Wonderful Winery Weddings
Southern California
By Joan Burns, Event Planner Extraordinaire,
San Diego Weddings & Event Specialist

Southern California is the perfect place to have your Winery Wedding. Southern California is the home to the Temecula Valley which has become one of the country’s best producers of wine.  Someone in the 1960’s decided that the ocean breezes and rolling hills of the area would be a great place to grow grapes and make wine. It turns out they were right!

There are many wineries where a couple can have a romantic wedding in a beautiful, natural setting.  With award winning wineries large and small, you can find a Southern California Winery to suit any size of guest list. Most offer wonderful outdoor venues so the photographs will be beautiful. Some will have on-site catering while others will allow you to bring in your own. In the Temecula Valley, South Coast Winery and Resort even has lodging for your guests. As you head south toward San Diego there are a few distinctive wineries that have breathtaking views and beautiful ceremony sites. Orfila Winery (pictured) and Bernardo Winery are the most well known. Both of these have large venue spaces and plenty of parking for your guests. 

The beauty of the wineries does not need too much in the way of extra décor and some of them offer a gazebo as the ceremony site. Some of the wineries also have historic buildings where a ceremony can take place. One thing to keep in mind is that you will be serving the winery’s own vintage, so it is wise to visit a couple of wineries and do some tasting in the tasting room. Most will allow you to pick certain wines for your reception. And some will even produce a personalized label for your bottles to commemorate the occasion. You might even consider half bottles of wine for your guests or perhaps their own wine glass charm as a wedding favor. 

Wineries are excellent choices for weddings but there are some things to keep in mind.

• Wineries are open to the public. You will want to make sure your ceremony and reception site will be away from the crowds.

• Is there a “get-ready” room for the bride and bridesmaids?  Since these are mostly outdoor locations, you will want to check that the facility allow you the time and place to get ready.

• What time does the amplified music have to end…do they allow live music or do you have to use a DJ?

• What kind of shade is provided for your guests in warm weather….and are there propane heaters if it gets chilly after dark?

• Are there areas where you will not be allowed to photograph?

• Do they have only one wedding a day or will there be others going on at the same time?

If having your wedding at a winery is the magical style you are thinking of, you will find the right location in Southern California.  Remember the basics…how many guests and what is the budget? With a little research, you will find the right one!