CHAMPAIGN COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT

A.J., left, and Greg Lavender of Mahomet take their wedding vows at the Botanical Gardens at Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve. Note the waterfall the behind the couple.

Photograph courtesy of Lake of the Woods Photographers

Wedding bells ring — under an open sky

   When the Champaign County Forest Preserve District was formed by referendum in 1935, voters probably weren’t thinking about outdoor weddings as they stood at the ballot box.

   How things change in 74 years. While the forest preserve district’s main mission remains conservation, recreation and education, weddings have become a part of its offerings over the years because of public demand.

   “We do understand that (the district’s parks) offer a beautiful place for a wedding,” says Angie Clayton, who fields questions and handles wedding reservations for the forest preserve district.

   By far the most popular place for outdoor weddings is the Botanical Gardens at Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve near Mahomet. The gardens are located just south of the Early American Museum and feature a waterfall, a pond complete with a red, oriental-style bridge and lavish flower gardens.

   “It’s a gorgeous setting,” says photographer Norm Davis, the owner of Lake of the Woods Photographers of Mahomet.

   Of course, the biggest pitfall to an outdoor wedding: unpredictable weather. The Botanical

Gardens has no nearby building for wedding parties to use if bad weather strikes. Alternatives are the Elks Lake Pavilion and Lake of the Woods Pavilion.  

   Other forest preserve facilities available for rental for weddings include: the Izaak Walton Cabin at Lake of the Woods; Salt Fork Center at Homer Lake; Middle Fork Activity Center at Middle Fork River Forest Preserve; and the Riverview Retreat Center, a fairly isolated facility located 2 miles north of Lake of the Woods.

   The most popular setting outside Lake of the Woods is the Salt Fork Center, which offers a scenic vista of Homer Lake.

   Rental fees range from $345 to $850, depending on the location, for Champaign County residents. In addition, a damage deposit is required at all facilities, including the Botanical Gardens. Insurance is also required when alcohol is served.

   “We take reservations one year in advance,” Clayton says. “June is usually the month of choice. August and September run a close second.”

   Go to www.ccfpd.org/facility_rentals/weddings.html for more information about having a wedding at a Champaign County Forest Preserve District site.