And so it begins...

From Healdsburg Country Gardens

I love long weekends! For President's weekend we headed up to Sonoma County to begin our search for the perfect place for our wedding (read: PARTY, and special beautiful setting, preferably with a barn).

A few things we realized:

1) Wine country weddings are pricey (duh, this is nothing new, but it became very real in person)

2) I like barns and feel it means myself and my bridesmaids have full rights to wear cowboy boots

3) Our list of invitees needs trimming :(....this is sad. We have 220 people on our list right now, almost all of them are very close friends or family no further than 1st cousins. How does one wrack up that many close humans in 30 years?

To the last point--It seems that most places in Sonoma have funny restrictions, probably due to age old permits that have a cap at 150. The places that have more space are vineyards that make you drink their wine or that feel so ostentatious you could be at Disney....(Ledson). Some are very beautiful (Chateau St. Jean) but just not our style. But this size thing is just such a bummer. Do we really have to sacrifice inviting people that are close to us for the 'perfect' wedding venue? We both went into the weekend feeling like we would not want to do that, but left feeling like we might have to. And then there's that whole attrition question--how many of those 220 people will make the trip to Cali? Will a lot come because it's a great excuse for a vacation, or will many have to say no because it's close to the 4th of July holiday or they just don't have the funds...or, they have some other wedding to go to. We are that age after all.

So here are the pictures. Different albums for the different venues.

Healdsburg Country Gardens is our very favorite, but has a max of 150 (160 if we pay extra).

We thought we could fit 175 at Beltane, but it seems that is not the case.

Kenwood Ranch seemed nice when we first arrived, but we were a bit put off by it's proximity to the highway and the guy trying to sell us stuff.

Annadel was gorgeous and I think it would feel like we were in some kind of mix between Downton Abbey and Down on the Ranch...The problem here: the price tag. To stay within budget, we'd need to be our own florist and hang the lights ourselves....

Stryker was way up in Geyersville--gorgeous, amazing tasting room with a kick ass view and the ability to have dancing in the barrel room. Just not the style we are going for...

Dawn Ranch Lodge--Could I please get married at camp?!?! The property was GORGEOUS, we'd have our choice of where to have our ceremony and reception, we'd have the property all weekend so rehearsal dinner would be a bbq with everyone that's around. There is a private 'beach' right on Russian River. The downside? the cabins are like pool houses and we are not sure it's fair to ask our guests to stay in them for the minimum 2 nights.

So that was our first endeavor....Next weekend we head to the South Bay and Peninsula to see Nestledown, Fogarty Winery and the Mountain Terrace....(oh, and I get my ring back! I can't wait)