Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Updated
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Photos
About This Vendor
A World-Renowned Garden Wedding Venue
Phipps Conservatory is a garden venue located in Pittsburgh, PA, that specializes in outdoor events and eco-friendly weddings. Named one of the best garden wedding venues in the world by Harper’s Bazaar magazine, this oasis of botanical beauty was made for memorable occasions. Home to majestic, themed garden rooms and a spectacular 12,000-square-foot greenhouse, you will fall in love with the peaceful and picturesque backdrop this unique location provides. Phipps Conservatory is available for your entire wedding journey, from rooftop engagement parties to intimate glasshouse ceremonies and large-scale marquee receptions. There are four unique and scenic event spaces at this venue, each set against a backdrop of vibrant florals and exotic plant life. The outstanding greenhouse is available for wedding photographs throughout your wedding celebration. From the Tropical Forest Conservatory to the Broderie Room, you will be spoiled for choice when planning your pre-wedding and day-of parties. Ceremonies take place in a four-tiered garden that overlooks a classic water fountain, with white seating arranged on the lawn. Afterward, guests can soak up the surroundings during cocktail hour before sitting down to a formal meal inside a sophisticated tent. This setup is suitable for couples seeking an alfresco ambience with the comfort of indoor facilities for up to 200 loved ones. Phipps Conservatory is a versatile venue that can be curated to suit micro weddings and large-scale celebrations. The events team has created an Intimate Wedding Package especially for couples who wish to proceed with their nuptials amidst the Covid-19 crisis. It comprises a single-tier wedding cake and cookie assortments, a two-hour rental period of your favorite space, and a private live stream for your nearest and dearest. The Special Events Hall is available as part of the team’s all-inclusive Pop-Up Weddings package designed for 20 guests. You can look forward to full-scale planning assistance that includes décor solutions, a Champagne toast, catering, photography, and more. The dedicated staff liaises with trusted suppliers to ensure a smooth and seamless experience for all.
Amenities & Details
Covered Outdoors Space, Dressing Room, Handicap Accessible, Indoor Event Space, On-Site Accommodations, Outdoor Event Space, Reception Area, Wireless Internet
Guest Capacity300+
Ceremony TypesCivil Union, Commitment Ceremony, Elopement, Interfaith Ceremony, Non-Religious Ceremony, Religious Ceremony, Second Wedding, Vow Renewal Ceremony
Venue Service OfferingsFood & Catering, Planning, Rentals & Equipment
SettingsGarden, Historic Venue, Museum, Park, Tented
Business AttributesPricing for Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
| Option | Value |
|---|---|
| Starting Cost | Moderate |
| Cost Starting | |
| Price Range | $2,900 - $5,100+ |
| Couples Usually Spend | $4,000 |
| Peak Season Months | March-November |
| Peak Season Cost | $2,900 - $5,100+ |
| Peak Season Reception Cost | $1,500 |
| Peak Season Ceremony Cost | $600 |
| Peak Season Bar Service Cost | $18 |
| OffSeason Months | January-February, December |
| OffSeason Cost | $2,900 - $5,100+ |
| OffSeason Reception Cost | $1,500 |
| OffSeason Ceremony Cost | $600 |
| OffSeason BarService Cost | $18 |
Browse Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens pricing PDF below for sample services and estimates.
View PricesPhipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Reviews
Laurel Krajewski (other) 5 out of 5 Rating
Choosing Phipps Conservatory for our reception was a fantastic decision. They seamlessly handled every aspect of our celebration, from cocktail hour to dinner and the party. The open bar was a hit, especially with their ability to make custom cocktails that added a unique and personalized touch to the evening. Our guests thoroughly enjoyed the drink options, and it added a fun element to the festivities. The food at Phipps was delicious. They were able to accomodate the dietary needs of all our guests. The menu had a variety of options, and the quality and presentation were top-notch. The venue itself provided a beautiful backdrop for our celebration. The combination of lush greenery and elegant surroundings created a magical atmosphere. The tropical room made for an awesome setting for cocktail hour and provided natural decoration for the night. Our heartfelt thanks to the entire Phipps team for making our reception an unforgettable celebration filled with great food, drinks, and memories.
Reviewed on 11-01-2024
Choosing Phipps Conservatory for our reception was a fantastic decision. They seamlessly handled every aspect of our celebration, from cocktail hour to dinner and the party. The open bar was a hit, especially with their ability to make custom cocktails that added a unique and personalized touch to the evening. Our guests thoroughly enjoyed the drink options, and it added a fun element to the festivities. The food at Phipps was delicious. They were able to accomodate the dietary needs of all our guests. The menu had a variety of options, and the quality and presentation were top-notch. The venue itself provided a beautiful backdrop for our celebration. The combination of lush greenery and elegant surroundings created a magical atmosphere. The tropical room made for an awesome setting for cocktail hour and provided natural decoration for the night. Our heartfelt thanks to the entire Phipps team for making our reception an unforgettable celebration filled with great food, drinks, and memories.
Reviewed on 11-01-2024
Amanda Molinari (other) 5 out of 5 Rating
Phipps was absolutely AMAZING! We utilized them for our ceremony and it was nothing short of perfect. Lauren was our coordinator and her help and guidance definitely paved the way to a magical ceremony with memories to last a lifetime. She was also extremely kind and would always respond to our questions quickly! We held our ceremony in the special events hall and with having our guests walk down the trail in the tropical room to get to the location, it only added to how truly special this place is. And with a significant number of our guests from out of town, a large number had never been to Phipps before. We can for sure say that everyone that we spoke with absolutely loved the facility and thought it was a fantastic place to have our ceremony and show off a bit of Pittsburgh. I promise you won't be disappointed and we could not recommend them highly enough !
Reviewed on 03-11-2023
Phipps was absolutely AMAZING! We utilized them for our ceremony and it was nothing short of perfect. Lauren was our coordinator and her help and guidance definitely paved the way to a magical ceremony with memories to last a lifetime. She was also extremely kind and would always respond to our questions quickly! We held our ceremony in the special events hall and with having our guests walk down the trail in the tropical room to get to the location, it only added to how truly special this place is. And with a significant number of our guests from out of town, a large number had never been to Phipps before. We can for sure say that everyone that we spoke with absolutely loved the facility and thought it was a fantastic place to have our ceremony and show off a bit of Pittsburgh. I promise you won't be disappointed and we could not recommend them highly enough !
Reviewed on 03-11-2023
Samantha Owens (other) 5 out of 5 Rating
Our Phipps wedding was everything I ever dreamed! The entire events team was so professional and quick at answering questions the entire time from booking, to planning, to the week leading up to the wedding. We had our ceremony at the waterfall behind the tropical forest, cocktail hour in the tropical forest and on the patio, and reception in the Special Events Hall.Caroline Walker was our day-of coordinator and she was absolutely amazing! She setup all of our personal items, and everything looked so beautiful. She was so nice and accommodating of anything we needed.David Swank was the catering manager. We worked with him over a period of about 8 months to schedule our food tasting and nail down the catering menu, linens, and reception setup. He was also very professional and quick to respond. The food was AMAZING, our guests loved it! I'm glad I selected a venue that provides the food & bar as well, because they have a very streamlined process and everything went smoothly.
Reviewed on 06-08-2023
Our Phipps wedding was everything I ever dreamed! The entire events team was so professional and quick at answering questions the entire time from booking, to planning, to the week leading up to the wedding. We had our ceremony at the waterfall behind the tropical forest, cocktail hour in the tropical forest and on the patio, and reception in the Special Events Hall.Caroline Walker was our day-of coordinator and she was absolutely amazing! She setup all of our personal items, and everything looked so beautiful. She was so nice and accommodating of anything we needed.David Swank was the catering manager. We worked with him over a period of about 8 months to schedule our food tasting and nail down the catering menu, linens, and reception setup. He was also very professional and quick to respond. The food was AMAZING, our guests loved it! I'm glad I selected a venue that provides the food & bar as well, because they have a very streamlined process and everything went smoothly.
Reviewed on 06-08-2023
Madeleine Shadle (other) 5 out of 5 Rating
Had my wedding here on 7/1 this year and it was a horrible day weather-wise until our evening ceremony. Despite the weird weather, our amazing coordinator Lauren and the Phipps team some how had faith and we still had a wonderful outdoor wedding. They went and dried all of the chairs for each guest multiple times that day. I truly recommend Phipps so much. The food was amazing and they were so kind and willing to make our day special.
Reviewed on 09-07-2023
Had my wedding here on 7/1 this year and it was a horrible day weather-wise until our evening ceremony. Despite the weird weather, our amazing coordinator Lauren and the Phipps team some how had faith and we still had a wonderful outdoor wedding. They went and dried all of the chairs for each guest multiple times that day. I truly recommend Phipps so much. The food was amazing and they were so kind and willing to make our day special.
Reviewed on 09-07-2023
Ally Kraft (other) 5 out of 5 Rating
We had our ceremony in the outdoor garden. It was beautiful and Sahara was very helpful the day before at our rehearsal and the day off! Everything went really well and the pictures look incredible. Would highly recommend!
Reviewed on 25-06-2023
We had our ceremony in the outdoor garden. It was beautiful and Sahara was very helpful the day before at our rehearsal and the day off! Everything went really well and the pictures look incredible. Would highly recommend!
Reviewed on 25-06-2023
Alaina Boyle (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 11-02-2023
This was our perfect wedding venue. It was cold outside but warm and blooming inside for our February ceremony. The team at Phipps was very professional, communicative, and well-organized, and everything went smoothly. Plus our photos are incredible!
Reviewed on 30-05-2023
Wedding Date 11-02-2023
This was our perfect wedding venue. It was cold outside but warm and blooming inside for our February ceremony. The team at Phipps was very professional, communicative, and well-organized, and everything went smoothly. Plus our photos are incredible!
Reviewed on 30-05-2023
Andresa Rodrigues de Campos (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 20-05-2023
We did a very intimate ceremony in the Broderie Room at Phipps and it was absolutely perfect! It was really easy to communicate with their event coordinator, Caroline, who was extremely helpful and kind. We are very happy!
Reviewed on 24-05-2023
Wedding Date 20-05-2023
We did a very intimate ceremony in the Broderie Room at Phipps and it was absolutely perfect! It was really easy to communicate with their event coordinator, Caroline, who was extremely helpful and kind. We are very happy!
Reviewed on 24-05-2023
Joanna Boutilier (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 01-04-2023
Phipps in the spring was beautiful! We had our wedding ceremony in the broderie room with roughly 45 people and it didn't feel too crowded. It was an overcast day and wasn't too hot at the beginning of April and was simply wonderful. The experience was priceless and the pictures turned out amazing.
Reviewed on 24-05-2023
Wedding Date 01-04-2023
Phipps in the spring was beautiful! We had our wedding ceremony in the broderie room with roughly 45 people and it didn't feel too crowded. It was an overcast day and wasn't too hot at the beginning of April and was simply wonderful. The experience was priceless and the pictures turned out amazing.
Reviewed on 24-05-2023
Nicole Bronson (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 20-08-2022
We were incredibly happy with our wedding at the outdoor garden at Phipps. They were incredibly organized and even provided a day of wedding coordinator to help make sure everything ran smoothly. Beautiful venue, good food and helpful staff!
Reviewed on 27-12-2022
Wedding Date 20-08-2022
We were incredibly happy with our wedding at the outdoor garden at Phipps. They were incredibly organized and even provided a day of wedding coordinator to help make sure everything ran smoothly. Beautiful venue, good food and helpful staff!
Reviewed on 27-12-2022
Julia Delenko (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 01-07-2022
The venue was absolutely incredible! Everyone we worked with was super helpful and professional. They were extremely organized and made sure everything went smoothly. The catering was also fantastic - the food was delicious. Would absolutely recommend. We had multiple guests come up to us and say this was the best wedding they've ever been to.
Reviewed on 13-11-2022
Wedding Date 01-07-2022
The venue was absolutely incredible! Everyone we worked with was super helpful and professional. They were extremely organized and made sure everything went smoothly. The catering was also fantastic - the food was delicious. Would absolutely recommend. We had multiple guests come up to us and say this was the best wedding they've ever been to.
Reviewed on 13-11-2022
Christa Patel (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 27-08-2022
want a place to help you plan, set up, and take down everything for you then this is the place. Phipps out did themselves and I am beyond happy with how everything turned out. they Definitely made my day stress free and beautiful.
Reviewed on 01-09-2022
Wedding Date 27-08-2022
want a place to help you plan, set up, and take down everything for you then this is the place. Phipps out did themselves and I am beyond happy with how everything turned out. they Definitely made my day stress free and beautiful.
Reviewed on 01-09-2022
Samantha Watson (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 27-08-2022
We had our ceremony outside at Phipp's and it was incredible. Caroline was so easy to work with and she executed everything perfectly! I had one guest say \"Jennifer Lopez must be getting married here\" because of how gorgeous everything was. Caroline helped our photographer find the best spots for photos and was with us every step assisting!
Reviewed on 31-08-2022
Wedding Date 27-08-2022
We had our ceremony outside at Phipp's and it was incredible. Caroline was so easy to work with and she executed everything perfectly! I had one guest say \"Jennifer Lopez must be getting married here\" because of how gorgeous everything was. Caroline helped our photographer find the best spots for photos and was with us every step assisting!
Reviewed on 31-08-2022
Melanie Hirt (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 17-06-2022
Our wedding was perfect and Lauren, our event coordinator, did an excellent job. The ceremony and reception couldn't have been nicer! We have had nothing but compliments.
Reviewed on 26-06-2022
Wedding Date 17-06-2022
Our wedding was perfect and Lauren, our event coordinator, did an excellent job. The ceremony and reception couldn't have been nicer! We have had nothing but compliments.
Reviewed on 26-06-2022
Erika Weiland (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 15-10-2021
Lauren and Dave were amazing and so responsive during the entire planning process. We had a lot of out of town guests and they were all so amazed at the beauty of Phipps. We had our wedding on a Friday so our guests could tour the conservatory before cocktail hour (which was an added bonus). The event staff went above and beyond our expectations! They were very helpful showing our guests how to get around the conservatory and at the end of the night, they helped guide our guests back to their cars.
Reviewed on 03-11-2021
Wedding Date 15-10-2021
Lauren and Dave were amazing and so responsive during the entire planning process. We had a lot of out of town guests and they were all so amazed at the beauty of Phipps. We had our wedding on a Friday so our guests could tour the conservatory before cocktail hour (which was an added bonus). The event staff went above and beyond our expectations! They were very helpful showing our guests how to get around the conservatory and at the end of the night, they helped guide our guests back to their cars.
Reviewed on 03-11-2021
Cheyenne Richmond (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 16-10-2021
Phipps is a beautiful place, and perfect for a romantic wedding! The Broderie Room was special to me and my now husband, so we traveled from out of state to have our intimate wedding ceremony (18 guests total) in that specific room. Planning a wedding from out of state during a pandemic isn’t easy, but Caroline made it so simple. People can really make or break an experience, but Caroline was fantastic to work with - incredibly friendly, responsive to all my emails, and she made the entire process wonderful! She even brought me a dinner roll to the bridal suite when I felt nauseas with nerves! All the guests were completely amazed with how beautiful Phipps and the Broderie Room was. We had guests travel from California, Oregon, and Ohio and none of them have seen a place like Phipps. We didn’t need any decorations because the floral speaks for itself. I also appreciated that we could use their sound system (Bluetooth speakers that had great sound) to play the music we envisioned for our ceremony. I gave them a phone with our playlists pre-downloaded on Spotify, and they did a fantastic job fading out the music to transition between songs. I would recommend Phipps to anyone. We just did a ceremony package but I’m sure the reception there would be just as lovely!
Reviewed on 28-10-2021
Wedding Date 16-10-2021
Phipps is a beautiful place, and perfect for a romantic wedding! The Broderie Room was special to me and my now husband, so we traveled from out of state to have our intimate wedding ceremony (18 guests total) in that specific room. Planning a wedding from out of state during a pandemic isn’t easy, but Caroline made it so simple. People can really make or break an experience, but Caroline was fantastic to work with - incredibly friendly, responsive to all my emails, and she made the entire process wonderful! She even brought me a dinner roll to the bridal suite when I felt nauseas with nerves! All the guests were completely amazed with how beautiful Phipps and the Broderie Room was. We had guests travel from California, Oregon, and Ohio and none of them have seen a place like Phipps. We didn’t need any decorations because the floral speaks for itself. I also appreciated that we could use their sound system (Bluetooth speakers that had great sound) to play the music we envisioned for our ceremony. I gave them a phone with our playlists pre-downloaded on Spotify, and they did a fantastic job fading out the music to transition between songs. I would recommend Phipps to anyone. We just did a ceremony package but I’m sure the reception there would be just as lovely!
Reviewed on 28-10-2021
Rachel Gibson (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 15-10-2021
I cannot recommend Phipps enough. We had a small ceremony in the Broderie Room, and it was everything I dreamed of and more. Caroline was our coordinator, and she was amazing. She responded quickly to our emails and made everything easy. They were very accommodating to all of our requests. Even though there was another event following ours, we never felt rushed. All of our guests commented on how beautiful it was.
Reviewed on 17-10-2021
Wedding Date 15-10-2021
I cannot recommend Phipps enough. We had a small ceremony in the Broderie Room, and it was everything I dreamed of and more. Caroline was our coordinator, and she was amazing. She responded quickly to our emails and made everything easy. They were very accommodating to all of our requests. Even though there was another event following ours, we never felt rushed. All of our guests commented on how beautiful it was.
