Nope. The total cost of the venue rental fee is just that…. the TOTAL cost.  There are no additional taxes, mandatory gratuities, required fees or necessary charges on the day of your event (like…turning on lights or firewood) added to the listed venue rental fee.  The Gardens has a 10% catering fee and a 10% beverage service fee…. more on that in a bit, but now you know, so they are not a surprise. 

• 4 ceremony locations allowing you to find your dream “I do” spot.
• 2 dressing spaces full of amenities to make your pre-wedding time cozy & comfortable.
• 3 choices of ceremony seating to help bring your wedding day vision to life.
• Numerous chair and table options to create a one-of-kind reception layout. 
• A spacious semi-permanent reception tent with a gorgeous paving stone floor ready to accommodate up to 300 of your favorite people.
• Hand-crafted natural stone fireplace with a crackling fire (no additional cost for firewood & attendant)
• Copious (that means a lot) patio space for guests to relax, mingle & discuss how gorgeous you look.
• Impressive hand-hewed pavilion with features to accommodate your bar.
• The ability to not touch a thing…. The Gardens Team will set up & tear down both your ceremony site and reception tent.
• And so much more…..

Just one… Yours!  The Gardens team is 100% laser-focused on your event from start to finish.

Not only do we only do one event per day, but the venue is yours for 16 hours (8:00 am – Midnight)!

The Gardens can accommodate up to 300 family members, friends and even your weird third cousin, Gerard from Pittsburgh. 

Certainly!  The Gardens is one of only a few venues that allows couples to choose the cuisine and level of service for their wedding day. It’s your day after all! The Gardens has a 10% catering fee which the caterer collects and pays to The Gardens.

Great question! Couples are required to choose their beverage service from our Pre-Approved Beverage Service List.  If you are hosting an open bar, you can bring your own alcohol and the beverage service company you choose will serve it. 

It’s the same thing if you choose to do a cash bar. Couples hire a beverage service off our Pre-Approved Beverage Service List to sell alcohol.

Looking to do a hybrid of open and cash, no problem!  The Pre-Approved Beverage Services can tailor a beverage service for your specific event. The Gardens has a 10% beverage service fee.  This is based on the cost of the service, NOT the amount or type of alcohol served.

The Gardens requires couples to have a professional Day-of Coordinator for your event. While you might think it’s an unnecessary extra expense, we see it as a valuable investment.  Have you ever been to a wedding where everything thing flowed effortlessly?  The couple was 100% present and relaxed for their wedding day. We will let you in on a secret… There was probably a professional Day of Coordinator behind the scenes orchestrating every detail.

On the other hand, have you ever been to a wedding that was one Big Mess Express?  Fifteen minutes prior to the ceremony, the mother of the bride is half dressed directing vendors and well-intentioned family members. The wedding party has no idea how and where to line-up.  Heck, even a groomsman is AWOL, and the flower girl took off her shoes and hid them in a Ficus tree. 

We require a Day-of Coordinator because we want the first scenario for you. There are a lot of moving pieces and countless decisions that must be made on your wedding day. That’s what a Day-of Coordinator does!  They deal with all the small things, and sometimes big things, so you can have a stress-free day wedding day.

No matter what the weather is, The Gardens Team is continuously communicating with your Day-of Coordinator to ensure all your wishes for the day are implemented. If there is inclement weather, The Gardens Team is ready for action. The first question is, would you like to have your ceremony outside or in the Wedding Reception Tent? If you would like to stick to your outdoor wedding ceremony site, The Gardens staff will be there with towels and leaf blowers to dry off the seating right before the start of the ceremony. If you would like to move your ceremony to the Wedding Reception Tent, The Gardens Team will set-up an arbor in the Wedding Reception Tent, slightly adjust tables to create an aisle if need be, and set-up a front row of chairs for immediate family near the arbor.

Of course! We LOVE dogs (most of The Gardens Team have dogs, but it’s not a job requirement….yet). Big or small we welcome your furry four-legged family members. Are you a cat person and want your kitty involved in your special day? We don’t discriminate. Cats are welcome too.

We’ve got plenty of it, it’s not on the street and it’s 100% free.  We also provide parking attendants to direct cars upon arrival.

Yes, The Gardens contracts with the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office to provide a deputy at your event. There is no additional cost to you.

Absolutely! The Gardens is conveniently located seven miles north of Northfield, a quaint city with a vibrant downtown and four hotels. The Gardens is also 13 miles east of Lakeville where you can find five high-quality hotels.

Indeed! The Gardens Team will be by your side from the moment you book the venue. You might even be annoyed by how much we’re in your wedding planning business. We’re happy to help with your reception layout and anything else that comes up along the way.  Just ask! You’d be surprised at how much we know about hosting beautiful weddings.

Yes, most of The Gardens is handicapped accessible.  The only spot that presents a challenge is the one step into The Garden Cottage dressing space. The Gardens include handicap-accessible restrooms.

The Gardens believes in the power of love and welcomes all LGBTQ+ couples. The Gardens does not discriminate based on sexual orientation, race, religion, gender, age, size, ability, family dynamic, or socioeconomic status. Love is love and love grows at The Gardens.

The Gardens does not hold dates. We use a first come – first serve model.  To lock down your date, you sign a venue rental contract and pay the first half of your venue rental payment.

The Gardens accepts cash, check or credit cards. Credit cards require an additional 4% processing fee.

The first half of the venue rental fee is due at the contract signing. The second half of the venue rental fee is due six months prior to your event date.

We understand you’ve waited a long time for this day.  You’ve hoped, dreamed, planned, organized, maybe even cried (both happy and sad tears) and now it’s here.  We want your wedding day to be the Best Day Ever and were ready to do everything we can to make it so.