Singaporebrides | Fine Dining

February 2011

Gardens For Dreamy Outdoor Weddings

Our brides are getting more adventurous with solemnisation and wedding venues. No longer confined to the spiffy walls of hotel ballrooms and restaurants, brides are on a lookout for cosy, intimate locations and greener pastures. Literally.

In the world of weddings, summer is the most popular season for outdoor garden weddings. The flowers are vibrant, the sun is spreading love, and the blue sky provides the perfect backdrop for photographs. For a more romantic and elegant wedding, summer evenings with the balmy breeze are wonderful for amber sunsets and candlelit affairs. Can you already picture it in your mind?

Singapore’s climate is characterised by uniform summer-like weather and abundant rainfall, with no true distinct seasons. We may be well known as a concrete jungle but in actual fact, there is plenty of greenery around if you know where to look. Tucked away in hidden corners, these five venues specially chosen by SingaporeBrides feature luscious garden settings that are picture-perfect and very suitable for couples that want an intimate and memorable garden wedding. Exchanging your vows with your lawfully intended surrounded by blessings from your loved ones and Mother Nature, you’ll forget you’re just a stone’s throw away from the nearest skyscraper.

1. Seb’s Bistro @ Rochester House

Clockwise from left: Sheltered wooden archway, customised Alice in Wonderland theme, open-air deck in the evening

Amongst the many old colonial bungalows along the historical Rochester Park sits Rochester House. Charming yet impressive at the same time, the 30,000 square feet of land holds the main bungalow, an alfresco dining area, and a garden area that is ideal for weddings. The main bungalow houses The Playhouse, an indoor playground for children so they can have their share of fun while the adults are dining. A few steps away, the garden area is surrounded by lush foliage that keeps Rochester House hidden from view. Couples that are thinking of having a tea party will appreciate the wooden archway where you and your guests can mingle in comfort. In the evening, the Rochester House looks stunning, especially from the open-air deck. Just add decorations and candlelights, and your wedding can be as romantic as you want it to be.

Ideal for: Casual parties, a guest list with many children, sit-down dinners
Capacity: Max 200 guests (standing), 150 guests (sit-down)
Cuisine: French
Package details: Buffet and sit down menus of Western French cuisine, starting from SGD$60+ onwards and SGD$85+ onwards respectively. Wedding and solemnisation packages include basic floral decorations and basic sound system support. Wedding consultants on hand to provide customised creative concepts for floral décor, invitation cards, favours, menu cards, guest books, and other party needs to fit the wedding theme.
Address: 7 Rochester Park, Singapore 139218
Contact: +65 6222 6429 / 9673 4621 (Clarice)
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.rochesterhouse.com.sg

2. Villa Halia

Clockwise from top left: Entrance surrounded by greenery, table settings in Gallery Room, Courtyard with glass roof

Those who love the Singapore Botanic Gardens will be no stranger to Villa Halia. Nestled amongst tall palm trees in the Ginger Garden where more than 250 species of gingers with their stunning foliage and colourful flowers thrive, Villa Halia consists of three distinct areas: the Wine Bar, the Courtyard and the Gallery Room, which may be booked separately or together, allowing for intimate or big weddings. Couples that love the outdoors but prefer to be sheltered from the weather would love Villa Halia’s Courtyard. Featuring a transparent glass roof, the semi-circular structure and split-level table arrangement is just the right solution for couples that want an intimate yet open space. With minimal decorations required, the Courtyard is perfect for simple and elegant wedding solemnisations.

Ideal for: Formal parties with fine dining, guests who love the outdoors
Capacity: Min 100 guests, Max 230 (sit-down), Max 400 (standing)
Cuisine: Modern European
Package details: Lunch from $88++ per person Dinner from $118++ per person. Wedding packages include a set menu or buffet for lunch or dinner, with complimentary wedding solemnisation and reception tables, audio-visual playback system, champagne tower, champagne, personalised guest placecards, invitation cards and wedding favours.
Address:Villa Halia, Ginger Garden, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Tyersall Avenue
Contact: 6287 0711 (Please dial +65 country code when calling from overseas)
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.halia.com.sg

3. Gardenasia

Clockwise from left: Wedding solemnisation at Frangipani, stone structure at Chapel, long tables for dining at Chapel

“No two gardens are the same, and no two days are the same in one garden.” This simple yet lovely phrase encapsulates the very essence of Gardenasia. Frangipani, the smaller of the two open-air gardens situated in Gardenasia, features a rustic hut framed by the majestic canopy of a tall tree, where you can have your solemnisation ceremony. The other garden is aptly named Chapel for the iconic stone structure that can be accessed via a stone bridge, wonderful for photo-taking and a larger party. Couples can choose to dine under the blue sky or at the adjacent Bistro or Museum, so you don’t have to worry about rain. Those who would like an intimate party for family and close friends, and who appreciate the idyllic qualities of Nature, would love it here.

