By Sylvia Cochran
California Destination Weddings
The state of California offers lush forests, tall mountains studded with pines, amazing
beaches, and pristine ocean vistas. Not surprisingly, it is a sought-after locale for destination weddings. Whether it is the wedding at the
beach or in front of the majestic mountains, California destination weddings take place frequently at the most beautiful spots in the state. Companies that specialize in working with brides and grooms offer complete wedding packages that provide either an entire, stress-free package that includes even the officiant, or they may take a more hands-off approach and allow the couples to control a wide array of the details themselves.
California Destination Wedding Service Offers All Inclusive Packages
Robert A. Estremo/Wikimedia Commons
Unless you are a California resident who knows the various venues for a wedding inside and out, it is a good idea to enlist the help of a wedding planning service that already has experience hosting weddings at a number of locales. The California Destination Wedding service offers opportunities for holding your nuptials in the mountains---most notably Yosemite or Idyllwild---or near historic areas, such as San Juan Capistrano or Dana Point. There are even the options for a cruise wedding. Benefiting from contractual agreements between the wedding planner and the venues, you have the option of choosing a private residence, an inn, or a restaurant as the backdrop for your wedding.
Costs vary, depending on the package chosen and the number of guests in attendance, but one of the less expensive options would be a 30-guest wedding in a private home for about $5,500.
California Destination Wedding
P.O. Box 10
Escondido, CA 92033
866-704-9333
MacCallum House Inn and Restaurant Features an Onsite Wedding Coordinator
Quinn Norton/Wikimedia Commons
Situated near the Northern California coast, the MacCallum House Inn and Restaurant offers interested guests the opportunity to craft an entire wedding celebration to suit their needs at this picturesque locale. The advantage of booking this venue for a California destination wedding is clear: The locale is picturesque and the onsite wedding coordinator assists with all aspects of the occasion, including the catering, guest services for arriving friends and family members, and the complete reception setup and breakdown. Moreover, even for those couples who would prefer a wedding at another scenic locale nearby, the wedding coordinator is willing to help.
The benefit of this California destination wedding operator is the level of involvement brides and grooms retain in the planning of their nuptials. While the onsite coordinator assists as much as desired, she will not take over the actual planning.
MacCallum House Inn and Restaurant
45020 Albion St.
Mendocino, CA 95460
800-609-0492
Paradise Cove Offers Malibu Destination Weddings Overlooking the Ocean
Emustonen/Wikimedia Commons
Couples desiring a destination wedding off the beach should take a look at what Paradise Cove has to offer. Since most California beaches are public, this is an interesting option for a couple that does not want to deal with uninvited onlookers or noisy beachgoers. In 2009 prices include a $3,000 rental fee and a $145 fee per guest if 100-150 friends and family members will be present. The more guests attend---the upper limit is 350---the less expensive the per-head cost becomes.
Paradise Cove provides the setup, breakdown, food and supplies, while the couple is responsible for the cake, flowers, the officiant, photographers, and the music.
Paradise Cove
28128 West Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90265
310-869-0576
Resources
About the Author:
Based in the Los Angeles area, Sylvia Cochran is a seasoned freelance writer focusing on home and garden, travel and parenting articles. Her work has appeared in "Families Online Magazine" and assorted print and Internet publications.
Photo Credits:
Emustonen/Wikimedia Commons
