Planning a Brazilian Room wedding? You’re in good company! The Brazilian Room located in Tilden Park, Berkeley is one of the most popular wedding venues in the Bay Area.

The main draw of this cozy and versatile East Bay event space is its proximity to nature. Tilden Park, with its pine, oak and eucalyptus trees, is your ceremony backdrop. 

This affordable Bay Area wedding venue also excels with its spacious indoor area, which is perfect for shifting to for your reception. 

Planning a Brazilian Park wedding
Interior space of the Brazilian Room decked out for a wedding | Photos by Zoe Larkin Photography

The Brazilian Room is definitely a unique local treasure, with loads of natural light, pretty outside space and a secluded location that’s still within easy reach. 

I’ve had the pleasure of photographing a handful of weddings at this East Bay gem. I’ve been a preferred vendor for the Brazilian Room for the years 2023 and 2024. In this article, I will share with you everything I know about planning your Brazilian Room wedding.

Capacity of the Brazilian Room for weddings

The Brazilian Room can host up to 150 guests for the typical wedding with the ceremony outdoors and reception indoors. 

However, though that number is possible, it is a tight squeeze, plus you’ll have to give up your dancefloor! 80 – 100 guests is a much more comfortable number. 

AreasMax guest count
Outdoor space 
Patio180
Indoor space
Standing reception225
Seated guests, without dance floor150
Seated guests, with dance floor120

Size of Brazilian Room spaces

The indoor area (the Brazilian Room itself) measures 32′ x 54’.

The flagstone patio is 40’ X 42’ plus an extension of 12’x18’. 

Features of the Brazilian Room for weddings

  • Old-English style decor and feel
  • Floor-to-ceiling glass doors and windows, making an appealing light-filled space
  • Sloping lawns and expansive views
  • Wooden beams and vaulted ceiling 
  • Stone gas fireplace centerpiece 
  • Rich hardwood paneling throughout 
how to plan a Brazilian Room Reception
Brazilian Room Reception | Photos by Zoe Larkin Photography

Rental prices for Brazilian Room weddings

The current rental prices in 2023 range from $672 for Monday, Wednesday and Thursday morning rentals, up to $5,538 for a full day on Saturdays. There are different price points based on the day of the week and whether morning, evening or full-day. 

These prices are for out-of-county rates. Discounted rates are available for Alameda & Contra Costa County residents.

Please contact the venue directly for up to date pricing that’s in place at the time of your inquiry.

indoor brunch wedding at brazilian room
From an indoor brunch wedding at the Brazilian Room | Photos by Zoe Larkin Photography

What’s included in your booking?

  • Full industrial kitchen with 12-burner stove/double ovens
  • Dishwasher
  • Garbage disposal
  • 100-cup coffee maker
  • Commercial refrigerator
  • Ice machine 
  • Barbecue grill
  • 150 fruitwood folding chairs with ivory seat pad
  • Tables: 6’ rectangular (24), 8’ rectangular (2), 60” round (16), 48” round (1), 36” round (5), 4’ square (1)
  • Heat and air conditioning 
  • Wi-Fi 
  • Audio Visual System including 2 microphones 
  • Speakers
  • Projector screen
  • Podium
  • 4 grey patio umbrellas
  • Hardwood dancefloor
  • Yamaha upright piano
  • Dimmable ceiling lights
  • Small dressing room 

Note: Some items are only available for indoor use. 

Other places to combine with the Brazilian Room

There is the charming botanic garden within Tilden Park which is recommended for photos. It’s only a few minutes walk down the hill or a quick drive away. This requires a paid permit in advance. Below are some shots from that garden (permits are around $408 at the current time).

Tilden Botanic Garden wedding photos
Tilden Botanic Garden photos – the redwood grove | Photos by Zoe Larkin Photography
wide shot of couple walking in Tilden Botanic Garden before their wedding at brazilian room
Walking through the meadow at Tilden Botanic Garden | | Photos by Zoe Larkin Photography
Tilden Botanic Garden before their Brazilian Room wedding
Morning at Tilden Botanic Garden before their Brazilian Room wedding | Photos by Zoe Larkin Photography
couple walking through the Botanic Garden adjacent to the Brazil Room in Tilden Park
Photos at Tilden Botanic Garden | Photos by Zoe Larkin Photography

If the budget won’t stretch or you can’t find the time to fit in a shoot there, don’t worry. There are plenty of beautiful spots on-site at the Brazilian Room!

