Wedding at Ashton Gardens Atlanta: What It Really Costs

Planning a wedding in Atlanta and considering Ashton Gardens? It’s one of the more recognizable wedding venues in the metro area, especially for couples looking for a chapel-style ceremony and elegant ballroom reception without leaving the city’s north side.

This guide breaks down how much a wedding at Ashton Gardens Atlanta typically costs, what drives the price up or down, and how it compares to broader Atlanta wedding budgets so you can plan realistically.

Where Is Ashton Gardens Atlanta?

Ashton Gardens Atlanta is located in the Sugar Hill / Buford area, just northeast of the city:

• Address: 260 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Sugar Hill, GA 30518
• General area: About 30–45 minutes from Midtown Atlanta, depending on traffic
• Setting: Wooded grounds, glass chapel, and ballroom-style reception space

Even though it’s outside the city limits, most Atlanta couples still treat this as an “Atlanta-area” venue because it’s right off major corridors like I-985 and Peachtree Industrial.

Typical Price Range for a Wedding at Ashton Gardens Atlanta

Exact prices change over time and depend on your guest count and choices, but Atlanta couples commonly find that:

• A smaller, off-peak wedding (fewer guests, weekday or winter date) can land around
  $15,000–$25,000+ total.
• A standard Saturday wedding for 100–150 guests in spring or fall often reaches
  $25,000–$40,000+ all-in.
• A larger or more upscale wedding (premium bar, upgraded décor, high guest count) can go well above $40,000.

These totals usually include venue rental plus food and beverage, and then your outside vendors (photographer, DJ, florist, etc.) on top of that.

Because Ashton Gardens is a full-service style venue, a big portion of your budget goes to:

• Venue rental (chapel + ballroom)
• Catering and bar
• Basic tables, chairs, linens, and service staff

You’re not just paying for the room, but the entire event infrastructure.

Cost Components: What You’re Really Paying For

1. Venue Rental (Chapel + Reception Space)

At Ashton Gardens Atlanta, you’re generally paying for:

• Use of the glass chapel for your ceremony
• Use of the ballroom for reception
• Getting-ready suites
• Event staff and setup/breakdown

Costs vary by:

• Day of the week:

  • Saturday evenings: highest
  • Fridays and Sundays: mid-range
  • Weekdays: often significantly lower

• Time of year:

  • Spring (March–May) and fall (September–November) are peak wedding seasons in metro Atlanta.
  • Summer and winter dates may be more affordable.

For planning purposes in the Atlanta area, couples often find that venue + food and beverage at this level can easily account for 50–70% of the total wedding budget.

2. Catering and Bar at Ashton Gardens

Ashton Gardens typically operates with in-house catering, which means you:

• Usually select from set menus (plated dinner or buffet)
• Pay per person for food
• Add bar packages per person (beer/wine, full bar, or limited bar)

Common cost drivers:

• Guest count:
  Every guest adds food, drink, and service costs. Jumping from 100 to 150 guests can significantly change your final bill.

• Meal style:

  • Plated dinners can cost more per head but feel more formal.
  • Buffets or stations can sometimes save a bit, depending on the menu.

• Bar package:

  • Beer & wine only is usually the most budget-friendly.
  • Full open bar with premium liquor will cost more, especially over a 4–5 hour reception.

• Service fees and tax:
  Atlanta venues at this level typically add a service charge (often a significant percentage) plus sales tax, which can add several thousand dollars to a mid-sized wedding.

3. Guest Count: The Single Biggest Cost Lever

No matter the venue, in Atlanta your guest count is usually the most powerful way to control your budget.

At Ashton Gardens:

• Every guest means:
  • 1 more meal
  • 1 more place setting
  • More drinks
  • A slightly larger room setup and staff needs

Reducing your list from, for example, 150 to 100 guests can shift the total by several thousand dollars, even if your rental cost stays the same.

Example Budget Scenarios for Ashton Gardens Atlanta

These are ballpark, illustrative estimates for Atlanta-area couples planning at Ashton Gardens. Actual numbers will vary by date, menu, and current venue pricing.

These totals assume:

• Venue + food + bar at a full-service suburban Atlanta venue
• Typical vendor costs for the metro area (photographer, florist, DJ/band, planner, etc.)

How Ashton Gardens Fits into Typical Atlanta Wedding Costs

For context, many couples in the Atlanta metro find that:

• A modest wedding can sometimes be done for under $20,000, especially with smaller guest counts or simpler venues.
• A mid-range, full-service venue wedding often falls in the $25,000–$40,000 range.
• Weddings at luxury hotels or high-end estates in Buckhead, Midtown, or North Fulton can easily go higher.

