Atlanta Botanical Garden: Plan Your Visit - Book Your Event

Plan Your Visit

Book Your Event - Rental Guidlines

Rental Guidelines

Thank you for considering the Atlanta Botanical Garden for your private event! We are pleased to have you as our guest and look forward to working with you to create a memorable occasion.

As an educational institution, a repository of rare and endangered species, and a living museum, the need for protection of the Atlanta Botanical Garden's treasures is primary. To ensure the safety of your guests and preserve the Garden's pristine natural environment, we respectfully request that you keep the following regulations in mind.

Facility Rental

Please contact Special Events for more information
or call 404.876.5859 ext. 1585.

Rental Facilities

Approved Caterers

Rental Guidelines

Wedding Rental Options

Children's Birthday Parties

Use our interactive map to explore facility locations.

Alcoholic Beverages: The Atlanta Botanical Garden holds a Georgia Liquor License and provides top-quality beverage selections, your choice of beverage plans, and complete coordination of bar staff. If you are planning to offer alcoholic beverages at your event, all products and services must be provided by the Atlanta Botanical Garden in accordance with Georgia law. Under no circumstances will the Lessee be permitted to provide alcoholic beverages for their event. Please ask your Special Events representative about your beverage service options.

Audio/Visual Equipment: Garden does not own AV equipment but can provide suggested AV rental companies. To assure timely delivery, arrangements for audiovisual equipment rentals must be coordinated with the Special Events staff at least two weeks prior to the event. It is advisable to have a technical expert in attendance at events utilizing rented or borrowed audiovisual equipment.

Candles: For everyone’s safety, candles must adhere to fire code standards and are subject to Garden approval. All candles must be contained in a glass container taller than the top of the candle flame.

Catering: The Atlanta Botanical Garden maintains an exclusive list of Atlanta caterers; if you are planning to offer food at your event, it may only be provided by one of these approved caterers. This allows us to assure the quality of your event's food service and keeps delivery traffic from unfamiliar vehicles to a minimum on environmentally sensitive Garden property. Please refer Attachment A for list of approved caterers. If Lessee plans to have food and beverage outdoors at the Garden, these are prohibited on the grounds until the Garden has closed to the public. Under no circumstance are Garden guests permitted to bring outside food on the property.

Certificate of Insurance: You will be required to supply a certificate of insurance that names Atlanta Botanical Garden as an additional insured for the duration of the event. Some homeowners’ insurance policies can be endorsed to cover the Garden for the event, or you may purchase a single event policy from the Garden for a nominal fee. Please see your Facility Rental Agreement for specific coverage requirements.

Environmental Protection: Due to the sensitive nature of the Garden’s grounds and horticulture, the use of sparklers and/or fireworks, the releasing of balloons, and the throwing or placing of rice, confetti, birdseed, or rose/flower petals is strictly prohibited. Pets and animals are not permitted in the Garden unless they are specifically trained as an assist animal, properly identified as such and accompanied at all times by the individual who is responsible for them. Wire and floral attachments are not permitted on any Garden structure or plant material without approval from the Special Events staff and the Garden’s Horticulturist.

Event Times: The Garden is open to the general public from 9am-7pm from April to October and 9am-5pm from November to March. The Garden is closed on Mondays, except for Monday holidays. For the comfort of your guests, events featuring outdoor food or beverage service will be scheduled only after the Garden has closed to the public.

Event Lead: There will be a qualified member of the Garden’s Special Events staff dedicated to your event. This Event Lead will supervise your event’s setup, direct any Maintenance or Security needs, and coordinate your catering and bar staff. Only the Garden’s designated Event Lead may give direction to Garden Staff during your event.

Floor Plan: To assure that your setup needs are met in a timely manner, you will be asked to provide a floor plan to the Special Events staff at least two (2) weeks prior to your event. In most cases, your caterer or event coordinator will provide this service. Catering staff is responsible for setting up the necessary tables and chairs for the event according to their floor plan and clearing the room at the end of the event.

Garden Appearance and Exhibits: Due to seasonal changes and the revolving nature of exhibits, the Atlanta Botanical Garden cannot guarantee that your rented space will have the same appearance as when originally viewed.

