Weddings with a view Weddings with a view (February 11, 2005)

Spectacular outdoor venues offer a range of romantic options

By Sue Dremann

Blessed with more than 310 sunny days annually and spectacular scenery, the Bay Area provides the perfect backdrop for an outdoor wedding. From mountains to coast, there are a multitude of natural canvases on which to create a picture-perfect wedding. Here are five venues, from formal to casual, for the dream outdoor wedding:
Formal Hakone Gardens, Saratoga

Modeled after an early 19th century Japanese "sanso" or country villa, the stunning 18-acre gardens are said to be the oldest Japanese gardens in the Western hemisphere.

Water lilies float gracefully while koi wriggle in a pond awaiting reflection. Waterfalls whisper and gush in the presence of stone spirit temples, and white wisteria cascades from a reception pavilion.

Morning or evening, winter, spring, summer or fall, each season beckons lovers down Hakone's winding paths dotted with ancient lanterns and into its verdant nooks. Every month offers something different: flowering plums in January; wisteria, rhododendron and camellias in April; iris and peonies in June; and brilliant fall foliage throughout autumn.

Nestled in the hills of Saratoga, Hakone was recently the backdrop for filming "Memoirs of a Geisha." Hakone has several choices for weddings. The outdoor reception area can handle 150 people, with indoor accommodations for up to 70. Outdoor settings include the "Madrone Mound," "Wisteria Pavilion" and "Pond Garden."

For indoor weddings, the Cultural Exchange Center, a replica of a tea merchant's house, has a deck that overlooks Silicon Valley. The "Lower House" sits next to a classic Japanese meditation garden, and is perfect for dancing.

Hakone Gardens does limit the time for weddings to mornings and evenings when the gardens aren't open to the general public. Fees range from $600 to $5,000. A preferred list of caterers is available to ease wedding planning. Weddings should be booked at least six months in advance. Currently, this April and May are at capacity, but July is still open.

The gardens will host bridal faires in April and September. The next faire will be April 24 from noon to 4 p.m. Tickets are $5 per couple, with raffles for discounts on various wedding-related services.
Hakone Gardens, 21000 Big Basin Way, Saratoga 95070; Call (408) 741-4994; www.hakone.com. E-mail: alexis@hakone.com
Mountains The Mountain Terrace at Woodside

Rustic, beautiful Mountain Terrace is a mountain retreat tucked into the forests above Woodside. "It's like a secret garden -- nobody knows it's here," said owner Terri Shearer. "On a clear day, you can see all the way to the East Bay."

Oaks and majestic redwoods ring a three-acre meadow where up to 300 guests can partake in an outdoor ceremony or reception.

The redwood lodge, complete with mahogany bar and big stone fireplaces, can accommodate 125 seated guests, and an additional 150 on the patio deck. Mountain Terrace can't accommodate amplified music, but acoustic music is allowed.

The secluded mountain retreat has ample parking for all guests. Though there is a preferred list of caterers, guests can bring their own.

Most weddings take place Fridays through Sundays, with booking up to a year in advance. Saturdays are in the highest demand. July and August are the busiest times of the year at Mountain Terrace, but weddings through October are also popular, she said.

With fees ranging from $750 during the week to $3,750 on weekends, Mountain Terrace fills a niche, offering spectacular, affordable outdoor accommodations, Shearer said.
The Mountain Terrace at Woodside, 17285 Skyline Blvd., Woodside 94062; Call 851-1606; www.themountainterrace.com E-mail: info@themountainterrace.com
Bay and valley Thomas Fogarty Winery, Woodside

Perched on Skyline ridge, the 320-acre Thomas Fogarty Winery offers expansive views of the bay and valley for an on-top-of-the-world wedding. Pillow-like fog can fill the valley below, creating an atmosphere of floating above the clouds. At night, twinkling lights fill the valley below. On clear days, guests can see San Francisco. A flower-decorated lawn area for ceremonies looks out over the entire Bay Area and the winery's vineyards.

Thomas Fogarty's reception accommodations include a 4,400 square-foot redwood pavilion built to "flow" down the hillside, for ceremonies and summer receptions, and two indoor dining facilities.

The same stunning views for which Thomas Fogarty Winery is known can be had indoors as well. The main indoor banquet facility, Hill House, a redwood and stone structure with dance floor, looks out over acres of attractive chardonnay vineyards. It accommodates up to 200 guests. For smaller weddings, the Redwood Room holds 40 people. Fogarty has changing rooms for both bride and groom.

