Winter Weddings in California

For those couples seeking a variety of romantic wedding venues for your winter weddings, look no further than the state of California, where you have beautiful ocean views, gorgeous snowy mountains, and wonderful wineries at your disposal.

Have your Winter Wedding at the Ocean

When most people think of a California beach location, they think of the "usual suspects": San Diego, La Jolla, Santa Monica or Santa Barbara. And, of course, those are all great spots for a beach wedding. But, you may also want to consider some other fabulous coastal venues as well:

Avila Beach: Avila Beach is located near San Luis Obispo, just a 40-mile drive away from Hearst Castle. Also located nearby are 3 championship golf courses and the wine country of Paso Robles and Edna Valley. The Avila Lighthouse Suites, a 54-suite resort, offers intimate wedding packages, as well as packages for larger weddings up to 120 guests.

Pismo Beach: South of Avila Beach on the 101 sits Pismo Beach. There are pricey resorts in Pismo Beach, as well as some very affordable wedding venues. One very affordable wedding venue in Pismo Beach is The Best Western Shelter Cove Lodge, located on the northern end of Pismo Beach, away from the center of town and all the tourist activity. It's also a part of Pismo Beach where you get cliffs and a more craggy ocean view - which makes for some pretty spectacular wedding photos. The Best Western Shelter Cove Lodge offers a couple locations on their property for weddings, both with awesome ocean views: The Wedding Garden for seating up to 80 guests; and the Panoramic Gazebo with standing room for up to 25 guests.

Pacific Grove: Pacific Grove is a beautiful little town in the Monterey Peninsula, sometimes overshadowed by nearby Monterey and Carmel. But, it's home to Lover's Point, which has been called "One of the top 10 most romantic places in America" by Sunset Magazine. With the beautiful lawn and cypress trees overlooking the Pacific Ocean, it's easy to see why this is such a sought-after spot for couples to tie the knot. It's also close to the scenic 17-Mile Drive and golf courses of Pebble Beach.

Have your Winter Wedding in the Snow

Yes, California boasts wonderful weather and great beaches. But, California is also home to some wonderful mountain resort areas which make for great winter weddings:

Lake Tahoe: If it's a snowy winter wedding you want, Lake Tahoe is where you want to go. And, if you're both skiers, you may want to check out the Heavenly Ski Wedding Package, which includes a wedding in a secluded spot overlooking Lake Tahoe, after which you ski down the mountain as a newly-married couple. You can call 877-889-6379 for more information.

If you wish to wed in a simple, inexpensive ceremony, you might want to call 888-wed-tahoe for the Lakefront Wedding Chapel Specials walk-in special rate, which includes a wedding at one their elegant chapel locations, video or photos of the wedding, a complimentary bottle of champagne and minister's fee. This package is for 6 people or less.

Big Bear Lake: Big Bear is a Southern California winter playground, and wedding destination favorite, located within driving distance of Los Angeles and San Diego. One unique place you may want to consider for your Big Bear wedding is the StarGAzers Inn, which is also an observatory, offering celestial-themed weddings. They are opened year round.

Have your Winter Wedding at a Winery

The scenery and weather are not the only things which attract people to California. People also come for the wine and the wineries, which makes winery weddings very desirable.

Paso Robles: Paso Robles is known for outstanding wines, particularly their Zinfandels and Syrahs. Located between San Francisco and Los Angeles, Paso Robles is California's fastest-growing wine region, with nearly 26,000 vineyard acres and more than 170 wineries within a 40-mile territory. It's also a wonderful place for a winery wedding. A few winery wedding venues of note include: Meridian Vineyards and Zenaida Cellars, both of which have barrel rooms available for weddings; and Robert Hall Winery, which offers their wine caverns, which can accommodate up to 200 people.

Sonoma County: Just next door to the Napa Valley wine country sits Sonoma County with its outstanding wineries and beautiful country. One winery you may consider for your wedding is the Buena Vista Winery, which is California's oldest premium winery. It's located just 5 minutes from Sonoma's Plaza Square, and is a California Historic Landmark. You can choose to hold your ceremony in their rustic stone Press House, built in 1862, or outdoors in their secluded, wooded area.