Photo by Michael Venera

Across the bridge from San Francisco lies Cavallo Point, an unforgettable wedding venue that may not even be on your radar. Located in Horseshoe Cove and originally inhabited by the coastal Miwok tribes, this site used to be Fort Baker, which was established long before there was a Golden Gate Bridge. Once an active military base, the fort became part of the National Park system when it was no longer needed by the military. Now its historic buildings, and a few new ones, make up Cavallo Point—The Lodge at The Golden Gate.

Cavallo Point Lodge covers 14,000 square feet of indoor venue space and 12,500 feet of  outdoor space with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay. It offers several different venues for weddings, brunches, rehearsal dinners, and more, plus on-site catering by Chef Joseph Humphrey. Typical receptions include trays of passed canapés, an artisan cheese station, drinks, an amuse bouche, a 2-course plated meal, and a wedding cake. Plus, you can opt for features like an iced shellfish or petit four station for your guests along with house-made chocolate favors. An $8,000 facility fee rents space for the ceremony and reception for 6 hours, basics like chairs/tables/linens, a dance floor, setup and breakdown, a dressing room for the bride, and a suite for the bride and groom on their wedding night.

Beyond the beauty of their surroundings, your guests will love the lodging on site and all the activities Cavallo Point has to offer. Guests can take hikes and historical walks around the property, attend a private or group yoga class, take cooking school classes on site, kayak under the Golden Gate Bridge, try their hand at sailing and yachting, and turn your wedding weekend into a wine country exploration of nearby Napa and Sonoma Valleys. They’ll love this quiet, romantic getaway, and so will you.

Cavallo Point
The Lodge at Golden Gate
601 Murray Circle
Fort Baker
Sausalito, CA 94965
415-339-4700
groups@cavallopoint.com
www.cavallopoint.com

Where should you start when planning your Lake Tahoe wedding? Tahoe Unveiled!  Tahoe Unveiled is an amazing online resource dedicated to providing you with everything you need to plan a successful Tahoe wedding.  In addition to a comprehensive vendor list, the site has a blog full of inspirational tips, and real weddings features.

Thanks to Tahoe Unveiled, you now have the opportunity to meet some of Tahoe’s greatest vendors in an intimate setting at A Day in the Mountains, hosted by One Fine Day.  This is an inspirational event designed to showcase the luxurious side of Lake Tahoe.  It is a place for brides to enjoy the romantic side of wedding planning; to get inspired by the vignettes and vendor’s exhibit spaces, and to enjoy wine, champagne, and food tastings from local catering companies.

Your typical wedding fair is set in a huge hall filled with rows of vendor booths.  A Day in the Mountains is significantly smaller, allowing you the necessary time to speak with each vendor and develop a personal relationship.  Instead of the standard booths, each vendor was given a large space to design, allowing them to better reflect their own personal styles.

As a bride at A Day in the Mountains, you also have the added bonus of getting some advice from noted wedding professionals.  Catherine Hall of Catherine Hall Studios will share some of her insider knowledge with you on such things as the best ways to prepare for being in front of the lens for the entire day, or that when you are getting ready in the morning you should rent a suite instead of a small hotel room, this gives the photographer more flexibility for the lens they can use.

Noted designer Scott Corridan is leading a seminar called “boobs and butts,” showing you how every woman can look like a model in her wedding dress. This includes tips for picking the best dress for your body type and ways to make you look, and feel, your best for your special day.  To help illustrate his point, three lucky brides will be picked to participate in the fashion show!

In addition to fabulous gift bags and prizes, every bride gets to go home with a better understanding of what they want for their Tahoe wedding.

Check out the Tahoe Unveiled page for more information about the vendors, and extensive list of prizes and giveaways.

Specifics:

Date: October 16th

Location: PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn

To Purchase Tickets Click Here

Bay Area Bride Guide is thrilled to be giving away two tickets to this amazing event!!  What do you love the most about Lake Tahoe? Tweet @BABrideGuide or leave a message on our Facebook page explaining your favorite parts of Lake Tahoe between now and October 9 and you will be entered to win.  One lucky person will be chosen on October 10^th!