Reviewed on 17-10-2021
Melissa Simonetti (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 01-10-2021
Our wedding turned out better than expected and we would recommend this venue to anyone that wants a full service wedding. Honestly, for busy professionals this was the best way to go and with Covid we did not know what to expect. Our wedding was held in the outdoor garden (both ceremony and reception) and it exceeded our expectations. The food was good, the environment felt very safe for Covid times and our day of coordinator Caroline kept the whole day running smoothly. We only heard good things from our guests. It was beautiful and one of the best days we've had in years.PROS-Best one stop shop-Your money is going to a good cause-The entire day will be taken care of from decorating, set up, food and alcohol-Beautiful VenueOTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER-You need to work with their food and alcohol choices-Three separate contracts (alcohol, food and venue rental)
Reviewed on 10-10-2021
Wedding Date 01-10-2021
Our wedding turned out better than expected and we would recommend this venue to anyone that wants a full service wedding. Honestly, for busy professionals this was the best way to go and with Covid we did not know what to expect. Our wedding was held in the outdoor garden (both ceremony and reception) and it exceeded our expectations. The food was good, the environment felt very safe for Covid times and our day of coordinator Caroline kept the whole day running smoothly. We only heard good things from our guests. It was beautiful and one of the best days we've had in years.PROS-Best one stop shop-Your money is going to a good cause-The entire day will be taken care of from decorating, set up, food and alcohol-Beautiful VenueOTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER-You need to work with their food and alcohol choices-Three separate contracts (alcohol, food and venue rental)
Reviewed on 10-10-2021
Amanda T (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 02-10-2021
DREAM WEDDING VENUE! We did the Outdoor Garden for the ceremony + reception, and it was absolutely lovely. We loved working with Caroline Walker in Events+Drinks and Dave Swank in Catering. They are both super on-top-of-it, experts in making weddings exceptional at Phipps. They were so helpful with special things we wanted to do or allergies to accommodate. I also felt I could trust Phipps completely with regards to health and safety standards around COVID-19, which made me much more relaxed. All of their team members were kind, courteous, and professional. If you're considering Phipps, just do it. Absolutely lovely.
Reviewed on 07-10-2021
Wedding Date 02-10-2021
DREAM WEDDING VENUE! We did the Outdoor Garden for the ceremony + reception, and it was absolutely lovely. We loved working with Caroline Walker in Events+Drinks and Dave Swank in Catering. They are both super on-top-of-it, experts in making weddings exceptional at Phipps. They were so helpful with special things we wanted to do or allergies to accommodate. I also felt I could trust Phipps completely with regards to health and safety standards around COVID-19, which made me much more relaxed. All of their team members were kind, courteous, and professional. If you're considering Phipps, just do it. Absolutely lovely.
Reviewed on 07-10-2021
Savanna Simm (bride) 2 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 04-09-2021
Yes Phipps is beautiful however they weren’t the easiest to work with. Yes we got married 21 months into a pandemic but they consistently changed how many people we could have. Finally they let me have the number we originally agreed on when signing the contract (literally less than 30 people). But they waited until 2 days before our wedding ceremony to let us know we wouldn’t be allowed to get pictures throughout the conservatory, which was also agreed on when we signed the contract. We spent a substantial amount of money for an hour and half rental of a room, which we had to fight for the very little guests we had and then we couldn’t even get pics throughout. Keep in mind they were at full capacity and no masking at this time. Yes, the pics will be beautiful but honestly I don’t really think it’s worth the money and hassle.
Reviewed on 28-09-2021
Wedding Date 04-09-2021
Yes Phipps is beautiful however they weren’t the easiest to work with. Yes we got married 21 months into a pandemic but they consistently changed how many people we could have. Finally they let me have the number we originally agreed on when signing the contract (literally less than 30 people). But they waited until 2 days before our wedding ceremony to let us know we wouldn’t be allowed to get pictures throughout the conservatory, which was also agreed on when we signed the contract. We spent a substantial amount of money for an hour and half rental of a room, which we had to fight for the very little guests we had and then we couldn’t even get pics throughout. Keep in mind they were at full capacity and no masking at this time. Yes, the pics will be beautiful but honestly I don’t really think it’s worth the money and hassle.
Reviewed on 28-09-2021
Amanda Fisher (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 11-09-2021
They were very helpful, especially when we had to move our wedding because of the pandemic. The venue was beautiful and the food was good.
Reviewed on 15-09-2021
Wedding Date 11-09-2021
They were very helpful, especially when we had to move our wedding because of the pandemic. The venue was beautiful and the food was good.
Reviewed on 15-09-2021
Luiza Arieta (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 20-08-2021
Phipps was amazing!! Planning our wedding during COVID times was stressful because of the restrictions and uncertainty of the situation, but Phipps was supportive and helpful during the entire time. We moved our plans from the indoor Special Events Hall to the Outdoor Garden and despite my initial hesitation, I could not have been happier with the outcome! The gardens were gorgeous, the tent space was very large and accommodating, and all guests were so pleased with the food! We highly recommend Phipps for anyone planning a wedding!
Reviewed on 10-09-2021
Wedding Date 20-08-2021
Phipps was amazing!! Planning our wedding during COVID times was stressful because of the restrictions and uncertainty of the situation, but Phipps was supportive and helpful during the entire time. We moved our plans from the indoor Special Events Hall to the Outdoor Garden and despite my initial hesitation, I could not have been happier with the outcome! The gardens were gorgeous, the tent space was very large and accommodating, and all guests were so pleased with the food! We highly recommend Phipps for anyone planning a wedding!
Reviewed on 10-09-2021
Mara Frota (other) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 20-08-2021
My daughter's wedding at Phipps outdoor gardens was wonderful. We received so many compliments for how beautiful and organized the event was. The tables were well set and looked beautiful. Caroline Walker, the event supervisor, was very helpful, efficient, and was always available when we needed her. The catering service was also remarkable. Dave Swank and his team did an incredible job too. We heard innumerous positive comments about the food and in fact, one of our guests is a renowned chef in our region and he was delighted with the food. I strongly recommend this place and this team for a wedding.
Reviewed on 29-08-2021
Wedding Date 20-08-2021
My daughter's wedding at Phipps outdoor gardens was wonderful. We received so many compliments for how beautiful and organized the event was. The tables were well set and looked beautiful. Caroline Walker, the event supervisor, was very helpful, efficient, and was always available when we needed her. The catering service was also remarkable. Dave Swank and his team did an incredible job too. We heard innumerous positive comments about the food and in fact, one of our guests is a renowned chef in our region and he was delighted with the food. I strongly recommend this place and this team for a wedding.
Reviewed on 29-08-2021
Amber Hackney (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 07-08-2021
Phipps was absolutely beautiful! The staff were kind and helpful. They were also flexible with us which was a huge help. However, the only thing I didn't realize was how hot it would be in the broderie room. We got married on a nice, summer day in August and never got the chance to visit Phipps because we were from out of state. It was quite warm and sweaty for the ceremony lol, but we enjoyed it regardless. They also had ice water set up for the guests which was a pleasant surprise. And the value/price of it was really good. I highly recommend visiting in the summer to get an idea of what it may be like before you book- just something to think about. Aside from the heat (which was out of anyone's control), it was a perfect day and they made the ceremony easy!
Reviewed on 27-08-2021
Wedding Date 07-08-2021
Phipps was absolutely beautiful! The staff were kind and helpful. They were also flexible with us which was a huge help. However, the only thing I didn't realize was how hot it would be in the broderie room. We got married on a nice, summer day in August and never got the chance to visit Phipps because we were from out of state. It was quite warm and sweaty for the ceremony lol, but we enjoyed it regardless. They also had ice water set up for the guests which was a pleasant surprise. And the value/price of it was really good. I highly recommend visiting in the summer to get an idea of what it may be like before you book- just something to think about. Aside from the heat (which was out of anyone's control), it was a perfect day and they made the ceremony easy!
Reviewed on 27-08-2021
Rachel Marini (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 15-05-2021
We booked Phipps for our wedding reception prior to the pandemic. Planning throughout the ups and downs was difficult, but Katelyn helped us through every step of the way. Despite drastically reducing our guest list, she made every part of our day special and unique. Her attention to detail helped take so much of the planning stress off of us. Her attitude was always positive and we could really tell she loves her job. Any questions we had were answered quickly and she was available to talk when we needed her and make suggestions through the various situations. She connected with our vendors to make everything run smoothly. We got engaged at Phipps and the venue was perfect for our wedding style. We highly recommend the natural beauty of Phipps and the great event staff!
Reviewed on 10-07-2021
Wedding Date 15-05-2021
We booked Phipps for our wedding reception prior to the pandemic. Planning throughout the ups and downs was difficult, but Katelyn helped us through every step of the way. Despite drastically reducing our guest list, she made every part of our day special and unique. Her attention to detail helped take so much of the planning stress off of us. Her attitude was always positive and we could really tell she loves her job. Any questions we had were answered quickly and she was available to talk when we needed her and make suggestions through the various situations. She connected with our vendors to make everything run smoothly. We got engaged at Phipps and the venue was perfect for our wedding style. We highly recommend the natural beauty of Phipps and the great event staff!
Reviewed on 10-07-2021
Megan Shutsy (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 04-07-2021
We had a small ceremony in the broderie room on the 4th of July, and it was just magical! Caroline, our event coordinator, was absolutely amazing, and really went above and beyond to make sure our day was effortless and stress free, and everything we had dreamed of and more! We are so glad we choose Phipps as our wedding venue!
Reviewed on 08-07-2021
Wedding Date 04-07-2021
We had a small ceremony in the broderie room on the 4th of July, and it was just magical! Caroline, our event coordinator, was absolutely amazing, and really went above and beyond to make sure our day was effortless and stress free, and everything we had dreamed of and more! We are so glad we choose Phipps as our wedding venue!
Reviewed on 08-07-2021
Alanna Wilson (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 12-06-2021
We had our ceremony here with just over 100 guests in the outdoor garden and it was absolutely perfect. From the moment we reached out a year ago until the day, the communication was fantastic. Katelyn was wonderful and understood our vision from the beginning, while Allanah and her team really did a nice job executing the day of. Phipps was one of the easiest vendors we've dealt with during the whole experience. They really made things easy on us, even as I threw changes at them. I can't say enough nice things about them. They really helped make our wedding personal and beautiful!
Reviewed on 24-06-2021
Wedding Date 12-06-2021
We had our ceremony here with just over 100 guests in the outdoor garden and it was absolutely perfect. From the moment we reached out a year ago until the day, the communication was fantastic. Katelyn was wonderful and understood our vision from the beginning, while Allanah and her team really did a nice job executing the day of. Phipps was one of the easiest vendors we've dealt with during the whole experience. They really made things easy on us, even as I threw changes at them. I can't say enough nice things about them. They really helped make our wedding personal and beautiful!
Reviewed on 24-06-2021
Michelle Logan (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 16-04-2021
We had a small wedding (just six people) in the Broderie Room at night and it was simply magical. It was incredibly beautiful and romantic! Lovely Sahara was our coordinator and she did an absolute remarkable job making our day smooth. Anytime I needed anything through out the night, she was ON IT. We couldn't have asked for anyone better. As soon as I met her, I felt comfortable and at ease. Everyone at Phipps, especially Sahara, was responsive to all our questions and concerns. She was understanding and willing to make us happy on our big day... Phipps has so much history, as my husband's family is proudly a part of (history of the bonsai), and to make the Phipps' Broderie room our gorgeous back drop for our ceremony, we were really humbled honestly. Phipps is absolutely stunning at night. If you're looking for a beautiful venue for a small wedding like mine, consider the Broderie Room or any of the gorgeous rooms at Phipps! I mean, you don't even need to worry about flowers except for a bouquet lol. It's worth the memories, the pictures.... just everything!
Reviewed on 14-05-2021
Wedding Date 16-04-2021
We had a small wedding (just six people) in the Broderie Room at night and it was simply magical. It was incredibly beautiful and romantic! Lovely Sahara was our coordinator and she did an absolute remarkable job making our day smooth. Anytime I needed anything through out the night, she was ON IT. We couldn't have asked for anyone better. As soon as I met her, I felt comfortable and at ease. Everyone at Phipps, especially Sahara, was responsive to all our questions and concerns. She was understanding and willing to make us happy on our big day... Phipps has so much history, as my husband's family is proudly a part of (history of the bonsai), and to make the Phipps' Broderie room our gorgeous back drop for our ceremony, we were really humbled honestly. Phipps is absolutely stunning at night. If you're looking for a beautiful venue for a small wedding like mine, consider the Broderie Room or any of the gorgeous rooms at Phipps! I mean, you don't even need to worry about flowers except for a bouquet lol. It's worth the memories, the pictures.... just everything!
Reviewed on 14-05-2021
Maeve Hogel (bride) 1 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 20-03-2021
I originally planned my wedding at Phipps because it is such a beautiful location and because of its commitment to sustainability. We had rented the entire facility for the wedding and began our wedding planning process just before the shutdowns last March and at the end of January 2021 we decided to move the wedding from Phipps (less than 50 days before our wedding). It is extremely difficult to plan weddings in Covid, both for the bride and groom and for the vendors. Every vendor we are working with, including our new venue, has been flexible and transparent. Phipps was neither. Instead of making decisions and planning for what we know now, adjusting when we need to later, Phipps didn't want to make any decision at all. They acted as if they didn't want to have to do any extra work by planning based on todays restrictions, knowing they could change. They delayed and delayed decisions, including huge details, such as if there were going to allow food at all. They took forever to respond to emails, and when we did have calls, they never had answers. We never wanted Phipps to break a Covid rule, but we did want transparency on what they could and could not do, and the respect of telling us that in a timely process. Instead they constantly acted as if they wanted to protect our guests, but we did not. I can assure you since its our friends and family, we want to protect them more than Phipps does. We made TONS of suggestions to Phipps in order to try to be flexible and have a safe wedding, including paying to tent larger spaces, moving the ceremony outside, seating people all over the venue. They never came up with a single creative or flexible idea themselves. Phipps is a wedding machine. They have multiple weddings a day during normal times, and they have made it clear that their machine does not operate when it needs to be flexible or creative. If you have a wedding planned at Phipps in 2021, where you would like to have a dinner there or its more than 20 people, the best thing you can do for yourself is move it now. Covid is unfortunately not disappearing completely this year and Phipps is not prepared to provide the flexibility or creativity or support that you need to pull off a safe wedding during Covid. Trust me, take your refund and find a new venue because we couldn't have found a more different experience once we picked a new one. It doesn't matter how beautiful Phipps is, during Covid times, you need a venue that is going to answer messages timely, communicate decisions timely and not wait around hoping things will change and they won't have to do any extra work. Other venues have had weddings now. They have figured out how to follow all the rules and be safe. And that is the experience you need for your wedding later in 2021. You will not find it at Phipps.
Reviewed on 23-02-2021
Wedding Date 20-03-2021
I originally planned my wedding at Phipps because it is such a beautiful location and because of its commitment to sustainability. We had rented the entire facility for the wedding and began our wedding planning process just before the shutdowns last March and at the end of January 2021 we decided to move the wedding from Phipps (less than 50 days before our wedding). It is extremely difficult to plan weddings in Covid, both for the bride and groom and for the vendors. Every vendor we are working with, including our new venue, has been flexible and transparent. Phipps was neither. Instead of making decisions and planning for what we know now, adjusting when we need to later, Phipps didn't want to make any decision at all. They acted as if they didn't want to have to do any extra work by planning based on todays restrictions, knowing they could change. They delayed and delayed decisions, including huge details, such as if there were going to allow food at all. They took forever to respond to emails, and when we did have calls, they never had answers. We never wanted Phipps to break a Covid rule, but we did want transparency on what they could and could not do, and the respect of telling us that in a timely process. Instead they constantly acted as if they wanted to protect our guests, but we did not. I can assure you since its our friends and family, we want to protect them more than Phipps does. We made TONS of suggestions to Phipps in order to try to be flexible and have a safe wedding, including paying to tent larger spaces, moving the ceremony outside, seating people all over the venue. They never came up with a single creative or flexible idea themselves. Phipps is a wedding machine. They have multiple weddings a day during normal times, and they have made it clear that their machine does not operate when it needs to be flexible or creative. If you have a wedding planned at Phipps in 2021, where you would like to have a dinner there or its more than 20 people, the best thing you can do for yourself is move it now. Covid is unfortunately not disappearing completely this year and Phipps is not prepared to provide the flexibility or creativity or support that you need to pull off a safe wedding during Covid. Trust me, take your refund and find a new venue because we couldn't have found a more different experience once we picked a new one. It doesn't matter how beautiful Phipps is, during Covid times, you need a venue that is going to answer messages timely, communicate decisions timely and not wait around hoping things will change and they won't have to do any extra work. Other venues have had weddings now. They have figured out how to follow all the rules and be safe. And that is the experience you need for your wedding later in 2021. You will not find it at Phipps.
Reviewed on 23-02-2021
Lauren Maurhoff (bride) 4 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 07-11-2020
We used Phipps for a ceremony only, no reception, so that’s all this review is for. We had 11 people in attendance (plus vendors) and had our ceremony in the Broderie room. The venue itself cannot be beat for beauty. Being surrounded by the gorgeous flowers and greenery is like having your wedding in a magical forest. It’s truly amazing. We worked with Sara for our planning. Communication prior to the event was very good and she worked with us through all our questions. We did all our forms and communication via phone and email and we found her readily available within a day or two. There were a couple hiccups however… During our rehearsal they didn’t close off the room so there were random people walking through and even a person that tried to come down the steps to where we were standing rehearsing. That was off-putting, especially because it was fall of 2020 with social distancing and adding more people to the room made us very uncomfortable. Secondly, there was a proposal booked for our ceremony room directly after our ceremony so we had to make sure we were out ASAP. Luckily our planner worked with the staff at Phipps to let us go into another room to do some photos. Without our planner though, I would have been very frustrated with the situation. Overall, I am very happy to have our ceremony at Phipps and thrilled with the outcome, but make sure you are very detailed in the questions you ask about a timeline and have someone willing to advocate for you for any issues that arise.
