The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is the most popular centrally located Austin wedding venue that *feels* like the Hill Country. While there isn’t any lodging on site, it’s only 15 minutes from South Austin so you have a ton of hotel options nearby. If the Wildflower Center is your top venue choice (and why shouldn’t it be) here are some tips from a photographer!
About weddings at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center can accommodate up to 150 guests. This includes seated dinners, cocktail-style events, and ceremonies indoor or outdoor.
What Your Rental Includes – From the Wildflower Center’s website
- An 8-hour time rental (4 pm to midnight)
- Multiple outdoor ceremony options
- Two reception options (one indoor and one outdoor)
- Changing room
- Complimentary one-hour rehearsal prior to your event date (roll this into your wedding weekend coverage and have me come to the Rehearsal Dinner that night as well!)
- Complimentary two-hour photo session prior to your event date (could use this for an engagement session? or bridals?)
- Free one-year Dual Membership for you and your partner to enjoy the Wildflower Center in all seasons.
The recommended vendor list is extensive. I know this firsthand as someone who inquired with the Wildflower Center for her own wedding!
My favorite planners from the list are:
Having a full-service planner will alleviate SO MUCH stress about budget, logistics and hiring the best vendors. Because nobody should be asking the bride where the extension cords are.
How many hours of photography will you need for your wedding at the Wildflower Center?
That’s depends on what kind of photos you’re looking for!
Do you just want your photographer to show up right before the ceremony and stay till the exit? If so, since your rental time begins at 4 pm, this means ceremonies must start at a minimum, at 5 pm maybe 6 in the summer, and continue till 11 pm at the latest.
I offer both a 6 hour coverage package and an all-day wedding coverage package.
- With 6 hour timeline you have a compact, busy day with all your photography done on-site at the Wildflower Center.
Shorter coverage means we make the timeline fit the photography.
- With a full-day timeline, you can skip watching the clock or stressing out, and I can come to your Airbnb or hotel to help you get ready, take robe/pajama pics, and keep a more relaxed schedule for more candids.
Full-day coverage means the photography can fit into your wedding.
The best part of a full-day timeline isn’t actually that you get more photos. It’s that we have enough time to let the day unfold naturally.
Where to take photos at the Wildflower Center
Choosing where to take portraits at the Wildflower Center can feel almost overwhelming! But with an experienced wedding photographer, you won’t need to create a shot list. Instead you can sit back and enjoy the day. We’ll build your timeline around the actual sunset on your wedding date, so we can sneak away for those dreamy golden-hour portraits without you missing your own party.
What caterers do you love for Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center weddings?
Food can make or break your guests’ experience and with recent caterers going under without warning, it’s important to go with a reputable company.
Serve up some amazing farm-to-table catering using Root Cellar, or change it up and feed your guests Southern Asian-Fusion with The Peached Tortilla.
We worked with La Pera for my wedding and LOVED the experience. Our guests RAVED about the food for at least 6 months after our wedding. Mexican-inspired flavors that focus on seasonal, high-quality ingredients. The vegetarian, vegan and pescatarian options were incredible and the stylish plating is unique and welcoming at the same time. Just like the Wildflower Center! I wish more people would use them!
Rules to keep in mind when booking the Wildflower Center for your wedding
- Because the Wildflower Center is open to the public during the day, access to the venue begins at 4 pm. This means you and your respective attendants will arrive shortly after that to get dressed and do things like First Look, Wedding party pictures, etc.
- No open flames – that means no sparkler exits allowed. So you gotta get creative with this one! Some easy swaps for sparkler exits are: bubbles, LED ribbon wands, no mess pop-out streamers, glow sticks or rose petals.
- Preferred vendor list – Catering and planners must be from the preferred vendor list, which may limit your options, but I believe all the caterers in Austin serve delicious food. Some of my faves are what I posted above.
Real Weddings from the Wildflower Center
Why should you choose to get married here?
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is one of the best outdoor Austin wedding venues with a variety of ceremony options and beautiful location in central Austin.
Are you considering having your wedding at the Wildflower Center but want to review my work a little more? See more LBJ Wildflower Center Weddings.
