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Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens
4.7 ★★★★★ 382 Google reviews · Garden wedding venue in Waterloo, Iowa
40-acre oasis with multiple themed gardens, including a kids’ area with a fish pond & Hobbit homes.
Plan your tour
- Today see hours ·
- Website cedarvalleyarboretum.org — most venues book tours right on their site
Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 9 am–6 pm |
| Wednesday | 9 am–6 pm |
| Thursday | 9 am–8 pm |
| Friday | 9 am–6 pm |
| Saturday | 9 am–6 pm |
| Sunday | 11 am–6 pm |
The setting
“Beautifully maintained botanical gardens.”
“Last Friday I attended a wedding in the rose garden and the while things was beautiful!”
“I wanted to see the butterflies in the butterfly meadow and I was really looking forward to finally going here.”
Amenities couples mention
“Last Friday I attended a wedding in the rose garden and the while things was beautiful!”
“Kids playground with Koi fish is so awesome.”
“They had some beautiful combinations of flowers and must be very skilled to get their dark Huechera to grow in full sun surrounding a water feature.”
“They offer scooters and wheelchairs if you bring your own make sure it’s heavy duty because part of the walking trails are unpaved gravel roads and you may get stuck.”
What couples say again and again
“They had some beautiful combinations of flowers and must be very skilled to get their dark Huechera to grow in full sun surrounding a water feature.”
From the reviews
I've been to the arboretum several times and it is always beautiful and peaceful. This past weekend I attended a wedding in the rose garden and it was perfect.
I have been here several times & it is always beautiful & peaceful. Last Friday I attended a wedding in the rose garden and the while things was beautiful!!
Getting married at Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens
Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens comes up for weddings — confirmed on their own site. Two things make the tour worth it. First, see the garden at the time of day and season you'd actually get married — a garden that glows at golden hour in June can look very different at noon in March, so ask what's in bloom for your date and walk the path your guests take from parking to ceremony to reception. Second, bring your real questions: the rain plan (where does the ceremony move, and does it hold everyone?), shade and bugs for a summer afternoon, the catering and bar policy, the music curfew, and exactly what's included — tables, chairs, setup, and teardown are where quotes quietly diverge. Popular garden dates book 12–18 months out, so if the tour feels right, ask what's open in your season before you leave.
Corporate events & private parties at Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens
Reviews and the venue's own info mention corporate events, retreats, or private parties at Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens — garden venues often have real weekday availability since weddings claim the weekends. A quick call answers the three things that matter: weekday and off-season rates, whether the space works for your headcount and A/V needs, and what catering is allowed. If your event lands on a Friday or Saturday in wedding season, ask early.