Want getting-ready photos at a pretty off-site location? I recommend the Claremont Hotel & Spa (~16-minute drive), Bancroft Hotel (~13-minute drive) or Lafayette Park Hotel (~24-minute drive).

Other points to note

The best time for a wedding there in my opinion is when the blossoms are blooming! The time for this is March to April, though do check with the staff as this may change year on year for example if there are gusty winds. This wedding below was from March 27. It rained later in the day!

planning a spring wedding at Brazilian Room with blossoms in full bloom
Spring wedding at Brazilian Room with blossoms in full bloom | Photos by Zoe Larkin Photography

I personally do recommend investing in some kind of ceremony arch or focal point behind you. Many online reviews and past brides comment that with such breathtaking scenery, why both with extraneous decoration? But the arch is so much more!

couple under the arch at brazilian room wedding
A couple’s beautiful ceremony arch | Photos by Zoe Larkin Photography

It frames you and provides a beautiful backdrop behind you. In my opinion, shots with the wedding arch behind the couple end up being my favorites, most times.

What makes for great photos is having different depths – a foreground (you), midground (your decorated arch) and then the actual background (distant trees). You can see below how this gives such an elevated, classic and personalized feel.

Some things to be aware of 

I try to be as unbiased as I can in my blog posts. Being a preferred photographer of the Brazilian Room, I of course love weddings there.

However, I want to present a balanced picture so you can make an informed decision. Some of these are based on my own experience, and others from online review sites. 

Fun moments from a performance event and dancing at the end of the night | Photos by Zoe Larkin Photography
  • The bathrooms are not quite up to par. There’s no way around it.
  • The dressing area is small and windowless. For getting ready photos, I suggest going outside on the path. There’s only one getting-ready room.
  • It gets very hot there in the summertime and there is little shade outdoors.
  • Only beer, wine and champagne may be served on site. Hard liquor is a no-no!
  • Only Approved Caterers are allowed to be used for events, some of which are priced higher than many Yelpers had anticipated. 
  • There are only 34 spaces in the on-site parking lot (with other spots available nearby). Most couples get their guests bussed in. The parking is public, so can’t be reserved exclusively for your event. Uber drivers may get lost or cancel. 
  • The drive to/ from the venue is very dark and windy, being that it’s a secluded destination. There are NO lights in the parking lot, so warn your guests to be careful with walking/ driving after dark. 
  • Being a Parks and Rec-run space for the benefit of the local community, there are restrictions regarding decorations, glitter, candles, confetti etc. Luckily, this is not a venue that needs a lot of extra frills.
  • I’ve heard reports that the AV equipment (if you use the venue’s own) is a little temperamental, even if tested during the rehearsal. Speaking of the rehearsal, you’ll need to wait until closer to your wedding date to confirm the rehearsal date.
  • You need to book far in advance. There’s a specific booking window. Booking opens at the beginning of January for the following year. Meaning popular summer dates could book out a year and a half in advance. 

So that’s all the downsides I can think of, and in the grand scheme of things, it isn’t a lot!

The Brazilian Room wins out for amazing value for money, supporting the local community, and overall being such a gorgeous, unique and nature-led space.

Check out this reel with more about what makes the Brazilian Room such a rad place for a beautiful, relaxed wedding:

Photos from Brazilian Room weddings

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About Zoe Larkin Photography

Looking for a Bay Area wedding photographer? You can learn more about my services at the links below: 

Bay Area wedding photographer – Homepage | Bay Area Wedding photographer – Info, pricing, about & portfolio

Hoping I’ll be back at Brazilian Room in gorgeous Tilden Park soon, shooting your lovely wedding!

The Brazilian Room is one of the most popular wedding venues in the Bay Area, and with good reason! Learn about this stunning, cozy and versatile East Bay event space! Tilden Park with its lush trees is your ceremony backdrop. The Brazilian Room is a unique local treasure, with loads of natural light, pretty outside space and a secluded yet accessible location. As a Brazilian Room preferred vendor I’ll share everything you need to know about making this beautiful venue work for you!
Brazilian Room wedding info – how to utilize and book this East Bay gem of a venue! | Zoe Larkin Photography

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Zoe Larkin

I’m Zoe, a wedding photographer based in San Francisco! My style is candid, capturing authentic moments for my couples all over the Bay Area and Northern California. Creating content is my passion! Follow along the blog and Insta!

Brazil Room Wedding photos

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How to plan a Brazilian Room Tilden Park wedding – 2024 guide

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