Your Guide to a Denver Botanic Gardens Wedding
Imagine tying the knot surrounded by lush flower gardens and serene water features, just steps from the heart of Denver. If you and your partner are nature lovers, a Denver Botanic Gardens wedding could be a dream come true! This venue’s classic architectural features and diverse plant life combine to create an elegant yet vibrant atmosphere every season of the year.
As a Colorado wedding photographer, I’ve had the opportunity to capture several weddings here, and it’s blown me away every single time. Read on to discover why this venue is such a great choice and the options available to couples when planning their event!
Denver Botanic Gardens: A Denver Wedding Venue for Nature Lovers
Nature-loving couples have their pick of Colorado wedding venues, but Denver Botanic Gardens stands out from the rest. Its gardens feature plants and flowers from ecosystems around the world, giving your Denver wedding an exotic feel. They also change with the seasons, so you’ll have a wide variety of event locations and backdrops to choose from. I love strolling the grounds with couples who get married here, and snapping portraits along the way. There are so many gorgeous backdrops that it’s impossible to hit them all!
Denver Botanic Gardens is a year-round venue, open seven days a week. Pricing varies depending on the season and the chosen event site, allowing couples across all budgets to utilize the space. Environmentally minded couples will appreciate that a portion of the Garden’s proceeds is used to support conservation efforts.
What Is the Best Season for a Denver Botanic Gardens Wedding?
In short, there’s no right answer to this question. It depends on the type of wedding you’re envisioning! Here’s what to expect from each season at the venue:
Spring (April-May): In the spring, the gardens bloom with tulips, lilacs, and crabapple blossoms, and fresh greenery abounds. Temperatures are generally comfortable, but rain showers are frequent. As the gardens bloom again, spring is also a popular season for guided walks and educational events.
Summer (June-August): The gardens are at their lushest in the summer, bursting with colorful annuals, roses, and water lilies. The long days provide plentiful sunlight, allowing you to have a late ceremony and wander the gardens for portraits afterward. However, high temperatures and afternoon thunderstorms are common, so I recommend selecting a covered space for your reception. The Waterlily Weigh-Off, Evenings al Fresco, and Summer Concert Series all take place in the summer months. Before booking your wedding, be sure to check the events calendar.
Fall (September-October): Fall is the most popular season to get married at the Gardens. The changing foliage is stunning! The slightly cooler temperatures are guest-friendly, and precipitation is infrequent. Ghosts in the Gardens takes place on weekends throughout October.
Winter (November-March): In the winter, most outdoor gardens are dormant. However, the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory and Marnie’s Pavilion have lush greenery year-round. There’s less demand for winter wedding dates, which generally means more flexibility and lower prices. Winter events of note include Blossoms of Light, which takes place from November 21st to January 11th, and the Orchid Showcase, which usually occurs around Valentine’s Day.
What Are the Best Photo Locations at Denver Botanic Gardens?
One of the biggest perks of a Denver Botanic Gardens wedding is that almost every space is photo-worthy. Some of my favorites include:
Woodland Mosaic: A charming green solarium is the focal point of this garden, which also features shade trees and meadow-like flowers.
Monet Pool: The Monet Pool is the venue’s largest water garden. Its collection of aquatic plants, including waterlilies, blooms throughout the summer and into early fall.
South African Plaza: This location features plants native to South Africa, including asparagus fern, delosperma, and torch lilies.
Shofu-En Japanese Garden: This garden features Colorado plants trimmed in the classic Japanese style, a teahouse, and a pond.
Lilac Garden: True to its name, this garden blooms with various species of lilacs throughout spring and early summer. Allie and Connor’s portraits in this location are breathtaking!
Rock Alpine Garden: Plant varieties from various mountainous regions, ranging from the Rockies of Colorado to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, fill this garden.
Indoor and Outdoor Sites for a Denver Botanic Gardens Wedding
Whether you’re planning an intimate or large wedding, indoor and outdoor site options abound at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Your choices include the following:
Romantic Gardens
This ceremony-only site, with beautiful rose blooms and stately architectural features, exudes classic charm. It can accommodate up to 250 seated guests and has two gazebos. This space also has private access to the Ellipse Garden, home to Dale Chihuly’s “Colorado” sculpture. Sarah and Jake had a gorgeous ceremony in the Romantic Gardens just before golden hour.
Capacity: 250 (seated ceremony)
Annuals Garden and Pavilion
A serene reflecting pool takes center stage in this garden, surrounded by beds filled with selected annuals from across America, a patio area, and a romantic covered structure. The covered event space, designed by Didier Design Studio, was completed in 2016. While this space flourishes in the summer, it blooms across the seasons. You’ll see pansies in the winter months, followed by tulips in the spring.
Capacity: 200 (seated ceremony), 120 (seated reception), 250 (standing reception)
Woodland Mosaic and Solarium
This charming space features a solarium originally constructed for Euro Disney, perfect for small ceremonies and gatherings. The tall trees and trellises in this space give it a “secret garden” feel. It also has a complimentary lounge area and patio.
Capacity: 50 (seated ceremony), 40 (seated reception inside solarium), 60 (seated indoor and outdoor reception), 75 (standing reception)
West Terrace
This tented space is available from April to October. It overlooks the Monet Pool and features complimentary misters, twinkle lights, and large potted plants. It can also be combined with the Orangery to provide indoor space, if necessary.
Capacity: 250 (seated ceremony), 175 (seated reception), 250 (standing reception)
Orangery
This unique reception space is adjacent to the greenhouses. Surrounded by glass windows and doors that can be opened or closed, it offers views of Shady Lane. This space also features wall planters with seasonal displays. The Orangery’s exotic plant collection showcases vibrant colors year-round, making this space a popular pick for winter weddings.
Capacity: 100 (indoor seated reception), 125 (indoor standing reception), 150 (outdoor seated reception), 225 (outdoor standing reception)
South African Plaza
With overflowing potted plants, a secluded pergola, and a babbling brook, the South African Plaza has an air of romance. It also photographs beautifully! The expansive space allows visitors to glimpse the diversity of South Africa’s plant life. Fun fact: South Africa’s high-altitude regions and Denver share a similar climate, allowing the country’s native plants to thrive at the Botanic Gardens.
Capacity: 80 (seated ceremony), 60 (seated reception), 125 (standing reception)
UMB Bank Amphitheater Tent
This covered space, available from April to October, features clear side panels and twinkle lights. Situated atop a cement pad, it looks out at the Steppe Garden. The Amphitheater Tent is the Gardens’ largest rental space, offering endless flexibility for hosting a variety of events. It’s a beautiful venue for daytime or nighttime occasions, with open-air sides that can be opened or closed as needed.
Capacity: 1,200 (seated ceremony), 600 (seated reception), 1,300 (standing reception)
Mitchell Hall
Mitchell Hall is the Gardens’ largest indoor event space. With a domed ceiling, proscenium stage, and spacious layout, it’s ideal for couples envisioning a large, traditional wedding reception with live entertainment. The space also has a patio that overlooks the Sensory Garden.
Capacity: 330 (seated ceremony), 300 (seated reception), 550 (standing reception)
Marnie’s Pavilion
This space features a two-story waterfall and a variety of tropical plants, ensuring year-round beauty. It also has a mezzanine and large, floor-to-ceiling windows that offer views of the gardens and surrounding greenhouses. You can opt to host your reception on the mezzanine or on both levels of the pavilion.
Capacity: 80 (seated reception on mezzanine), 120 (seated multi-level reception), 150 (standing reception)
Gates Hall
Gates Hall is an intimate event space with large wooden doors and floor-to-ceiling windows. The space, which pays homage to the Colorado prairies in its design, also has a projection screen and surround sound. Its built-in AV capabilities make it ideal for small receptions (especially if you have a fun slideshow to share!).
Capacity: 90 (seated ceremony, seated reception, or standing reception)
Welcome Garden
Filled with colorful blooms and serene water features, this space offers you a private entrance to the Gardens. A beautiful secret path connects to the Romantic Gardens, one of the venue’s most popular ceremony sites. The Welcome Garden is the perfect spot for a check-in table or to host a cocktail hour after your ceremony.
Capacity: 175 (standing reception)
Water Garden Gazebo
This picturesque space overlooks the Monet Pool, which blooms with aquatic plants throughout the summer. Additionally, it’s adjacent to Le Potager (meaning, “the kitchen garden”). With its intimate location on the water, this spot is perfect for small gatherings.
Capacity: 30 (seated ceremony), 20 (seated reception), 40 (standing reception)
A Denver Botanic Gardens wedding has the potential to be anything you can envision! With year-round beauty, constantly changing backdrops, and a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces, this venue has it all. As a photographer, I love that no two weddings at this location are the same. From Denver’s seasonal shifts to the details you incorporate into your wedding, your gallery will be uniquely beautiful.
If you’re planning to say “I do” at Denver Botanic Gardens, I’d be honored to tell the story of your special day with authentic imagery. I’d love to connect and hear what you’re looking for in a wedding photographer!