Your wedding is one of the most important events in your life and where you have 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 ? Weddings are done everywhere now with wineries and vineyards being the most popular.
In this article I’ll mention a few reception venues near San Luis Obispo, California. Ceremonies are sometimes done at the same site as the reception; often the ceremony will be held outdoors at a site, 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.
I was fortunate enough to spend time in and around San Luis Obispo and I cannot imagine a more beautiful place to celebrate your wedding. There are many different venues in the area from beach side to a winery.
First is the Blacklake Golf Course in Nipomo. At this golf course you’ll find spectacular oak trees, clean air, sparkling pools of water and the scenery of the nearby coastal mountains. There are a few outside sites for your ceremony. Their banquet room will hold up to 200 guests and their outdoor patio can hold a similar amount. The Blacklake dining staff will handle the catering for you and can provide you with a list of other vendors for other services. They hold several annual events so contact them as soon as you have some dates to consider for your wedding. (Visit them at blacklake.com for details.)
Just a few minutes from the Pacific Ocean is the Edna Valley Vineyard in San Luis Obispo. The Jack Niven Hospitality Center offers several options for your wedding festivities. In an intimate room lined with wine casks, you may hold a small wedding reception, or, perhaps, a rehearsal dinner; this room holds only 18 people. Their banquet rooms hold just under 90 people for a sit down meal, but about 150 for a standing reception. The garden and patio area has a capacity of 250 guests. The outdoor picnic area can hold 50 people. An event coordinator will be assigned to you to help plan your wedding. All vendors must be approved by the winery. They book up quickly so please contact them once you can some potential wedding dates. (See their website at ednavalley.com.)
The Inn at Morro Bay would be a beautiful setting for an ocean side wedding. In 2003 it was voted “Best for the Central Coast for Wedding Spots.” Here you can hold events for as few as 20 people or as many as 200 guests. The semi-enclosed Sunset Terrace is perfect for a smaller ceremony and the Bay View Deck works well for larger events. Morro Rock will make an ideal backdrop for your ceremony or for some of your wedding photos. Their Bay Room has a garden patio and will hold up to 150 guests for your reception and the Cayucos Room, complete with a fireplace, will hand about 50 people. The Alcove, also with a fireplace, is a lovely room for your rehearsal dinner or a small more intimate wedding dinner. You may also choose to have a cocktail party outside and move inside for your dinner. The Inn at Morro Bay has almost 100 rooms, all beautifully decorated in French Country style, for your guests. (Contact them at innatmorrobay.com for details.)
Over in Arroyo Grande, there is a wonderful Victorian House which is a wonderful wedding venue. It’s the Victorian PitkinConrow Estate. A variety of wedding packages are available for you to choose from. The ceremony and reception site has a capacity of 250 guests and the reception only sites can handle 300 people. There is also a beautiful gazebo on the property. They can provide a caterer and/or officiant or you many bring your own. You may also provide your own liquor. There are dressing facilities located in their historic bunkhouses. (Visit their website at victorianwedding.net for additional information.)
And, lastly, the Madonna Inn, that interesting pink building you see as you drive by on the highway. It has been a California landmark for almost 50 years. I especially like the way it looks at night, all shimmering in pale pink. They have several banquets rooms (they’re not ALL pink either!) for your to consider. The Round Room has beautiful chandeliers and will hold 60 guests. The Balcony (yes, it’s hot pink!!!) has a capacity of 45 people and is adjacent to the Gold Rush Steak House. There is also the Gay 90’s Room near the dance floor, the Garden Room with a capacity of 150 guests, and the Venetian Room which can hold up to 250 people. The Venetian Room can also be rented just for a dance. Finally is the Dance Floor with a wooden dance floor and this room can hold between 135 to 200 guests. It has a stage, a piano, a staircase and red chandeliers. At the very least, I think you should go to the Madonna Inn and see all of the rooms – and, when you go, be sure you check out the public restrooms in the main building. Their dining room staff is one of the best in the area. (Visit them at madonnainn.com.)
There are many more wedding sites in the area but I’ll leave that to another article.
Happy Wedding Planning!
