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Napa Wedding Planner FAQ: Can I have a Napa wedding?
The Truth About A Napa Wedding
We hear it all the time and with every phone call from a potential client looking to get married in Napa Valley – their concerns about how welcoming the Napa Valley actually is – how many weddings can happen, and a whole load of misinformation. So, we’re here to set the record straight on all that stuff you’ve heard and tell you why you SHOULD consider Napa Valley as your destination of choice for your wine country wedding. You can have a Napa wedding!
Myth #1:
You can’t get married in Napa Valley. They don’t allow weddings there.
This is not true, not in the least. I, for one, got married in July in Napa Valley. For nearly 20 years I’ve been planning and designing Napa weddings, and very successfully I might add! Napa is a wonderful place to celebrate your wedding and while not every single winery can open up their site to you and your 150+/- guest count, several of them can and will be happy to host you at their amazing property. We have many sites we refer to that offer everything from caves to barrel rooms, gardens to vast lawn spaces. We not only have wineries but we also have a vast number of private estates, resorts and restaurants that can fit anywhere from 10 to 400 guests. So, don’t let people tell you that you can’t get married here…
Myth #2:
Your party will shut down too early. When it’s just getting started.
This is exactly the same as any other property in the entire US. Napa, along with all of California, has noise restrictions that protect the neighbors from nuisance. It doesn’t matter where you get married, the general timeframe when noise can become a problem is 10 p.m. Unless you’re at an estate where there are no neighbors, in a barrel room, a cave or tent, it’s not atypical for a party to end around 10 – 11 p.m. Remember, your guests have been at your wedding for a full 6.5 hours from the time they arrived, they’re tired {maybe had some drinks earlier in the day} and are ready to move on to the next party. Hosting an after party at a hotel or restaurant is the norm, not the exception. But if we couldn’t host events later in the evening, how could we get all these amazing lighting pictures? Sonoma has the same noise ordinance, so does San Francisco. We’ve learned to skillfully manage the noise in order to make sure the guest experience is optimum. We’re not opening a club, we’re having a fun wedding.
Myth #3:
You can’t serve hard liquor at your wedding.
It depends on where your wedding is happening. Wineries, regardless of where you get married, are restricted from serving hard alcohol at their bonded winery location. This ensures that they are serving their wines and supporting the education of wine for their venue. However, there are a few properties that have unbonded a portion of their venue for service of hard liquor and there are private estates and resorts that are not bound by these same laws. We serve hard liquor all the time at events. Even moonshine, tequila, whiskey bars…signature cocktails, martini bars, etc. So, pour away, just make sure you choose the right site.
Does this myth really need a photo gallery? I think you can imagine your guests sipping on delightful cocktails, serving specialty drinks, toasting with a glass of Schramsberg sparkling wine, enjoying glorious wines with dinner while taking in breathtaking views of the Wine Country.
Myth #4:
Everybody is so stuffy and mean.
Napa Valley is known for its refinement. That comes by way of silky, sultry cabernet, gentile sparkling wine and buttery, oaky chardonnay. It comes by way of amazing food, more amazing than almost any place else on earth, thanks to our Michelin starred restaurants, Thomas Keller, farm to table ideal and the Napa Valley lifestyle of outdoor living and elevated country lifestyle. We are also known for music festivals, summer concert series, world class resorts and endless beauty. None of that sounds stuffy to me. Or mean. It sounds like heaven on earth. In fact, we have some of the best sunsets in the world – on par with Hawaii. The golden light is perfect for weddings, everybody and everything looks amazing in Napa Valley Golden Light.
Myth #5:
It’s so far away, what will people have to do?
This is huge! Napa is not far away, it’s only an hour from San Francisco and Sacramento. The driving time from SFO is only 1.5 hours, there are four airports to choose from, all within a 1.5 hour drive. Santa Rosa, Sacramento, Oakland and San Francisco. This makes it so your guests can get the best possible fare when coming to your wedding. There’s airport shuttles that go to several area hotels direct from the airport, also. And there’s SO MUCH TO DO…everything from hiking, biking, wine tasting, touring, relaxing, spa, mud baths, fine dining, casual dining, hot air balloon rides… we even have a castle.
Top Concern:
What if I don’t find something I like?
In 19 years of business, 14 of which has been in the Napa Valley, I have never had a client not find something that fit the style of wedding that they wanted to have. It’s the way in any city you choose to get married in, you will look at sites that are a good fit and you will look at sites that are not a good fit. You will find a location for your wedding, it will be an amazing day, your guests will tell you it’s the best wedding they’ve ever been to. Especially if you surround them with amazing experiences. Check our website by clicking the image below for amazing Napa Valley weddings and see for yourself
Biggest Mistake Made:
Not Hiring a Napa Wedding Planner and Hiring Somebody Who Is Not Intimately Familiar With The Valley.
It’s often that we hear from couples who chose to have their wedding here that they are looking for a new planner. Their planner doesn’t know the ins & outs of getting business done in Napa Valley. Maybe doesn’t know the hidden hideaways or has given them bad advice like:
- “don’t tell them it’s a wedding, they’ll never know.”
- “just have your guests carry flasks if you want hard booze.”
- “sure you can invite 250 even though the property only hosts 80”
We also hear from property owners and managers that the planner isn’t welcome back at a property because they’ve lied to the client or made the property owner upset.
What you need to have a successful Napa Valley wedding is not a “yes” man, you need somebody who can help you navigate and get the most of what you want to have out of your wedding venue; all while making sure that your event is spectacular and everybody is happy until the end of the night. That’s what we do. We work as the liaison between you and the property or caterer to ensure that what you want can happen and if it can’t, we work to find a resolution that makes everybody happy. To create a stress-free experience for you and your family, request information from us, check us out, give us a ring – see if we’re the right fit for you. I promise we’re not stuffy or mean. 707-253-8160. We’d love to be your Napa wedding planner. Check out some of our beautiful Napa Weddings:
