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Dow Gardens Wedding Information
Thank you for considering Dow Gardens for your wedding ceremony. The following information should help you in your decision making, however, we invite you to contact Ben Tierney, our Wedding Coordinator, at 989.631.2677 or tierney@dowgardens.org, with any questions you may have.
General
Dow Gardens offers two different outdoor wedding locations. Site #1 is the Wedding Peninsula, a grassy area surrounded by our pond with views of two bridges. The peninsula is secluded and quiet, adding to the privacy of your wedding. Site #2 is the new Pineside wedding area. Pineside is a secluded location surrounded by large pine trees, rhododendrons and ferns. It also features a reflective pond and statue in the area.
Directional signage will be posted on the day of your wedding to help guests find their way. Most guests will enjoy the ¼ mile walk through the Gardens to either wedding area, however for those guests with mobility issues, we do have options: 1) A shorter pathway is available through the Dow Gardens theater area (for the Peninsula site only). 2) Two wheel chairs and/or three amigos are available for your use at no additional charge and can be reserved on a first come first serve basis. 3) A five passenger cart with a driver is available to be rented at a cost of $20.00 for two hours on a first come first served basis.
Time Blocks
Wedding Peninsula: 10 - 12pm, 1 - 3pm, 4 - 6pm (Ceremony start time to be 11am, 2pm, 5pm)
Pineside Wedding Area: 11 - 1pm, 2 - 4pm, 5 - 7pm (Ceremony start time to be 12pm, 3pm, 6pm)
Weekday weddings (except Friday) can be held at 6:00pm with a time block of 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Wedding rehearsals may be held in the Gardens one or two days prior to the wedding, at no additional cost and must be scheduled in advance.
Amenities
Electricity is available at either wedding area. Twenty chairs are included in the wedding charge and will be set up per your direction on the day of the wedding. Up to eighty additional chairs are available for rent at a cost of $1.75 per chair. Arrangements for rental chairs must be made in advance to assure availability.
Wedding Peninsula site only: Extra chairs may be rented from outside vendors. They must be delivered within the reserved time block to the service gate at 1907 W. St. Andrews. The Gardens staff will assist in transporting them to the wedding area.
The Pineside wedding area is limited to 100 chairs. There is, however, standing room available for additional guests.
Guests
There is no limit to the number of guests at a Dow Gardens wedding. Guests will be admitted through the Visitor’s Center upon telling the staff with which wedding they are associated. Wedding guests are free to stay and explore the Gardens between the wedding and reception.
Cost
The base cost for a wedding at Dow Gardens is $350. $100 is due upon booking and is non-refundable; the remainder is due four weeks prior to the wedding. A $50 damage deposit is required and will be refunded provided the grounds are left in essentially the same way they are found.
Rain
In case of rain or inclement weather, the Midland Center for the Arts does offer a backup facility. They are located on the Garden grounds and share a parking facility with the Dow Gardens. The cost to reserve this site as a backup is $140, bringing the total cost to $490 to have a Dow Gardens wedding with a backup site. Whiting Forest, located just 1/4 mile away from Dow Gardens, can also be used as an indoor backup for weddings with less than 80 guests. The charge for Whiting Forest is $100. If you are forced to use a backup site due to inclement weather, $250 is refunded to you.
Address
The Dow Gardens address to which you should direct guests is 1809 Eastman Ave. The Whiting Forest address is 2303 Eastman Ave.
