I wish they all could be California girls – the Beach Boys
Finding Wedding Locations in California
Any bride can be a California girl, at least on her wedding day, by getting married in one of the many beautiful and unique California wedding locations. I will give you some ideas for locations for your California wedding ceremony and/or reception.
From San Diego to San Francisco, Catalina to Napa Valley, from the Pacific Coast to the interior mountains and deserts, and everywhere in between, the state of California offers such a variety of places to tie the knot. You can have a moonlit ceremony on the beach or at a vineyard surrounded by grapes and greenery. There are verdant gardens in the country-side and resorts by the sea.
Wedding Locations in Southern California
There are many absolutely beautiful possibilities for Southern California wedding locations. For an indoor wedding, consider having your reception at an elegant resort, a quaint bed and breakfast, a wedding yacht or the Casino ballroom on Santa Catalina Island. Of course, the larger cities of Los Angeles, San Diego offer full service hotels with banquet facilities and overnight lodging for your wedding guests.
There are also so many sandy beaches, both public and private for your California beach wedding.
Wedding Locations in Northern California
Along the Rocky coastline of Northern California, a number of towns offer romantic homes and parks to have your wedding by the Pacific beneath the setting sun. The larger cities of Sacramento and San Francisco have full service 4 and 5 star hotels that can also help create the elegant wedding of your imagination.
The Napa Valley wine country is known for having a multitude of vineyards along with romantic country inns. Many couples love the idyllic setting of a California vineyard for their wedding.
Tips for Arranging your California Wedding
- For a California destination wedding, we recommend that you work with a coordinator who is a professional that will have all the necessary information at their fingertips, to help you arrange for a worry free California wedding after your arrival to the state by car, plane or boat. This will include licensing, permitting and arranging for all the vendors that will be assisting in the creation of your special day.
- If a beach wedding is what you want, and you are not working through a professional, be sure to get the right permits in advance of Your Special Day.
- After reading about particular California wedding locations and looking at their informational web-sites, you should, of course, tour your short list of venues before making your final decision.
- If you are unable to do site visits or want to get information about a number of locations at one time, consider attending a wedding fair in the area, also known as a bridal show or wedding show. You’ll not only learn about locations but see caterers, cake bakers, photographers, DJs, florists, formal attire shops, consultants, and officiants, among other service providers under “one roof”. You might find a wedding dress at a great price and get to taste gourmet food and cake samples at the same time!
As you prepare for your wedding, may I suggest a few fun articles on wedding planning and choosing a reception location.