Reviewed on 06-01-2021
Wedding Date 07-11-2020
We used Phipps for a ceremony only, no reception, so that’s all this review is for. We had 11 people in attendance (plus vendors) and had our ceremony in the Broderie room. The venue itself cannot be beat for beauty. Being surrounded by the gorgeous flowers and greenery is like having your wedding in a magical forest. It’s truly amazing. We worked with Sara for our planning. Communication prior to the event was very good and she worked with us through all our questions. We did all our forms and communication via phone and email and we found her readily available within a day or two. There were a couple hiccups however… During our rehearsal they didn’t close off the room so there were random people walking through and even a person that tried to come down the steps to where we were standing rehearsing. That was off-putting, especially because it was fall of 2020 with social distancing and adding more people to the room made us very uncomfortable. Secondly, there was a proposal booked for our ceremony room directly after our ceremony so we had to make sure we were out ASAP. Luckily our planner worked with the staff at Phipps to let us go into another room to do some photos. Without our planner though, I would have been very frustrated with the situation. Overall, I am very happy to have our ceremony at Phipps and thrilled with the outcome, but make sure you are very detailed in the questions you ask about a timeline and have someone willing to advocate for you for any issues that arise.
Reviewed on 06-01-2021
Kathleen Fergus (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 18-10-2020
Phipps made our special day perfect! Their staff was spectacular and everything was beautiful.
Reviewed on 22-10-2020
Wedding Date 18-10-2020
Phipps made our special day perfect! Their staff was spectacular and everything was beautiful.
Reviewed on 22-10-2020
Kaelyn Seeley (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 12-09-2020
We cannot say enough good things about Phipps and the amazing staff. Caroline Walker and David Swank helped on the events and catering side of things and they were the most pleasant and caring people. Caroline was always so responsive and helpful and even helped me take care of a wedding day emergency when my dress got smudged on a car tire before my first look. Even amongst a global pandemic she made sure that we would have an amazing day and came up with suggestions and ways to still make our day great. On the catering side of things David Swank was also so responsive and always called us to be sure we were up to date on all current policies and information. Having a wedding during a pandemic should have been a painful and difficult process but Phipps took that burden from us. I couldn't imagine having our wedding in any other location. It was truly incredible. Not to mention that our pictures turned out so amazing and the unique backgrounds and colors truly make our wedding photos incredible. The food was also so wonderful and all of our guests raved about how good everything was. The food, service, location, and overall feeling went above and beyond what I ever could have imagined.
Reviewed on 19-10-2020
Wedding Date 12-09-2020
We cannot say enough good things about Phipps and the amazing staff. Caroline Walker and David Swank helped on the events and catering side of things and they were the most pleasant and caring people. Caroline was always so responsive and helpful and even helped me take care of a wedding day emergency when my dress got smudged on a car tire before my first look. Even amongst a global pandemic she made sure that we would have an amazing day and came up with suggestions and ways to still make our day great. On the catering side of things David Swank was also so responsive and always called us to be sure we were up to date on all current policies and information. Having a wedding during a pandemic should have been a painful and difficult process but Phipps took that burden from us. I couldn't imagine having our wedding in any other location. It was truly incredible. Not to mention that our pictures turned out so amazing and the unique backgrounds and colors truly make our wedding photos incredible. The food was also so wonderful and all of our guests raved about how good everything was. The food, service, location, and overall feeling went above and beyond what I ever could have imagined.
Reviewed on 19-10-2020
Shawna Shanahan (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 05-09-2020
We decided to take advantage of their intimate wedding package, and it was just the best decision. It was already pretty low stress but our event coordinator Caroline made it virtually effortless. She handled all of our requests with grace, walked us through every step, explained everything thoroughly, and made sure everything went the way we expected. Because of this, I didn’t feel any pressure or tension the day of and was able to just enjoy the time before our ceremony began. I think it’s such a great place to consider if you’re getting married. No decor needed - its a beautiful venue as it is and they handle the rest. I couldn’t have asked for a better evening with my favorite people. Not to mention that they live streamed it for our relatives that are in different states, which made it even more special. Definitely recommend Phipps for any engaged couples.
Reviewed on 09-10-2020
Wedding Date 05-09-2020
We decided to take advantage of their intimate wedding package, and it was just the best decision. It was already pretty low stress but our event coordinator Caroline made it virtually effortless. She handled all of our requests with grace, walked us through every step, explained everything thoroughly, and made sure everything went the way we expected. Because of this, I didn’t feel any pressure or tension the day of and was able to just enjoy the time before our ceremony began. I think it’s such a great place to consider if you’re getting married. No decor needed - its a beautiful venue as it is and they handle the rest. I couldn’t have asked for a better evening with my favorite people. Not to mention that they live streamed it for our relatives that are in different states, which made it even more special. Definitely recommend Phipps for any engaged couples.
Reviewed on 09-10-2020
Melissa Radomile (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 07-03-2020
We had the most beautiful ceremony at Phipps. We were in the Broderie Room and had a small wedding on 30 people. The event staff was great to work with. They were quick and responsive, they ensured we had everything we needed, and helped coordinate on the day of. The venue was one of the most reasonably priced we found and we saved so much money on decorations. Our photos were absolutely breathtaking as we had full use of the conservatory after the wedding for pictures. I would highly reccommend Phipps for your ceremony. Everyone was kind, professional, and made the day as stress free as possible.
Reviewed on 04-04-2020
Wedding Date 07-03-2020
We had the most beautiful ceremony at Phipps. We were in the Broderie Room and had a small wedding on 30 people. The event staff was great to work with. They were quick and responsive, they ensured we had everything we needed, and helped coordinate on the day of. The venue was one of the most reasonably priced we found and we saved so much money on decorations. Our photos were absolutely breathtaking as we had full use of the conservatory after the wedding for pictures. I would highly reccommend Phipps for your ceremony. Everyone was kind, professional, and made the day as stress free as possible.
Reviewed on 04-04-2020
Melanie Terkay (bride) 4 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 11-01-2021
We haven’t had our wedding yet but, they’ve been super responsive and welcoming to us
Reviewed on 04-01-2020
Wedding Date 11-01-2021
We haven’t had our wedding yet but, they’ve been super responsive and welcoming to us
Reviewed on 04-01-2020
Brittany Clark (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 05-10-2019
We only had our ceremony there, however everything was great.! Sara was our coordinator and she was amazing. They made sure that everything was perfect on that day and went over everything with the other vendors involved and all of my bridesmaids and groomsmen. I would highly suggest them for the ceremony. The pictures alone afterward were worth every penny!
Reviewed on 23-12-2019
Wedding Date 05-10-2019
We only had our ceremony there, however everything was great.! Sara was our coordinator and she was amazing. They made sure that everything was perfect on that day and went over everything with the other vendors involved and all of my bridesmaids and groomsmen. I would highly suggest them for the ceremony. The pictures alone afterward were worth every penny!
Reviewed on 23-12-2019
Rebecca Olsavsky (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 22-06-2019
The outdoor garden was a perfect ceremony and reception space! Our guests told us it was the nicest wedding they’ve ever been to. The team at Phipps is great!
Reviewed on 08-10-2019
Wedding Date 22-06-2019
The outdoor garden was a perfect ceremony and reception space! Our guests told us it was the nicest wedding they’ve ever been to. The team at Phipps is great!
Reviewed on 08-10-2019
Michelle Kingston (parent) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 07-09-2019
My daughter had the wedding of her dreams here! Everything was beautiful! Kate made our evening amazing! She went above and beyond. The catering was excellent. Working with everyone was a pleasure!
Reviewed on 12-09-2019
Wedding Date 07-09-2019
My daughter had the wedding of her dreams here! Everything was beautiful! Kate made our evening amazing! She went above and beyond. The catering was excellent. Working with everyone was a pleasure!
Reviewed on 12-09-2019
Shaina Stacy (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 03-08-2019
Since my husband and I had one of our first dates at Phipps back in our Carnegie Mellon days, we pretty much knew we wanted to have our wedding there! It was a perfect venue and a perfect wedding. All of our guests agreed it was a gorgeous venue for a wedding. We had our ceremony outside of the Tropical Forest (luckily, Pittsburgh weather behaved that day), the cocktail hour in the forest, and the reception in the Special Events Hall. With Phipps, you have to use their catering service, but their food is amazing. We went with the lowest tier option ($99 per plate), and everyone seemed to enjoy their meals, including us! David Swank on the catering side is really on top of things. Closer to the date, we began working with our wedding coordinator, Caroline, more, and she was also enjoyable to work with. I guess things can happen sometimes, but everything went according to plan! The only potential criticism I have of the way Phipps plans weddings is the different contacts for the ceremony day-of, catering, and the bar. It could get confusing as to who to direct questions to when a topic seemed like it could overlap. But overall, we had a great experience working with Phipps and its staff.
Reviewed on 11-09-2019
Wedding Date 03-08-2019
Since my husband and I had one of our first dates at Phipps back in our Carnegie Mellon days, we pretty much knew we wanted to have our wedding there! It was a perfect venue and a perfect wedding. All of our guests agreed it was a gorgeous venue for a wedding. We had our ceremony outside of the Tropical Forest (luckily, Pittsburgh weather behaved that day), the cocktail hour in the forest, and the reception in the Special Events Hall. With Phipps, you have to use their catering service, but their food is amazing. We went with the lowest tier option ($99 per plate), and everyone seemed to enjoy their meals, including us! David Swank on the catering side is really on top of things. Closer to the date, we began working with our wedding coordinator, Caroline, more, and she was also enjoyable to work with. I guess things can happen sometimes, but everything went according to plan! The only potential criticism I have of the way Phipps plans weddings is the different contacts for the ceremony day-of, catering, and the bar. It could get confusing as to who to direct questions to when a topic seemed like it could overlap. But overall, we had a great experience working with Phipps and its staff.
Reviewed on 11-09-2019
Kiera Mooney (bride) 3 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 03-08-2019
Beautiful venue and fairly priced. However had multiple comments from guests that the staff were rude and unhelpful. They had the wrong number of chairs set up and played a completely wrong bridal entry song than what was listed on the pre submitted sheet and even named on the playlist. They then rushed me down the aisle despite me asking if the correct song was playing which is wasn’t. Overall beautiful venue but the staff could be more polite and listen.
Reviewed on 04-08-2019
Wedding Date 03-08-2019
Beautiful venue and fairly priced. However had multiple comments from guests that the staff were rude and unhelpful. They had the wrong number of chairs set up and played a completely wrong bridal entry song than what was listed on the pre submitted sheet and even named on the playlist. They then rushed me down the aisle despite me asking if the correct song was playing which is wasn’t. Overall beautiful venue but the staff could be more polite and listen.
Reviewed on 04-08-2019
Emily Lingayat (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 30-06-2019
I cannot say enough wonderful things about the event staff at Phipps. They were thoughtful, respectful, helpful, and knew what they were doing. We used the Broderie Room for our ceremony and it was absolutely stunning! the event staff walked us through everything during our rehearsal and went above and beyond the day of! It was very hot and they thought to put out water for all of our guests to enjoy. They took care of contacting all of our other vendors for when to come set up. Phipps really knows what they are doing and will take care of every possible wish that you have. I absolutely loved the experience and would highly recommend everyone to check out this gorgeous space.
Reviewed on 07-07-2019
Wedding Date 30-06-2019
I cannot say enough wonderful things about the event staff at Phipps. They were thoughtful, respectful, helpful, and knew what they were doing. We used the Broderie Room for our ceremony and it was absolutely stunning! the event staff walked us through everything during our rehearsal and went above and beyond the day of! It was very hot and they thought to put out water for all of our guests to enjoy. They took care of contacting all of our other vendors for when to come set up. Phipps really knows what they are doing and will take care of every possible wish that you have. I absolutely loved the experience and would highly recommend everyone to check out this gorgeous space.
Reviewed on 07-07-2019
Albert DeFusco (groom) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 21-06-2019
Absolutely incredible staff and support! Our wedding was gorgeous! The price packaging was very reasonable and the food was super
Reviewed on 01-07-2019
Wedding Date 21-06-2019
Absolutely incredible staff and support! Our wedding was gorgeous! The price packaging was very reasonable and the food was super
Reviewed on 01-07-2019
Haley Biernacki (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 18-05-2019
I cannot express how happy I am that we decided to get married at Phipp's. I worked closely with David Swank and Sahara Duncan who were both extremely professional and always quick to address any concerns or questions that I had. They made me feel at ease and reassured me that everything will flow just perfectly. We had our ceremony and reception in the outdoor garden and luckily the weather was perfect for us but Sahara made sure to have a back up rain plan as well. The outdoor garden is so beautiful that you hardly have to worry about paying for flowers. I brought in a few decorations that I wanted shown and they set everything up so beautifully, I did not have to make any revisions. The food was absolutely delicious, I wish I could go and order it any time! I dreamed about having the perfect outdoor wedding for a long time now, so my expectations were extremely high. Ultimately, I had a perfect wedding day, I never had to worry once, and I would relive the day over again if I could. Thank you Phipp's catering and staff for helping my dreams come true!
Reviewed on 06-06-2019
Wedding Date 18-05-2019
I cannot express how happy I am that we decided to get married at Phipp's. I worked closely with David Swank and Sahara Duncan who were both extremely professional and always quick to address any concerns or questions that I had. They made me feel at ease and reassured me that everything will flow just perfectly. We had our ceremony and reception in the outdoor garden and luckily the weather was perfect for us but Sahara made sure to have a back up rain plan as well. The outdoor garden is so beautiful that you hardly have to worry about paying for flowers. I brought in a few decorations that I wanted shown and they set everything up so beautifully, I did not have to make any revisions. The food was absolutely delicious, I wish I could go and order it any time! I dreamed about having the perfect outdoor wedding for a long time now, so my expectations were extremely high. Ultimately, I had a perfect wedding day, I never had to worry once, and I would relive the day over again if I could. Thank you Phipp's catering and staff for helping my dreams come true!
Reviewed on 06-06-2019
Julie Flannery (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 05-05-2019
Phipps Conservatory was the best choice we could have made. The venue is gorgeous and elegant and made for the perfect setting for our special day. The prices were on par with other vendors (like country clubs), so the choice was easy for us! Our guests were in awe at the beauty of the Broderie Room and the food was also delicious. We got a harpist and it made the Broderie Room even more elegant (Stephanie Miller of Music for Life of Pittsburgh. We also highly recommend her, as she is extremely talented and really great to work with!)Caroline was our wedding planner at Phipps and she made everything go flawlessly. We are so thankful for her help during the planning and the actual wedding. We will have perfect memories of our special day because of this venue and their staff.
Reviewed on 22-05-2019
Wedding Date 05-05-2019
Phipps Conservatory was the best choice we could have made. The venue is gorgeous and elegant and made for the perfect setting for our special day. The prices were on par with other vendors (like country clubs), so the choice was easy for us! Our guests were in awe at the beauty of the Broderie Room and the food was also delicious. We got a harpist and it made the Broderie Room even more elegant (Stephanie Miller of Music for Life of Pittsburgh. We also highly recommend her, as she is extremely talented and really great to work with!)Caroline was our wedding planner at Phipps and she made everything go flawlessly. We are so thankful for her help during the planning and the actual wedding. We will have perfect memories of our special day because of this venue and their staff.
Reviewed on 22-05-2019
Samantha Thomas (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 02-09-2018
Our wedding ceremony & reception both took place at Phipps Conservatory. I have always wanted to get married there one day & my dreams came true! I had the pleasure to work with Dave Swank & Allanah. They were very friendly & so easy to work with. Any question I had, they always got back to me in a timely manner. The forms they provided also kept me more organized. Both the ceremony & reception were outside & it did not make me at all nervous because they had a plan B & I felt confident in that..plus it always rains in Pittsburgh, but luckily it didn't! =) Allanah & Dave both made sure the whole day went perfect & that it did! A special moment I had before the DJ was about announce us as Bride & Groom, and we had little time to do my bustle...thankfully Allanah was right there & did it I swear in seconds!! Thank you to the Amazing Staff at Phipps for Playing a Major Part for My Fairytale <3
Reviewed on 04-03-2019
Wedding Date 02-09-2018
Our wedding ceremony & reception both took place at Phipps Conservatory. I have always wanted to get married there one day & my dreams came true! I had the pleasure to work with Dave Swank & Allanah. They were very friendly & so easy to work with. Any question I had, they always got back to me in a timely manner. The forms they provided also kept me more organized. Both the ceremony & reception were outside & it did not make me at all nervous because they had a plan B & I felt confident in that..plus it always rains in Pittsburgh, but luckily it didn't! =) Allanah & Dave both made sure the whole day went perfect & that it did! A special moment I had before the DJ was about announce us as Bride & Groom, and we had little time to do my bustle...thankfully Allanah was right there & did it I swear in seconds!! Thank you to the Amazing Staff at Phipps for Playing a Major Part for My Fairytale <3
Reviewed on 04-03-2019
Sara Rodgers (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 03-11-2018
We had our wedding ceremony at Phipps in their Special Events Hall on 11.3.18 and it was so beautiful. Katelyn was wonderful to work with, even answered some of my questions over email while she was on maternity leave. Sahara that was there on the wedding day was so wonderful as well and kept us organized and calm. My guests were so impressed with everything as well. Thanks for making our day perfect!
