Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum

Guest capacity

Up to 100 seated guests

About this venue

For your special day, plan a wedding made by nature. Set your wedding outdoors in one of our formal gardens or spaces, or indoors amid the lush tropical setting of the Conservatory. We offer seven distinct spaces, including a fragrant Herb Knot Garden, colorful Perennial Garden, the serene and intimate Willow Pond Island, or the summer-blooming Gateway Garden. All outdoor weddings include an indoor backup space in case of inclement weather.

Seated guest capacity

  • 3-100

Venue type

  • Aquariums, Zoos
  • Ballrooms, Banquet Halls
  • Farms, Barns, Ranches
  • Historic Estates, Mansions
  • Hotels, Inns, Resorts
  • Museums, Galleries

Venue setting

  • Indoor
  • Outdoor
1800 N Dixboro Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105

Our event spaces

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Conservatory

The conservatory contains a rich collection of plants from around the world. This densely planted lush tropical and temperate garden creates a fabulous atmosphere to any wedding. An intimate space, always warm whatever the weather, the Conservatory will hold up to 100 guests including the wedding party. As the conservatory is the Gardens’ Crown Jewel it is open to the public from 10am until 8pm in the summer and 10am until 4:30pm in the winter, and is available for rent for ceremonies that begin at 5:30 pm. Ideal for smaller wedding parties or a romantic evening wedding, the conservatory is floodlit at night. Available for indoor ceremonies nine months out of the year, it is a fantastic contrast to the snow in winter or fall colors. Depending on the time of year, fragrant flowers such as Jasmine or gardenias may fill the conservatory with heavenly scent.

Guest capacity

Up to 100 Seated

Available services that can be provided by Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum

Services & amenities

  • Event rentals
  • Event staff
  • Service staff
  • Set up
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Wifi

Reviews

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5.0 out of 5

3 reviews

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  • Beautiful Ceremony space!

    •Verified review
    •Emily K.•Jun 26, 2024

    We were very happy we booked our ceremony at Matthaei Botanical Gardens. First of all, the gardens were gorgeous. We had our wedding in early June in the Perennial Gardens, and it's even more beautiful than it looks in photos. During the planning process, Monica was very easy to reach and very organized. We live out of state, but Monica was able to give a tour to my family (who live in town) while my husband and I were on FaceTime so we could see the space, and even gave us another tour once we were in town. We didn't have a day-of coordinator, but we really didn't need one with all of Monica's help. Monica helped us run the rehearsal (along with our officiant), and had assistants on the day of the wedding helping everything run smoothly. They had spaces for the bridal party to "hide" before the ceremony and took us through a back-entrance to the garden so the guests wouldn't see us before the ceremony. They helped us get lined up on time, and Monica even adjusted my dress and veil before walking down the aisle. From our guests perspective, parking was easy and there were signs directing them to the ceremony location. Given that this is an outdoor venue, there's always the risk of rain. However, Monica can help you pick the right time of year to minimize your risk. There's also information on the website about which gardens are at their peak bloom at different times of the year. Overall, we had a fantastic experience with Matthaei! We would recommend this location to anyone looking for an outdoor wedding.

  • Our wedding at Matthaei Botanical Gardens

    •Verified review
    •Emily B.•Oct 22, 2023

    My husband and I were married here in October of 2023. The venue was beautiful and was everything that we'd hoped for. The individuals at the Garden who helped us - especially Monica - made everything a smooth and easy process before and during our big day.

  • Affordable and Beautiful!

    •Verified review
    •Emily M.•Aug 8, 2023

    We fell in love with Matthaei when we lived in Ann Arbor and always had it in mind as a ceremony venue. Obviously since the site was a botanical garden, it was stunning. We got married in the Perennial Garden late June and everything was in bloom. It made for an absolutely beautiful backdrop for our photos afterward. I have to give a special shout-out to Monica, the events coordinator. She was absolutely on top of her game and was always super quick to get back to us. She even set us up with parasols the morning of to help our guests stay cool in the sun. They were all white so they looked cute in the photos as well! Cost was super reasonable, we paid 1800 for the deluxe package. Definitely recommend that or the premium if you don't want to deal with set up and takedown of the chairs. They did a great job with setup and everything was exactly as we wanted. Monica was also on-site for our rehearsal and helped us with all the last minute questions we had.

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