Wedding venues in/near Napa
November 9, 2012 9:16 PM   Subscribe

My fiance and I would like to get married in Northern California. Location suggestions?

My fiance and I would like to get married in Northern California, (we have family there) but don't live in the area ourselves. Anybody have suggestions for venues? Napa was the first thing to come to mind for us, but we are open to other locations-Sonoma, near the coast, Calistoga? Basically, we are looking for a somewhere where either the ceremony, reception, or both could be outdoors in some really gorgeous scenery. Thanks!
posted by HighTechUnderpants to Travel & Transportation around Novato, CA (17 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Castello di Amorosa is as beautiful as it looks on the website.
posted by cribcage at 9:24 PM on November 9, 2012


Hans Fahden is between Calistoga and Sonoma County. I have been to a wedding here and it was beautiful!

Charles Krug winery is beautiful and has wedding accommodations.

I will ask around. I live in Napa area and grew up here so I have been to a few vineyard weddings. There are rules and zoning laws that stop a lot of the wineries from having weddings. Family and friends can work around it. I think a wedding planner would be valuable if you want to try Napa area.

Sonoma will almost definitely be more reasonably priced and just as beautiful with better summer weather also!
posted by Swisstine at 11:06 PM on November 9, 2012


Best answer: Oh man, I was just at the Mendocino Botanical Gardens before they had a wedding, and I would have LOVED to have gotten married there! It's a fantastic setting. You can walk a few minutes away to cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, there are amazing gnarly trees disappearing into the fog (note: all NorCal locations are subject to wind and fog, even the Japantown hotel garden that we got married in during August!), and there are amazing flowers depending on the time of year. Beautiful! Guests can stay in schmancy lodgings in Mendocino, my favorite bargain B&B in Fort Bragg, etc. There's also a less overrun wine country not too far away.
posted by wintersweet at 11:06 PM on November 9, 2012


Dillon Beach. MeMail me if you'd like more info.
posted by Lynsey at 11:18 PM on November 9, 2012


Central Coast, not "Northern," but the Church in the Forest (Pebble Beach, non-denominational) is a gorgeous place for a wedding. My brother got married there in September.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 11:28 PM on November 9, 2012


Best answer: We got married at Cornerstone Gardens in Sonoma. It's beautiful and unique.
posted by tealcake at 1:06 AM on November 10, 2012


Tilden Park's Brazilian Room seems to be the venue of choice for couples I know. It's got nice outdoor areas with some amazing views of the mountains.
posted by katemonster at 6:13 AM on November 10, 2012 [1 favorite]


E.g. this view
posted by katemonster at 6:15 AM on November 10, 2012


Cribbage is right about Castello Di Amorosa. My preference would be Cedar Grove in Point Lobos - it's gorgeous. Or google Grove of the Titans in Jedediah Smith Redwoods state park near Crescent City - if you could find it that would be awesome
posted by Pressed Rat at 6:17 AM on November 10, 2012


Rather, Cribcage
posted by Pressed Rat at 6:21 AM on November 10, 2012


Friends of mine were married in Yosemite. It was mind-meltingly gorgeous.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 6:45 AM on November 10, 2012


I was married at the Redwood grove campsite in the Samuel P Taylor state park. It was the result of a long and arduous search that included many constraints, including but not limited to: 1) beautiful 2) outdoors 3) redwoods 4) cheap 5) public space so that we can return on anniversaries 6) ability to drive right up to the site as we have relatives who don't walk very well. The combination of 1+2+6 was a real killer.

This should take you to a street-view photo.

Although I hesitate to suggest it because it site is ours and no one was ever married there before and no one ever will be married there except for us.

I've got recommendations for the photographer, the caterer, and the cake, too, if you need them.
posted by ngc4486 at 7:40 AM on November 10, 2012


We had our wedding at the Mill Valley Ourdoor Art Club 20 years ago. Looks like its still available for rental. We had the ceremony and the reception there. A good size for 130 guests, and could probably accommodate 20-30 more.

Besides being a beautiful setting, it was quite reasonably priced compared to other venues we looked at.

A friend of ours got married at a winery in Calistoga. The ceremony was in a redwood grove, and we then went to the top of the hill and had the reception in the tasting room and vineyards. Sorry, can't remember the name.
posted by mach at 1:03 PM on November 10, 2012


Best answer: I went to a wedding last year at the Jack London Lodge - it was lovely.
posted by 41swans at 1:33 PM on November 10, 2012


Response by poster: Thanks so much, all! Been a crazy day, but we'll take a look at these. Many thanks for the suggestions. :)
posted by HighTechUnderpants at 8:18 PM on November 10, 2012


Some of my friends got married here. Their website is terrible, but I got drunk with an emu, and that was nice.
posted by St. Sorryass at 4:17 AM on November 11, 2012


Response by poster: Thanks again, all, for your contributions. I marked as best answers the sites that my fiance and I will probably try and see in person. We really appreciate everybody's input. After taking a close look at these, my fiance said 'Wow, Metafilter's good.'

Gracias!
posted by HighTechUnderpants at 8:58 PM on November 24, 2012


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