Pros & Cons of Having a Fiesta Gardens Wedding | Austin’s Best DJs

Every weekend, we provide DJ and photo booth services for weddings, quinceaneras, parties, and events, all around the Austin and central Texas area. We’ve been to just about every venue in the area, except for the very new ones, of course. Well, in October of 2016, it was finally our turn to be the client! 🙂

We chose to have our wedding at Fiesta Gardens, in Austin, Texas. At the end of the evening, we learned there were many pros, and a few cons, of having a wedding at Fiesta Gardens. Here is our honest, unbiased opinion of a Fiesta Gardens wedding/event, from our view as a client, and as a wedding/event vendor, too! Here they are:

1. Great, East Austin location, that isn’t too hard to find.
2. Right near the water, (Lady Bird Lake), which is great for pictures!
3. Large indoor/outdoor space, which is perfect for about 150 guests (indoors).
4. Tables and chairs are included.
5. Very reasonable price. We paid about $1200, but $300 deposit was refundable. 
6. Perfect for indoor/outdoor weddings, but the weather must comply. 
7. Great for weddings with less than 150 people (indoors)! 
8. A city employee will come and do mopping and sweeping, at 10 pm. 
9. Most affordable venue in Austin, that’s on/near the water!
10. 4,000 square feet of outdoor space for larger weddings/events!

1. The city of Austin does not reserve more than exactly 6 months out. You have to show up to the Parks and Rec office, exactly 6 months ahead of your desired rental date, to reserve your date. We got there before they even opened and luckily, we were the first ones there. Although several people got there within 5 minutes of us arriving!
2. Space is good for up to 150 guests, but the indoor space is very long and narrow, which limits seating arrangements and makes it hard to have an indoor dance floor for that many people.
3. If you have more than 150 guests, you have to have the dance floor outside. That means the weather is a huge factor.
4. If you’re doing a DIY wedding, the earliest you can arrive is 10 AM. Our ceremony start time was 5 pm, and there was barely enough time to set everything up and still start on time. Even though we set up our DJ setup, a photo booth setup, lighting, etc., every weekend, it was still tough to do, since we also had to set up decor, tables, etc. So from a client’s perspective, it may be best to designate people to be in charge of this, and not have the bride, groom, or anyone in the wedding party, be in charge of this! You’ll be grateful for this, by the time your wedding starts. 🙂
5. All music has to be off at 10 pm. This is fine, but you must be out by 12 AM, which can be challenging, since you have 2 hours to take down everything, clean, and put everything back as it was. If you have a lot of help, to clean after your wedding, this won’t be too hard; when we say a lot, we mean at least 15 or more people. 
6. Parking is limited to street parking. It was adequate, but if there are other events happening on your same date, you will have trouble finding enough parking. 

These are the main pros and cons that we could think of when having our own wedding at Fiesta Gardens. From a vendor standpoint, the main thing to remember for your vendors as well as your guests, when having a Fiesta Gardens wedding/event, is the weather.

If the weather is really hot, it’s uncomfortable for your guests, and you, of course. So we advise you to have events and weddings at Fiesta Gardens, in the fall, or possibly early spring. Anytime from late September – early December works well. Even perhaps late February – mid-April will work, too. Outside of that time, the weather can really be questionable for having a great time at your Fiesta Gardens wedding/event. 

Again, if you have less than 150 people, the indoor facility will be perfect, any time of year. Ideally, less than 120 people will fit comfortably. We hope this helps you make a decision about having your Fiesta Gardens wedding/event! Happy wedding planning!

– Austin’s Best DJs & Photo Booths

Please visit our wedding tips planning blog for more great planning tips! If you need a DJ for your Fiesta Gardens wedding/event (or a wedding/event anywhere), please reach out to us to learn more about our wedding DJ services!