different options for settings. The largest is the Terrace Garden, a stunning area beneath cascading oak trees where guests watch from wooden pews. This holds up to 200 people. Intimate weddings of up to 30 guests can celebrate at Hill House, a beautifully adorned home with a hillside deck. The Hill House has a full kitchen and, true to its namesake, supports sweeping views of Carmel Valley. Finally, the Terrace Garden Banquet Room can hold a small reception or rehearsal dinner. Quail Lodge & Golf Club (Carmel by the Sea) Contact for pricing Quail Lodge Golf Club provides six different options for your ceremony. Quail Meadows is likely the favorite for outdoor weddings, which features a lush meadow on the banks of a stream, creating a perfect location for wedding photos. The Peninsula Ballroom in the Clubhouse is a great choice for a reception whether opting for buffet style or a sit-down dinner. This venue specializes in weddings from small groups to up to 200 guests. This is one of the more affordable Carmel Valley wedding venues for the budget-conscious bride and groom, providing beauty at a lower price than many local venues. Stonepine Estate Resort Rental Fee: starts at $9,000 As you approach through a road lined with oak trees, you will soon catch a glimpse of Chateau Noel, an architectural experience that will have you thinking you have somehow landed in Tuscany. Guests can opt for a California Country package which includes use of the Paddock Lawns or a Chateau Exclusive which involves use of Chateau Noel. Can’t decide? Book the entire estate to have one of the most regal wedding venues in Carmel Valley all to yourself! For a more Old West style feel, try the Blacksmith Bar where guests can practice archery and horseshoes while drinking beer. Needless to say, this is one of the most varied Carmel Valley wedding venues on this list. Holman Ranch Packages: $18,000 – $35,500 Holman Ranch is one of the few Carmel Valley wedding venues that can accommodate a larger number of guests with a capacity of 500. With 400 acres of land, Holman Ranch provides several wedding location options, but most couples choose the recently restored 1928 stone hacienda, an iconic building with an intimate courtyard. Others opt for a stone terrace adorned with flowers with the Santa Lucia Mountains serving as a great backdrop. Combine your ceremony with an elegant reception at the Carriage House, allowing guests to dine beneath twinkling lights. This huge estate offers something for everyone! The Holly Farm Rental Fee: starts at $28,000 One of the most beautiful Carmel Valley wedding venues, The Holly Farm is filled with winding gravel paths, towering bamboo and banana trees, and rustic cottages. The unique design of the grounds presents a variety of options for photos, ensuring you will have plenty of mementos of your wedding. In addition to no corkage or cake cutting fees, you’ll also find a number of other perks including hundreds of island orchids for décor. CONTACT ME TO DISCUSS CARMEL VALLEY WEDDING VENUES Best Wedding Venues in Carmel Valley for Elopements Joullian Vineyards Rental Fee: starts at $6,500 Located high above Carmel Valley, Joullian Vineyards’ Venue in the Vines is a premier wedding location. This is a place for weddings of many sizes, able to accompany as few as 50 guests or as many as 250. Smaller parties may instead be interested in The Overlook, which allows couples to exchange nuptials in front of a wood and floral arch with the entire Carmel Valley as the backdrop. With 20 to 50 guests, this is one of the more popular Carmel Valley wedding venues that caters to smaller weddings. Best Outdoor Carmel Valley Wedding Venues Chateu Carmel Ranch Contact for pricing Holman Ranch is one of the few Carmel Valley wedding venues that can accommodate a larger number of guests with a capacity of 500. With 400 acres of land, Holman Ranch provides several wedding location options, but most couples choose the recently

15 Best Wedding Venues in Monterey CA The Ultimate Guide to the 15 Best Wedding Venues in Monterey CA(complete with pricing and photos) Couples seeking to take advantage of the Pacific Coast’s splendor for their weddings can take a look at the 15 best wedding venues in Monterey CA. Located in the center of California’s coastline, Monterey is known for its history, architecture, seafood, and local arts scene. For Californians seeking a beautiful place to get married, Monterey provides an excellent choice for a weekend escape. Let’s take a look at some of the top Monterey wedding venues.  Best Times for a Wedding in Monterey CA Old Whaling Station Adobe & Gardens Rental Fee: $1,900 – $2,400Ceremony Only: $1,500 The Old Whaling Station may not sound like the most romantic spot; however, this is a beautiful space indoors and outdoors with flexible rental periods by the hour that focuses on affordable yet elegant weddings. The garden is the perfect spot for beautiful wedding photos, making it one of the more cozy and intimate wedding venues in Monterey CA. The Barns at Cooper Molera Rental Fee: $2,500 – $6,500  Formerly part of a National Trust, this historic property is perfect for a beautiful ceremony. This is one of the more unique wedding venues in Monterey CA in that you can get married in a beautifully restored barn or outdoors beneath oak trees.   