Reviewed on 25-11-2018
Wedding Date 03-11-2018
We had our wedding ceremony at Phipps in their Special Events Hall on 11.3.18 and it was so beautiful. Katelyn was wonderful to work with, even answered some of my questions over email while she was on maternity leave. Sahara that was there on the wedding day was so wonderful as well and kept us organized and calm. My guests were so impressed with everything as well. Thanks for making our day perfect!
Reviewed on 25-11-2018
Mary Gallo (bride) 3 out of 5 Rating
I would not recommend having your wedding at Phipps. My husband and I had multiple issues throughout planning the wedding and on the wedding day. I think the “chairs” sum up our whole experience. Ask to look at the chairs that come with the basic package. They look like they belong at a middle school recital. You will be paying close to $5000 just to rent the space and then $5 per chair for an acceptable chair to have at a wedding. And that is just one example of how the Phipps staff is not forthcoming about cost and experience when you initially book.Staff: Katelyn was difficult to work with and definitely increased our stress leading up to the wedding. Small changes were meet with a lot of resistance and she was unavailable during the event when I (the bride) asked to speak to her about the lightening and temperature of the room (it was so hot that I was afraid elderly guests might faint). If you have your heart set on getting married here I would definitely hire a wedding planner and day of coordinator to otherwise important details will be missed . Multiple guests were taken to the wrong wedding on our wedding day. Food: This was one of the more upsetting portions of the wedding. You have no choice but to use the Phipps catering service which is definitely subpar for the price. I would never book there again based on this alone. It is not a good feeling to be eating a borderline inedible vegetarian dish during your wedding and worrying that your guests are having a similar experience. Event space: Phipps is beautiful..for pictures. It’s not designed to host weddings. The bridal suite is limited and the guest facilities are lacking. There is nowhere for the grooms party to relax. I loved my wedding day because of my incredible family and friends. No matter where you book they will be there to celebrate with you. I wish I hadn’t made the mistake of booking with Phipps.
Reviewed on 18-11-2018
I would not recommend having your wedding at Phipps. My husband and I had multiple issues throughout planning the wedding and on the wedding day. I think the “chairs” sum up our whole experience. Ask to look at the chairs that come with the basic package. They look like they belong at a middle school recital. You will be paying close to $5000 just to rent the space and then $5 per chair for an acceptable chair to have at a wedding. And that is just one example of how the Phipps staff is not forthcoming about cost and experience when you initially book.Staff: Katelyn was difficult to work with and definitely increased our stress leading up to the wedding. Small changes were meet with a lot of resistance and she was unavailable during the event when I (the bride) asked to speak to her about the lightening and temperature of the room (it was so hot that I was afraid elderly guests might faint). If you have your heart set on getting married here I would definitely hire a wedding planner and day of coordinator to otherwise important details will be missed . Multiple guests were taken to the wrong wedding on our wedding day. Food: This was one of the more upsetting portions of the wedding. You have no choice but to use the Phipps catering service which is definitely subpar for the price. I would never book there again based on this alone. It is not a good feeling to be eating a borderline inedible vegetarian dish during your wedding and worrying that your guests are having a similar experience. Event space: Phipps is beautiful..for pictures. It’s not designed to host weddings. The bridal suite is limited and the guest facilities are lacking. There is nowhere for the grooms party to relax. I loved my wedding day because of my incredible family and friends. No matter where you book they will be there to celebrate with you. I wish I hadn’t made the mistake of booking with Phipps.
Reviewed on 18-11-2018
Christy Savage (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 13-10-2018
Phipps was beautiful. The team is great at communicating and making sure we had everything that we needed and the food was incredible! We're still getting complimented on the food!
Reviewed on 15-11-2018
Wedding Date 13-10-2018
Phipps was beautiful. The team is great at communicating and making sure we had everything that we needed and the food was incredible! We're still getting complimented on the food!
Reviewed on 15-11-2018
Jessica Leska (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 22-09-2018
I truly cannot day enough good things about this venue or the staff. Phipps had been my dream wedding venue since I was a little girl, so I’m sure my expectations were exceptionally high...and they absolutely nailed it. I wish I could have a wedding at Phipps every weekend!My husband and I had both our ceremony (Outdoor Garden) and reception (Tropical Rainforest and Special Events Hall) there and mostly worked with David Swank and Allanah Ebenstein who were both PHENOMENAL!! We truly feel like they are family after going through the whole experience. The beauty of the venue speaks for itself, but everything else was top notch, as well! Allanah made sure that the day flowed perfectly and was at my beckon call whenever I needed her. She and David were always so quick to respond to texts, phone calls, e-mails, you name it, whenever we had a question or concern. They both went above and beyond to make sure everything was flawless thorough out the whole planning process. Seriously, no details were missed...from the way I wanted to plates angled, to the way I wanted the linen colors staggered on the cocktail tables, to the way I wanted to votives places. The cookie table turned out more beautiful than I ever expected and the food...omg the food! The hors d'oeuvres were just as delicious as the dinner selections! People are still talking about how great the food was! Our wedding at Phipps completely exceeded all of our expectations in everyday. Our guests tell us all the time that ours was the best wedding they’ve ever attended and that is all thanks to the venue we chose and their fabulous staff!
Reviewed on 22-10-2018
Wedding Date 22-09-2018
I truly cannot day enough good things about this venue or the staff. Phipps had been my dream wedding venue since I was a little girl, so I’m sure my expectations were exceptionally high...and they absolutely nailed it. I wish I could have a wedding at Phipps every weekend!My husband and I had both our ceremony (Outdoor Garden) and reception (Tropical Rainforest and Special Events Hall) there and mostly worked with David Swank and Allanah Ebenstein who were both PHENOMENAL!! We truly feel like they are family after going through the whole experience. The beauty of the venue speaks for itself, but everything else was top notch, as well! Allanah made sure that the day flowed perfectly and was at my beckon call whenever I needed her. She and David were always so quick to respond to texts, phone calls, e-mails, you name it, whenever we had a question or concern. They both went above and beyond to make sure everything was flawless thorough out the whole planning process. Seriously, no details were missed...from the way I wanted to plates angled, to the way I wanted the linen colors staggered on the cocktail tables, to the way I wanted to votives places. The cookie table turned out more beautiful than I ever expected and the food...omg the food! The hors d'oeuvres were just as delicious as the dinner selections! People are still talking about how great the food was! Our wedding at Phipps completely exceeded all of our expectations in everyday. Our guests tell us all the time that ours was the best wedding they’ve ever attended and that is all thanks to the venue we chose and their fabulous staff!
Reviewed on 22-10-2018
Traci Day (bride) 4 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 14-09-2018
I have always loved Phipps, so when it came time to identify a place for the ceremony, I knew it had to be there. The staff were very open and flexible with my wants and needs. I felt comfortable with being able to share my ideas and ask them their advice on how to arrange the ceremony. I had my ceremony in the Broderie Room, which was incredibly beautiful and intimate. We had about 40 people attend and there was more than enough room and the time allotted was more than enough. The grounds are absolutely stunning (inside and out) and the pictures truly show that. I only wished it were a bit cooler in the room; however, I didn't expect the sunny 90 degree day in the middle of September!
Reviewed on 10-10-2018
Wedding Date 14-09-2018
I have always loved Phipps, so when it came time to identify a place for the ceremony, I knew it had to be there. The staff were very open and flexible with my wants and needs. I felt comfortable with being able to share my ideas and ask them their advice on how to arrange the ceremony. I had my ceremony in the Broderie Room, which was incredibly beautiful and intimate. We had about 40 people attend and there was more than enough room and the time allotted was more than enough. The grounds are absolutely stunning (inside and out) and the pictures truly show that. I only wished it were a bit cooler in the room; however, I didn't expect the sunny 90 degree day in the middle of September!
Reviewed on 10-10-2018
Emily Kennedy (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 29-09-2018
Everything about Phipps was great! David and Kate were so helpful and organized when it came to planning and orchestrating the day of our wedding! We got so many compliments about the reception, we would not change one thing!!
Reviewed on 04-10-2018
Wedding Date 29-09-2018
Everything about Phipps was great! David and Kate were so helpful and organized when it came to planning and orchestrating the day of our wedding! We got so many compliments about the reception, we would not change one thing!!
Reviewed on 04-10-2018
Vincent Agresti (groom) 3 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 08-09-2018
We booked Phipps as our ceremony location, as we both were Pitt Grads and going to Phipps while students was always a nice relax date for us. They were our first choice for a ceremony venue due to how beautiful the space is and the great value for the size of our party. We booked them about 1.5 years out with no issue but things became a little more stressful as we got closer to the big day. First, our main contact was swapped out 3-4 times since we signed the contract, so I imagine some details were lost in transition. Second, we were told of the rehearsal date options a little over a month out (which was expected as per contract), but they only offered us either the Thursday before or upto 1pm on Friday. As we had a Saturday wedding and most of our family and wedding party were flying in, finding this out so late was extremely frustrating, especially as when I signed the contract we were not told of any other conflicting events. It turns out there was a wedding after ours in the same space the same day, but they were given first choice in rehearsal times. Thankfully at this point we were working with the Event Sales Manager, who was great to work with and definitely helped us feel things would go ok. There still was some communication holes however, like confirmation on if we will do indoor/outdoor the day of, but we didn't feel this was a big deal as the event itself was perfect. The staff on the day of was fantastic to work with, helped up through every step and honestly made us forget about any issues we had in the past few months.
Reviewed on 23-09-2018
Wedding Date 08-09-2018
We booked Phipps as our ceremony location, as we both were Pitt Grads and going to Phipps while students was always a nice relax date for us. They were our first choice for a ceremony venue due to how beautiful the space is and the great value for the size of our party. We booked them about 1.5 years out with no issue but things became a little more stressful as we got closer to the big day. First, our main contact was swapped out 3-4 times since we signed the contract, so I imagine some details were lost in transition. Second, we were told of the rehearsal date options a little over a month out (which was expected as per contract), but they only offered us either the Thursday before or upto 1pm on Friday. As we had a Saturday wedding and most of our family and wedding party were flying in, finding this out so late was extremely frustrating, especially as when I signed the contract we were not told of any other conflicting events. It turns out there was a wedding after ours in the same space the same day, but they were given first choice in rehearsal times. Thankfully at this point we were working with the Event Sales Manager, who was great to work with and definitely helped us feel things would go ok. There still was some communication holes however, like confirmation on if we will do indoor/outdoor the day of, but we didn't feel this was a big deal as the event itself was perfect. The staff on the day of was fantastic to work with, helped up through every step and honestly made us forget about any issues we had in the past few months.
Reviewed on 23-09-2018
Julie Steinbrink (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 25-08-2018
We had our wedding ceremony and reception at the Outdoor Garden at Phipps and it surpassed everything I could have dreamed off. The setting is just breathtaking and the staff was very responsive to communication questions - included setup, decoration, catering, bar, and general question. The food was phenomenal. Everyone says the bride doesn't eat at her wedding, but my husband and I made sure to not miss our meals - it was that good! I got married weeks ago and my guests are still raving about how beautiful the wedding was and how smoothly it ran. If I had to do it again, I would definitely pick the same venue!
Reviewed on 08-09-2018
Wedding Date 25-08-2018
We had our wedding ceremony and reception at the Outdoor Garden at Phipps and it surpassed everything I could have dreamed off. The setting is just breathtaking and the staff was very responsive to communication questions - included setup, decoration, catering, bar, and general question. The food was phenomenal. Everyone says the bride doesn't eat at her wedding, but my husband and I made sure to not miss our meals - it was that good! I got married weeks ago and my guests are still raving about how beautiful the wedding was and how smoothly it ran. If I had to do it again, I would definitely pick the same venue!
Reviewed on 08-09-2018
Dafne Duchesne-Sotomayor (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 28-07-2018
We had our wedding in a smaller venue owned by Phipps known as the Phipps Garden Center in Shadyside last July 28. Although we were initially worried about the fact that it was a secondary site, all our initial worries turned out to be completely illusory. Katelyn, the manager, always made sure that everything was going as planned and that all of our directions were followed. The venue was decorated beautifully. Despite the fact that the room is often used for other meetings related to the garden center, it looked like a wedding venue, as it overlooked a terrace which is right next to Mellon Park. David, from catering, was also very responsible from the beginning and was in charge of the schedule minute by minute. The food (a buffet) was also good. All our guests, most of whom came from out of state and did not know what to expect from the city, were enchanted by the location and left with a good impression of Pittsburgh. We couldn't have asked for a better crew. If you are having a relatively small wedding (up to a 100 guests), this is an ideal location, as it is very intimate without being informal. Thank you!!
Reviewed on 03-08-2018
Wedding Date 28-07-2018
We had our wedding in a smaller venue owned by Phipps known as the Phipps Garden Center in Shadyside last July 28. Although we were initially worried about the fact that it was a secondary site, all our initial worries turned out to be completely illusory. Katelyn, the manager, always made sure that everything was going as planned and that all of our directions were followed. The venue was decorated beautifully. Despite the fact that the room is often used for other meetings related to the garden center, it looked like a wedding venue, as it overlooked a terrace which is right next to Mellon Park. David, from catering, was also very responsible from the beginning and was in charge of the schedule minute by minute. The food (a buffet) was also good. All our guests, most of whom came from out of state and did not know what to expect from the city, were enchanted by the location and left with a good impression of Pittsburgh. We couldn't have asked for a better crew. If you are having a relatively small wedding (up to a 100 guests), this is an ideal location, as it is very intimate without being informal. Thank you!!
Reviewed on 03-08-2018
Cydney Quinn (bride) 2 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 21-07-2018
We were going to have our wedding ceremony and reception here and were about to give deposit - luckily we did a drive by. No one told us that it was under construction and would be during our wedding. Luckily we were able to go somewhere else.
Reviewed on 26-07-2018
Wedding Date 21-07-2018
We were going to have our wedding ceremony and reception here and were about to give deposit - luckily we did a drive by. No one told us that it was under construction and would be during our wedding. Luckily we were able to go somewhere else.
Reviewed on 26-07-2018
Kaitlin Price (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 21-07-2018
My husband and I just had our wedding at Phipps and it was absolutely amazing. Not only is the venue beautiful, the people who help run the show are amazing. They understood our vision and budget. When we ran into a few issues just a week before the wedding they worked to make everything work as best as possible. All my guests said that it was one of the coolest venues they’d ever been to and said it was some of the best wedding food they’ve ever had. I would definitely recommend Phipps to anyone looking for an awesome venue in Pittsburgh.
Reviewed on 25-07-2018
Wedding Date 21-07-2018
My husband and I just had our wedding at Phipps and it was absolutely amazing. Not only is the venue beautiful, the people who help run the show are amazing. They understood our vision and budget. When we ran into a few issues just a week before the wedding they worked to make everything work as best as possible. All my guests said that it was one of the coolest venues they’d ever been to and said it was some of the best wedding food they’ve ever had. I would definitely recommend Phipps to anyone looking for an awesome venue in Pittsburgh.
Reviewed on 25-07-2018
Morgan Kayser (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 19-11-2017
If you're looking for a beautiful venue, I don't think you could do much better than Phipps. I'm not sure what would surpass it, especially locally. Our guests were spellbound. We love going back to Phipps (which we do frequently as we're members) and remembering our wedding each time. It's also extremely affordable if you have a small wedding. We booked the Broderie room for around $600 for our 35-person ceremony. Service was excellent, our coordinator was great, and all of our pictures are stunning. You won't need any decorations, that's for sure. I will say their event staff were occasionally disorganized and a little hard to get a hold of. However, the impact this had on our actual day was negligible and wouldn't dissuade me from recommending Phipps in any way-- just make sure YOU are organized and repeat your needs in multiple formats (over the phone, in person, and via e-mail) to make sure the message gets through.
Reviewed on 20-05-2018
Wedding Date 19-11-2017
If you're looking for a beautiful venue, I don't think you could do much better than Phipps. I'm not sure what would surpass it, especially locally. Our guests were spellbound. We love going back to Phipps (which we do frequently as we're members) and remembering our wedding each time. It's also extremely affordable if you have a small wedding. We booked the Broderie room for around $600 for our 35-person ceremony. Service was excellent, our coordinator was great, and all of our pictures are stunning. You won't need any decorations, that's for sure. I will say their event staff were occasionally disorganized and a little hard to get a hold of. However, the impact this had on our actual day was negligible and wouldn't dissuade me from recommending Phipps in any way-- just make sure YOU are organized and repeat your needs in multiple formats (over the phone, in person, and via e-mail) to make sure the message gets through.
Reviewed on 20-05-2018
Samantha Rutter (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 12-05-2018
Great venue with amazing food and amazing staff. Julie Hutto, the event coordinator, was simply perfect. I knew we were in good hands from the moment I met her. She is organized, punctual, and attentive. She was able to prevent any major issues and quickly take care of any snags that the day inevitably brings!
Reviewed on 14-05-2018
Wedding Date 12-05-2018
Great venue with amazing food and amazing staff. Julie Hutto, the event coordinator, was simply perfect. I knew we were in good hands from the moment I met her. She is organized, punctual, and attentive. She was able to prevent any major issues and quickly take care of any snags that the day inevitably brings!
