I was in Malibu last weekend for a destination wedding and just had to share these photos!  Chris and Dana’s wedding in Malibu was gorgeous and fit their personalities perfectly. They are both from the Bay Area, but wanted to have a fun wedding near the beach where there would be a lot of  sun.

Dana and Chris got engaged at Disneyland in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, so everything tied back to Disnelyland.  Prince Charming was the ring bearer, with Tinkerbell and Ariel as flower girls.  The cake (designed by the bride) helps tell their engagement story and was extra special because it was so personal.  The best part…the red velvet cake tasted awesome!! I just wish I had gotten the name of the bakery!

The Disney theme carried on to the tables, which were all named after rides at Disneyland and California Adventure.  To liven things up, each table was asked a series of questions, and if you got your question right you were allowed to go to the buffet, but if you answered incorrectly, you had to wait.  My table was the Enchanted Tiki Room.  I am happy to say I answered our first (and only) question correctly.

A lot of work went into the table decorations.  To help cut costs, the bride and groom chose not to put flowers on each of the tables.  Instead, they ordered large martini glasses off the internet, and filled each one with stones, water, and floating candles.  The floating candles looked great, and it was really nice having a small centerpiece on the tablesmaking it easy to talk to everyone at the table.

Vendors

Venue: Malibu West Beach Club – http://www.malibuwestbeachclub.com/

Hair and Makeup: Rachel Browning – rachelbrowning20@yahoo.com

Photographer: Susan Wood – http://susanwoodphotography.com/portfolio/  

susan@susanwoodphotography.com

Destination weddings have become increasingly popular.  If you are considering having a destination wedding but want to keep it relatively close, then Yosemite could be your answer.  When planning a Yosemite wedding you have the option of having your wedding ceremony and reception in the Yosemite Valley at one of the hotels, or just outside the park at the Tenaya Lodge.

Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, the Ahwahnee, and the Wawona hotels are all located inside the Yosemite Valley, offering the unique wildlife and vistas offered in Yosemite.  Their locations are perfect for nearly any size wedding, and are capable of servicing anywhere from 25 to 200 guests.  Along with fantastic views and their unique location, all three hotels offer world class chef’s to prepare the food for your reception, with packages ranging from $39 per guest up to $165 per guest (varying depending on location, time of the week, and food packages).   You have the option of booking mid-week or on weekends year-round.

Tenaya

The Tenaya Lodge encompasses 35 acres of gorgeous property located two miles south of Yosemite.  Tenaya is positioned to offer you a beautiful wedding location, while also offering the unique amenities associated with Yosemite.  There are a variety of locations throughout the property that are ideally suited to host wedding ceremonies and receptions, and the lodge can accommodate as many as 800 guests and the wonderful chef at Tenaya works with couples to create a menu that fits their needs and style.  They are a fully certified green hotel, using organic and sustainable resources in addition to focusing on recycling and composting.  The recently renovated spa offers a great place to relax either before or after your wedding day.

In addition to all of these fantastic amenities, all locations provide you with help from an event coordinator.  The coordinator can help you plan activities for your guests, turning their trip into a vacation.  These activities include biking, rafting, hiking, a group moonlight tram, and anything else you can think of that the Yosemite Valley offers.

Contact information:

Janis Kunz – Group Services manager for DNC Parks and Resorts at Yosemite, Inc.  – jkunz@dncinc.com

http://www.yosemitepark.com/MeetingsEvents_Weddings.aspx

Kim DaSilva – Wedding and Special Events Manager Tenaya Lodge – kdasilva@dncinc.com

http://www.tenayalodge.com/Weddings.aspx

We often immediately think of the Sonoma and Napa area when grapes and more importantly wine comes to mind. In reality, we have so many local wineries in our backyard spanning from the Peninsula, to the North Bay, and even in the East Bay. These wineries range from small family vineyards to large generations old estates. So often overlooked, these local wineries make a great option for your “staycation” wedding spot, and an easy way to cut down on travel emissions.

I would like to introduce you to a cluster of wineries located in the Livermore Valley. In this post, I will give you a brief glimpse of the area and some starting points allowing you to explore and delve into the details at your own leisure. The Livermore Wine Country hosts over 40 wineries throughout Castro Valley, Sunol, Pleasanton, and Livermore region with many that have on-site wedding spaces or event spaces affiliated with the winery. For example, the Palm Event Center in Pleasanton (see photo above) sits next to Mitchell Katz Winery while Garre Vinyard and Winery hosts multiple weddings options on their grounds.

Sourced from LVWA

To start you off on this journey, a great resource to check out is the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association which details wineries that provide wedding services along with all the contact information to reach out to them. This is just a quick overview to help you get going in your search for the perfect winery location. Look out for follow-up posts with dedicated blog entries highlighting a few wineries that are not only wedding friendly, but also promote sustainable practices!