Ideal for: Casual, cosy parties, nature-lovers, a guest-list with children
Capacity: Min 40 guests, Max 60 guests (Frangipani), Min 70 guests, Max 120 guests (Chapel)
Cuisine: Western or International
Package details: The solemnisation package starts from $90++ for lunch or dinner, Buffet or Western set. It includes reception and solemnisation setup, choice of fresh floral decoration from the in-house florist, use of venue, complimentary parking, basic sound system with two wireless microphones and a 44-seater bus for transport.
Address: Gardenasia Pte Ltd, 240 Neo Tiew Crescent, Singapore 718898
Contact: +65 6336 5881
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.gardenasia.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/gardenasia

4. The Sentosa Resort & Spa

Clockwise from left: View of the South China Sea, wedding solemnisation set-up at the Terrace, The Ballroom

For couples that want to indulge themselves and their guests with a resort wedding, they don’t have to look far beyond our shores. Just Sentosa Island will do. The Sentosa Resort & Spa is situated atop a cliff set amidst acres of tropical gardens. From the sprawling Spice Island Point, one can have a gorgeous view of the sun setting over the South China Sea, absolutely stunning for an open-air wedding solemnisation. Or, you can have a charming ceremony surrounded by water-lily ponds at the courtyard terrace. After that, a cocktail and canapé reception can be held on the garden lawn for a true garden wedding experience before proceeding indoors for lunch or dinner. If you’re not planning a honeymoon right after your wedding, the exclusive garden villas at The Sentosa Resort & Spa, complete with private lap pools, would be a wonderful treat for winding down after your Big Day.

Ideal for: Both casual and formal parties, guests who are out-of-towners
Capacity: Min 200 guests, Max 260 guests (The Grand Salon), Min 100 guests, Max 150 guests (The Ballroom)
Cuisine: Chinese, Western, International, BBQ
Package details:Prices start from S$1,068 per table for 8-course Chinese Set, from S$116.80 per person for 4-course Western Set, from S$106.80 per person for International Buffet, and from $142.80 for BBQ Set. Wedding package includes a Bridal Suite, a Spa Botanica voucher, and special room rates for guests, amongst many other things. A wedding consultant will also be on hand to offer guidance.
Address: The Sentosa Resort & Spa, 2 Bukit Manis Road, Sentosa, Singapore 099891
Contact: +65 6371 1126 / 1125
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.thesentosa.com

5. HortPark

Clockwise from top left: Garden of Seasons, wedding solemnisation set-up at HortLawn, the sprawling Event Lawn

For the bride who wants to plan her own, unique garden wedding, there is HortPark. Home to two open-air lawns, namely the HortLawn, Event Lawn, and a quaint Garden of Seasons, HortPark is the ideal venue for couples that want the best of both worlds. HortLawn and Event Lawn can accommodate maximum capacities of 600 and 900 guests respectively. But for those who prefer to keep the wedding solemnisation a family affair away from the other guests, the Garden of Seasons is where you can have a private, romantic ceremony surrounded by creative displays of flowers and plants, according to the season in which your wedding is held. With very minimal décor needed, you can then focus on the other details. So even with a large wedding to host, you can have the intimate garden wedding of your dreams.

Ideal for: The hands-on bride and groom
Capacity: Max 50 guests (Garden of Seasons)
Cuisine: According to your choice from HortPark’s appointed caterers
Package details: The rental charge at HortPark, which is dependent on the type of event space as well as the number of hours booked, is separate from all other vendors involved.
Address: 33 Hyderabad Road (Off Alexandra Road), Singapore 119578
Contact: +65 6376 3909 / 6471 5601
Venue listings and rates: View here
Appointed Caterers and Logistic Vendors: View here
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.nparks.gov.sg/hortpark


Editor: All couples are advised to put aside some time to visit the respective venues before making a decision.

Credits: Images courtesy of Seb’s Bistro @ Rochester House, Villa Halia, Gardenasia, The Sentosa Resort & Spa, HortPark

All content from this article, including images, cannot be reproduced without credits or written permission from SingaporeBrides.

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Gardens For Dreamy Outdoor Weddings