Alcoholic beverages are restricted to the vineyard's wines and champagne, and the facility offers a preferred list of vendors and musicians. Amplified music is allowed indoors, but is restricted to one acoustic instrument in the lawn area.

Facility rental fees for an eight-hour block, range from $3,000 to $7,500, with a special wedding rental rate of $4,500 for Mondays through Fridays. Currently, the winery is offering special rates for June and July weekend weddings.

Thomas Fogarty will offer a "Taste and Twirl" event for up to 30 couples on Feb. 18 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Couples can learn to waltz, taste wines and foods and meet vendors at a panel discussion. Cost is $20 per person, plus tax.
Thomas Fogarty Winery, 19501 Skyline Blvd., Woodside 94062; Mailing address: 3270 Alpine Road, Portola Valley 94028; Call Brooke or Dana, 851-6772; www.fogartywinery.com. E-mail: info@fogartywinery.com
Coastal views The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay

Breathtaking views of 50 miles of Pacific coastline are the hallmark of The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay. A gazebo lawn wedding site on a bluff overlooking crashing waves can hold 900 guests, or a smaller bluff wedding site offers spectacular views of the Pacific.

"Couples are not disappointed even on a cloudy day," said Diana Gil-Osorio, director of public relations.

The Ritz-Carlton is a destination spot, offering a 261-room hotel, golf course, tennis courts and spa resort. A six-story main building is modeled after the grand seaside lodges of the 19th century. Couples often book hotel rooms, most of which overlook the coastline, for out-of-town guests.

Coastal weddings can indeed be fickle weather-wise, where fog and wind are equally at home with sunshine. But certain times of the year offer more consistency. The busiest time at Ritz-Carlton is September through November, when the coastal climate is mostly mild and sunny.

For those leery of an uncertain climate, the crashing waves can also be enjoyed from Ritz-Carlton's Navio restaurant, offering indoor oceanfront dining, and additional facilities include a 7,100 square-foot ballroom and 17,000 square feet of event space.

Nervous grooms can unwind at the 18-hole golf course designed by architect Arthur Hills. And brides-and-grooms-to-be and their guests will enjoy shedding wedding jitters at the 16,000-square-foot spa.

The Ritz-Carlton is no stranger to lavish events, and theme weddings are a specialty, according to Marianne Arata, catering manager. "One wedding had an opera singer, and cigar cutter and maker for after dinner," she said.

Arata has booked Tiffany-themed weddings, where everything, from cake to dresses, had the glass maker's signature motifs, and one where sea glass was incorporated into the reception to capture a certain look.

The only thing they can't do is fireworks. "But we did a laser light show instead, and it was spectacular," she said.

The Ritz-Carlton offers a number of wedding packages, including an elopement package. Rates for most reception packages range from $160 to $275 per person, plus gratuity and tax, with an intimate marriage package for 15 to 30 guests starting at $140 per guest.

The outdoor ceremony venues rent at $2,000 for the ocean bluff to $4,000 for the gazebo garden lawn.

Large weddings should be booked at least six months in advance, but intimate weddings are accommodated up to 30 days ahead.
The Ritz-Carlton at Half Moon Bay, One Miramontes Point Road, Half Moon Bay 94019; Call 712-7000; www.ritzcarlton.com.
Redwoods Valley Presbyterian Church, Portola Valley

Set in a redwood grove, Valley Presbyterian in Portola Valley doesn't offer receptions, nor is the ceremony outdoors. But the soaring redwoods serving as its backdrop create a spiritual, cathedral-like ambiance attracting many couples. The sanctuary's dramatic solid wood interior frames a triangular wall of windows, immersing the bride and groom in the primordial surroundings. Whether bathed in shafts of sunlight, or dripping with dew, the giant trees stand like silent ceremonial witnesses.

The ceremony is Christian, but doesn't accommodate communion. A staff minister officiates, but a guest minister, relative or friend may assist. A pre-nuptial conference is also scheduled with each couple.

The wedding ceremony package for $1,600 includes a marriage preparation workshop, officiant, wedding coordinator, wedding hostess, organist and custodian. Decorations include a cloth aisle runner, white silk floral arrangement, candelabra stands with candles and pew decorations. Weddings are held on Saturdays and Sundays.
Valley Presbyterian Church, 945 Portola Road, Portola Valley 94028; Call Cathy Paniagua, wedding coordinator, 851-8282, ext. 109; www.valleypreschurch.org E-mail: cathyp@valleypreschurch.org.

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