A natural choice for your wedding
Have your wedding among thousands of flowering trees, beautiful gardens, stunning autumn leaves, and pristine snow-covered lakes. Exchange vows in the former library of the Morton family mansion or have an elegant large-scale reception with a breathtaking lake-view room, all situated on our 1,700 acre grounds.
UPDATE: New openings for Saturday evening wedding ceremonies and receptions in Summer & Fall 2012!
Read our wedding brochure. It includes:
- Rental rates
- In-depth descriptions of ceremony and reception sites
- Wedding packages
- Year-round menu
- Customized enhancements
- Preferred vendors
Menus
All gourmet menu items at your reception are provided by the Arboretum's exclusive in-house caterer.
In-depth wedding menu
Specialty Station
Plus, find additional outdoor wedding ceremony information.
Winter Weddings at The Morton Arboretum
(Offered December-March)
Ginkgo Package
$2,500 Rental Rate for Ginkgo Room
Ceremony in the Gingko Room, Cocktail Reception in Orientation Hall, and Dinner and Dancing in the Ginkgo Room
Thornhill Package
$1,500 Rental Rate for Thornhill Education Center
Ceremony in Founder's Room, Cocktail Reception in Foyer, Dinner in the Arbor Room, and Dancing in the Founder's Room
Dinner Includes:
Four Hour Bar
Wine or Champagne Poured for Toast
Mixed Greens with Dried Cranberries,Toasted Walnuts,
Crumbled Gorgonzola
Black Cherry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Assorted Rolls, Honey Butter Rosettes
Suggested Entrées
Pork Tenderloin
with Apricot-Fig Chutney, Duchesse Sweet Potato, and Winter Root Vegetables
or
Stuffed with Spinach, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Toasted Pine Nut
on a Bed of Long Grain and Wild Rice with Dried Fruits
Haricot Vert
Custom Wedding Cake by The Cakery, Inc., our exclusive wedding cake provider
Freshly Brewed Coffees and Teas
Menu: $72 per Person
*Alternative entree selections are available at an additional charge.
All Food and Beverage is Subject to a 21% Service Charge and 7.25% Sales Tax
Top 3 Tips for Planning an Outdoor Wedding
from Margaret Martin, Arboretum Wedding Expert & Facility Rental Manager
1. Have a Back-Up Plan
When planning an outdoor wedding, many brides make the mistake of not securing a back-up ceremony and/or receptions location. "What's great about the Arboretum is that we have many indoor back-up locations that still have an amazing view of nature," Martin said. "Some brides are reluctant to take the risk of an outdoor wedding, but I always encourage it. Their reward is stunning pictures among thousands of flowering trees and sparkling lakes."
2. Make the most of the outdoor setting
An outdoor wedding adds a whole new breathtaking backdrop. With flowering trees and vibrant groundcovers surrounding your ceremony and/or reception site, there's a brand new color palette to work with. "An outdoor wedding provides unique and interesting nature decor," Martin said. She suggests using the season's natural elements to enhance your theme.
3. Consider Taking Photos Before the Ceremony
As ancient times dictate, it's bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other before vows are exchanged. Now a days, it's common to see each other privately for a "first glance photo" before the ceremony, or have professional bridal party photo-shoots. "Pre-ceremony photoshoots allow you more time for different poses and various backdrops among our beautiful trees, gardens and lakes," Martin said. "Plus, it provides you with more moments to mingle with guests during the cocktail hour."
The Wedding Photo Tram Tour takes your guests aboard the Acorn Express open-air tram on a one-hour, narrated tour of the Arboretum grounds. We'll provide background music or bring along your favorite CD to enjoy while guests take in the scenery and the views. Your private wedding tram makes one scenic photo stop of your choice along the way.
Nature-Inspired Wedding Registry
Receive a complimentary consultation with The Arboretum Store staff about nature-inspired gifts to include on your bridal registry. The Arboretum has collections of home decor, tabletop items, and garden gear. Choose from items hand-crafted by the finest artisans, some using natural resources directly from the Arboretum.
When you register your wish list with us, we will provide complimentary enclosure cards. This is an elegant and discreet way to let your guests know where you're registered.
Provide us with the address to which you'd like your gifts shipped and we take care of shipping Arboretum gifts from your guests. If your reception is being held at The Morton Arboretum, we can even hand-deliver your gifts to the reception site the day of your event.
If you have a change of heart over some of the gifts you have chosen, simply return them for exchange. If you can't decide on an alternative right away, we will happily issue a gift certificate that can be used on future purchases.
All gifts bought at The Arboretum Store support the Arboretum's mission to plant and protect trees.