Frequently Asked Questions

Can we hold our wedding reception at Ruby’s Garden?
Ruby’s Garden is best suited for wedding ceremonies and similar small events. We encourage you to hold your wedding reception at another location that will give you the space and facilities you need. The City of Spearfish has several nearby locations that are ideal reception venues, including the W.S. Tretheway Pavilion, Snappers Club, and Hudson Street Hall. 

How late can we hold our event?
The hatchery grounds are open from dawn to dusk. The grounds are not lit for night-time events. In order to ensure the safety of your guests, Ruby’s Garden events should be finished by 9:00 p.m. during the summer season.

Can we have or serve alcohol in Ruby’s Garden?
The use of alcohol is strictly forbidden in Ruby’s Garden and on the grounds of the D. C. Booth National Historic Fish Hatchery. Any violation of this policy will result in loss of your deposit and may result in a fine.

Can we drive into the hatchery during our event?
Yes. We will allow you up to 5 (five) vehicles to drive through the hatchery to the garden. No more than five vehicles at a time will ever be allowed onto hatchery grounds. Each renter is responsible for the actions of his/her guests who will be operating vehicles on hatchery. Please ensure that drivers do not drive or park on the grass, as there are expensive sprinkler heads there. No cars may be left in the parking lot overnight (the gates will be closed and locked at dusk). There will be visitors to the hatchery during your event, and many of our visitors are quite small and have a tendency to run into the street without looking. The speed limit on hatchery grounds is five (5) miles per hour and strictly enforced.

We’re serious about the safety of our visitors. Any violation of this speed limit by any driver will result in the full forfeiture of the deposit. No warnings will be issued, and a repeat violation will cause the revocation of all vehicle traffic into the hatchery during your event.

Can our guests be shuttled from the parking lot to the Garden?
Yes, a six-passenger (including the driver) golf cart is available for use during your event at a rental cost of $50. The cart may only be used on the hatchery grounds, and must be driven by a hatchery staff member.   Personal golf carts may not be used. There is a spot on the rental agreement for you to indicate that you would like to rent the golf cart.

Can we use the historic Booth House?
No. Although we used to include the Booth House with garden rentals, there has been too much damage to the historic house to continue allowing unfettered access. Because of this, we have constructed an accessible restroom/changing room directly behind Ruby’s Garden that may be used by the wedding party and wedding guests. This amenity is included with the rental fee.

How many people can Ruby’s Garden hold?
 Ruby’s Garden is better-suited for weddings of up to 200 guests.

What if it looks like it’s going to rain on the day of my event?
We have two 10’ x 20’, attractive, white tents that can be erected over the garden with advance notice. These tents are available at no extra cost, and should be set up prior to chair set up for ease of construction. If the renter cancels an event due to weather, the entire deposit will be forfeited. 

Does it matter who I rent my chairs and decorations from?
Each renter will be given a specific time to allow for decoration and rehearsal. Decorators and rental agencies must abide by the same regulations (vehicle traffic, decoration standards, parking, etc.) that the Renter does, and it is the Renter’s responsibility to make sure that they do so. Remember, when you rent your chairs from Ruby’s Garden, all of the proceeds go to enhance D.C. Booth and keep it a free family attraction for generations to come. The $2.00 per chair rental charge includes set-up and take-down. If you rent chairs from us, we will be sure that they are set-up by the start of your rental period. If you rent from another party, they cannot set-up chairs until the start of your rental period.

What about rehearsals the night before?
Our garden manager will arrange a rehearsal time with each renter on an individual basis. There could be an event in Ruby’s Garden the night before your event, and a rehearsal would need to be scheduled around that event. We will not charge you extra for your rehearsal time. We can schedule your final rehearsal time no earlier than two weeks prior to your wedding date.

Do you rent Ruby’s Garden in the fall?
Snow, the conditions of our flowers, and falling leaves all start to become a concern after the 1st of October. We know you choose Ruby’s Garden because of its beautiful outdoor setting, but a lot of factors beyond our control can compromise the beauty of the Garden. Try as we might, the deer generally destroy every living plant by September 10th. As a general rule, we will rent Ruby’s Garden for $400 beginning October 1 – but will not be responsible for leaf or snow removal.  As always, when holding an event in a garden, you assume that there may be factors out of anyone’s control (bugs, weather, deer-eaten flowers, and early frost) that may affect the beauty of the scenery.

Is our deposit refundable if we have to cancel?
No, the security/damage deposit is non-refundable if the event is cancelled at any time by the renter or the rentee.