Reviewed on 14-05-2018
Hannah Mulqueen (bride) 4 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 17-06-2017
My husband and I were very happy we chose Phipps Conservatory for our reception. We would recommend it to anyone! It was very easy to communicate with the staff, especially since we planned our wedding from across the country. The night starting with the cocktail hour went great. There was a large amount of space for corn hole and our guests to mingle on the patio outside as well as the garden inside. The food (during cocktail hour and dinner) was delicious! They offered many different options for us to choose from during the planning process. There was one negative about the venue. The air conditioning system turns off every time a door is open and with one of the bars being outside, guests were frequently opening the doors throughout the whole night. This caused the temperature in the event hall to get too hot on our summer wedding day when we expected it to be cool and comfortable from the air conditioning. Other than that, we had a blast and would do it over again there!
Reviewed on 27-12-2017
Wedding Date 17-06-2017
My husband and I were very happy we chose Phipps Conservatory for our reception. We would recommend it to anyone! It was very easy to communicate with the staff, especially since we planned our wedding from across the country. The night starting with the cocktail hour went great. There was a large amount of space for corn hole and our guests to mingle on the patio outside as well as the garden inside. The food (during cocktail hour and dinner) was delicious! They offered many different options for us to choose from during the planning process. There was one negative about the venue. The air conditioning system turns off every time a door is open and with one of the bars being outside, guests were frequently opening the doors throughout the whole night. This caused the temperature in the event hall to get too hot on our summer wedding day when we expected it to be cool and comfortable from the air conditioning. Other than that, we had a blast and would do it over again there!
Reviewed on 27-12-2017
Ashley Mueller (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 04-11-2017
My husband and I held our cocktail hour within the tropical forest and our reception within the special events hall. This goes without saying - Phipps is beautiful! A truly stunning and unique venue! I was so excited to show off Phipps to our guests. And everyone loved it! David the catering manager did a great job executing our vision. The food was delicious and served right on schedule. Phipps provided a reasonable and inclusive package for cake, linens, food and alcohol, and, for the remaining vendors, the Phipps team helped oversee delivery, set up, etc. on the day of so we could enjoy the conservatory with our guests. And the end result of the decorated space was perfect!I’d highly recommend Phipps to a couple looking for a non-ballroom, uniquely Pittsburgh venue.Thanks for everything Phipps team!
Reviewed on 17-12-2017
Wedding Date 04-11-2017
My husband and I held our cocktail hour within the tropical forest and our reception within the special events hall. This goes without saying - Phipps is beautiful! A truly stunning and unique venue! I was so excited to show off Phipps to our guests. And everyone loved it! David the catering manager did a great job executing our vision. The food was delicious and served right on schedule. Phipps provided a reasonable and inclusive package for cake, linens, food and alcohol, and, for the remaining vendors, the Phipps team helped oversee delivery, set up, etc. on the day of so we could enjoy the conservatory with our guests. And the end result of the decorated space was perfect!I’d highly recommend Phipps to a couple looking for a non-ballroom, uniquely Pittsburgh venue.Thanks for everything Phipps team!
Reviewed on 17-12-2017
Kristina Lemaster (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 04-11-2017
So thankful for Julie and her help. First look went off fantastically and the ceremony worked out so well
Reviewed on 21-11-2017
Wedding Date 04-11-2017
So thankful for Julie and her help. First look went off fantastically and the ceremony worked out so well
Reviewed on 21-11-2017
Edie Gentile (wedding party) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 19-09-2012
If you want a wedding venue that will be the most beautiful and special place you can imagine AND one that your guests will remember - it’s Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. My daughter’s wedding took place on October 28, 2017 in the Broderie Room which was decorated with magnificent fall flowers-a perfect setting. The coordinator was so sweet and helpful - she made sure everything went off without a problem and the ceremony was lovely. Also, everyone involved at Phipps made this wedding experience very easy and were very helpful with our questions and requests. All in all, my daughter and new son-in-law’s wedding was everything they could have dreamed about and were so pleased that Phipps was where they said “I do.”
Reviewed on 03-11-2017
Wedding Date 19-09-2012
If you want a wedding venue that will be the most beautiful and special place you can imagine AND one that your guests will remember - it’s Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. My daughter’s wedding took place on October 28, 2017 in the Broderie Room which was decorated with magnificent fall flowers-a perfect setting. The coordinator was so sweet and helpful - she made sure everything went off without a problem and the ceremony was lovely. Also, everyone involved at Phipps made this wedding experience very easy and were very helpful with our questions and requests. All in all, my daughter and new son-in-law’s wedding was everything they could have dreamed about and were so pleased that Phipps was where they said “I do.”
Reviewed on 03-11-2017
Erin Johnson (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 16-09-2017
We cannot say enough great things about Phipps. The catering department is top notch and David and Amy are the reason why! Kate in events makes sure everything goes smoothly and worked very hard to ensure our reception area was exactly what we wanted.
Reviewed on 02-10-2017
Wedding Date 16-09-2017
We cannot say enough great things about Phipps. The catering department is top notch and David and Amy are the reason why! Kate in events makes sure everything goes smoothly and worked very hard to ensure our reception area was exactly what we wanted.
Reviewed on 02-10-2017
Jill White (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 09-09-2017
Phipps is beautiful. We had our ceremony outside of the Tropical Forest and Reception in the Special Events Hall. Everyone kept commenting on how beautiful and unique it was - it was perfect. Katelyn (event coordinator) made sure everything flowed seamlessly the day of and eliminated the need for a day-of planner. Dave (catering manager) took care of our guests many allergies and the food was terrific. Great venue, great food, great times. Love Phipps!
Reviewed on 12-09-2017
Wedding Date 09-09-2017
Phipps is beautiful. We had our ceremony outside of the Tropical Forest and Reception in the Special Events Hall. Everyone kept commenting on how beautiful and unique it was - it was perfect. Katelyn (event coordinator) made sure everything flowed seamlessly the day of and eliminated the need for a day-of planner. Dave (catering manager) took care of our guests many allergies and the food was terrific. Great venue, great food, great times. Love Phipps!
Reviewed on 12-09-2017
Lexie Hoesch (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 26-08-2017
My experience at Phipps was wonderful! They were very flexible and completely willing to work with me to make the day exactly as I envisioned it! They were so helpful in making sure my bridesmaids and I had everything we needed when getting ready. I completely panicked the morning of my ceremony because I realized I had forgotten to cut our wedding music to an appropriate length, but the staff at Phipps took care of playing the music beautifully, and even working in a soft fade-out once the processional had finished. Finally, you can save tons off the florist costs, as you will literally have more wedding flowers than you ever could have imagined included right in the venue! I strongly recommend Phipps to any couple looking for a scenic, environmentally-friendly, and wonderfully accommodating wedding venue.
Reviewed on 30-08-2017
Wedding Date 26-08-2017
My experience at Phipps was wonderful! They were very flexible and completely willing to work with me to make the day exactly as I envisioned it! They were so helpful in making sure my bridesmaids and I had everything we needed when getting ready. I completely panicked the morning of my ceremony because I realized I had forgotten to cut our wedding music to an appropriate length, but the staff at Phipps took care of playing the music beautifully, and even working in a soft fade-out once the processional had finished. Finally, you can save tons off the florist costs, as you will literally have more wedding flowers than you ever could have imagined included right in the venue! I strongly recommend Phipps to any couple looking for a scenic, environmentally-friendly, and wonderfully accommodating wedding venue.
Reviewed on 30-08-2017
Summer Dimerling (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 30-10-2018
I could not be happier with our decision to use Phipps Conservatory for our intimate wedding. The staff was amazing in making sure everything went smoothly. Julie the coordinator and Dave from catering were both very responsive and easy to work with. We received many compliments on the venue and the outstanding food. I would highly recommend this venue to any future brides!
Reviewed on 30-08-2017
Wedding Date 30-10-2018
I could not be happier with our decision to use Phipps Conservatory for our intimate wedding. The staff was amazing in making sure everything went smoothly. Julie the coordinator and Dave from catering were both very responsive and easy to work with. We received many compliments on the venue and the outstanding food. I would highly recommend this venue to any future brides!
Reviewed on 30-08-2017
Amber Nelson (bride) 3 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 02-10-2018
I recently got married at Phipps 6/2017. We got married outside and had the reception outside under the tents. Phipps is a beautiful place to get married at. Will warn you it is expensive to rent just space. Also, be warned everything is extra even tho they make it sound like it is not. If you want nice linens you will be paying extra for the ones included in the package are just plain white. The bar tab is expensive per person as well. Another important warning--the response and communication are horrible! If you have questions expect a response back in about a week if your lucky and that's with me sending multiple emails and phone calls to them. I am assuming this is not a good place to work at. We went thru three people on the venue rental side. The last person we dealt with got hired a month before our wedding. Not fun! On the catering side, we went thru three people as well with the third person coming in the month before our wedding. As for the price for the food, it is expensive for what you get. The hanger steak was very good. My husband loved it. The chicken for the guests tasted good but was suppose to be encrusted with mushrooms and have a sauce underneath with mushrooms and onions on top. Well, what we got was just breaded chicken for $100 per person. Not happy about that. My mother had nothing on her chicken only three clovers put on top of it. I had like 4 mushrooms on top of mine and my matron of honor had nothing on hers. So no sauce, no mushroom encrusted breading and no mushroom/onions on top of the entree. I voiced this in an email a few weeks later and was pretty much told sorry and not even given a partial refund! We ordered our cake from Prantl's bakery and tasted excellent. The catering department at Phipps was supposed to sprinkle the toasted sugar almonds on the cake pieces for the guests which they did not do. I got a whole sheet cake back that they didn't even cut and give out! My family all made cookies. We had about 140 dozen made. I told them to put them all out. I was told they had enough plates/etc to place them on. Well, I would say they didn't have enough plates/etc to place them on and I received back a lot of boxes of cookies back. Some that were never even placed out. We were supposed to have appetizers set aside for the wedding party which was placed in the bridal sweet that we never went back to. So did not get to enjoy the appetizers. I assumed that they would have placed them on the wedding party table. I was informed afterward I said something that they place them in the bridal sweet. Miscommunication! Do not give Phipps your credit card or debit card numbers to have on file. I have had two debits made on my card with no one from Phipps sending me an email or call to inform me that they would be placing a charge and for what. So just warning future brides if you choose to have the reception at Phipps it is a hassle and they don't do what they are supposed to do. Best of luck.
Reviewed on 01-08-2017
Wedding Date 02-10-2018
I recently got married at Phipps 6/2017. We got married outside and had the reception outside under the tents. Phipps is a beautiful place to get married at. Will warn you it is expensive to rent just space. Also, be warned everything is extra even tho they make it sound like it is not. If you want nice linens you will be paying extra for the ones included in the package are just plain white. The bar tab is expensive per person as well. Another important warning--the response and communication are horrible! If you have questions expect a response back in about a week if your lucky and that's with me sending multiple emails and phone calls to them. I am assuming this is not a good place to work at. We went thru three people on the venue rental side. The last person we dealt with got hired a month before our wedding. Not fun! On the catering side, we went thru three people as well with the third person coming in the month before our wedding. As for the price for the food, it is expensive for what you get. The hanger steak was very good. My husband loved it. The chicken for the guests tasted good but was suppose to be encrusted with mushrooms and have a sauce underneath with mushrooms and onions on top. Well, what we got was just breaded chicken for $100 per person. Not happy about that. My mother had nothing on her chicken only three clovers put on top of it. I had like 4 mushrooms on top of mine and my matron of honor had nothing on hers. So no sauce, no mushroom encrusted breading and no mushroom/onions on top of the entree. I voiced this in an email a few weeks later and was pretty much told sorry and not even given a partial refund! We ordered our cake from Prantl's bakery and tasted excellent. The catering department at Phipps was supposed to sprinkle the toasted sugar almonds on the cake pieces for the guests which they did not do. I got a whole sheet cake back that they didn't even cut and give out! My family all made cookies. We had about 140 dozen made. I told them to put them all out. I was told they had enough plates/etc to place them on. Well, I would say they didn't have enough plates/etc to place them on and I received back a lot of boxes of cookies back. Some that were never even placed out. We were supposed to have appetizers set aside for the wedding party which was placed in the bridal sweet that we never went back to. So did not get to enjoy the appetizers. I assumed that they would have placed them on the wedding party table. I was informed afterward I said something that they place them in the bridal sweet. Miscommunication! Do not give Phipps your credit card or debit card numbers to have on file. I have had two debits made on my card with no one from Phipps sending me an email or call to inform me that they would be placing a charge and for what. So just warning future brides if you choose to have the reception at Phipps it is a hassle and they don't do what they are supposed to do. Best of luck.
Reviewed on 01-08-2017
Alison Knezevich (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 19-11-2016
I can't say enough good things about the Phipps Conservatory! We had our ceremony and reception in the special events hall, with the cocktail hour in the Tropical Forest. We worked with Ashley and Carrie and both were extremely professional. I planned the wedding from out of town and the staff was very helpful and accommodating. Everything flowed smoothly the night of the wedding. It truly felt magical.
Reviewed on 15-01-2017
Wedding Date 19-11-2016
I can't say enough good things about the Phipps Conservatory! We had our ceremony and reception in the special events hall, with the cocktail hour in the Tropical Forest. We worked with Ashley and Carrie and both were extremely professional. I planned the wedding from out of town and the staff was very helpful and accommodating. Everything flowed smoothly the night of the wedding. It truly felt magical.
Reviewed on 15-01-2017
Valerie Vento (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 12-11-2016
We had our our reception at Phipps Conservatory on November 12, 2016 in the special events hall with our cocktail hour in the tropical rain forest. We worked with Nina and Carrie. They were both very responsive and professional and they made sure we had everything the way we wanted it to be on our special day. They were able to transform a pretty bare room into something out of the library (we had a literary themed wedding). The food was delicious and served in a timely manner by a professional wait staff. Numerous staff checked in on us throughout the night to make sure we didn't need anything. We couldn't have asked for a better venue to have our reception!
Reviewed on 17-12-2016
Wedding Date 12-11-2016
We had our our reception at Phipps Conservatory on November 12, 2016 in the special events hall with our cocktail hour in the tropical rain forest. We worked with Nina and Carrie. They were both very responsive and professional and they made sure we had everything the way we wanted it to be on our special day. They were able to transform a pretty bare room into something out of the library (we had a literary themed wedding). The food was delicious and served in a timely manner by a professional wait staff. Numerous staff checked in on us throughout the night to make sure we didn't need anything. We couldn't have asked for a better venue to have our reception!
Reviewed on 17-12-2016
Preethi Raju (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 20-08-2016
Phipps was an incredible venue for our outdoor wedding and reception. Definitely recommend using the tropical garden and outdoor patio for cocktail hour! We primarily worked with Nina and Carrie, who were both so accomodating and sweet. We had a fulltime wedding planner but Nina help a lot with the decorations, and clean up on the day-of. Some standout things include: If you're having a summer wedding, the tent is included, so you have an automatic rain plan. We decided last minute that we wanted to serve drinks and ice cream during the service, and Carrie at Phipps made it happen. The only negative is that Phipps handles some of the sub-contractors such as linens and staging, so you can't really reach out to the original party in case there's an issue. At our wedding, the decorator had an issue with the staging folks over a big mishap, but since Phipps signed the contract with the staging company, it was hard to get the two parties in touch. However, Phipps was generous in partially reimbursing us for the issue. Overall I would recommend Phipps for their beautiful venue, but also their awesome staff who goes all out to give you the wedding of your dreams!
Reviewed on 07-12-2016
Wedding Date 20-08-2016
Phipps was an incredible venue for our outdoor wedding and reception. Definitely recommend using the tropical garden and outdoor patio for cocktail hour! We primarily worked with Nina and Carrie, who were both so accomodating and sweet. We had a fulltime wedding planner but Nina help a lot with the decorations, and clean up on the day-of. Some standout things include: If you're having a summer wedding, the tent is included, so you have an automatic rain plan. We decided last minute that we wanted to serve drinks and ice cream during the service, and Carrie at Phipps made it happen. The only negative is that Phipps handles some of the sub-contractors such as linens and staging, so you can't really reach out to the original party in case there's an issue. At our wedding, the decorator had an issue with the staging folks over a big mishap, but since Phipps signed the contract with the staging company, it was hard to get the two parties in touch. However, Phipps was generous in partially reimbursing us for the issue. Overall I would recommend Phipps for their beautiful venue, but also their awesome staff who goes all out to give you the wedding of your dreams!
Reviewed on 07-12-2016
Michaelene Weimer (bride) 4 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 06-08-2016
It was a gorgeous venue and the food was excellent. The waitstaff made a few mistakes, including forgetting the bride and groom's champagne for toasts and giving the groom the wrong meal. Otherwise, it was very well done.
Reviewed on 21-11-2016
Wedding Date 06-08-2016
It was a gorgeous venue and the food was excellent. The waitstaff made a few mistakes, including forgetting the bride and groom's champagne for toasts and giving the groom the wrong meal. Otherwise, it was very well done.
Reviewed on 21-11-2016
Stephanie Nepali (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 24-09-2016
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens was the perfect place for our ceremony. The staff was extremely helpful, cooperative, and responsive. It was perfect that they have a special room for the bride to get ready away from the outdoor garden. Our wedding photos look beautiful with the garden in the background!
Reviewed on 13-11-2016
Wedding Date 24-09-2016
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens was the perfect place for our ceremony. The staff was extremely helpful, cooperative, and responsive. It was perfect that they have a special room for the bride to get ready away from the outdoor garden. Our wedding photos look beautiful with the garden in the background!
Reviewed on 13-11-2016
XT H (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 25-09-2016
Phipps Outdoor Garden is a total dream! This venue provided both beautiful indoor and outdoor ceremony and reception options. Every corner of the garden is absolutely breathtaking! Ashley was so organized and professional and she was very patient answering all of our questions and addressing all of our concerns. Regarding the meals, Carrie handled our seating concerns and accommodated all of our menu changes which we appreciated. On the day of the wedding, The whole event team was very attentive throughout the planning process. They truly went above and beyond to ensure that we were well taken care of and that our special day was perfect. We highly recommend them!
