Botanic House is the restaurant and events venue inside the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, with glass walls on most sides looking out into the garden. It's usually booked for the reception, and it can host the ceremony indoors too. Many couples marry nearby in the Garden first, on a lawn or in the Palm House, and walk over for dinner; our Royal Botanic Garden guide covers those ceremony spots. We've designed the flowers for nine weddings at Botanic House since 2022. Here's what we've set up and what works.
Walking into the reception, March 2022 (photo: James Bennett).
At a glance
| Moment | What works |
|---|---|
| Reception tables | Low centrepieces on round tables, bud vase clusters on king tables, ikebana bowls and candles on a long bridal table |
| Ceremony indoors | A freestanding backdrop or a pair of arrangements on plinths, which then move to the bridal table |
| Flowers from your ceremony | Moved in along the front of the bridal table, to the seating chart, the bar or the wishing well table |
Reception tables
With glass on most sides, the room feels bright and open, so the table flowers can stay low and let the garden outside do the rest. Most couples choose round tables with a low arrangement and tealights. We've also done king tables with three bud vase clusters along each, a long bridal table facing out with ikebana bowls and pillar candles, and a cocktail-style reception with bud vases on bar tables. Some couples bring their own candles, and we place them around the flowers.
Low blush and cream for Amy & James (photo: James Bennett), white and blue by the windows in September 2023 (photo: our team).
Bud vases and candles down long tables by the glass, February 2025.
A bar arrangement with candles, November 2024 (photo: Jenny Sun Photography), and Steph & Alfred's cake (photo: Russell Stafford).
Ceremony at Botanic House
If you'd rather keep everything in one place, the ceremony can be held inside. We'd design a freestanding backdrop or a pair of statement arrangements on plinths at one end of the room, then move them to the bridal table once the room is set for dinner, so they work twice.
Bringing the ceremony flowers in
When your ceremony is somewhere else, in the Garden or at a church nearby, we bring the flowers into Botanic House while guests have drinks. Aisle arrangements become a row of flowers along the front of the bridal table, backdrop clusters go to the seating chart or the bar, and smaller pieces go on the wishing well table.
Amy & James's ceremony flowers on the bar and at the seating chart (photo: James Bennett).
Plan Your Flowers at Botanic House
Before booking here, couples ask us three things: how much is enough, what moves to the reception, and what the venue allows. This is what we've learned from our weddings at Botanic House.
How Much Is Enough Here
Inside, the glass walls and the garden do a lot of the work, so the tables can stay low. Guest numbers don't decide the look either: one of our fullest weddings here, Samantha & Zi's, was for 80 guests. These are the looks we see most.
Simple: bud vases down long tables, February 2025 (photo: our team). Fuller: one low arrangement on each round table, at Steph & Alfred's (photo: Russell Stafford).
Statement: a long bridal table facing the room, with the ceremony arrangements along its front, November 2024 (photo: Jenny Sun Photography).
The ceremony
- Simple: a single cluster on an arch, or a pair of large arrangements to frame you.
- Fuller: asymmetric clusters on three freestanding stands, plus flowers for the signing table and your welcome sign.
- Statement: a full floral arch with arrangements lining the aisle, or clusters on an arch with flowers on every second row of chairs and greenery hung above.
The tables
- Simple: bud vases along long tables, or ikebana bowls with candles.
- Fuller: one low arrangement on each round table, with tealights.
- Statement: your ceremony aisle arrangements moved onto every guest table.
The bridal table
- Simple: ikebana bowls and candles along a long table.
- Fuller: a feature low arrangement on a round table, a little bigger than the guest tables.
- Statement: a long table facing the room, with your ceremony clusters set along its front.
Bar, entrance and extras
- Simple: flowers on the easel for your welcome sign or seating chart.
- Fuller: a small arrangement beside the wishing well, and flowers for the cake.
- Statement: your ceremony backdrop moved to the bar as a feature.
What Moves to the Reception
Most couples here reuse their ceremony flowers. Once the ceremony finishes, we bring the flowers in while you have drinks. Where they go most often:
- The bar: backdrop clusters become a feature arrangement.
- The bridal table: clusters along the front, or aisle arrangements as the centrepiece.
- The guest tables: aisle arrangements, which we design to look good from every side for exactly this reason.
- The seating chart and wishing well: your welcome sign comes inside on its easel with its flowers, and smaller pieces go by the wishing well.
Our guide to reusing your wedding flowers covers how this works at any venue.
Good to Know Before You Plan
- Access. Vehicles enter the Garden with a ranger escort, and we call ahead so the ranger can tell us which gate to use. Every drop-off takes longer than you'd expect, and we plan for it.
- Guest numbers. Botanic House seats up to 150, or 200 for a cocktail-style reception.
- End of the night. Many couples skip pack-down. We wrap the flowers so guests can take them home.
Real weddings at Botanic House
See Amy & James's Botanic House and Harbour View Lawn wedding and Steph & Alfred's Palm House and Botanic House wedding, and Samantha & Zi's colourful Palm House and Botanic House wedding.
See more real setups on our Botanic House Pinterest board.
Botanic House wedding flowers FAQ
How much do wedding flowers cost at Botanic House?
There's no set price. It depends on your guest numbers, your table layout, and whether ceremony flowers are repurposed for the reception. After your enquiry we send a tailored range estimate, then a detailed proposal. Our guide to wedding flower pricing explains what drives it.
Can we have the ceremony at Botanic House?
Yes, indoors. Or marry nearby in the Garden and walk over; see our Royal Botanic Garden guide for the lawns and the Palm House.
Can the ceremony flowers be used at the reception?
Yes. Aisle arrangements often go along the front of the bridal table or onto guest tables, and backdrop clusters move to the seating chart or bar. More in our guide to reusing your wedding flowers.
Planning a Botanic House wedding?
Tell us your date, guest numbers and the moments you'd like flowers for, and we'll send a tailored range estimate. See our work as a Sydney wedding florist or start your enquiry.
Photography: James Bennett, Russell Stafford (now Pepper June) and Jenny Sun Photography, plus photos from our team.
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