Your wedding is one of the most important events in your life and the wedding venue you choose for your ceremony and reception is one of the most important decisions you’ll make regarding your wedding.
A winery, a beach, a vineyard, a ballroom, a Victorian home, or ? Wedding venues can be found just about everywhere now with wineries and vineyards being the most popular.
In this article I’ll mention a few beautiful wedding venues near the Livermore area in California. Ceremonies are sometimes done at the same site as the reception; often the ceremony will be held outdoors at one venue, then move (but on the same property) so the reception is done inside. Many ceremonies are still done in churches and the receptions are being held just about anywhere.
The Livermore area is an up and coming part of California's wine regions. It's located about an hour southeast of San Francisco and has many small boutique wineries. I actually prefer it to the larger commercial wineries in the Napa/Sonoma area. I used to just drive through this area quickly on my way to/from San Francisco. Recently my parents moved there so I've discovered many places to enjoy when I'm in the area. Some are excellent places to use as a wedding venue.
The first beautiful wedding venue is Wente Vineyards - the one at the golf course which is less than ten minutes from downtown Livermore. You can have both your ceremony and reception at this winery. Their rolling hills and acres of vineyards provide a splendid natural backdrop for exchanging vows. Their event center will hold 150 guests and is close to the main parking lot. It has a lovely circular "plaza" area in front of it. Their lawn terrace has a capacity of up to 1000 persons. They have a staff that will provide experienced support and assistance throughout every step of the wedding planning process to assure a beautiful ceremony and/or reception. Several smaller rooms can be used for smaller wedding parties or for rehearsal dinners and similar functions. I’ve eaten there myself and so have many of my friends – it has always been wonderful. (Visit wentevineyards.com for more information.)
The next beautiful wedding venue is in downtown Pleasanton which is a nostalgic and charming few blocks filled with a European style hotel, coffee bars, unique shops and eateries. The Pleasanton Hotel is not a hotel but a wonderful restaurant with indoor and outdoor sites for both a wedding ceremony and/or reception. Their garden patio, shaded by a magnolia tree planted at the turn of the 20th century, is the ideal perfect venue for a ceremony or reception. This patio can hold 200 standing guests or 100 seated. Indoors, their Victorian Room can handle either 225 guests sitting down or 300 standing. The Fireside Room and their Garden Room are perfect for rehearsal dinners, and other pre and post-wedding parties. I’ve enjoyed both lunch and dinner at the Pleasanton Hotel and the food and service is impeccable. You might consider the Rose Hotel, less than a block away as a place to spend your wedding night; each room is an elegant two-room suite, decorated with European style furnishings with upscale amenities. It would make an ideal place for the bridal party to dress for the wedding also. (Please visit pleasantonhotel.com for details.)
Garré Winery has added a Spanish Hacienda style building, the Martinelli Event Center, which makes an interesting wedding venue. The property is surrounded by rolling hills and rows of vineyards. The winery itself has a cafe in addition to a tasting room and gift shop. I attended my very first “barrel testing” here and can attest to the fine quality of their Merlot! You can enjoy an outdoor ceremony on the Oak Staging Area, the Patio Courtyard or the Lawn Terrace. Indoors, you can select the Café, the Grand Event Center or the new Martinelli Event Center for your celebration. Usage of the outdoor venues depends upon the weather and are not usually available during the winter months. These various sites can hold from 35 to 325 guests. Garré Winery also books only one wedding per day so you’ll be assured of their staff’s full concentration on your nuptials for the entire day. They have a bridal cottage for the bride’s use and they will provide champagne and appetizers for the bride’s entourage prior to the wedding. There is an on-site coordinator and their award-winning chef is a graduate of the famed California Culinary Academy. They can provide simple appetizer receptions to a full banquet reception preceded by a butlered cocktail party with full service beverages. (Visit garrewinery.com for additional information.)
All of the wedding venues book up very quickly, sometimes 18 to 24 months in advance. Please be sure to reserve your site as early as possible.
There are many more beautiful wedding venues in the Livermore Wine Country. These are just a few places to get you started in looking at the various sites in this wonderful area.
L V Page
I'm a freelance writer and enjoy writing on a variety of subjects, especially traveling.
I also have a lot of experience in broadcasting, advertising and marketing.
View all articles by L V Page