By Erin Frank

I like a little wedding with my honeymoon. When you pair a destination wedding with your happily-ever-after there are a huge number of benefits. For one thing, you can leave it to the professionals. You know you’re getting a dedicated staff that specializes in handling events like yours and is familiar with what the venue can offer you. On-location lodging for you and your guests means you won’t have to worry about transportation to and from ceremony and reception venues. Throw in perks like swim-up bars and lounging on the beach, and your guests are guaranteed to have a good time with minimal planning on your part. Plus, you won’t have anyone asking if they can crash on your couch right before your big day.

During a recent stay at Azul Sensatori Hotel by Karisma in Cancun, Mexico, I found myself wondering what it would have been like if I had scrapped my DIY-intensive San Francisco wedding last year (and I do mean intense! It’s a lot of work when you handle everything from decorations to food to flowers), and gone instead for a relaxing beachside ceremony with my favorite family and friends. Here’s what I would have enjoyed:

An on-site wedding coordinator, a wedding guest concierge to get my guests settled in without my help, a personal attendant to the bride—what a dream!—and a groom’s room stocked with food and beverages before the wedding, to keep the guys out of my hair.  I think I would have opted for the Gold Wedding Package, which includes everything a couple could ask for. We’re talking a bouquet and boutonniere, a manicure and hairstyle for the bride, a haircut for the groom, a sunset dinner cruise, a professional wedding photographer (complete with negatives and a wedding album), a Mexican wedding certificate translated to English, and a whole lot more, all for $3,500. Thinking about what it costs to hire a photographer alone, I’m kicking myself for not discovering this sooner.

A beachside venue really takes your wedding to a new level. Have your ceremony on the beach or on a rooftop overlooking the water. Drink champagne while you check-in, schedule candlelight oceanfront dinners and seaside massages, and let your guests do the same! Encourage them to come to the resort early and clear out after the wedding so your honeymoon can be blissfully family-free. During their stay, your guests will enjoy the beach, pools, bars, a spa, and 6 gourmet-inclusive restaurants including Le Chique, a swanky adults-only restaurant with a creative eight-course “Author’s Dinner” where every taste and texture will take you by surprise. After the wedding, soothe away any stressors your personal assistant couldn’t take care of with soaks in the your Jacuzzi bathtub or piña coladas by the pool. Forget getting up early to head to the airport. Instead enjoy breakfast in bed to kick off your honeymoon. Relax—you’re already there!

So, you tell me, is your 1-year anniversary too soon for a destination vow renewal ceremony?

Azul Sensatori Hotel by Karisma

Cancun, Mexico

www.karismahotels.com

Just two hours from San Francisco, in Hopland, CA, lies Campovida, a gorgeous, historic property that has been given a new lease on life thanks to its latest owners.  Campovida is the ultimate wine country retreat, filled with vineyards, graceful Valley Oaks, 13 acres of organic gardens, wisteria and grape arbors, private accommodations for weddings and events, and a wine tasting room highlighting the local biodynamic wines of Mendocino’s Magnanimus Wine Group. Throughout its history, Campovida has had only nine property owners—including current owners Gary Breen and Anna Beusilink—since the Pomo Indians. The famous Fetzer family began growing grapes on the property in the 60’s, and eventually created a food and wine education center (Valley Oaks) in the early 80’s, which was host to some of the nation’s top chefs. After being closed for the past few years, Gary and Anna have restored the 50-plus acres of property. Campovida now produces its own honey and olive oil and uses its own fresh herbs and produce to create wine pairings and meals. The garden consists of over 13 acres of organic plants including herbs, vegetables, more than 100 olive trees, over 100 apple trees, plus pear trees, fig and persimmon trees, and groves of organic lavender.

Hold your ceremony or reception in the garden, perhaps in the walled Tuscan Garden which has a wisteria arbor, lawn and an area for dancing under the stars. An old growth grape arbor at Campovida can create a natural cathedral-like effect for ceremonies, or you’ll find other romantic romantic settings like the lake or pavilion.  You and you close family and friends can stay overnight in Campovida’s 10 rooms comprised of suites, smaller rooms, a one-room cottage and 3-room farmhouse. Nearby hotels and guest houses offer additional options for guests in and around Hopland. Your guests will love exploring the region, which offers activities like wine tasting, river kayaking and canoeing, beach walks, scenic hikes, farmer’s market visits and more.

