Garden planning guide · Checked October 1, 2026
How to prepare for a Brooklyn Botanic Garden elopement
Begin by choosing whether you are booking a ceremony, a separate portrait session or a catered wedding. Brooklyn Botanic Garden handles these differently; your photographic plan should fit the reservation you actually have.
1. Choose the right Garden booking
A ceremony-only wedding
BBG currently schedules these on Saturdays and Sundays, starting at 9 a.m. and finishing by 10 a.m. These are outdoor, standing ceremonies. Portrait photography is included during the ceremony reservation; photographs after 10 a.m. require a separate portrait permit.
A portrait session without a Garden ceremony
A separate portrait-session permit currently provides 60 minutes for a group of up to 25, including the people being photographed and the crew. Apply at least five business days before the proposed session. An inquiry does not confirm a booking; BBG requires the reservation to be contracted and paid.
A catered wedding
BBG’s catered weddings have their own event planning and venue arrangements. Speak with the Garden’s catering team about your proposed event. Access to catered wedding spaces does not come automatically with a portrait permit or ceremony-only reservation.
Keep Garden fees and photography costs separate
Checked on October 1, 2026, BBG lists its ceremony-only permit at $628 for up to 50 people and a separate portrait-session permit at $366 for a 60-minute session. Choose the fee for the reservation you need: the ceremony booking includes portrait photography fees within its reserved period. Confirm current fees, guest limits and any additional charges directly with BBG.
Compare Elope Me’s current photography packages for the parts of your day you want photographed. THE MICRO-WEDDING is $5,200 for up to 6 hours of photography. Any separate officiant, flowers, transport and a meal or reception have their own costs. A Garden reservation price is one part of the budget; it does not establish a total wedding cost.
2. Confirm the permission that fits your photographs
A general admission ticket does not replace the permit required for a professional portrait or special-occasion photo session. Use BBG’s dedicated portrait-session application and confirm the areas, time, guest count and equipment allowed for your booking.
The separate portrait-session permit currently allows one camera and tripod with reflective or flash lighting. The Garden remains open to other visitors unless your agreement states otherwise. Keep paths clear, protect the plantings and follow the staff’s directions.
Garden fees and photography coverage are separate costs. Check the current fees and contract conditions directly with BBG when applying.
3. Give the photo timeline a clear priority
For a ceremony-only booking, plan the ceremony, a short family-photo list and portraits within the 9–10 a.m. reserved period. Do not assume the same booking allows you to keep photographing once it ends.
For a separate portrait session, BBG asks you to arrive 10–15 minutes early and provides a security escort. The finish time is enforced. Choose the photographs that matter most rather than filling the session with a long route.
Portrait sessions are currently scheduled between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from April through October, and between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. from November through March. Confirm the available slot and meeting point in your reservation.
If your day continues elsewhere, leave room for travel and settling in. Martha and Tyler followed their Garden ceremony with family brunch at Café Mado, a break and an evening with friends at BABA on Withers. See their story for one example of a day with breathing room.
4. Make an outdoor plan you can follow
Ceremony-only weddings are rain or shine and do not include an indoor facility. A separate portrait permit has different terms: BBG may offer an available rain date, valid for one year, and does not give refunds. Read the conditions for the booking you choose.
Discuss clothing, shoes and the weather with your photographer before the day. Arrive dressed and ready for the session: BBG has no changing rooms and does not allow changing in restrooms or public areas.
Share any mobility requirements before choosing the portrait route. Some Garden paths are uneven, narrow or steep. Use the official accessibility information and map to discuss a workable meeting point and route with BBG.
5. Choose the season, then check what is flowering
Martha and Tyler’s photographs show green foliage, a willow and garden paths. These surroundings give their portraits a different texture from city streets, while keeping the people at the center of the collection.
If cherry blossoms are part of your idea, treat the date as a seasonal choice rather than a guaranteed backdrop. BBG’s different cherry varieties typically flower in succession from late March or early April through mid-May; the timing depends on weather, and an individual tree may flower for about a week.
Use CherryWatch and the Garden’s Plants in Bloom updates near your date. Choose a photographic plan you will enjoy even if a particular tree is before or after its peak.
Shot on location at Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Before your Garden photographs
Keep the confirmed reservation
Have the booking type, date, permitted time and contract instructions together. Check any separate permit needed for photography outside the reserved ceremony period.
Count the whole group
Include your photographer and crew when checking a portrait-session group limit. Share a short family-photo list and any guest access needs.
Agree the exact meeting point
Follow your reservation’s arrival instructions. Confirm the entrance, escort arrangement and route rather than relying on an older map or general opening hours.
Arrive ready to be photographed
Come dressed, with the bouquet and anything else needed for your portraits. Choose shoes that work for the agreed route and discuss the outdoor weather terms.
Protect the time for the photographs
Choose your priorities, keep travel realistic and agree when the Garden portion ends. Reserve coverage separately for preparations or a reception elsewhere.
Questions about preparing for the Garden
Do we need a photo permit if we are already booking a ceremony?
BBG includes portraits during its ceremony-only reservation, currently 9–10 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Photography after that period requires a separate portrait permit. Other event arrangements may have different terms, so confirm the permission attached to your own booking.
How far ahead should we apply for a portrait session?
BBG asks for a portrait-session application at least five business days in advance. Availability is limited, and submitting an inquiry does not reserve the session. The booking must be contracted and paid.
Can we change outfits during the session?
Arrive dressed and ready. BBG has no changing rooms and prohibits changing in restrooms or public areas. Plan your clothing around the reservation and portrait route.
Can our photographer book the Garden for us?
Elope Me’s planning consultation covers photography, locations and timing. Arrange the Garden reservation and any required permit directly with BBG, then share the confirmed details so the photo plan can fit them.
Bring the booking and the photographs into one plan
Once you know your reservation type, tell us the date, reserved time, guest count and the parts of the day you want photographed. We can discuss ceremony coverage, portraits and a celebration elsewhere as part of an agreed photographic scope.
See the Garden photography page for our approach and coverage planning, or explore Martha and Tyler’s full collection to see a real ceremony and the celebration that followed.