Inclement Weather Plan: If your event is scheduled to take place in an outdoor event space, you will be asked to submit a backup plan in case of inclement weather. Please ask your Special Events representative what options are available to you. To assure your safety, the Garden’s Event Lead will make the final decision on which plan to use for your event.

a) Rose Garden & Trustee’s Garden: In case of possible inclement weather, the Rose Garden and Trustee’s Garden may be tented. Tents should be reserved through an approved tent rental vendor, with the understanding that the vendor’s fee will depend on tent size and accessories requested. Ask your Special Events representative for information and a referral to an approved rental vendor.

b) Robinson Gazebo: Garden Maintenance staff will set up and break down any chairs required for ceremonies on Robinson Gazebo. In case of rain, chairs will not be set up on the Gazebo and the ceremony will be standing only.

c) Japanese Garden & Fragrance Garden: The rental fee in the Japanese Garden and the Fragrance Garden does not include any seating other than the existing benches that are already in each rental location. Both the Japanese Garden and the Fragrance Garden are standing only Gardens and due to their small size, no tenting is allowed in either space.

Invitations: To ensure that your event is in keeping with this agreement and garden guidelines, the Garden asks to pre-approve your event invitation. Upon approval and printing, please provide your Special Events representative with a copy of the invitation and/or any announcement so that we may alert our Security staff of any special arrangements your guests will require upon arrival.

Maintenance: The Garden’s Maintenance staff will maintain the restrooms and other Garden facilities during your event, and the event rental space will be in clean condition upon your arrival. Cleanup of foodstuffs, ice and other event-related refuse is the responsibility of the caterer and/or the client. Your Event Lead or other representative from the Special Events staff will check that this has been taken care of at the end of the event.

Overtime Fee: An overtime fee of $200.00 per hour or per increment of an hour will be charged for events starting in the rental space before, or remaining in the rental space after, the contracted rental period.

Parking: From fall 2007 until spring 2009 the Garden will have exactly 100 parking spaces. Should you be planning for a day time ceremony, the Garden will request the number of cars expected (up to a max. of 50) so that spaces can be reserved for them. For a ceremony happening after hours, all 100 spaces will be available to accommodate your guests, your vendors and garden employees working the event. Should your needs be larger than the 100 spaces we will request that you plan for shuttle services and off-site parking in your budget. The Special Events department is certainly happy to assist you with this.

Permissible Events: The Garden staff strives to create a welcoming environment for people of all ages, cultures and abilities. In observance of the Atlanta Botanical Garden's educational mission and non-profit status, commercial, political, religious and fundraising events are strictly prohibited on the Garden grounds or in any Garden building.

Reservation status: A rental reservation is booked and considered binding after the date, time, guest count and location are agreed upon in writing by the Special Events staff and a Facility Rental Agreement has been signed by both parties.

a) A non-refundable deposit of 50% of the rental rate is due at the time of signing (100% for rentals $1,000 or under); the remaining balance is due two weeks prior to the event, and an invoice will be issued at the conclusion of the event for any incidental expenses, such as beverage plans or equipment rentals.

b) A refundable $500 damage/excessive garbage deposit is also due at the time of signing; this deposit will be refunded at the conclusion of event once all invoices and fees have been paid in full.
Security: For the safety of your guests, the Garden’s Security Officers will direct parking and assist with any safety-related concerns during your event. The guest count, duration of the event and amount of Garden space utilized will determine the number of Security personnel scheduled.

Smoking: Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the buildings or on the grounds of the Garden. THERE ARE NO DESIGNATED SMOKING AREAS.

Tables and Chairs: The Garden can provide up to 200 natural wood folding chairs for outdoor ceremony use and tables (60" rounds and 6 ft banquet style) for indoor use (and outside bar setups) in the rental price. The Garden has 200 indoor natural wood folding chairs that may be rented for $2.00 each. Additional chairs, tents (where appropriate) or other event setup needs may be rented from an outside rental company, and must be removed at the conclusion of the event. The Garden is not responsible for any lost or stolen equipment.