We had our wedding in the Missouri Botanical Gardens in September through Catering St. Louis (the…read moreonly way you can reserve an area in the botanical gardens). We regret this decision. The wedding itself was beautiful but the entire planning process and getting Catering St Louis to actually work with us was a NIGHTMARE.
First of all, it's a full non-refundable deposit that you must supply to hold your spot. This is also rain or shine, no refunds. We knew this and accepted this, but then (after we paid) they sent the full package with other restrictions we were not expected. No signs, no glasses or anything breakable. The seats that day will be set up for the largest group of the day, so if you have a small guest list compared to the other weddings occurring that day, too bad.
You have to pay an additional $300 for a golf cart if you want help transporting people to the wedding site (NOTE: this only applies to the wedding party! They don't want you to use it for all your guests). Additionally, if this golf cart breaks down, too bad, they only have one, there goes your money.
For a $3000 non-refundable deposit, you think they would provide reserved parking for at least the Bride and Groom. NOPE. When we met with Catering St. Louis representative, she assured us since it was a wedding earlier in the day, that we would find parking, but nothing was reserved. When I arrived with my parents in my dress, there was NO parking. My dad had to drop us off, park somewhere a mile away, and then RUN to the ceremony site. This was absurd. We talked with the folks at the botanical gardens themselves after this, and they said they would have supplied us with reserved parking if Catering St. Louis would have talked to them.
ALSO, the people with Catering St. Louis refused to meet and work with us/answer questions until a month before the wedding!!! It was incredibly frustrating not knowing what was going on and what else we had to do.
The only support we actually got from them was the ONE meeting with the Catering St. Louis representative less than a month before the wedding (which wasn't even in the botanical gardens, they met us in a cafe), and during the rehearsal. We got an hour for our rehearsal time and that process was smooth, but nothing was set up, and there was no way to hook our music up and to coordinate that. During the day of, the rehearsal coordinator gave us our ques to walk and then left.
We would NOT recommend having your wedding at the Botanical Gardens through Catering St. Louis. We are SO glad we didn't use them for our reception.