Campovida espouses a mission of sustainability and thoughtful stewardship of the earth. In addition to their organic goodies on the table, you’ll find eco-conscious efforts all over the property, from solar panels that power the water heaters, to reclaimed or re-purposed wood and furniture, to carefully cultivated honey bee colonies. If you’re a bride looking to have a “greener” wedding, Campovida works with partners such as Park Avenue Catering, one of wine country’s only certified green caterers, and Green Mary, a company dedicated to making events 100% compostable. At Campovida, you’ll have a wedding you can feel good about down to the smallest detail.

You can bring in your own caterer and rent it for the entire day. Call (415) 507-2000 for more information.

St. Vincent's School for Boys - Courtyard for outdoor reception

St. Vincent's School for Boys Church

Dramatic corridors are perfect photo opps!

Path leading to the "secret garden"

Rustic pergola in garden

Escort cards attached the wrought iron gate

The courtyard easily accommodated 160 guests and could've fit more!

Tip: If you do not know where to start, the following two shows might be your answer.  The smaller numbers lend themselves to a more intimate setting, making it easier to talk to the vendors and see what they are all about.

San Francisco Wedding Faire

Location: The Four Seasons, San Francisco

Date: January 6, 2011

This bridal faire is small,  bringing brides and vendors together in a more intimate setting.  The vendors are carefully chosen to allow for a nice variety, and the Four Seasons in downtown San Francisco lends itself to wedding inspiration.

Classic Wedding Fairs

These are boutique style wedding fairs offered by Brocade Weddings.  They are located throughout the entire Bay Area, and current dates range from August 29^th in Palo Alto to November 14 in Pleasanton.  These bridal fairs offer fashion shows, seminars, samples, and a multitude of vendors for brides to mingle with.

Tip: The following bridal fair is perfect for those multi-cultural and tech-savvy couples looking for a great way to easily meld cultures and ideas.

International Wedding Festival

Location: Westin St. Francis, San Francisco

Date: October 3, 2010

(Also in San Jose February 20, 2011)

This bridal show has a focus on bringing couples and their families together, by offering a unique set of vendors to support everyone’s interests and cultures. This includes a huge variety of caterers, along with new wedding innovations that help bring family together (similar to Marry Me Live’s live wedding streaming services).  In addition to meeting with vendors, brides will be treated to a fashion show, and raffle.

Tip: If you just want to get out there and meet as many vendors as possible, the following expo is what you are looking for.  Its trade show atmosphere means that you will see a lot of vendors throughout the day, but keep in mind it could make it harder to remember who you spoke with.

Great Bridal Expo

Location: Marriott in Burlingame

Date: November 20, 2010

(Also at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose November 21, 2010)

The Great Bridal Expo is massive, and similar to a trade show, allowing for brides and grooms to meet the greatest number of vendors possible.  You can think of it as a one-stop-shop for all things bridal!

What does every bride want from her wedding venue?  I am going to venture a guess and say: great views, tasty food, a helpful coordinator, plenty of space, and the flexibility to add your own personal touches.  One venue that fulfills all of these requirements is  Garré Winery, located in Livermore, California. The scenic beauty of a vineyard combined with its convenient  location make this an ideal Bay Area wedding venue!

As a wedding venue, Garré Winery is completely flexible, and offers a number of options to brides, allowing for multiple sizes and locations, personalized decorations, and a variety of food choices. 

For a large and lively wedding (up to 300 guests), you can choose to have your ceremony and reception in the middle of the vineyards at the Pavilion.  With Garré, you know your ceremony will be wonderful and gorgeous.  Every detail is taken care of, from the 19^th century lamp posts lining the aisle for the ceremony, and the picturesque views, your ceremony will be perfect.  When it comes to the reception, you can work with Lindsay Besser to customize the decorations in the pavilion tent to fit your color scheme and decorating style.  One of the best features of having your reception at Garré (aside from the views) is their food and wine.  Everything on the menu is fantastic, so you will have a tough time narrowing down your choices!

If you are planning a smaller or more intimate wedding, the Martinelli Event Center is your perfect location.  Here, you have views of the Livermore Valley and its numerous vineyards, and the option of an indoor or outdoor reception.  Your decorating options are unlimited, and range from stringing lights around the courtyard, or strategically placing candles around the venue, which lends itself to a very romantic atmosphere.  The Martinelli Event Center offers the same great food choices as the pavilion along with the Garré award winning wines.

