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. 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.



In this article I’ll mention a few beautiful wedding venues along the northern California coast. This part of California’s coast is spectacular – private little coves…a bustling beach…towering cliffs…calm tide pools…foggy mornings…sunny days…crashing waves…pounding rain…beautiful sea shells – a little bit of everything.



The first beautiful wedding venue is right on the beach near a picturesque California town called Half Moon Bay. Located about 30 minutes from San Francisco, this is a charming community of great hotels, terrific B & B’s, interesting shops and art galleries and marvelous eateries. It’s also home to the annual Pumpkin Festival held every October. The Miramar Beach Restaurant is a unique place to hold a wedding, reception. It’s situated only a few yards from the beach and offers an unparalleled view of the Pacific Ocean where you’ll see whales, dolphins and spectacular sunsets. This romantic beachfront restaurant was built as a Prohibition Speakeasy. Inside they had revolving kitchen cabinets and secret compartments to stash the illegal spirits from the prying eyes of the “G-Men.” Today, its Tiffany setting and a natural backdrop of crashing waves and Pacific sunsets will supply elegant ambiance for your special event. The Miramar Restaurant can accommodate up to 150 guests indoors with the outside patio handling another 100 persons. Their staff will work with you to create a memorable day for your wedding. They have a list of local vendors they like to work with for the services they don’t handle themselves. Out of town guests will enjoy the many activities nearby – surfing, golfing, whale watching, fishing, horseback riding on the beach, hiking, visiting wineries, the redwood preserves, bird refuges and nature preserves. If you’re having a destination wedding, you might want to organize some of these activities for all of your guests to enjoy. There are no hotel accommodations at the Miramar but there are several luxurious B & B’s nearby along with motels and hotels a little further away. (Visit miramarbeachrestaurant for details.)



Imagine having your wedding at a lighthouse. The next beautiful wedding venue in this area is the Port Arena Lighthouse where you can rent just a part of this historic and romantic site, or the entire property for a full day. The Point Arena tower is currently the only Pacific coast lighthouse of significant height (115 feet) where you can climb to the top. You’ll be using buildings like the Keeper’s Quarters, the Gazebo, the Tower and the Foghorn Building. They have wedding venue packages which include an officiant, docents to direct the parking and a wedding coordinator to help tie it all together, creating an unforgettable day. Their facilities can handle up to 150 guests and they have a limited amount of overnight accommodations on the lighthouse property. The lighthouse staff has a list of preferred caterers, musicians and other local vendors to help plan your ceremony and reception. Your guests will find a wide selection of motels and B & B’s nearby. And, again there are many activities in the area, from visiting wineries to fishing, shopping, golfing, kayaking and other activities. (Please visit portarenalighthouse.com for more information.)



The next beautiful wedding venue is a member of the prestigious Small Elegant Hotels group. It is the Sonoma Coast Villa Inn and Spa located in Bodega Bay. Depending on traffic, it’s one to two hours north of San Francisco and west of the Napa/Sonoma wine country. The drive to and from this resort is wonderful, especially if you take Hwy. 1 which has spectacular ocean vistas. This secluded country estate has terraced gardens, red tile roofs, terra cotta stucco and a columned veranda creating an ambience reminiscent of the Mediterranean. With its wide lawns and colorful gardens, the Sonoma Coast Villa & Spa offers an unbelievable backdrop for a magnificent wedding ceremony and reception. They can handle 250 people outside in their spacious courtyard or 80 guests indoors in the restaurant. And, the entire Carriage House can be reserved for your private party. Some of their packages include a pre-ceremony massage for the bride (also available for the groom and up to ten total massages) and accommodations for your wedding night. Full service catering and cocktail service is provided by their culinary and bar staff. They can provide valet parking and security upon request. There is a list of preferred vendors to handle the services the resort does not provide. Again, there are plenty of nearby activities to entertain your guests before and after the wedding festivities – hot air ballooning, wine tasting, golfing, swimming, coastal fishing and shopping. The grounds include a nine-hole putting green, swimming pool, spa, and an indoor Jacuzzi whirlpool. Their rooms and suites include California king beds, wood-burning fireplaces, jetted tubs or extra large marble showers along with luxurious room amenities. All of this makes this resort an ideal location for a destination wedding.



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 this part of California. These are just a few places to get you started in looking at the various sites in this wonderful area.