Weddings at the Gardens

Weddings & Ceremonies

Thank you for your interest in holding your wedding at the Sandhills Horticultural Gardens. We are honored that you are considering having such a special event at our facility. Our gardens offer a unique and memorable setting for weddings.

All of our ceremonial spaces can be used for wedding ceremonies, memorials, or other requested events of this type.  

Ceremonial Courtyard in Sir Walter Raleigh Garden

Bride and groom stand together on a brick pathway in a landscaped garden courtyard, surrounded by greenery and flowering plants.

 

This triangular space tucked in the back section of the Sir Walter Raleigh Garden has a quaint background of a brick drip fountain and green grass space with bedding borders. Enclosed by walls of boxwoods on either side, it provides a semi-private space for your ceremony. (visitors will not be allowed in this section of the gardens for your event, but they will be able to see and hear it). It can accommodate up to 50 people.

The Green

Conifer Garden by Susan Bailey

 

This large lawn area just outside of the Sir Walter Raleigh Garden and bordering the Conifer Garden can accommodate up to 100 people. If you’re looking to have a larger ceremony, this is the spot.

The Succulent Garden

succulent garden

 

This area can seat up to 30 and is completely private. There is no shade in this garden, so best to reserve it when the weather is not too hot.

We’re honored that you’re considering the Sandhills Horticultural Gardens as the setting for your wedding or special event. To help protect the beauty of the Gardens and support its role as both a public space and a teaching facility, a few guidelines apply to all ceremonies, memorials, and similar gatherings. These guidelines are in place to ensure a positive experience for you, your guests, and all who enjoy the Gardens.

  • Wedding ceremonies of 50 people or less take place in the Ceremonial Courtyard (Sir Walter Raleigh Garden). For larger ceremonies of 51-100, it will take place in The Green (just outside of Sir Walter Raleigh Garden).
  • Chairs may be rented through an outside vendor and brought in on the day of the wedding only. No tents, amplification equipment, etc. are permitted. Anything brought in must be removed within one hour of the end of the reserved period, the day of the wedding. We do not have staff available for set-up and break-down of chairs, etc.
  • Any materials brought into the wedding site must not block walkways. Walkways must be clear at all times before, during and after the wedding.
  • No alcoholic beverages of any kind, i.e., champagne, wine, beer, spiked punches or liquor are allowed.
  • Confetti, rice, bird seed, etc. are prohibited. The grounds and Gardens should be left in the same condition they were in when you arrived. 
  • Flowers, plants, and benches must not be disturbed or moved. Please ensure that your guests treat the facility, especially the Gardens with care.
  • Vehicles may not be driven on the Garden grounds for any reason. Cars should be parked in the designated parking lots.
  • The facilities are available for weddings Monday-Saturday 8:00am-6:00 p.m. (or dusk - time may be different depending on the time of year). We suggest that your wedding be scheduled at a time so as not to interfere with any instructional activities at the college (generally Saturdays will be the best to consider scheduling a wedding).

NO RESERVATION WILL BE CONSIDERED SECURED UNLESS THE RESERVATION FORM HAS BEEN SUBMITTED AND A CONFIRMED COPY, SIGNED BY THE AUTHORIZED SANDHILLS HORTICULTURAL GARDENS REPRESENTATIVE HAS BEEN RETURNED TO THE APPLICANT.

We suggest a “Rain or Inclement Weather” back up plan for your wedding as we do not have the facilities to house an indoor wedding. If the Ball Garden Visitors Center is not being used that day, you are welcome to use it as a back up, but this must be determined prior to the day of your wedding. If inclement weather occurs on your wedding day and you use a different location as a backup, you will be reimbursed.

Wedding Fee Schedule
3 to 12 attendees (including couple & officiant) $100.00*
13 to 30 attendees (including couple & officiant) $250.00*
31 to 100 attendees (including couple & officiant) $500.00*


*Additional fees (Security, Garden Tech, and Custodial Fees) may be assessed based on day and time of the event. Weddings and other ceremonies are reserved for a maximum of two hours, including set up and breakdown. If you would like to have photos taken within that two-hour period, you may do so at no additional cost. If you need more time for photos after the two-hour time limit, you may pay for extra time, up to two hours, according to our photography policy. 

To request a facilities usage agreement and make a reservation, contact Marcia Woodfield by phone at (910) 246-4949 or via e-mail at woodfieldm@sandhills.edu. 

 

 

Note: The G. Victor and Margaret Ball Garden Visitors Center and Gardens are open to the public before, during and after your event. Students will be completing curricular assignments during the weekend. No groups or group programs will be scheduled during the hours of your wedding. To request a reservation form, please contact Marcia Woodfield by phone at (910) 246-4949 or e-mail at woodfieldm@sandhills.edu.