Reviewed on 03-11-2016
Wedding Date 25-09-2016
Phipps Outdoor Garden is a total dream! This venue provided both beautiful indoor and outdoor ceremony and reception options. Every corner of the garden is absolutely breathtaking! Ashley was so organized and professional and she was very patient answering all of our questions and addressing all of our concerns. Regarding the meals, Carrie handled our seating concerns and accommodated all of our menu changes which we appreciated. On the day of the wedding, The whole event team was very attentive throughout the planning process. They truly went above and beyond to ensure that we were well taken care of and that our special day was perfect. We highly recommend them!
Reviewed on 03-11-2016
Nina Sainato (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 16-10-2016
I will never run out of fabulous things to say about this venue. Phipps was my number one choice for sentimental reasons, so that part was easy. The fact that they ended up being so out of this world accommodating and incredible to work with was a huge bonus!!!! My husband and I are both professional musicians - so we wanted something different. Phipps is unique, aesthetically beautiful, but still completely functional and fairly priced. Their in house catering is fantastic, I received SO many compliments on the food and the wait staff was incredible. I did not have a wedding planner, so I worked one on one with their events team starting with Rachel, who moved out of town, and then was assigned to Nina. They were both amazing, and did not miss even the smallest detail despite how busy they are and how many events they have to manage. Our wedding night was absolute magic in every way, and so much of it was because of this setting. We love Phipps and everything they stand for, and would recommend them to anyone planning an event, big or small.
Reviewed on 20-10-2016
Wedding Date 16-10-2016
I will never run out of fabulous things to say about this venue. Phipps was my number one choice for sentimental reasons, so that part was easy. The fact that they ended up being so out of this world accommodating and incredible to work with was a huge bonus!!!! My husband and I are both professional musicians - so we wanted something different. Phipps is unique, aesthetically beautiful, but still completely functional and fairly priced. Their in house catering is fantastic, I received SO many compliments on the food and the wait staff was incredible. I did not have a wedding planner, so I worked one on one with their events team starting with Rachel, who moved out of town, and then was assigned to Nina. They were both amazing, and did not miss even the smallest detail despite how busy they are and how many events they have to manage. Our wedding night was absolute magic in every way, and so much of it was because of this setting. We love Phipps and everything they stand for, and would recommend them to anyone planning an event, big or small.
Reviewed on 20-10-2016
Shelly Tiwary (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 04-09-2016
This was the greatest venue for our wedding. They were accommodating, extremely responsive, and overall wonderful to work with. Everything was beautiful and I would highly recommend it!
Reviewed on 29-09-2016
Wedding Date 04-09-2016
This was the greatest venue for our wedding. They were accommodating, extremely responsive, and overall wonderful to work with. Everything was beautiful and I would highly recommend it!
Reviewed on 29-09-2016
Emily Dolecki (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 30-07-2016
Phipps is amazing! My husband and I got married the end of July and held our reception in the Tropical Forest/ events hall. Our guests had access to the tropical forest area and outdoor patio during cocktail hour and the reception. We had the best experience working with Carrie the catering manager and Ashley in event sales throughout our year of planning. They would always get back to us immediately and cater to whatever we decided...even a last minute candy table! The venue was absolutely breathtaking and spectacular. We received endless compliments from all our guests on how beautiful everything turned out and how delicious the food was. They took care of whatever we needed. Needless to say we highly recommend Phipps! We will cherish our memories forever.
Reviewed on 30-08-2016
Wedding Date 30-07-2016
Phipps is amazing! My husband and I got married the end of July and held our reception in the Tropical Forest/ events hall. Our guests had access to the tropical forest area and outdoor patio during cocktail hour and the reception. We had the best experience working with Carrie the catering manager and Ashley in event sales throughout our year of planning. They would always get back to us immediately and cater to whatever we decided...even a last minute candy table! The venue was absolutely breathtaking and spectacular. We received endless compliments from all our guests on how beautiful everything turned out and how delicious the food was. They took care of whatever we needed. Needless to say we highly recommend Phipps! We will cherish our memories forever.
Reviewed on 30-08-2016
Annie Brannigan (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 14-05-2016
Carrie in Catering and Rachel in Events made our day absolutely flawless. We were scheduled for the Outdoor Garden and it poured down rain all day and night. They were well planned, flexible, thoughtful and catered to our every night. Highly recommend this venue!
Reviewed on 20-08-2016
Wedding Date 14-05-2016
Carrie in Catering and Rachel in Events made our day absolutely flawless. We were scheduled for the Outdoor Garden and it poured down rain all day and night. They were well planned, flexible, thoughtful and catered to our every night. Highly recommend this venue!
Reviewed on 20-08-2016
Alice Xue (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 03-07-2016
We had our 35 person wedding ceremony at the Broderie Room in Phipps, and it was completely perfect! Nina and Ashley were both incredibly helpful, and all the event staff communicated well with each other, so there were no surprises. They did a beautiful job setting up the bows, programs, and rose ceremony beforehand, and Ashley helped cue everyone for the processional as well. The space was beautiful and intimate, and they were able to provide handicap access for older guests easily. Overall, I couldn't have imagined a better setting for my wedding ceremony!
Reviewed on 08-07-2016
Wedding Date 03-07-2016
We had our 35 person wedding ceremony at the Broderie Room in Phipps, and it was completely perfect! Nina and Ashley were both incredibly helpful, and all the event staff communicated well with each other, so there were no surprises. They did a beautiful job setting up the bows, programs, and rose ceremony beforehand, and Ashley helped cue everyone for the processional as well. The space was beautiful and intimate, and they were able to provide handicap access for older guests easily. Overall, I couldn't have imagined a better setting for my wedding ceremony!
Reviewed on 08-07-2016
Jennifer Henderson (bride) 2 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 21-05-2016
Phipps a beautiful wedding venue and the food something you’ll enjoy. But you best invest in a wedding planner as the services in that area are atrocious! You’ll need an advocate for the contracts you sign with them as for our special day, they double booked our space AND held a rehearsal during the time allotted for us (vendor set-up time). This did not allow our florist to have adequate time to display all that we had paid for-she was only given an hour before the wedding to set up the entire reception area! Terribly, my now husband had to seek out the Phipps wedding planner to inform her that our parents did not have a place to sit during the ceremony that was now being held in the tents due to rain. I guess she didn’t think it was that big of a deal because the my parents (bride-to-be) had to find a seat in the third row-in what wedding ceremony is it ok for the bride’s parents to sit anywhere but the first row?? As part of your agreement with Phipps, you are to provide table arrangements with your guest’s choice of food item. Not only do you provide them with a list of these arrangements, you are to somehow, display at their seat, their food choice. I went a step further and color-coordinated the food choices with different colored lanterns/place card holders and font size/color. You would think there would be no chance of a mix up but we had a dozen-thankfully our guests were flexible and still enjoyed their meal. With the rain came a change in temperature and we needed to utilize heaters which we were overcharged for from our initial contract-thankfully Phipps did honor the signed contract and not their revised contract sent to us in an email. The placement of the heaters was another thing though. One heater was placed near our cookies/desserts and melted them! None of us knew there was an additional dessert table until we were leaving for the night because it was stashed away at the far end of the tent way past any tables or bar area. One other thing to note, Phipps does not display all of your cookies at one time and the coordination to keep bringing them out did not happen for us. the kicker is after meeting with the wedding planner about what to display IE: memory table, guest book, bridal pictures etc., I would have thought the display of them would flow and be accessible to our guests. Our guest book had half of the signatures of the guests that were there because it was, again, not adequately displayed near the main tent…out of sight out of mind. The appalling thing the wedding planner/Phipps did was combine our memory table with the bridal pictures, giving the impression they were deceased. Additionally, one of the pictures we wanted to display came late and we asked the wedding coordinator to place it in a frame we provided to her. Unfortunately, she displayed the generic, black and white family picture that is displayed when you buy the frame and not the actual picture we provided! ***Please note, after some negotiating, Phipps did provide a very small refund for the mishaps. I had hoped and dreamed for something different for what we planned and paid for but the venue services fell short and as a result, I would not recommend Phipps for your special day.
Reviewed on 24-06-2016
Wedding Date 21-05-2016
Phipps a beautiful wedding venue and the food something you’ll enjoy. But you best invest in a wedding planner as the services in that area are atrocious! You’ll need an advocate for the contracts you sign with them as for our special day, they double booked our space AND held a rehearsal during the time allotted for us (vendor set-up time). This did not allow our florist to have adequate time to display all that we had paid for-she was only given an hour before the wedding to set up the entire reception area! Terribly, my now husband had to seek out the Phipps wedding planner to inform her that our parents did not have a place to sit during the ceremony that was now being held in the tents due to rain. I guess she didn’t think it was that big of a deal because the my parents (bride-to-be) had to find a seat in the third row-in what wedding ceremony is it ok for the bride’s parents to sit anywhere but the first row?? As part of your agreement with Phipps, you are to provide table arrangements with your guest’s choice of food item. Not only do you provide them with a list of these arrangements, you are to somehow, display at their seat, their food choice. I went a step further and color-coordinated the food choices with different colored lanterns/place card holders and font size/color. You would think there would be no chance of a mix up but we had a dozen-thankfully our guests were flexible and still enjoyed their meal. With the rain came a change in temperature and we needed to utilize heaters which we were overcharged for from our initial contract-thankfully Phipps did honor the signed contract and not their revised contract sent to us in an email. The placement of the heaters was another thing though. One heater was placed near our cookies/desserts and melted them! None of us knew there was an additional dessert table until we were leaving for the night because it was stashed away at the far end of the tent way past any tables or bar area. One other thing to note, Phipps does not display all of your cookies at one time and the coordination to keep bringing them out did not happen for us. the kicker is after meeting with the wedding planner about what to display IE: memory table, guest book, bridal pictures etc., I would have thought the display of them would flow and be accessible to our guests. Our guest book had half of the signatures of the guests that were there because it was, again, not adequately displayed near the main tent…out of sight out of mind. The appalling thing the wedding planner/Phipps did was combine our memory table with the bridal pictures, giving the impression they were deceased. Additionally, one of the pictures we wanted to display came late and we asked the wedding coordinator to place it in a frame we provided to her. Unfortunately, she displayed the generic, black and white family picture that is displayed when you buy the frame and not the actual picture we provided! ***Please note, after some negotiating, Phipps did provide a very small refund for the mishaps. I had hoped and dreamed for something different for what we planned and paid for but the venue services fell short and as a result, I would not recommend Phipps for your special day.
Reviewed on 24-06-2016
Lauren Kelly (bride) 3 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 10-06-2016
Let me first say that the venue is beautiful, which is why we chose it for our ceremony and reception. The outdoor garden was in bloom in June and was really pretty, and the reception hall was very clean. The catering director Carrie was very pleasant and easy to work with. I got a lot of compliments on the food, which we also thought was pretty good. The food selection is a little \"overly fancy\": they don't have a lot of crowd favorites, and the portions are a little small. The hors d'oeuvres came out on plates with FOUR hors d'oeuvres per plate, so it was hard to serve everyone. My biggest problem with the venue is the unnecessary charges and costs. For example, if you want a nicer chair, you can order a more expensive plate of food OR you can pay $5 a chair for an \"upgrade.\" I was also unhappy with the alcohol selection: for the most reasonably priced tier, you could only have TWO types of beer! And there were only four choices to choose from: Yuengling, Yuengling Light, IC Light, and another beer that I forget the name of. If you wanted Heineken or Guinness, that's another \"upgrade\" and will cost you. (Even the expensive tiers had limited beer options, which is a problem if you like a certain brand or type of beer).They have a few annoying rules like no rice, no bubbles, and no runners, because they might disturb the garden. I also had communication issues with the wedding planners: it would take usually a day or two to get a response (including the week right before the wedding) (they only answered the phone ONCE in the entire time I was planning a wedding: every other call I had to leave a message.) We signed our contract about a year before the wedding, and I knew we would owe the balance two weeks before, but they just charged the card on file without letting us know they were doing it! No call or email or invoice, just a $6,000 charge out of the blue. They didn't let me know that the \"corpse flower\" would be blooming the week of my wedding, so watch out for events like that because they won't tell you in advance. The coordinator I had was patient with us, and kind (I wasn't the easiest bride to work with), I just would have liked to be able to reach her more easily.
Reviewed on 14-06-2016
Wedding Date 10-06-2016
Let me first say that the venue is beautiful, which is why we chose it for our ceremony and reception. The outdoor garden was in bloom in June and was really pretty, and the reception hall was very clean. The catering director Carrie was very pleasant and easy to work with. I got a lot of compliments on the food, which we also thought was pretty good. The food selection is a little \"overly fancy\": they don't have a lot of crowd favorites, and the portions are a little small. The hors d'oeuvres came out on plates with FOUR hors d'oeuvres per plate, so it was hard to serve everyone. My biggest problem with the venue is the unnecessary charges and costs. For example, if you want a nicer chair, you can order a more expensive plate of food OR you can pay $5 a chair for an \"upgrade.\" I was also unhappy with the alcohol selection: for the most reasonably priced tier, you could only have TWO types of beer! And there were only four choices to choose from: Yuengling, Yuengling Light, IC Light, and another beer that I forget the name of. If you wanted Heineken or Guinness, that's another \"upgrade\" and will cost you. (Even the expensive tiers had limited beer options, which is a problem if you like a certain brand or type of beer).They have a few annoying rules like no rice, no bubbles, and no runners, because they might disturb the garden. I also had communication issues with the wedding planners: it would take usually a day or two to get a response (including the week right before the wedding) (they only answered the phone ONCE in the entire time I was planning a wedding: every other call I had to leave a message.) We signed our contract about a year before the wedding, and I knew we would owe the balance two weeks before, but they just charged the card on file without letting us know they were doing it! No call or email or invoice, just a $6,000 charge out of the blue. They didn't let me know that the \"corpse flower\" would be blooming the week of my wedding, so watch out for events like that because they won't tell you in advance. The coordinator I had was patient with us, and kind (I wasn't the easiest bride to work with), I just would have liked to be able to reach her more easily.
Reviewed on 14-06-2016
Sara Egros (bride) 2 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 28-05-2016
I honestly cannot believe I can't give Phipps more than 2 stars. Since I was little, all I have ever dreamed of for my wedding was to get married at Phipps. Other than the beautiful garden (which is were the ceremony took place), I was disappointed. I was working specifically the whole time with one event coordinator. When we show up to the rehearsal, it is someone completely different, and we were never told that our primary contact would not be with us. The rehearsal was basically done by the bridal party....there was no guidance or suggestions. We just took over, and did everything ourselves as the coordinator stood by. The day of the wedding, we were greeted by the coordinator and able to take our pictures. She did make sure that guests were not allowed in until we were ready. When the ceremony was starting, the music that was provided to be played, could barely be heard. In fact, as I was walking down the aisle, it was silent. The speakers and sound should have been tested before hand so that everyone could hear the music. Now, I would not ever change the fact that I wanted to be married in the garden at Phipps, but what I would ask for is someone a little more experienced to help with the rehearsal and the day of the wedding. The coordinator was really nice and patient with us, it just seemed liked she lacked experience, which put a damper on our ceremony.
Reviewed on 07-06-2016
Wedding Date 28-05-2016
I honestly cannot believe I can't give Phipps more than 2 stars. Since I was little, all I have ever dreamed of for my wedding was to get married at Phipps. Other than the beautiful garden (which is were the ceremony took place), I was disappointed. I was working specifically the whole time with one event coordinator. When we show up to the rehearsal, it is someone completely different, and we were never told that our primary contact would not be with us. The rehearsal was basically done by the bridal party....there was no guidance or suggestions. We just took over, and did everything ourselves as the coordinator stood by. The day of the wedding, we were greeted by the coordinator and able to take our pictures. She did make sure that guests were not allowed in until we were ready. When the ceremony was starting, the music that was provided to be played, could barely be heard. In fact, as I was walking down the aisle, it was silent. The speakers and sound should have been tested before hand so that everyone could hear the music. Now, I would not ever change the fact that I wanted to be married in the garden at Phipps, but what I would ask for is someone a little more experienced to help with the rehearsal and the day of the wedding. The coordinator was really nice and patient with us, it just seemed liked she lacked experience, which put a damper on our ceremony.
Reviewed on 07-06-2016
Katelyn Krayer (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 17-10-2015
We chose Phipps for our October 17th wedding and it was absolutely spectacular. I knew I wanted to have my wedding at Phipps for years...I just had to wait to find the groom! We were in the Sarris event hall and chose one of their pricier packages, and I knew that we were writing a huge check but it included everything -- the chairs, the linens, the cake, taxes, etc. All of the decorations that I brought were set up perfectly, the staff was so attentive and friendly, and everyone had a great time. I don't regret a single penny.
Reviewed on 07-11-2015
Wedding Date 17-10-2015
We chose Phipps for our October 17th wedding and it was absolutely spectacular. I knew I wanted to have my wedding at Phipps for years...I just had to wait to find the groom! We were in the Sarris event hall and chose one of their pricier packages, and I knew that we were writing a huge check but it included everything -- the chairs, the linens, the cake, taxes, etc. All of the decorations that I brought were set up perfectly, the staff was so attentive and friendly, and everyone had a great time. I don't regret a single penny.
Reviewed on 07-11-2015
Allie Tiangco (bride) 4 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 01-08-2015
We had our ceremony and reception at Phipps and although we had to work around A LOT such as the time limit of our reception and the requirement of using their catering, it was great!
