UC Botanical Garden 200 Centennial Dr • Berkeley • CA 94720
We'd love it if you would mention that you found UC Botanical Garden on the Here Comes The Guide website.
Why You'll Love This Place
A Here Comes The Guide Wedding Venue Review
In the hills above UC Berkeley is a spectacular 34-acre garden of earthly delights, nestled in Strawberry Canyon and overlooking the San Francisco Bay. The Botanical Garden is home to over 12,000 different kinds of plants, including many rare and endangered species. A stroll through its varied environments takes you past a cloud forest, a Japanese pool with waterfalls, and even an orchid and carnivorous plant house! This place is more than just a collection of pretty flowers—it's a living museum.
Among all the natural splendor are several lovely sites for a celebration. Imagine saying "I do" in a grove of majestic redwood trees. Your guests are seated in a demi-amphitheater atop benches built into the earth itself. They anticipate your arrival, catching teasing glimpses of flowing white as you make your way up the forest path. Finally, you and your partner exchange vows, refreshed by air that's crisp and tinged with the scent of moist bark and leaves.
The latest addition to the gardens is the historic Julia Morgan Hall, designed by the famous architect in 1911 and moved to its new home here in 2014. The building is perfect for small upscale receptions and rehearsal dinners, with an interior done entirely in warm, dark wood. The elegant main room features a fireplace and a floor-to-ceiling picture window that looks out to the attached deck and the California section of the garden beyond. It opens to both the deck and a charming sunroom, creating a wonderful indoor/outdoor flow between the spaces. Just steps from the Hall, the elevated Tour Deck provides an excellent spot for toasting the newlyweds while surveying the New World Desert garden below.
Scenic backdrops for photos abound—one that's particularly appealing is a footbridge spanning the green banks of the creek. Here, in the forest's dewy coolness, brightly colored dragonflies dart from delicate ferns to lily pads, and the silhouette of you and your partner is mirrored in the water below.
Whichever sites you choose in this horticultural wonderland, you can be sure of one thing: You're taking the concept of "a simple garden wedding" to a whole new level! And if you're planning a meeting or private party, this unique venue works beautifully for those events, too.
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Deals
Ceremonies, Micro Weddings, and Elopements, Oh My!
Daytime ceremonies for up to 200 guests run 2 hours, and are available Saturday & Sunday only. $4,200.
Micro ceremonies (25 guests) and elopements (12 guests) run 1 hour, and are available Monday–Thursday only. $1,600–2,200.
PRICES: What's this going to cost?
Rental Fee
- $7,300–8,500/event
- Rental fee varies depending on:
- Day of week
Ceremony + reception rentals range $7,300–8,500 and include:
- Rental time period between 4pm and midnight (varies depending on the time of year)
- Dressing room
- Ceremony rehearsal
- Two site visits and access for photos
- Assorted tables, chairs, amphitheater seat cushions, and patio umbrellas
- WiFi and AV package
- 52 parking spaces
- Same day Garden admission for guests
- 1-year Family Membership for the newlyweds
Cocktail hours on the Tour Deck or Entrance Plaza may be added for $500 per space.
Additional Info
Hourly rental for non-wedding events is available during certain time blocks.
Prices vary depending on:
- Day of week
- Space reserved
Capacity
Indoors | Outdoors | ||
---|---|---|---|
Ceremony | Seated | 100 | 200 |
Cocktails, etc. | Standing | 100 | 100 |
Reception | Seated | 100 | 60 |
Meetings | Total meeting capacity for this venue is 80. |
CEREMONY CAPACITY: The Redwood Grove seats up to 200.
EVENT/RECEPTION CAPACITY: The Conference Center (with the terrace) accommodates 100 seated or standing. Outdoor seating on the terrace only accommodates 60 guests. Julia Morgan Hall holds 80 seated or standing (with deck), subject to seasonal and weather restrictions.
MEETING CAPACITY: Two spaces hold up to 80 seated theater-style.
Venue Details
Site Uses
- Ceremony
- Outdoor Ceremony
- Wedding Receptions
- Small Wedding
- All-Inclusive
- Rehearsal Dinner
- Special Events / Parties
- Business Functions / Meetings
- Late Night
Essential Info
Price
$ • $$
Catering
Preferred list
Alcohol
BYO
Amplified Music
Indoors
Outdoors
Some restrictions
Wheelchair Access
Access limited
Availability
Various UC Botanical Garden sites are available year-round, 10am–midnight, subject to seasonal and weather restrictions.
Venue Type
Buildings & other settings available:
- College Campus / School
- Garden
- Park
- Patio / Deck / Terrace
- Historic / Landmark Building
- Unique
Venue Views
Peep the views you’ll enjoy from this venue!
- Canyon
- Cityscape
- Creek / River
- Forest / Woods
- Fountain / Water Feature
- Garden
- Hills
- Landscaped Grounds
- Ocean / Bay
- Panoramic
- Valley
Services & Amenities
Feel like a VIP with these services and amenities:
Catering: select from list
Kitchen Facilities: kitchenette or kitchen depending on site reserved
Tables & Chairs: yes
Linens, Silver, etc.: BYO or through caterer
Restrooms: wheelchair accessible
Dance Floor: CBA, extra fee
Dressing Area: yes
AV/Meeting Equipment: WiFi and high-speed internet; additional equipment CBA
Parking: University lot, fees paid in advance
Accommodations: no guest rooms
Outdoor Night Lighting: yes
Outdoor Cooking Facilities: no
Cleanup: caterer or renter
View: botanical garden, creek, SF Bay, city, Golden Gate Bridge
Restrictions
But take note of the following limitations!
Alcohol: BYO, permit required
Smoking: not allowed
Music: amplified OK with restrictions
Wheelchair Access: limited
Insurance: liability required
UC Botanical Garden
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