The best part about both venues is that they are essentially a blank canvas, and you can work with their event coordinator, Lindsay Besser (lindsay@garrewinery.com), to decorate and set-up either venue to fit your dream wedding.  In addition, Lindsay is available to help you from the day you book, and will also coordinate with all of your other vendors (flowers, cake, etc) to help relieve stress on your wedding day.

Here is all the information you need to get you started on your way to the perfect vineyard wedding:

Lani Allen (for tours, vendor recommendations, or decor) - lani@garrewinery.com

Lindsay Besser (on-site wedding coordinator) - lindsay@garrewinery.com

Website – http://www.garrewinery.com

Phone – 925-371-8200

Hi all! I am so excited to be a part of Bay Area Bride Guide! It is such an honor to be blogging for you. I am a wedding planner and designer who grew up in the Bay Area and I have always had a fascination with all things related to The City. Yes, I know, some of you claim “The City” for the Big Apple, but in my world, “The City” is The City by the Bay. So, for my first post, I wanted to share with Bay Area brides and grooms some fabulous wedding inspiration that truly represents San Francisco. We are lucky to live, work and play in this little section of the Bay and any couple choosing to get married here can have so much fun planning with all that SF has to offer in its gorgeous cityscape, hidden details and amazing architecture.

I think it’s fair to start off with the beautiful bridges – The Golden Gate and The Bay Bridge…

Anna Kuperberg

Then we head down to the Embarcadero and jump on a classic street car…

Tiny Water Photography

Or hit the streets of SF and ride a charming cable car…

One of the most beautifully breathtaking churches ever, Grace Cathedral…

Cliff Brunk

Cliff Brunk

The stunning and ornate San Fran City Hall…

Raw Photo Design

Tinywater Photography

Raw Photo Design

A trip down the crooked-est street in SF and find one of its sweet little side alleys…

Raw Photo Design

Wonderfully rich in detail, a chapel full of SF history tucked away in the Presidio

Shaughn Photography

Sweeping Ocean Views at the Cliff House

Cliff Brunk

Or even your very own apartment can be a fab backdrop…

Raw Photo Design

Here’s a helpful planning tip – work with your photographer and wedding planner to create a shot list and work it into the timeline. This way they can work together to make sure all of the important moments and special people are remembered – especially if you want to try and do some fun SF landmark shots!

Below are the links to the amazing photographers featured in this post who were able to capture love leaving its heart in San Francisco.

Hope you enjoyed my first post! See you next week!

Tinywater Photography
Cliff Brunk
Anna Kuperberg
Raw Photo Design
A Bryan Photo
Shaughn Photography

The El Dorado Hotel and Kitchen in Sonoma, California:

The El Dorado Kitchen offers a variety of options for your wedding, with the numerous seating arrangements comfortably accommodating parties from 22 up to as many as 250 guests.  These options include the use of the Fireplace Lounge and Fig Tree Courtyard, the private dining room, the bridge table (running down the center of the restaurant), and a semi-private portion of the main dining room.  Event coordinator Angie Bettinelli will work with you to help you choose the best option for you and your guests, as well as coordinate between the hotel and your vendors to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Just off the hotel lobby is the fireplace lounge.  Aside from the main focus, the fireplace, there are numerous bookshelves covered with vases, behind which you can see a portion of the original building.

This cozy room can be made even cozier by closing it off from the rest of the lobby, and you also have the option of opening the doors to the Fig Tree Courtyard, which makes it perfect for rehearsal dinners, brunches, or small receptions.

Finally, and most importantly…the food is incredible!  The mouth-watering menus all look fantastic, making it nearly impossible to narrow down your choices.  Their dinner offerings include seared ahi tuna, truffle risotto, and red wine braised short ribs, all of which are served with a variety of side dishes.  Their brunch and lunch choices are equally impressive and include steamed mussels, chopped chicken salad, or a la carte brunch stations with fruit, pastries, and brioche bites.  Another great thing about the El Dorado Kitchen is that when possible, the food prepared at the El Dorado Kitchen is made from organic and locally grown produce, helping to green your wedding day.

The variety of options, wonderful food, and friendly staff, make the El Dorado Kitchen a great place to host a bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner, wedding reception, wedding ceremony, or a post wedding brunch.