Reviewed on 11-10-2015
Wedding Date 01-08-2015
We had our ceremony and reception at Phipps and although we had to work around A LOT such as the time limit of our reception and the requirement of using their catering, it was great!
Reviewed on 11-10-2015
Pamela Phillips (wedding party) 1 out of 5 Rating
I am reviewing my daughter's wedding experience with the ceremony being held at Phipps. First let me preface this by saying out of all the days to have a Fall wedding, her date fell on Hurricane Joaquin's arrival. It was a cold rainy day. Yes, that is the chance you take when having an outdoor Fall wedding; however, the flexibility of Phipps wedding consultants was non-existent. It just so happened that we paid for the use of the outdoor garden and a 45 minute time slot in the Broderie Room for photos. The reception was being held at another venue. As the week approached, it was evident that the wedding day of her dreams would not be able to be outside in the garden. We then decided to move it to the Broderie Room. They were very very quick to say, sure, no problem, but it's another $300 on top of the first $300 paid for a photoshoot, plus the $1300 paid for the outdoor garden. REALLY? They couldn't have just let her have the other 45 minutes with no additional charge. Phipps is a very very money hungry making facility. You are given not a minute more than what you pay for, and you pay for absolutely everything. They walk your guests in and walk your guests out so as they don't venture off to another area that was not paid for. I have never ever experienced such cheap, tacky tactics, and will certainly not recommend their facility to anyone. The outdoor bridal room was to be available to her at 1:00. We were outside in the cold wind waiting for the door to the bridal room to be unlocked. After waiting for 15-20 minutes for the consultant to come unlock the door, it is now 1:20 and the ceremony is to begin at 2:00. Not a big deal you might think, but keep in mind, we already paid $1,900 for the ceremony alone and you would think they could have atleast had the door opened for her to get ready.
Reviewed on 06-10-2015
I am reviewing my daughter's wedding experience with the ceremony being held at Phipps. First let me preface this by saying out of all the days to have a Fall wedding, her date fell on Hurricane Joaquin's arrival. It was a cold rainy day. Yes, that is the chance you take when having an outdoor Fall wedding; however, the flexibility of Phipps wedding consultants was non-existent. It just so happened that we paid for the use of the outdoor garden and a 45 minute time slot in the Broderie Room for photos. The reception was being held at another venue. As the week approached, it was evident that the wedding day of her dreams would not be able to be outside in the garden. We then decided to move it to the Broderie Room. They were very very quick to say, sure, no problem, but it's another $300 on top of the first $300 paid for a photoshoot, plus the $1300 paid for the outdoor garden. REALLY? They couldn't have just let her have the other 45 minutes with no additional charge. Phipps is a very very money hungry making facility. You are given not a minute more than what you pay for, and you pay for absolutely everything. They walk your guests in and walk your guests out so as they don't venture off to another area that was not paid for. I have never ever experienced such cheap, tacky tactics, and will certainly not recommend their facility to anyone. The outdoor bridal room was to be available to her at 1:00. We were outside in the cold wind waiting for the door to the bridal room to be unlocked. After waiting for 15-20 minutes for the consultant to come unlock the door, it is now 1:20 and the ceremony is to begin at 2:00. Not a big deal you might think, but keep in mind, we already paid $1,900 for the ceremony alone and you would think they could have atleast had the door opened for her to get ready.
Reviewed on 06-10-2015
Alicia Adelman (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 05-09-2015
My husband and I would give Phipps more than 5 stars if we could. Our wedding there was amazing. So many guests have told us what a beautiful wedding we had. We planned a ceremony and reception in the outdoor garden. Although there was only a 5% chance of rain that morning, it started pouring less than 2 hours before our ceremony was supposed to start and I was devastated. Normally you can rent an extra tent if it rains for the outdoor garden but we did not have enough time. Phipps quickly set up a makeshift ceremony site indoors so that all our guests could remain dry. The pictures from inside turned out beautifully. You do have to go with Phipps catering, which is expensive when you first look at it but is worth it in the end. The catering costs includes the servers (who were all very professional), the table settings and linens as well as the cake. I really liked not having to shop around for linens or a cake as there are already too many things to decide on when planning a wedding. The events staff, specifically Constance, at Phipps were top notch. They were very prompt at responding to emails, I never had to wait more than two days for a response from the event staff or the caters. They were very accommodating, allowing me to set up an extra table for photos, finding a space for the photobooth, allowing me to arrange the tables exactly how I wanted and making a specialty drink that my husband and I picked out. My only (tiny) complaint would be that after picking out all the amazing food, I didn't get a chance to eat anything (because you really are too busy on your wedding day to think about food) and one of the servers told me they could not box my dinner up for me so they just threw it away. Besides that tiny little issue, everything at Phipps was amazing. I am so grateful that they let us do our wedding inside at the last minute due to the weather. If I had to plan my wedding over again, I would still have it at Phipps.
Reviewed on 19-09-2015
Wedding Date 05-09-2015
My husband and I would give Phipps more than 5 stars if we could. Our wedding there was amazing. So many guests have told us what a beautiful wedding we had. We planned a ceremony and reception in the outdoor garden. Although there was only a 5% chance of rain that morning, it started pouring less than 2 hours before our ceremony was supposed to start and I was devastated. Normally you can rent an extra tent if it rains for the outdoor garden but we did not have enough time. Phipps quickly set up a makeshift ceremony site indoors so that all our guests could remain dry. The pictures from inside turned out beautifully. You do have to go with Phipps catering, which is expensive when you first look at it but is worth it in the end. The catering costs includes the servers (who were all very professional), the table settings and linens as well as the cake. I really liked not having to shop around for linens or a cake as there are already too many things to decide on when planning a wedding. The events staff, specifically Constance, at Phipps were top notch. They were very prompt at responding to emails, I never had to wait more than two days for a response from the event staff or the caters. They were very accommodating, allowing me to set up an extra table for photos, finding a space for the photobooth, allowing me to arrange the tables exactly how I wanted and making a specialty drink that my husband and I picked out. My only (tiny) complaint would be that after picking out all the amazing food, I didn't get a chance to eat anything (because you really are too busy on your wedding day to think about food) and one of the servers told me they could not box my dinner up for me so they just threw it away. Besides that tiny little issue, everything at Phipps was amazing. I am so grateful that they let us do our wedding inside at the last minute due to the weather. If I had to plan my wedding over again, I would still have it at Phipps.
Reviewed on 19-09-2015
a member (groom) 5 out of 5 Rating
We did our ceremony and reception with Phipps and were very happy with the wedding. It was a beautiful venue and our guests had an amazing time. We were supposed to be outside but some rain close to the time of the ceremony/reception moved us to inside. The Phipps staff adjusted very quickly to this unexpected weather. A few additional comments:\r\r1) Since Phipps is an extremely popular venue, you will need to look at venues a whole year (or more) BEFORE your preferred wedding date. We knew we wanted a late summer/early Fall wedding. When we went to Phipps in May '14, they only had 6 possible dates left, and we ended up going with Septebmer. Also, there will probably be MULTIPLE weddings on the same day and time. This is nothing to worry about since there are many other rooms spaced very far away. However, when we took photos after our ceremony, we were not told where those other weddings were and accidentally almost disrupted another one while we went to other rooms in Phipps for photos.\r\r2) As with many other venues involved with weddings, turnover can be high among employees. For example, we were told about 6 months in that we had a new wedding coordinator and food coordinator. Both the original employees and the new ones we worked with were very professional and kept us aware of these changes ASAP. \r\r3) Phipps is clearly very pricy (especially for food and drink, if you do your reception here), but it is worth it! Some of the best food we've ever had. We recommend short rib and salmon for 2 of the 3 entree options :)
Reviewed on 18-09-2015
We did our ceremony and reception with Phipps and were very happy with the wedding. It was a beautiful venue and our guests had an amazing time. We were supposed to be outside but some rain close to the time of the ceremony/reception moved us to inside. The Phipps staff adjusted very quickly to this unexpected weather. A few additional comments:\r\r1) Since Phipps is an extremely popular venue, you will need to look at venues a whole year (or more) BEFORE your preferred wedding date. We knew we wanted a late summer/early Fall wedding. When we went to Phipps in May '14, they only had 6 possible dates left, and we ended up going with Septebmer. Also, there will probably be MULTIPLE weddings on the same day and time. This is nothing to worry about since there are many other rooms spaced very far away. However, when we took photos after our ceremony, we were not told where those other weddings were and accidentally almost disrupted another one while we went to other rooms in Phipps for photos.\r\r2) As with many other venues involved with weddings, turnover can be high among employees. For example, we were told about 6 months in that we had a new wedding coordinator and food coordinator. Both the original employees and the new ones we worked with were very professional and kept us aware of these changes ASAP. \r\r3) Phipps is clearly very pricy (especially for food and drink, if you do your reception here), but it is worth it! Some of the best food we've ever had. We recommend short rib and salmon for 2 of the 3 entree options :)
Reviewed on 18-09-2015
Alison Searle (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 03-07-2015
We couldn't have asked for a better experience at Phipps. The coordinators for the venue and for catering were helpful and responsive and they were flexible as we made changes throughout the process. Day of everything was set-up the way we had requested and with the weather cooperating we could not have had a more perfect setting for our wedding.\r\rThe catering can be pricey, but everyone raved about the food and we felt we had a lot to choose from. The sushi bar add-on was an especially huge hit with our guests and they accommodated us to have a plate in the bridal suite since we missed the cocktail hour for photos. I can't say enough about Phipps they were fantastic on every level and the scenery for the wedding and reception couldn't be beat!
Reviewed on 29-07-2015
Wedding Date 03-07-2015
We couldn't have asked for a better experience at Phipps. The coordinators for the venue and for catering were helpful and responsive and they were flexible as we made changes throughout the process. Day of everything was set-up the way we had requested and with the weather cooperating we could not have had a more perfect setting for our wedding.\r\rThe catering can be pricey, but everyone raved about the food and we felt we had a lot to choose from. The sushi bar add-on was an especially huge hit with our guests and they accommodated us to have a plate in the bridal suite since we missed the cocktail hour for photos. I can't say enough about Phipps they were fantastic on every level and the scenery for the wedding and reception couldn't be beat!
Reviewed on 29-07-2015
Christine Rowader (bride) 4 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 25-07-2015
Phipps is one of the most beautiful places you will ever see in your life. They take extremely good care of their grounds, gardens, and building so there is absolutely no way you will be disappointed in the look of the venue. When we first booked the venue for our ceremony we were working with someone named Dominic- loved him. With him I had confidence the day would flow smoothly. Dominic left the venue about 6 months before our wedding and I then was working with a woman named Ashley. Ashley needs more experience. So maybe with time she will get better but my husband and myself basically had to tell her what to based on what Dominic had discussed with us previously. She was indecisive, a bit unclear and a little floosy. She had one staff member helping her with the ceremony. Which simply wasn't enough. If I knew there would only be 2 of them I would have given some jobs out to family members but she made it seem like \"whatever you need done, we will do.\" We needed the water dispenser refilled (we were married on a very hot day in July)and the assistant working thought it would be better to pass out programs. Thankfully the Best Man knocked some sense into her and passed out programs for her so she could get more water for our guests. Our unity ceremony was in the form of a flower arrangement that was to be at the altar. They brought it to the bridal suite... The placed our pew bows in the wrong places, and Ashley just had a hard time making quick decisions. All very little items but just a bit annoying. I love Phipps and would never tell someone to not get married there but, they could definitely improve on their event service.
Reviewed on 27-07-2015
Wedding Date 25-07-2015
Phipps is one of the most beautiful places you will ever see in your life. They take extremely good care of their grounds, gardens, and building so there is absolutely no way you will be disappointed in the look of the venue. When we first booked the venue for our ceremony we were working with someone named Dominic- loved him. With him I had confidence the day would flow smoothly. Dominic left the venue about 6 months before our wedding and I then was working with a woman named Ashley. Ashley needs more experience. So maybe with time she will get better but my husband and myself basically had to tell her what to based on what Dominic had discussed with us previously. She was indecisive, a bit unclear and a little floosy. She had one staff member helping her with the ceremony. Which simply wasn't enough. If I knew there would only be 2 of them I would have given some jobs out to family members but she made it seem like \"whatever you need done, we will do.\" We needed the water dispenser refilled (we were married on a very hot day in July)and the assistant working thought it would be better to pass out programs. Thankfully the Best Man knocked some sense into her and passed out programs for her so she could get more water for our guests. Our unity ceremony was in the form of a flower arrangement that was to be at the altar. They brought it to the bridal suite... The placed our pew bows in the wrong places, and Ashley just had a hard time making quick decisions. All very little items but just a bit annoying. I love Phipps and would never tell someone to not get married there but, they could definitely improve on their event service.
Reviewed on 27-07-2015
Anonymous (groom) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 12-09-2014
My wife and I chose Phipps Conservatory as our wedding venue. We both weren't sure if we wanted to have our wedding in a church so we decided on the next best thing, an outdoor wedding surrounded by beautiful flowers. Phipps Conservatory was the right decision.\r\rPhipps was very easy to work with and they were very friendly. The venue itself was beautiful. We chose the outdoor garden for our venue and we were fortunate to have a nice fall-like day for our wedding. If you are considering Phipps and are concerned about the weather, don't worry. Phipps has a really good Plan B for an outdoor wedding by using large white tents that I think would work well if it did rain.\r\rThe only concern would be that you might not be able to take any photos inside of Phipps if you choose this option. That being said, the scenery outside is nice enough for wedding photos. It offers some good shots.\r\rOverall, we were very pleased with Phipps and we would most certainly have our wedding there again if we had to. We both recommend Phipps and hope this review makes your decision easier.
Reviewed on 27-09-2014
Wedding Date 12-09-2014
My wife and I chose Phipps Conservatory as our wedding venue. We both weren't sure if we wanted to have our wedding in a church so we decided on the next best thing, an outdoor wedding surrounded by beautiful flowers. Phipps Conservatory was the right decision.\r\rPhipps was very easy to work with and they were very friendly. The venue itself was beautiful. We chose the outdoor garden for our venue and we were fortunate to have a nice fall-like day for our wedding. If you are considering Phipps and are concerned about the weather, don't worry. Phipps has a really good Plan B for an outdoor wedding by using large white tents that I think would work well if it did rain.\r\rThe only concern would be that you might not be able to take any photos inside of Phipps if you choose this option. That being said, the scenery outside is nice enough for wedding photos. It offers some good shots.\r\rOverall, we were very pleased with Phipps and we would most certainly have our wedding there again if we had to. We both recommend Phipps and hope this review makes your decision easier.
Reviewed on 27-09-2014
Amber Acampado (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 20-09-2014
First of all, this review is for Phipps Garden Center. Which is run by Phipps Conservatory but located at Shady Ave. in Pittsburgh. We had our ceremony outside the Garden Center since, the Mellon walled Garden was already booked for the date we wanted it. We had about 100 people which is perfect for this intimate venue, then had a cocktail & heavy hor's d oeuvres reception by the patio and inside the garden center. We got married this past Saturday, September 20, 2014.\rI want to commend Rachel Kernic who was NOT our original events coordinator, but she took over our wedding when they informed us that the person who we talked to before was no longer with Phipps. She is definitely better at communication and timing. She made sure that all our questions were answered. Jennie, who was the actual wedding rehearsal and wedding day specialist was also wonderful and professional.\rWe opted to have our food catered also by Phipps and Mark Balach (Catering Manager) was also great to work with. He listened to what we wanted and made sure it worked for our budget. He was flexible with our requests, and gave great advice on maximizing this space for our wedding. \rSince there were no classes the day before our wedding, we were able to get our flowers and decors in a place where it is safe, and the catering staff helped my family and friends set up the venue.\rThank you so much for the wonderful experience.
Reviewed on 22-09-2014
Wedding Date 20-09-2014
First of all, this review is for Phipps Garden Center. Which is run by Phipps Conservatory but located at Shady Ave. in Pittsburgh. We had our ceremony outside the Garden Center since, the Mellon walled Garden was already booked for the date we wanted it. We had about 100 people which is perfect for this intimate venue, then had a cocktail & heavy hor's d oeuvres reception by the patio and inside the garden center. We got married this past Saturday, September 20, 2014.\rI want to commend Rachel Kernic who was NOT our original events coordinator, but she took over our wedding when they informed us that the person who we talked to before was no longer with Phipps. She is definitely better at communication and timing. She made sure that all our questions were answered. Jennie, who was the actual wedding rehearsal and wedding day specialist was also wonderful and professional.\rWe opted to have our food catered also by Phipps and Mark Balach (Catering Manager) was also great to work with. He listened to what we wanted and made sure it worked for our budget. He was flexible with our requests, and gave great advice on maximizing this space for our wedding. \rSince there were no classes the day before our wedding, we were able to get our flowers and decors in a place where it is safe, and the catering staff helped my family and friends set up the venue.\rThank you so much for the wonderful experience.
Reviewed on 22-09-2014
Leah Selvaggio (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 04-07-2014
This place is amazing! So pretty and the staff was very helpful with everything. We had a Jewish and Cathlic wedding. We had to put up a huppah and they were more then willing to help us. There also put the sign up that we needed to let people know where to come for our wedding. They also were willing to work around our busy schedule since we do live in another state other then PA. I highly recommend this place.
Reviewed on 30-07-2014
Wedding Date 04-07-2014
This place is amazing! So pretty and the staff was very helpful with everything. We had a Jewish and Cathlic wedding. We had to put up a huppah and they were more then willing to help us. There also put the sign up that we needed to let people know where to come for our wedding. They also were willing to work around our busy schedule since we do live in another state other then PA. I highly recommend this place.
