Very close friends of our are wanting to have a ceremony in Northern/Central CA for a wedding celebration in mid April or mid May of '08. Very open to ideas, love the outdoors, beach, redwoods and wineries. Thought I would help out a bit and ask the Fodorites for great ideas.

Seems to be so many options in beautiful CA, they are trying to get feedback from those "in the know" and narrow down to a few ideas before diving into major research/planning. Been to any memorable weddings and have info. that you can share?

Thanks much for any info/ideas you have!

I've been to two beautiful weddings at small private wineries in the hills near Saratoga/Los Gatos. If interested I'll have to check them out as I sure don't recall the names.

My sister was married about 7 years ago at a place she found in a book of 100 most romantic places to marry. It was called Stonepine and it was in Carmel Valley. There's been a few celebrities that have also used it. It was beautiful. She was able to be married outside in one of the gardens. The grounds are beautiful and they have several types of lodging. I'm sure it was expensive but she had a very small ceramony so it wasn't that bad. Also, the food was excellant. I think there is a website.

2 Great places to look at
NestleDown in Los Gatos, CA
Hakone Gardens in Saratoga

www.elkcoveinn.com

A relative was married at Madrona Manor. Beautiful house as well as grounds, and they were very accommodating.

Stonepine in Carmel Valley is indeed beautiful. Very special. We had a wedding at Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley and it was wonderful. (Barbra Streisand was staying in the room next do my daughter...quite impressive for the out of town in-laws!)

There are almost too many wonderful sites in N. Calif. Wine country, beach, Carmel, San Francisco and all areas in between. I think it would be helpful to have a few more clues...such as cost factors, and other ideas they may have.

You don't mention whether they want a religious/church service or not, but I got married at Mendocino Presbyterian Church (www.mendopres.org) and had my reception at a restaurant just down the coast a few miles called Ledford House (www.ledfordhouse.com, the pictures don't do it justice), which has fantastic food and a spectacular setting on the headlands. I think an outdoor wedding ceremony might also be possible there, on the lawn overlooking the ocean. The Mendocino area has it all - outdoors, beaches, redwoods, and wineries - in close proximity!

I would suggest mid-May for a better chance of good weather on the coast.

Mid-April to Mid-May it can be clod and rainy...yeah I know...it' not always sunny California... so where ever they decide...make sure it has an inside place to fall back on!

Utahtea

Healdsburg is lovely; www.hcgweddings.com

While hiking at Sonoma Coast State Park, we came across a marriage ceremony on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Unfortunately, I have no idea how to arrange getting married there, but it's an incredible location for a wedding.

Shanti, this post is over a year old. It was only topped by the person who came here to advertise. I'm sure Khoffmann has found the place by now -- since the wedding is long over.

My favorite wedding as a guest was at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite in early May.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yahqqligan/146721264/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yahqqligan/146723643/

Sigh. It's definitely time for me to quit lurking & go to bed.