Memory Garden (Monterey State Historic Park) Rental Fee: $1,500 – $3,600 (depends on day of the week / number of hours)Processing Fee: $150Refundable deposit: $1,000 This park actually has six different gardens that are excellent choices for an elopement or small wedding. Stevenson Garden is enclosed by a rustic gated adobe wall and is named for author Robert Louis Stevenson. First Theatre Garden and Larkin Garden, in particular, also provide excellent settings for a wedding. The variety in settings makes this one of the more popular wedding venues in Monterey CA that appeals to most. Monterey Beach House Rental Fee: $1,500 – $5,000 Do you dream of a beach wedding? There is perhaps no better place in Monterey than Monterey Beach House. With the peninsula and ocean as a backdrop, this location provides one of the best views compared to other wedding venues in Monterey CA. Sunset ceremonies are popular here and al-inclusive packages mean you can rest assured you’ll be well taken care of.    Perry House Rental Fee: $1,500 – $5,000 The Perry House provides an elegant setting with an ocean view. The Victorian style home was originally built in 1860 and has lush gardens. Renovated specifically to cater to weddings, this is an excellent choice to include in your list of wedding venues in Monterey CA. Jabberwock Inn Rental Fee: $1,000 – $1,500 for 4 hours Small weddings and elopements: $350 – $750 (depends on time of year) One of more popular bed and breakfast wedding venues in Monterey CA, Jabberwock Inn is an elegant craftsman style house that overlooks Monterey Bay. Tall hedges and stone-lined gardens form a perfect place to exchange vows while you can relax in style with your pick of charming rooms. Jabberwock Inn is an excellent choice for a  Monterey wedding venue. Club Del Monte Contact for pricing Located on the campus of the Naval Postgraduate School and part of Hotel Del Monte, named the world’s most elegant seaside resort, this art deco facility is perfect for saying your vows whether you’d prefer the intimate La Novia Room or a spot next to the Roman Plunge Reflecting Pool.  Monterey Stone Chapel Rental Fees: $300 – $750 (depends on number of guests / spaces reserved) You’ll find this chapel located amidst redwoods and gardens next to a turtle-filled pond. For a more intimate wedding, an outdoor gazebo garden wedding is an excellent decision with a quaint, intimate setting to exchange your vows. This is one of the best wedding venues in Monterey CA because the 5 star Tarpy’s Restaurant and steakhouse is right next door! CONTACT ME TO DISCUSS MONTEREY WEDDING PACKAGES Wedding Venues Near Monterey CA Lover’s Point Park (Pacific Grove) Contact for pricing While this community park just outside of Monterey has plenty of things for the community, it also serves as a beautiful site for a wedding. With an ocean view, a small beach, and manicured lawns, there are many different settings for wedding venues in Monterey CA. A rocky outcropping on the edge of the beach makes a great place for photos. A reservation and use permit is required for a wedding.  Check out this Lovers Point Park Wedding to give you an idea of what I’ve done in the past. Big Sur Lodge – Pfeiffer State Park (Big Sur) Packages: $599 – $1,199 Big Sur is extremely popular with nature lovers and this rustic getaway right in the middle of Pfeiffer State Park provides easy walking access to many potential sites. Reserve a cozy cabin and take advantage of a ceremony surrounded by California’s majestic redwoods. The Lodge itself has four different indoor and outdoor venues and wedding consultants, making this one of the best wedding venues near Monterey CA. Huckleberry Hill (Pebble Beach) Contact for pricing This is one of those wedding venues near Monterey CA that you will feel was made for your elopement. Here you’ll find Huckleberry Hill Nature Preserve, which is home to several trails with plenty of picturesque spots. Find you and your love immersed in a wooded oasis amongst groves pine and cypress trees. There is a bit of elevation gain and a short hike, so this spot is best for a small, casual no-frills ceremony for outdoor lovers.  Leal Vineyards (Hollister) Packages: $4,000 – $7,500 This facility has excellent options for elopements, small ceremonies, or mid-sized weddings. Leal Vineyards features three different settings and is one of the larger wedding venues in Monterey CA. Say “I do” surrounded by sweeping hills of vineyards at the Lavanda, have a quaint candlelit ceremony in the Barrel Room, or opt for the Olea with twinkling lights and a tunnel of olive trees.  River Road Mansion (Salinas)