Reviewed on 30-07-2014
Valerie Shuman (bride) 4 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 17-05-2014
We only used Phipps for our wedding ceremony in the Broderie room, not for the reception venue. Cost for use of the room was $500, which is comparable to a lot of churches and other, more traditional venues. We've loved Phipps for years as a beautiful place for dates and couldn't imagine a more meaningful venue for two young people on a budget.\r\rWe were initially dismayed at multiple changes in our contact person without notice. Once we came close to the wedding, however, Dominic and Colleen made everything work out. Our rehearsal was quick and Dominic listened closely to all of our non-traditional plans without question (and remembered everything for the next day). He also helped to keep my very rambunctious wedding party from wrecking the joint...\r\rThe day of was filled with a bit of chaos, but Phipps made things work out beautifully. Ridiculous traffic and unplanned tunnel closures (oh Pittsburgh) made the bride, the groom, the photographers, and a good bit of the small, small wedding party nearly late. We had planned on taking joint pictures before guests arrived and got none of those. Instead of having to suck it up and not have beautiful photos, Phipps kept me calm, kept things running smoothly, and gave us extra time at the end to get our amazing shots. Shelly and Dominic were in constant communication and offered us and our guests anything we needed.\r\rInitially we weren't sure that things were working out-- it seemed like we were getting shuttled from person to person who didn't keep track of our plans. In the end, though, there's a reason that they are so highly rated. They made the day of a wonderful experience and we felt very, very special. I would recommend them as a ceremony site to anyone.\r\rNumber of guests: 40 (we opted for seating which worked out fine because there wasn't a formal processional)\r\rLength of ceremony: 20 minutes (Phipps had us in there from around 10:30 til 12:45 thanks to extra time allotted in their extreme generosity)\r\rMusic: we brought in a beats pill and a bridesmaid secretly controlled things from an ipod touch\r\rOfficiants: friends of ours (got to use a microphone which worked wonderfully)\r\rBest part: Their flexibility with time given that we got screwed by Pittsburgh traffic\r\rPeople to request: Dominic was an amazing coordinator with the best energy. Shelly kept me nice and calm.\r\rCost: $500
Reviewed on 28-05-2014
Wedding Date 17-05-2014
We only used Phipps for our wedding ceremony in the Broderie room, not for the reception venue. Cost for use of the room was $500, which is comparable to a lot of churches and other, more traditional venues. We've loved Phipps for years as a beautiful place for dates and couldn't imagine a more meaningful venue for two young people on a budget.\r\rWe were initially dismayed at multiple changes in our contact person without notice. Once we came close to the wedding, however, Dominic and Colleen made everything work out. Our rehearsal was quick and Dominic listened closely to all of our non-traditional plans without question (and remembered everything for the next day). He also helped to keep my very rambunctious wedding party from wrecking the joint...\r\rThe day of was filled with a bit of chaos, but Phipps made things work out beautifully. Ridiculous traffic and unplanned tunnel closures (oh Pittsburgh) made the bride, the groom, the photographers, and a good bit of the small, small wedding party nearly late. We had planned on taking joint pictures before guests arrived and got none of those. Instead of having to suck it up and not have beautiful photos, Phipps kept me calm, kept things running smoothly, and gave us extra time at the end to get our amazing shots. Shelly and Dominic were in constant communication and offered us and our guests anything we needed.\r\rInitially we weren't sure that things were working out-- it seemed like we were getting shuttled from person to person who didn't keep track of our plans. In the end, though, there's a reason that they are so highly rated. They made the day of a wonderful experience and we felt very, very special. I would recommend them as a ceremony site to anyone.\r\rNumber of guests: 40 (we opted for seating which worked out fine because there wasn't a formal processional)\r\rLength of ceremony: 20 minutes (Phipps had us in there from around 10:30 til 12:45 thanks to extra time allotted in their extreme generosity)\r\rMusic: we brought in a beats pill and a bridesmaid secretly controlled things from an ipod touch\r\rOfficiants: friends of ours (got to use a microphone which worked wonderfully)\r\rBest part: Their flexibility with time given that we got screwed by Pittsburgh traffic\r\rPeople to request: Dominic was an amazing coordinator with the best energy. Shelly kept me nice and calm.\r\rCost: $500
Reviewed on 28-05-2014
Helen Couppis (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 21-09-2013
We had our reception at Phipps. We thought our reception turned out beautifully. It was like a fairytale! From the beginning when we booked with Phipps up until the night of our wedding, we were able to access the vendor and coordinators working with us constantly. I think this is a MAJOR pro about a vendor as I have heard other brides comment that they could not even contact their vendors easily. Additionally, we thought the food was FANTASTIC which was a major priority for us. The service and set up of the rainforest room and special events hall went smoothly and we have guests comment about the staff and venue constantly. We enjoyed the spaces we were able to have. We had a wonderful experience with Phipps! And other vendors, e.g., DJ, have commented that they enjoy working with and at this venue as well.\r\rA recommendation I have is to find out exactly what one should do about dropping off cookies for the traditional Pittsburgh Cookie Table. They had a specific window when they wanted the cookies dropped off. One person from the bridal party who dropped off cookies was not instructed to the right area and those cookies were not found until the end of the reception.
Reviewed on 11-02-2014
Wedding Date 21-09-2013
We had our reception at Phipps. We thought our reception turned out beautifully. It was like a fairytale! From the beginning when we booked with Phipps up until the night of our wedding, we were able to access the vendor and coordinators working with us constantly. I think this is a MAJOR pro about a vendor as I have heard other brides comment that they could not even contact their vendors easily. Additionally, we thought the food was FANTASTIC which was a major priority for us. The service and set up of the rainforest room and special events hall went smoothly and we have guests comment about the staff and venue constantly. We enjoyed the spaces we were able to have. We had a wonderful experience with Phipps! And other vendors, e.g., DJ, have commented that they enjoy working with and at this venue as well.\r\rA recommendation I have is to find out exactly what one should do about dropping off cookies for the traditional Pittsburgh Cookie Table. They had a specific window when they wanted the cookies dropped off. One person from the bridal party who dropped off cookies was not instructed to the right area and those cookies were not found until the end of the reception.
Reviewed on 11-02-2014
Alys Jarvela (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 09-11-2013
The food was delicious and the venue was beautiful. Everything was set up exactly how we asked. It was really great to not have to worry about renting linens and chairs and hiring a bakery and caterer separately. The cost seems very expensive at first but it includes so much and it saves you a ton of stress and worry on the big day. Our guests were all raving and we had a great time. My only complaint would be that while we were planning the event we got passed around a lot. I frequently did not know who I was meant to e-mail or call with a question, but it usually didn't take long to find the right person to help us.
Reviewed on 19-11-2013
Wedding Date 09-11-2013
The food was delicious and the venue was beautiful. Everything was set up exactly how we asked. It was really great to not have to worry about renting linens and chairs and hiring a bakery and caterer separately. The cost seems very expensive at first but it includes so much and it saves you a ton of stress and worry on the big day. Our guests were all raving and we had a great time. My only complaint would be that while we were planning the event we got passed around a lot. I frequently did not know who I was meant to e-mail or call with a question, but it usually didn't take long to find the right person to help us.
Reviewed on 19-11-2013
Tatiana Imler (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 28-09-2013
We got married at Phipps at the end of September and the events staff and catering team were so great to work with. We planned our wedding from another state and they worked through everything with us. Our ceremony was in front of the waterfall at the terrace of the Tropical Forest and the Cocktail Hour and Reception was in the Tropical Forest and Special Events Hall. Our guests had a great time, and we are so happy we picked this venue as the place to have our wedding. Phipps catering food and bar service was very tasty and our guests loved both the food and the drinks. They worked with us to customize to dietary needs and were very attentive to detail. \rCourtney, Gina, Courtney, and Mark are the best!
Reviewed on 27-10-2013
Wedding Date 28-09-2013
We got married at Phipps at the end of September and the events staff and catering team were so great to work with. We planned our wedding from another state and they worked through everything with us. Our ceremony was in front of the waterfall at the terrace of the Tropical Forest and the Cocktail Hour and Reception was in the Tropical Forest and Special Events Hall. Our guests had a great time, and we are so happy we picked this venue as the place to have our wedding. Phipps catering food and bar service was very tasty and our guests loved both the food and the drinks. They worked with us to customize to dietary needs and were very attentive to detail. \rCourtney, Gina, Courtney, and Mark are the best!
Reviewed on 27-10-2013
Heather Barrera (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 27-09-2013
We had an amazing ceremony and would like to thank Dom and Maria and the rest of the staff for making our special day so perfect! The day was beautiful and we could not asked for a better ceremony
Reviewed on 23-10-2013
Wedding Date 27-09-2013
We had an amazing ceremony and would like to thank Dom and Maria and the rest of the staff for making our special day so perfect! The day was beautiful and we could not asked for a better ceremony
Reviewed on 23-10-2013
Yi-Ting Tzen (bride) 3 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 01-01-1970
Phipps is an absolutely stunning place for reception. The space in special event hall is great, and the tall ceiling makes all of us very comfortable throughout the reception. People at Phipps make everything perfect as what we requested. The food was awesome and all of us had a good time.\r\rThe only down side of Phipps that I experienced during my wedding planning was that they are not very responsive. There are several event coordinators, and you never know who is going to respond you next time. You don't have a go-to person when dealing with Phipps. They usually respond to you after two-three days, depending on how urgent to them your question is. The least responsive person is the catering manager. He is a nice person, but he is too layback that he never responds to emails until you contact the event coordinator that your issue needs immediate attention. I'm a very organized bride, so I couldn't tolerate the slow response (or no response) of any vendor. At least he was there at the reception overlooking everything and did get back to my emails the week of my wedding, and everything looks perfect on our wedding day; good enough for me. If you are a very organized person like me, and are okay following up with the catering manager every two days, they can still make your dream reception come true. They are just not the easiest vendor to work with from my experience.\r
Reviewed on 07-10-2013
Wedding Date 01-01-1970
Phipps is an absolutely stunning place for reception. The space in special event hall is great, and the tall ceiling makes all of us very comfortable throughout the reception. People at Phipps make everything perfect as what we requested. The food was awesome and all of us had a good time.\r\rThe only down side of Phipps that I experienced during my wedding planning was that they are not very responsive. There are several event coordinators, and you never know who is going to respond you next time. You don't have a go-to person when dealing with Phipps. They usually respond to you after two-three days, depending on how urgent to them your question is. The least responsive person is the catering manager. He is a nice person, but he is too layback that he never responds to emails until you contact the event coordinator that your issue needs immediate attention. I'm a very organized bride, so I couldn't tolerate the slow response (or no response) of any vendor. At least he was there at the reception overlooking everything and did get back to my emails the week of my wedding, and everything looks perfect on our wedding day; good enough for me. If you are a very organized person like me, and are okay following up with the catering manager every two days, they can still make your dream reception come true. They are just not the easiest vendor to work with from my experience.\r
Reviewed on 07-10-2013
Jessica Member (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 24-08-2013
The event and catering teams at Phipps are incredible. And the space is just breathe taking. We were in the special events hall and tropical forest. It was a fairytale day that went without an issue! i wish I could do it again!
Reviewed on 08-09-2013
Wedding Date 24-08-2013
The event and catering teams at Phipps are incredible. And the space is just breathe taking. We were in the special events hall and tropical forest. It was a fairytale day that went without an issue! i wish I could do it again!
Reviewed on 08-09-2013
Julie Westhead (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 06-07-2013
Our wedding day and everything up to it dealing with Phipps was very smooth. They are very flexible and wonderful to work with!
Reviewed on 23-07-2013
Wedding Date 06-07-2013
Our wedding day and everything up to it dealing with Phipps was very smooth. They are very flexible and wonderful to work with!
Reviewed on 23-07-2013
Lya Sharpley (bride) 4 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 14-06-2013
Phipps was a gorgeous venue! We had our ceremony and cocktail hour in the outdoor garden and the reception was held in the Special Events Hall on a Friday evening. We appreciated the option to have our ceremony outside and the reception inside just in case the weather did not fully cooperate. If I remember correctly, this option was only available on Friday evenings. Having our whole day in one place was awesome! Definitely the way to go! The day of the wedding was perfect. Everything went smoothly. The people at Phipps have so much experience running events that everything ran like clockwork. From what I could tell, there seemed to be good communication between Phipps and other vendors when it got closer to our wedding day, which alleviated some of my nervousness. The catering staff was great with setting everything in the reception hall beautifully and the food was excellent!\r\rThe only problems I had with Phipps were during the planning phase. From what I could tell there was an abrupt staffing change in the catering department, leaving Mark as the new catering manager. When I was able to get in touch with him, he was great and made me feel a lot more secure that the wedding would go smoothly. However, I sometimes had to wait for weeks to get an e-mail response from him. Perhaps it was the sudden change in the department that was the cause of this. It was also frustrating that there isn’t one contact person from the events department assigned to your event until a few days before the wedding. This means that you are dealing with 3-5 people regarding your event throughout planning. I also had trouble sometimes getting in touch with the events department by e-mail. I would suggest trying to get in touch with people by phone, but their schedules are irregular. Because of the difficulty in getting in touch with people, it made planning a bit more stressful than it needed to be (especially when your as anal and worrisome as I am). Gina was the best at responding in my experience. \r\rColleen was assigned to our event for the day of. She was a bit abrupt in manner. Similar to a previous reviewer’s story, the night of our rehearsal, we were scheduled to start at 5:30 pm. Most of the party was there by 5 pm, except for my parents due to the fact that my father worked until 4:30. She was rushing to begin and acting like we were off schedule, even though we still had 30 minutes until we were scheduled to start. Everybody was there on time. This was irritating because everybody was trying to relax and have a good time the night before the wedding. We had a very small wedding party, had one run through, and were done literally 15 minutes after we started our rehearsal, so to rush us was really unnecessary. Everything went super smoothly the day of (she fixed one of my groom’s tux buttons in a jiffy, helped straighten my train before I walked down the aisle, distributed boutonnieres, etc.) so maybe this is just how she functions efficiently. Her attitude was a little difficult to deal with, though, when we paid a good amount of money to have our event at Phipps.\r\rOverall, I would say do it if you can afford it! Our wedding day really was perfect. Just be prepared for some frustrations along the way.
Reviewed on 22-07-2013
Wedding Date 14-06-2013
Phipps was a gorgeous venue! We had our ceremony and cocktail hour in the outdoor garden and the reception was held in the Special Events Hall on a Friday evening. We appreciated the option to have our ceremony outside and the reception inside just in case the weather did not fully cooperate. If I remember correctly, this option was only available on Friday evenings. Having our whole day in one place was awesome! Definitely the way to go! The day of the wedding was perfect. Everything went smoothly. The people at Phipps have so much experience running events that everything ran like clockwork. From what I could tell, there seemed to be good communication between Phipps and other vendors when it got closer to our wedding day, which alleviated some of my nervousness. The catering staff was great with setting everything in the reception hall beautifully and the food was excellent!\r\rThe only problems I had with Phipps were during the planning phase. From what I could tell there was an abrupt staffing change in the catering department, leaving Mark as the new catering manager. When I was able to get in touch with him, he was great and made me feel a lot more secure that the wedding would go smoothly. However, I sometimes had to wait for weeks to get an e-mail response from him. Perhaps it was the sudden change in the department that was the cause of this. It was also frustrating that there isn’t one contact person from the events department assigned to your event until a few days before the wedding. This means that you are dealing with 3-5 people regarding your event throughout planning. I also had trouble sometimes getting in touch with the events department by e-mail. I would suggest trying to get in touch with people by phone, but their schedules are irregular. Because of the difficulty in getting in touch with people, it made planning a bit more stressful than it needed to be (especially when your as anal and worrisome as I am). Gina was the best at responding in my experience. \r\rColleen was assigned to our event for the day of. She was a bit abrupt in manner. Similar to a previous reviewer’s story, the night of our rehearsal, we were scheduled to start at 5:30 pm. Most of the party was there by 5 pm, except for my parents due to the fact that my father worked until 4:30. She was rushing to begin and acting like we were off schedule, even though we still had 30 minutes until we were scheduled to start. Everybody was there on time. This was irritating because everybody was trying to relax and have a good time the night before the wedding. We had a very small wedding party, had one run through, and were done literally 15 minutes after we started our rehearsal, so to rush us was really unnecessary. Everything went super smoothly the day of (she fixed one of my groom’s tux buttons in a jiffy, helped straighten my train before I walked down the aisle, distributed boutonnieres, etc.) so maybe this is just how she functions efficiently. Her attitude was a little difficult to deal with, though, when we paid a good amount of money to have our event at Phipps.\r\rOverall, I would say do it if you can afford it! Our wedding day really was perfect. Just be prepared for some frustrations along the way.
Reviewed on 22-07-2013
dorothy Dohanics (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 08-06-2013
I had my wedding ceremony outside in the outdoor garden and it was amazing! The weather was beautiful and sunny! Pictures turned out amazing!
Reviewed on 23-06-2013
100 Reviews, with a Rating of 4.59 out of 5.0Wedding Date 08-06-2013
I had my wedding ceremony outside in the outdoor garden and it was amazing! The weather was beautiful and sunny! Pictures turned out amazing!
Reviewed on 23-06-2013
Contact Info for Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
| Contact | Value |
|---|---|
| https://www.facebook.com/phippsweddings | |
| X (Twitter) | Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens |
| phippsisgreenphipps-weddings | |
| phippsweddings | |
| Website | www.phipps.conservatory.org |
| Phone | (412) 315-0685 |
| Address | One Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213 |
| eventsales@phipps.conservatory.org |
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