Miami-Dade · Garden / Museum
Wedding Florist at The Ancient Spanish Monastery | Aura Design Flowers
The Ancient Spanish Monastery in North Miami Beach is one of the most historically remarkable wedding venues in the United States. Originally built in Segovia, Spain in 1141, the monastery was dismantled stone by stone and shipped to America by William Randolph Hearst in 1925. As your wedding florist at the Ancient Spanish Monastery, Aura Design Flowers creates arrangements that honor this 900-year-old architectural treasure.
Few venues in South Florida offer the romantic, medieval atmosphere of the Monastery. Its Romanesque cloisters, stone archways, and formal gardens transport guests to another era, and our floral designs are crafted to deepen that sense of timeless beauty.
About The Ancient Spanish Monastery
The Ancient Spanish Monastery, formally known as the Monastery of St. Bernard de Clairvaux, is the oldest building in the Western Hemisphere. After decades of storage in a Brooklyn warehouse, the monastery was painstakingly reassembled in North Miami Beach in 1954. Today, it serves as an Episcopal parish church and a beloved event venue.
The grounds feature a stunning cloister garden, a covered stone walkway, and a formal courtyard, all bathed in dappled light filtering through tropical trees. The intimate setting accommodates weddings of 50 to 200 guests. Couples who choose this venue tend to value history, romance, and understated elegance over modern flash.
Our Floral Approach at The Ancient Spanish Monastery
Our floral approach at the Monastery is rooted in old-world romance. We select blooms with soft, antique-inspired palettes, dusty roses, ivory garden roses, lavender, chamomile, and cascading greenery like jasmine and smilax. These arrangements complement the warm honey-toned stone and the dappled Mediterranean light that fills the cloisters.
For cloister ceremonies, we design understated yet impactful arrangements that draw the eye toward the altar without competing with the centuries-old architecture. We often use pedestal arrangements flanking the aisle and trailing florals along the stone columns. Reception tablescapes lean toward garden-gathered, loose arrangements in warm metallics and terracotta vessels that echo the Monastery's earthy character.
Floral Services at The Ancient Spanish Monastery
At The Ancient Spanish Monastery, Aura Design Flowers offers a full suite of wedding floral services tailored to the venue's unique character:
- •Ceremony floral arches designed for The Ancient Spanish Monastery's unique setting
- •Wedding centerpieces scaled to complement the venue's proportions
- •Bridal bouquets and attendant flowers
- •Floral installations and statement pieces
- •Cocktail hour and reception accent arrangements
Serving couples across Miami-Dade County and all of South Florida. Learn more about our Miami wedding florist services.
Typical investment at The Ancient Spanish Monastery
Every wedding is quoted on its own scope, but these are the ranges most couples work within for the pieces this venue usually calls for:
- Installation work of any kind starts at around $3,500, because the structure, mechanics and labour cost much the same regardless of what sits on them.
- A half arch or asymmetrical ceremony piece typically runs $3,500 to $10,500.
- A full ceremony arch typically runs $5,500 to $13,000, with dramatic statement arches from about $9,500.
Frequently Asked Questions
We recommend booking 4-6 months in advance. While the Monastery isn't as heavily booked as larger hotel venues, weekend dates during peak wedding season (October through May) fill up quickly.
Romantic, garden-style arrangements in soft tones complement the stone architecture beautifully. Garden roses, lavender, trailing jasmine, chamomile, and lush greenery feel natural in this medieval setting. Bold tropical flowers can feel out of place here, subtle, fragrant blooms work best.
Yes. Aura Design Flowers understands the Monastery's unique character and logistical considerations, including its intimate scale and historic preservation guidelines.
Yes. We design freestanding ceremony arches and floral installations that complement the existing stone arches and cloister columns. Our installations are carefully constructed to enhance the space without attaching to or damaging any historic surfaces.
Ready to Design Your Wedding Florals at The Ancient Spanish Monastery?
We'd love to be part of your celebration. Tell us about your vision and we'll create something extraordinary.
Other Miami-Dade venues we design for
We install regularly across Miami-Dade. Each venue has its own floral guide.