Gainesville Wedding Venue / Gainesville Indoor & Outdoor Rental

Kanapaha's visitors center, Summer House (featured to the left), and our 62-acre garden facility has both indoor and outdoor spaces and is the perfect location for wedding or party related rentals.  The rental fee includes chairs and tables (inside) and chairs (outside) arranged to your specifications.  Also included in your rental fee is access to the gardens for a rehearsal.  The rental fee also waives the regular cost of admission for your guests. 

While we offer many packages that may meet your individual needs, our featured rental package (especially for weddings) is the indoor & outdoor weekend special which includes 14 hours at a reduced hourly rate (plenty of time to set up and take down), your choice of one of our rooms, and one outdoor location, and thrown in for free the use of our kitchen. A second room can also be added on at a reduced rate.

Please note: Kanapaha closes at 5 p.m. every Friday

Photos courtesy of Ryan Caffrey Photography

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Our rental coordinator is available to tour the grounds by appointment. Our rental coordinator may be out in the Gardens when you call, and if so, will return your call shortly. To set up an appointment or have questions answered:

email: kanapahagardens@gmail.com       or

Phone number: 352-372-4981

Indoor spaces:

Our entrance building, Summer House, has two rooms and a kitchen available for indoor rental

Summer House featured above

Reception Hall: The Reception Hall seats 125 people around round table or 150 people theatre style.

Reception Hall featured above

Downloadable diagram of Reception Hall

The Conference Room and western half of wrap around porch: The Conference Room seats 86 people around round tables or theatre style. The western half of the wrap around porch and part of the eastern portion seats 128 people around round tables. However 150 guests is the maximum number of people we can accomodate.

Conference Room featured above

Downloadable diagram of Conference Room

Conference Room Porch featured above

Outdoor spaces:

Kanapaha has four designated areas for rental outside for a maximum of 150 guests: studio gazebo, wedding oak, bamboo garden and Balenoff lawn. There are also a few other areas available for smaller rentals.

Studio Gazebo featured above

Wedding Oak featured above

Bamboo Garden featured above

Balenoff Lawn featured above

Pavilion featured above

Guidelines for Events

            We have hosted hundreds of weddings, receptions, meetings, retreats and other social functions and are pleased to have the opportunity to serve you as well.  Over the years, we have developed this set of guidelines that are intended to answer many commonly asked questions and to assist you in planning your event.

General:   Please remember that Kanapaha Botanical Gardens will remain open to the public during some or all of most events.  We will endeavor to see that our visitors do not interfere with your activities and ask you to reciprocate.  When you make a reservation, you are guaranteed exclusive use of only the reserved space and only during the bloc of rental time. Common areas, such as lobbies inside Summer House, bathrooms, porches and sidewalks outside are not part of our rentals and should remain free of congestion, decorations and other set-up materials; if you wish to utilize another space for this or other purposes, it must be included in your rental agreement. No tables or chairs may be removed from Summer House for use at outdoor rental sites.

All restrictions that apply to gardens visitors also apply to individuals utilizing rental space.  For instance, smoking is not allowed in Summer House. Running or shouting in the building are prohibited and music (and other noise sources) must be kept to a level that does not disturb visitors or staff.  Children must always be under adult supervision with at least one adult accompanying every five children.  Entry into the Gift Gallery is restricted to individuals 18 years or older.

Kanapaha Gardens is not responsible for acts of "god," such as but not limited to hurrincaes, rain or tree falls. Outdoor rentals are "fair weather" affairs, ie. it is the responsibility of the renting party to make any alternate arrangements (including space reservation in Summer House) in the event of inclement weather.

The non-refundable rental deposit (which goes towards the rental price) is required to reserve the site of your choice and the balance is due one month before the event. In case of cancellation, any monies paid for site reservation, except the deposit, will be refunded. Additionally, a damage deposit must be made when the site is rented. This deposit will be fully refunded at the end of the month if the rental activity does not exceed the scheduled time block and leaves the site free of litter and in good condition, the guidelines were followed, and does not create a disturbance (excessively loud music or noise).

Frequently asked questions:

-Q. Are alcoholic beverages permitted?  A.  Yes, but with one restriction: because of our wood floors, kegs of beer must be kept off our floors and on a table. If renting the Conference room/Porch it can be kept on the porch in a container. If renting the kitchen, kegs can be put on the tile floor.

-Q. Are there restrictions on decorations and staging?  A. All decorations must be placed and removed within the rental time bloc unless. Decorations that are attached to gazebos, posts, railings etc. must be attached with string or another method that does not leave a mark and not with staples, tacks or tape. Nothing should be attached to walls. Candles may be used as part of a ceremony but luminaries and other light sources cannot be placed along walkways, porches or common areas. No other use of fire or fireworks is permitted.  Glitter, birdseed and confetti are prohibited but rice, bubbles, and flower petals may be used.  No tables, easels, sound equipment or other structures may be set up in public areas. If these or other items are needed, they must be supplied by the rental party. No decorations, linens, glasses, dishes or other rental equipment may be stored at Kanapaha overnight. Canopies, tents and other temporary structures that must be stakes into the ground are not allowed.

-Q. Can food be served?  A. Food cannot be cooked on site (such as barbeque) but may be brought in by a caterer or the rental party.  No part of the kitchen may be used unless it is part of the rental agreement.  It is the responsibility of the renting party to see that caterers abide by these guidelines.

-Q. When must rental facilities be vacated?  A. At the end of the bloc of rental time. Activities related to the rental (including those of caterers, decoration removal, etc.) that continue beyond scheduled rental time will incur a $200/hour charge that will be deducted from the damage/overtime deposit. The parking lot must be vacated within 15 minutes of the termination of an evening event so our staff may lock the gates.  No vehicles may be left overnight.  No one involved with a rental, including decorators, may be outside in the gardens after dark.

-Q. What about clean-up?  A. All decorations should be removed and the room(s) and outside facilities left as you found them. Trash and recyclables can be left for disposal by our staff.  This does not include large cardboard boxes and food preparation materials which must be removed by the rental party or caterer. Soiled surfaces should be wiped and cleaned.

-Q. Is there an additional charge for holding a rehearsal or entering Kanapaha for other planning purposes?  A. No, as long as these activities take place during our regular hours of operation and are scheduled in advance. This does not a dinner rehearsal as that is a separate rental. Please remember that Kanapaha Botanical Gardens closes at 5 p.m. on Friday.

-Q. Are golf carts available for use?  A. Kanapaha’s golf carts are available for rental and you may arrange a rental on your own (conventional vehicle; no oversize or specialty carts) if you feel it necessary to accommodate elderly or handicapped guests.  Carts must be operated by a responsible adult and may be used solely to transport guests between Summer House and outdoor rental sites. They are not to be used for sightseeing and must not be driven on the sidewalks except as necessary to reach rental sites. No vehicles (including limousines, horse-drawn carriages, rickshaws etc.) besides golf carts may proceed beyond the parking area. A waiver must be signed for golf cart use.