After partying the night away downstairs, take to your room for some relaxation.  The El Dorado Hotel is situated in the heart of Sonoma in an historic, 150 year old building.  The refurbished hotel is green certified and has all the luxuries of a modern day hotel, while maintaining its old-town feel.  The 27 guest rooms come fully-stocked with the typical TV, iPod clock, and mini-refrigerator, but the slanted ceilings, colorful walls, and the use of real keys all help keep its charm.  If you have your wedding at the hotel, you can work with Angie to reserve a block of rooms for yourself and your guests.

Enter to win a free night stay at the hotel and dinner for two so you can check it out for yourself!

Sonoma El Dorado Hotel and El Dorado Kitchen:

405 First Street West

Sonoma, California 95476

Angie Bettinelli, at angie@eldoradosonoma.com – 707-996-3030

Contest rules:

To enter you must post a comment on Bay Area Bride Guide between July 5th and July 18th.

There is no limit to the number of entries you can have, but if it is determined your entries were not legimitate, you will be disqualified.

A winner will be chosen at random on July 19th and announced on the site.

We all know that the Bay Area is full of spectacular sites for outdoor weddings. Bay Area Bride Guide has given you the rundown on a host of them. Those most profiled places tend to be out in the suburbs or further. But what if you want to say “I Do” under the canopy of heaven? These five outdoor wedding venues within San Francisco provide spectacular settings for your special day. But remember, weather in The City is most reliably sunshiney in the rain-free indian summer, about late August to mid-October, and do have a bad-weather backup plan at hand.

5. Baker Beach

You would be hard pressed to have a more memorable vista for your vows than the view from Baker Beach. The Golden Gate Bridge in the background makes for a perfectly romantic symbol of love and connection, and unlike nearby China Beach with its 50 guest limit and difficult parking, the limit on guests at Baker is set at 200. Permits are required and are available from the GGNRA; more information is here.

4. Alamo Square Park

Remember that amazing park where the Tanner family has a picnic in the opening sequence to everyone’s favorite TGIF sitcom, Full House? This is the park. And that view is still spectacular, with the Painted Ladies (a series of historic Victorian homes) in the foreground and the downtown skyline and Bay Bridge behind. Beware though, parking near this park is very difficult to find, and parallel parking on the steep hills that surround Alamo Square may have your out of town guests arriving in fits. Get a permit to reserve your spot and get advice about logistics from the city parks permit line at (415) 831-5500.

3. Sigmund Stern Grove

This slice of San Francisco’s pre-urban landscape lies in San Francisco’s Sunset District fog belt, which narrows your wedding window, but exchanging vows beneath its ageless redwood trees and towering eucalypts practically guarantees a splendid event. Plus, the historic and beautifully restored Trocadero clubhouse in the Grove makes the perfect place for the reception and a bad weather backup plan. Plus, plentiful parking and a driveway up to the Trocadero means everyone can arrive and leave in style.

2. Conservatory of Flowers

This Golden Gate Park icon has room for small weddings inside (<40 guests), but that’s just fine, because when you’re inside, you can’t see this perfect white wedding cake of a building. The delightfully landscaped grounds in front of the Conservatory greenhouse (make sure you ask to talk to the gardeners about when they have re-plantings scheduled) are a great spot for an intimate ceremony. The grounds are very popular on sunny summer weekends with locals, so beware that you’ll have a wide variety of “uninvited guests” looking on from nearby. The Conservatory has its own thoroughly helpful event planner who can help you make arrangements. Email Morgan Davis at mdavis@sfcof.org, or call at 415-846-0538.

1. Palace of Fine Arts Rotunda

This neo-classical wonder designed for San Francisco’s 1915 Panama-Pacific exposition by renowned Bay Area architect Bernard Maybeck provides the sort of timeless backdrop for a ceremony that imbues everyone present with a sense of peace and serenity. From the huge columns and dome to the turtles and swans paddling about in the pond just beyond, everything about this place seems designed to host an unforgettable wedding. The space accommodates up to 250 guests. Permits are required; speak with a helpful representative at the permit department at (415) 831-5500 for information. Reservations can, and should, be made a year to the date in advance, especially if you’re planning for a summer weekend.

Got your wedding in the works at another awesome outdoor venue in The City? Celebrate a friend or family members’ wedding at a special spot in SF? Share it with our readers! Comment below.