Secret gardens

An outdoor wedding is a beautiful occasion, but it's not without its unique stresses - primarily, the weather and the matter of transporting the guests, entertainment and food. Celebrating outdoors also usually means taking the party outside the center of the city. But two of Prague's newer hotels, both five-star, have hosted weddings in their perfectly manicured and elegantly decorated courtyards and gardens.

The Augustine Hotel Prague

Letenská 12/33, Prague 1-Malá Strana

Tel. 266 112 233

E-mail: info.augustine@roccofortehotels.com

The Augustine Hotel boasts a connected entrance to the St. Thomas Church next door, allowing couples to marry in the beautiful old church and simply walk next door to host their reception, said Jodi Masterson, director of sales and marketing.

The hotel has 101 rooms, including 16 suites, in connected buildings that include a 13th-century Augustine monastery. Receptions can be indoors, outdoors or a convenient combination of both, thanks to the hotel's ballroom, terrace and gardens.

"If the wedding couple prefers to dine inside, they can choose to have cocktails on the terrace or in the gardens and then move into the restaurant for private use or the ballroom for the meal and their party," she said.

Executive Chef Richard Fuchs and his kitchen at the Monastery Restaurant are able to cater receptions that range from canapés to a buffet to a sit-down meal, and all to the taste of the wedding party.

"We can even create a traditional Czech meal if that's what they'd prefer."

As for the wedding cake, that can also be created by the kitchen's extensive pastry department. The hotel has already created cakes for several of the weddings they've hosted, which will number more than 20 booked this year.

"The most interesting one we hosted recently was an Indian wedding held here and in other venues around the city. The gardens were turned into a Bollywood paradise," she said.

Prices depend on where the reception is held, what sort of catering is desired and how many guests attend, Masterson said.

"We can tailor-make packages suiting everyone."

Kempinski Hybernská Hotel Prague

Hybernská 12, Prague 1-Old Town

Tel. 226 226 111

E-mail: reservations.prague@kempinski.com

Is there a better way for a bride to arrive at her wedding reception than via a neo-Baroque grand staircase? The serene garden courtyard at the Kempinski allows such an entrance.

Once they finally touch earth, however, the garden is equally elegant, with manicured shrubs that divide the space into intimate surroundings.

The Kempinski's photogenic garden has become an enormously popular wedding venue, with 32 wedding events booked so far this year, up from only two in 2009 and 18 in 2010.

"We've been having about three per week. It turns out to have become quite popular now," said General Manager Peter Knoll. "I'm talking about weddings that range from eight people at a small dinner to up to 188 people we hosted in the garden for a wedding lunch. Last weekend, we hosted one of the events in an Indian wedding that was held over three days in various venues around Prague."

The Kempinski is certainly capable of hosting lavish ceremonies, including a recent one for TV show hostess and actress Alena Šeredová and Italian goalkeeper Gigi Buffon, but Knoll said he wants the space to be available for wedding parties with all budgets.

Simple receptions in the garden with barbecue-style catering start at 750 Kč per person for food and drinks packages begin at 650 Kč per person.

"We want to be able to provide the garden for all sorts of events, and provide the opportunity for someone who maybe can't afford going to the castle and wants something simple but elegant."

Karolína Kocincová, the head pastry chef in executive chef Marek Fichtner's kitchen at The Kempinski, has won numerous awards for her confectionary creations, and the hotel hopes to send her to the World Olympics of Chefs in 2012.

Claire Compton can be reached at
ccompton@praguepost.com