Wedding Venue Guide · St. Petersburg
Sunken Gardens wedding flowers.
A century-old botanical garden on 4th Street North with strict décor rules. Here is how to plan flowers that work within them.
The garden
Plants first, decor second.
Sunken Gardens, at 1825 4th St N in St. Petersburg, is a city-owned botanical garden that has been hosting weddings since 1935. The garden itself is the décor: old-growth tropical plants, winding paths, waterfalls and koi ponds. The City of St. Petersburg runs the wedding program and publishes clear rules about what you can and can't bring in. Those rules shape the flowers more than at almost any other Tampa Bay venue, so it's worth reading them before you start a mood board.
The short version: the garden does most of the visual work, the rental window is fixed, and anything that could damage the plants or the paths is out. Flowers here should be portable, freestanding and finished before they arrive.
Independent guide
Flor + Palma is not affiliated with Sunken Gardens. Venue details here come from the venue’s own published materials; confirm floral rules, load-in times and installation guidelines with its event team before you finalize a design.
Spaces
Where weddings happen in the garden
The city lists these wedding areas:
Packages combining the gardens with the Garden Room hold up to 176 guests. The city has said a tented option for about 200 is planned for 2027 to 2028. If it rains, the ceremony moves into the Garden Room, so your ceremony flowers need to work indoors as well as out.
- The Wedding Lawn, the classic ceremony spot surrounded by tropical planting.
- The North Lawn, an alternative ceremony or cocktail area.
- The Oak Pavilion, a covered space for up to 72 guests.
- Palm Plaza, used for cocktails and gatherings.
- The Garden Room, an indoor hall that serves as the reception space and the rain plan.
Timing
Working inside the rental window
Sunken Gardens offers Sunday daytime weddings from 10am to 1pm, with an 11am ceremony, and evening rentals on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 4:30pm to 11:30pm. Vendors can arrive from 3pm for evening events, and all setup and cleanup must happen inside the rental window. Check the current schedule with the city, as times may change.
For flowers, this means:
Sunday morning weddings are cooler in summer and often less expensive, and the light in the garden at 11am is soft under the tree canopy.
- Ceremony arrangements, aisle pieces and centerpieces should arrive finished, ready to place.
- The florist needs a clear plan for which pieces go where, since there's no time for rearranging.
- Breakdown has to fit before 11:30pm. Decide in advance who takes flowers home, and arrange for a florist pickup or a family member to carry them out.
The rules
What the garden allows
These are the main rules from the city's guidelines that affect flowers and décor:
None of these rules prevent beautiful flowers. They push you towards freestanding arrangements, weighted vessels and pieces that rest on tables or the ground rather than attach to anything.
- No bird seed, confetti, glitter, rice, fireworks, sparklers, torches or open flames. That includes fresh petal tosses in most cases, so ask before planning one.
- Candles: a unity candle is the only open flame allowed outdoors. Glass-enclosed votives are allowed in the Garden Room. Outside, use battery candles.
- No nails, screws, staples, tape, glue or crepe paper on any surface, plant or structure.
- The venue doesn't supply ladders or linens.
- Catering comes from an approved list, and the venue provides the alcohol.
Ceremony
Designing for the Wedding Lawn
The lawn is framed by mature plants, so the ceremony needs less than you'd expect. Two freestanding floor arrangements, one on each side of where you'll stand, give photographers a frame without hiding the garden. A freestanding arch is possible if it's weighted and placed on the lawn without stakes, but ask the city first.
Aisle flowers should sit on the ground in low vessels or on shepherd's hooks that don't need staking, if the city allows them. Keep the color palette close to what's already blooming in the garden, which in St. Petersburg means lots of deep green, with tropical accents.
Reception
The Garden Room
The Garden Room is an indoor hall, which means air conditioning, a controlled temperature and the option of glass votives. This is where delicate flowers belong: garden roses, ranunculus, sweet peas, lisianthus and peonies in season.
Since there are no linens provided, your caterer or rental company will bring them. Coordinate the linen color with your flowers early. Low centerpieces in footed compotes or bud vase groupings suit the scale of the room. For 176 guests on rounds of ten, you're looking at about 18 tables, so a mix of two or three designs keeps costs predictable.
Logistics
Parking, carrying and the walk in
Parking at Sunken Gardens is free, which makes the day simpler for guests and vendors. The garden paths are winding and narrow in places, though, and everything has to be carried from the vehicle to where it will stand. That favors arrangements in sturdy, easy-to-carry vessels over very large or fragile installations. Two people can move a pair of ceremony urns; a full floral arch built on site is a much bigger job inside a fixed window.
A practical way to plan is to list every piece, where it goes and who carries it. A typical evening wedding might include:
If the ceremony pieces will move into the Garden Room after the vows, to sit by the bar or the cake, plan that move with your coordinator. It's an easy way to get two uses out of the largest arrangements.
- Two ceremony floor arrangements and four to six aisle pieces on the Wedding Lawn.
- A bridal bouquet, bridesmaids' bouquets and boutonnieres, delivered to wherever the wedding party is getting ready.
- A welcome or escort-card arrangement near the entrance.
- Centerpieces and a sweetheart or head table piece in the Garden Room.
Season
Heat, rain and the garden's own rhythm
St. Petersburg weddings are most comfortable from October to May. In summer, an evening ceremony at 6pm can still be close to 90°F with high humidity, and afternoon storms are common from June through September. The Sunday morning slot avoids the worst of the heat. For outdoor pieces in warm months, choose stems that hold up well: orchids, anthurium, protea, sturdy garden roses and tropical foliage. Save delicate flowers for the air-conditioned Garden Room.
Palette
Letting the garden lead
Because the garden is so green, a few palettes always look settled here:
Avoid heavy dyed or painted flowers, which look out of place against living plants.
- White and green: white roses, orchids and lots of foliage, which echoes the plants around you.
- Peach and blush: soft, warm tones that glow under the tree canopy.
- Bright tropical: orange, coral and hot pink, with ginger, heliconia and anthurium, which echoes the garden's tropical plants.
Planning
Getting started
Bring your package, date, guest count and whether you'll use the Garden Room to the first conversation. From there we'll plan ceremony and reception flowers that follow the city's rules and work in the time available. See our approach to wedding flowers, compare other Tampa Bay venues, or read our guide to wedding flowers in the Tampa heat. For everyday deliveries in the city, see flower delivery in St. Petersburg.
FAQ
Sunken Gardens wedding flower questions.
How many guests can Sunken Gardens accommodate for a wedding?
Packages combining the gardens with the Garden Room hold up to 176 guests, and the Oak Pavilion holds 72. The city has said a tented option for about 200 guests is planned for 2027 to 2028. Confirm current options with the city.
Can you throw petals at a Sunken Gardens wedding?
The guidelines ban bird seed, confetti, glitter and rice, and fresh petal tosses are often restricted too. Ask the city before planning one. Bubbles or a ribbon wave are common alternatives.
Are candles allowed at Sunken Gardens?
A unity candle is the only open flame permitted outdoors. Glass-enclosed votives are allowed in the Garden Room, and battery candles can be used outside.
What happens if it rains on our Sunken Gardens wedding day?
The ceremony moves into the Garden Room. Plan ceremony flowers that can be carried indoors and still work in the room, so a rain plan doesn't mean a second set of designs.
Can we have a reception at Sunken Gardens?
Yes. Receptions are usually held in the Garden Room, with catering from the city's approved caterers and alcohol supplied by the venue.
Plan your wedding florals
Planning a wedding at Sunken Gardens?
Share your date, guest count and vision, and we'll suggest a design and budget.