What kinds of events can be hosted at the Garden Club?

Weddings, galas, fundraisers, business meetings, retirement parties, baby showers, graduations, religious services, concerts, proms, and more! We have decades of experience hosting amazing events of all types.

What comes with my rental?

We have Intimate, Elegant, and Grand rental packages available to accommodate almost any size event you’re planning. The Intimate Events package for up to 60 guests includes our Club Room, which has two bathrooms and a small kitchen; you have the option to add the Courtyard as well. The Elegant Events package for up to 120 guests includes the Ballroom, Courtyard, and catering kitchen. The Grand Events package for more than 120 guests includes the entire campus. All packages include our private parking lot with parking for more than 60 cars. Tables and chairs appropriate for the size of your event are also included.

Are there other items available for my event?

We have 48-inch rounds, 60-inch rounds, six-foot banquets, eight-foot banquets, and high-top tables, as well as white folding chairs or padded banquet chairs available for rent. We also have a wedding arch and backdrop available by request. You are welcome to rent other items from an event rental company such as speciality chairs, tents, etc.

What rental times are available?

The Garden Club provides five-hour, six-hour, seven-hour, and 14-hour rental packages between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m.  Additional hours may also be purchased.

Do you host rental events on holiday weekends?

Events on most holidays and holiday weekends will be charged at the weekend rate plus a 20 percent charge based on availability. 

How much does renting the Garden Club cost?

We have a rental package to match your budget! Rentals of the Club Room start at $1,200, rentals of the Ballroom start at $3,500, and Campus rentals start at $4,700, depending on the day of the week and time of day. The Garden Club also provides discounted rates for nonprofits and military clients.

What forms of payment are accepted? When is the remainder of my payment due? 

The Garden Club accepts payment by ACH bank transfer (preferred method), credit card, Apple Pay, check, or cash. To secure your date, 30 percent of the rental fee plus a $1,000 damage deposit (refundable three weeks after the event) is due at the signing of the rental agreement. The final payment is due 90 days prior to your event. Payment of sales tax along with any additional rental hours and amenities needed is due approximately four weeks prior to your event. Any events booked within 90 days are paid in full at reservation.

Is there a deposit?

To secure your date, 30 percent of the rental fee plus a $1,000 damage deposit (refundable three weeks after the event) is due at the signing of the rental agreement.

Once I reserve my date, what happens next?
We’ll reach out with a blank floor plan and vendor list for you to start planning your event. If you have a planner, we’re happy to connect with them directly. Once your final payment is received, we’ll schedule a venue walkthrough for you to share your vision for the big day in person and create a digital floor plan to share with you and your vendors. About six weeks before your event, we’ll ask you to send your vendor list to us so we can confirm event details with them. Then we’ll compile a final event timeline to make sure everyone’s on the same page for the big day. Need help along the way? No problem! We’ve got experienced staff happy to point you in the right direction for anything that comes up.

How much time do I have to decorate and clean up?

Rental times include time for decorating and cleanup. If your event will require more time, please schedule additional hours at the time of the contract.

Is cleaning after my event provided?

You or the vendors you hire are responsible for cleaning and removing any food, beverages, or decorations you bring for your event. The Garden Club provides plenty of trash bags for your vendors to remove debris to the dumpster outside. Garden Club staff will take care of storing tables and chairs after your event.

Do I have to use specific vendors?

You can use any caterer, decorator, rental company, band, disc jockey, or other vendors you choose. The Garden Club can provide a few preferred vendors we have worked with in the past. There is no fee to choose your own vendors (with proof of insurance), and we’ll make sure we answer any questions they have well in advance.

May we serve liquor?

If you plan on serving beer, wine, or alcoholic beverages of any kind, you must obey all state and local laws. Beer kegs must be confined to the Courtyard area. Coolers in the Ballroom and Club Room must be placed on absorbent mats. No bottled beer is allowed on the premises because of the hazards of broken glass.

What kind of license or insurance am I required to have?

All rental clients are required to have event insurance (plus liquor liability if applicable) naming the Garden Club as an additional insured 10 days prior to your event. You can purchase event insurance through your home or renter policy, or by searching “event insurance” online. If you plan on selling beer, wine, or alcoholic beverages of any kind, you must provide a copy of certified liquor liability insurance naming the Garden Club as an additional insured. For activities involving fire or acrobatic equipment, the person performing must provide liability insurance for themselves and their equipment.

Do I need to provide security?

Depending on the kind of event, the Garden Club may require you to provide security, particularly at events where alcoholic beverages are going to be sold.

Is smoking allowed?

The Garden Club is a tobacco-free facility. Smoking, tobacco use, or vaping is only allowed in the designated areas between the Courtyard and the parking lot or in the loading area between the garage and the kitchen—not inside any of the buildings, at the Riverside Avenue or Post Street entrances, in the breezeway, in the Courtyard, or in the parking lot. Cigarette butts may only be disposed of in the designated containers—not on the grounds, in the gardens, or in the river.

Are there noise restrictions?

Amplified music is allowed indoors and outdoors, though the outdoors music must end by 10 p.m.

What happens if I’ve planned an outdoor event and it rains?

We work with all of our rental clients to create a rain plan that works for their event. If you were planning to hold an outdoor ceremony, we can arrange tables in the Ballroom to create an aisle for the wedding party to enter.

Will someone be on the property to help me with my event?

Our staff of skilled Event Ambassadors will be on hand to help you.

Are there any special rules for teen events?

A principal or the sponsor must sign the rental agreement for the event. Decorations must be done under the supervision of one or more adults. One week prior to the event, the Garden Club must receive a list of the names, email addresses, and mobile phone numbers of all chaperones. Teens are not allowed to drink alcohol, smoke, or use other substances on the premises. Chaperones must be on the premises at all times, and they must regularly check all of the bathrooms and the parking lot throughout the event.

How is decorating handled?

Garden Club staff will have all your tables and chairs set-up ahead of time based on the floor plan we create with you. When you arrive, all you have to do is add any tablecloths or decorations that you provide.