Dara's Garden

Business Details

20 Years

experience

Your Storybook Wedding Venue in Knoxville

Dara's Garden was founded in 2006 with a vision to create a magical wedding experience rooted in hospitality and natural beauty. Our 20-acre property in South Knoxville offers meticulously designed spaces that blend storybook charm with modern convenience. We specialize in full-service wedding coordination, providing couples with customizable packages that include venue access, premium amenities, and expert guidance throughout the planning process. Our team of seasoned professionals brings decades of combined experience in event management, ensuring seamless execution of ceremonies and receptions for up to 300+ guests.

Located just 10 minutes from downtown Knoxville and McGhee Tyson Airport, we combine accessibility with an immersive atmosphere featuring twinkle-lit trees, seasonal floral displays, and versatile indoor-outdoor spaces. Our commitment to inclusivity ensures every couple feels at home while creating lifelong memories in our enchanted garden setting.

Services

Wedding Packages Elopement Services Venue Rentals Catering Coordination Event Planning

Details

Year established: 2006

Highlights and features

We offer 20+ acres of meticulously designed wedding spaces with year-round floral beauty
Our packages include exclusive access to ceremony sites and premium reception amenities
We provide personalized coordination with 15+ years of local wedding industry expertise
Our venue features twinkle-lit trees and climate-controlled spaces for any season
We offer seamless access to sister companies for catering and rental services

What people say

Best day of my life Flawless execution Magical atmosphere Stunning venue Personalized service

Website

Update Listing

Services

Wedding Packages

Our customizable wedding packages include venue access, premium amenities, and expert coordination. Couples receive 12-hour access with setup/breakdown services, private suites, and capacity for 50-300+ guests. Packages feature twinkle-lit trees, climate-controlled pavilions, and seasonal floral displays.

Elopement Services

Private elopement packages offer exclusive garden access for small weddings. Services include ceremony site selection, guestbook setup, and private suites for couples. Available weekdays with options for micro-receptions in our historic fireplace room or outdoor patio spaces.

Venue Rentals

Full venue rentals include multiple ceremony sites, a 200-guest reception pavilion, and historic home accommodations. Rentals feature lighting packages, climate-controlled spaces, and parking facilities. Additional rental items available through approved vendors for customized events.

Catering Coordination

Exclusive catering partnership with Rothchild Catering provides customized menu planning and on-site food service. We coordinate tasting sessions, dietary accommodations, and event-day food presentation to complement our venue's elegant atmosphere and seasonal themes.

Event Planning

Professional event coordination includes venue walkthroughs, vendor management, and timeline creation. Our team assists with layout planning, decor placement, and day-of execution to ensure seamless transitions between ceremony, reception, and special moments.

People

Dara AYN Bozdogan

Owner

Founder of Dara's Garden with 18+ years in the wedding industry. Created the venue after a college entrepreneurship project. Graduated from Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in 2003. Committed to inclusive, personalized wedding experiences.

Kate Keylon

Venue Director

Venue Director since 2010 with service management degree. Married at Dara's Garden in 2013. Combines event expertise with community involvement as Children's Coordinator at Middlesettlements Church. Owns Sweet Southern Tans business.

Amber Edgar

Venue Concierge

Joined in 2023 with Animal Science degree and business minor. Transformed catering experience into event coordination role. Focuses on personalized guest experiences while balancing animal care passion and event management responsibilities.

Questions

What wedding package options do you offer?

We offer two main packages: Fairytale (12-hour access for 50-200 guests) and Intimate (12-hour access for 60 guests or less). Both include venue setup, private suites, and rental items.

Can we host elopements or micro-weddings?

Yes! We offer elopement packages Monday-Thursday for up to 30 guests. Micro-weddings require booking through our Intimate package with options for smaller receptions in our fireplace room or patio.

Are there catering restrictions?

Our exclusive catering partner is Rothchild Catering, but we allow outside vendors with prior approval. We recommend using our sister company for seamless coordination and quality assurance.

What payment options are available?

We offer a 15% daytime discount for 8am-6pm events. Couples booking approved coordinators receive a $350 invoice credit. Payment plans available with 50% deposit required at booking.

How far in advance can we book?

Elopements book 60 days out, micro-weddings 6 months in advance. Full packages available 7 months ahead. Daytime options are required for March bookings.

What happens during inclement weather?

Our pavilion has adjustable sides for weather protection. Micro-receptions move to the main house fireplace room. We monitor forecasts closely and provide real-time updates to ensure guest comfort.

Reviews (7)

Write a Review

Bud Nellums

Apr 25, 2022 Report

Absolutely beautiful place! The day was perfect for a wedding. The venue was perfect. The couple is perfect for each other. Just a glorious day all around.

Kelly A.

Jan 09, 2022 Report

We held our micro-wedding this past September at Dara's Garden and it could not have been more perfect! Dara and Kate are such wonderful people and incredibly helpful every step of the way. They truly went above and beyond. You can tell how passionate they are for creating a wonderful day for everyone!

Bailey McLeod

Nov 13, 2021 Report

If you are looking for a wedding venue near Knoxville, TN you need to look into Dara's Garden. This property has everything you could imagine: gorgeous grounds for photos; multiple ceremony and cocktail hour locations; a tented reception space, tables, chairs and linens; a kind and organized staff (thank you Dara and Kate!) and so much more. Every inch of the property was clean and well maintained.

I am a wedding planner and my clients booked the Fairytale Package with Dara's Garden and the package exceeded my expectations. We were able to have a rehearsal on the property the day before the wedding and be onsite for 12 hours on the wedding day. This gave us the perfect amount of time to set up and have a smooth event. Thank you so much to Dara and Kate for all of your thoughtful help throughout the planning process. You two are rockstars!

Katherine Parker

Nov 10, 2021 Report

Dara and Kate are the perfect team and they made our wedding so special. We got caught up in the pandemic and had to postpone twice. Dara and Kate were supportive and understanding through the whole process. I felt cared for and was able to be genuine with them. They always responded to my questions and eased my mind countless times. When the big day finally arrived it went quite smoothly. There was a hitch with one of our other vendors and Dara jumped into action, quickly resolving the issue. I can't thank them or recommend them enough!

Rachael Brill

Aug 30, 2021 Report

We are so glad that we chose Dara's for our wedding venue in April. Both Dara and Kate were so helpful through the entire process. They are friendly and professional, offered advice based on past experiences, helped adjust items beautifully when the forecast turned rainy, and were always willing to chat about wedding day plans when needed. The grounds are gorgeous along with the house/dressing suites. They helped us not worry about a thing the day of and to enjoy it fully. Thank you Dara and Kate!

Lillian Rundberg

Aug 13, 2021 Report

Dara and her staff are just WONDERFUL. They were so kind and accommodating to us from day 1 and worked with us to create the intimate wedding that we wanted by modifying one of their packages for us. They were very understanding when we had to postpone our wedding by a year due to covid. They took care of every detail and made sure our day was perfect. Dara even drove the bride to the ceremony site in her family car so I didn't have to walk across the property. All of our guests loved the venue. We highly recommend Dara's!

Shawn Salley

Jul 11, 2021 Report

I cannot say enough great things about Dara's Garden! Dara and Kate were both so incredible to both me and my wife throughout the process of planning our wedding. They were very accommodating and allowed us to be on the grounds whenever we wanted in order to plan everything. They both helped to make the day of the rehearsal and the ceremony run smoothly, and they are both so kind and fun to be around. I recommend Dara's Garden very highly!