Ashton Gardens generally falls into the mid to upper-mid range for Atlanta-area venues, especially because it includes:

• Chapel ceremony space
• Reception ballroom
• On-site catering and staff

You’re paying for convenience and a polished, all-in-one property rather than piecing together multiple locations across the city.

Other Wedding Costs to Budget For in Atlanta

Even with a full-service venue like Ashton Gardens, you’ll still need outside vendors. Common Atlanta-area price ranges (very general, and highly variable) include:

• Photography:
  Often $2,000–$5,000+ for a reputable Atlanta photographer for a full day.

• Videography:
  Often $1,500–$4,000+ depending on hours and editing.

• DJ or Band:

  • DJ: Frequently $1,000–$2,500+
  • Live band: Often $3,000–$7,000+ or more for popular Atlanta groups

• Florals & décor:
  Bouquets, boutonnieres, centerpieces, and ceremony flowers can start around $1,500–$3,000 and climb higher with more elaborate installations.

• Planner or coordinator:

  • Day-of or month-of coordination in Atlanta: commonly $1,000–$2,500+
  • Full-service planning: often significantly more, depending on scope.

• Hair & makeup, transportation, cake, officiant, attire, and stationery should also be in your budget.

These costs apply regardless of venue, but a more formal space like Ashton Gardens often leads couples toward a more polished vendor lineup, which can raise the overall total.

Ways to Keep Ashton Gardens Wedding Costs Manageable

If you’re set on Ashton Gardens but want to keep the budget controlled, a few Atlanta-specific strategies can help:

1. Be Flexible on Date and Time

In the Atlanta market, you can often save by:

• Choosing a Friday evening, Sunday, or weekday wedding instead of prime Saturday.
• Looking at January, February, July, or August, which can be less in demand than spring and fall.

2. Trim the Guest List

Because catering and bar are per-person, keeping your list closer to 80–100 guests instead of 150+ can dramatically reduce:

• Food and beverage costs
• Rental needs for extra tables/linens
• Floral and décor for additional tables

3. Choose a Simpler Bar Package

To keep bar costs more predictable:

• Limit to beer, wine, and a signature cocktail, or
• Shorten open-bar hours and close it earlier in the evening

4. Prioritize Vendors

For Atlanta weddings, many couples choose to splurge on photography and music and simplify elsewhere. For example:

• Opt for simpler centerpieces and focus on the chapel’s natural look.
• Use standard linens and chairs instead of major upgrades.

Atlanta Logistics to Keep in Mind

Planning from within the city or from out of town? A few local considerations can affect your budget and guest experience:

• Traffic:

  • Saturday events must consider GA-400, I-85, and I-285 congestion, especially if guests are staying in Buckhead, Midtown, or Downtown.
  • You may want to start the ceremony later or suggest specific routes on invitations.

• Guest accommodations:
  Many couples arrange hotel blocks around Buford, Suwanee, or Duluth, or coordinate shuttle transport from Atlanta hotels if many guests are flying into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

• Photo locations:
  Ashton Gardens has its own photo spots, which can save travel time. If you want city shots (like Piedmont Park or the Atlanta Skyline), factor in extra transportation and possibly a longer photography package.

How to Get an Accurate Quote for Your Wedding

Because Ashton Gardens’ pricing can shift with demand, date, and guest count, the most reliable way to know your cost is to request a detailed proposal directly from the venue.

When you reach out, have these details ready:

• Preferred date range (and whether you’re flexible)
• Estimated guest count
• Ceremony + reception, or reception only
• Food style preference (plated vs. buffet)
• Desired bar level (beer/wine only vs. full bar)

Ask them to break out:

• Venue rental fee
• Food and beverage minimums or per-person costs
• Service charges and taxes
• Any required security or additional fees

Then compare that with typical Atlanta vendor pricing for photography, music, flowers, and planning to build a full, realistic budget.

In practical terms, most Atlanta couples booking Ashton Gardens can expect a total wedding spend somewhere in the mid-five figures, with flexibility up or down depending on guest count, date choice, and level of formality. If you’re local to Atlanta or planning from afar, taking time upfront to model a few different scenarios (weekday vs. Saturday, 80 guests vs. 150) will give you a much clearer picture of what a wedding at Ashton Gardens Atlanta will truly cost.