Planning a wedding can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re dreaming of a small, intimate celebration with your closest loved ones. Finding the perfect venue that reflects your vision is key. Juniper Gardens is a wedding venue in southwest Missouri that is only 20 minutes from Springfield, MO and 1 hour outside of Branson, Missouri and Lake of the Ozarks. Couples book with us to be in a space with lush gardens, an outdoor ceremony, and to still feel cozy and comfortable for smaller events. 

In our space, you’ll find hidden gems in both of our locations with a romantic atmosphere and vintage charm. Many people say they feel comfortable and right at home the moment they step foot on the property. Our Hillside location offers indoor spaces with tons of natural light that can be the perfect place for a ceremony and reception if there are worries about the weather, while still offering picturesque outdoor spaces too. Our Fieldstone location, is entirely outdoors if that’s been what you’ve imagined for your dream wedding. 

Why Juniper Gardens is Perfect for Intimate Weddings

Each wedding celebration is unique! We’re here to celebrate them all. Our venue spaces get you access to the entire property for each location with beautiful gardens and endless little details to create an intimate space for private vows or ideal spot for those romantic photos. We hope your venue search can end with us.

• Charming & Modern: Juniper Gardens exudes a timeless charm with its modern and natural elegance. The natural beauty of the surrounding landscape creates a romantic and intimate setting for your special day. Our venues include many unique vintage details you won’t find anywhere else – like our Fieldstone reception chairs are 1960s Homecrest patio chairs! We have fused mid-century modern design with our gardens for a timeless elegance you will feel right at home in. 
• Ideal for Smaller Guest Lists: Whether you’re envisioning a cozy gathering of 50 guests or a more intimate affair for 20, Juniper Gardens offers flexible spaces that can be tailored to your exact needs. Juniper Gardens is not charging per guest which helps avoid a surprise on the total bill with additional fees for more guests than originally expected. Both locations can fit up to 160 guests, if your guest count starts to grow. 
• Personalized Experience: Our dedicated team will work closely with you to create a customized wedding experience that reflects your unique style and preferences. We offer monthly events to help bring you into the space to test decor ideas or just guide you through wedding planning challenges. 
• Stunning Photo Opportunities: With picturesque backdrops at every turn, Juniper Gardens is a photographer’s dream. Capture breathtaking photos amidst lush greenery, natural light, modern wooden structures, and enchanting lighting. Our chandeliers and string lights are all modern dimmable light fixtures, making sure it’s the perfect spot for any candid photos. Our tucked away spots have been a favorite place for photographers. 

Check out our Pricing and Amenities and a closer look at both locations: Hillside and Fieldstone. Feel free to contact us to schedule a tour and look at our current availability. 

What are we doing here? – Is it an Elopement, Micro-wedding, or just a small wedding?

A question that often comes along with the search for a venue for a small wedding is wondering what qualifies for an elopement vs a micro-wedding vs small wedding. 

The biggest difference is mostly the length of the engagement and the guest count.

Elopement:

• Very small: Typically involves just the couple, sometimes with a few close family members (parents, siblings) or very close friends.   
• Focus on intimacy: Prioritizes a private and intimate ceremony with fewer guests, often in a scenic location.   
• May lack traditional elements: Often forgoes many traditional wedding elements like a reception, wedding party, and formal attire. May forgo a traditional event space entirely or utilize one with elopement packages. There is more of a focus on the ceremony site itself.
• Short Engagements: Typically engagements are planned within 60 days of the wedding day, the actual engagement may be longer. 

Micro weddings:

• Small but with guests: Usually has a guest list of 50 people or fewer.   
• Intimate celebration: Still focuses on intimacy and a more personal experience, but with a small group of close friends and family.  
• Includes some traditional aspects: May include some traditional elements like a ceremony, reception (often smaller and more casual), and a limited wedding party. Often these smaller celebrations will utilize an intimate wedding venue or a non-traditional venue.
• More planning time: Micro-weddings still spend an average of 3-6 months planning

Small wedding:

• Small but with guests: Usually has a guest list of 50-100 people.
• More traditional: You may find that small weddings still include the traditions often associated with weddings without the pressures and costs of massive guest lists. These are often kept to wedding venues to make sure all event details can occur in one location but still have needs met by venue staff. 
• More planning time: Small weddings spend an average of 9-12 months planning their nuptials. 

What is Involved with a Small Wedding?

Smaller weddings are just that, smaller versions of traditional weddings. They often still include a ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, or any combination of these for your big day. It’s important to remember that trends and traditions only belong in a wedding if they serve you and your wedding day vision. Regardless of guest count and who is invited, you can bring your dreams into reality with a wedding weekend, a quick stop to the courthouse, or a tea party in the woods – what ever feels good to you. 

Ceremony Options

At Juniper Gardens, we have multiple options for small ceremony locations to pick which would be the perfect choice for you. You’ll see why couples say we are one of the best wedding venues they’ve seen. Between our two locations, there is over 8 options here for you and I’m sure more options will pop up over time. Come tour and see all the options for yourself because there are just a few of the most popular. 

Ready to make your intimate wedding dreams a reality? Contact Juniper Gardens today to schedule a private tour and experience the magic for yourself.