Planning the Wedding of a Lifetime in the Napa Valley or Sonoma Wine Regions

Wine Country Weddings

Perhaps two of the most well known and best wine regions in California are Napa Valley and Sonoma County. These two areas, known by many to be rivals, offer exquisite vineyards, fantastic wines and wonderful scenery. Whether one travels to Napa Valley or Sonoma County, that individual surely will not be disappointed. However, when planning a wedding in one of these two areas, the couple wants to be sure that everything is perfect and needs to scrutinize both areas completely in order to be sure that their wedding will be the event of a lifetime. The best way to do this is to compare the amenities and attractions of both areas and determine which would be the best place to have a wedding.

Napa Valley Weddings

The first thing on a wedding checklist that must be decided upon is a place in which to be married. The three most highly taken routes are weddings within a church, a wedding ceremony in a hotel or an outdoor wedding. If one is looking to book a church for the magical day, there are a number of churches in the Napa Valley region of various denominations. With regard to a wedding ceremony within a hotel or inn, many of the lodging facilities in Napa Valley provide areas for wedding ceremonies as this is a hotspot for weddings. Some inns and resorts that host wedding ceremonies are the Villagio Inn & Spa, the Mayacamas Ranch and the Silverado Resort. If one is looking to be married outdoors, there is perhaps no prettier place to be married than in a gorgeous setting overlooking a vineyard with the sun setting over the land. A number of vineyards in Napa Valley offer their grounds to be rented for this specific event.

The next thing which needs to be taken care of is the booking of a reception facility or area. Again, there are a number of hotels, resorts, restaurants and vineyards that will clamor to get couples to reserve their premises for the reception after their wedding. Some establishments which are available for wedding receptions include: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts, the Harvest Inn and more. Whether an outdoor picturesque setting is what one desires or an indoor elegant affair is key, the establishment will jump through hoops to make sure that this special day is exactly that special.

Lastly, a couple needs to consider and retain a vast variety of service providers which include photographer/videographer, florist, tuxedo rentals, caterer, and entertainment, just to name a few. If one is planning to have their wedding in Napa Valley yet lives a ways out of town, it may be best to hire a planner to help with securing these individuals. Bliss Event Productions are one specific full service planning agency that will help couples plan the day they always dreamed about. If the couple lives nearby, there are a number of individual service companies that would be happy to provide service for the bride and groom on their big day.

Sonoma County Weddings

On the other side of Napa Valley lies its wine rival, Sonoma County. If a couple is looking to be married in the area, Sonoma County also has wonderful establishments and amenities to please any bride and groom. With regard to churches, Sonoma County also has a number of churches which cater to various denominations. Hotels and other facilities also welcome the couple into their establishment, some offering large halls while other facilities are better suited for the more intimate wedding. Some establishments which hold wedding ceremonies include the Bodega Harbour Restaurant, Doubletree Hotel Sonoma Wine Country and Lake Sonoma Winery, for example.

Some of the aforementioned establishments which host the wedding will also accommodate the reception afterwards. If not, there are a number of fine dining establishments, rental halls and vineyards where the party will be a spectacular event and a day to remember. A few of these establishments which help make the day perfect include Viansa Winery, The Lodge at Sonoma and Depot Hotel.

When looking for the perfect band or florist to make the day even that more special, the Sonoma Wine Country offers plenty to choose from. Should you need to hire a wedding planner to help with the details, event planners such as Celebrations-by-Design are available to help every step of the way. As transportation is often necessary, there are a number of limousine companies ready and able to transport wedding parties within Sonoma County.

Wine and Scenery

Perhaps two of the most questioned topics regarding a discussion as to which area is better, Napa Valley or Sonoma, must be which has the best wine and best scenery of the two. The answer is simple.neither is better, both are fantastic.

With regard to the topic of who has the better wine, both areas have fabulous vineyards and wineries which produce such a large quantity and variety thereof that it is impossible to choose one area over the other. An individual may like the chardonnay at one vineyard in Napa but not in another vineyard in Napa and the same thing for Sonoma. Due to the fact that there are so many vineyards located in each area, one is sure to find positive qualities about the wine in both areas, it just may vary depending upon vineyard.

As for scenery, both Napa Valley and Sonoma County host some of the best views in the state of California. When the sun sets down over the vineyards at the end of the day and the air becomes nice and crisp, there is going to be little battle over which area is more beautiful as both are so close to one another as to share much of the same views.

Therefore, when trying to select an area in which to hold one's wedding, it simply comes down to choice. If a couple finds a ceremony location in Sonoma that they like, have the wedding in Sonoma. On the other hand, if a reception hall in Napa Valley catches their eye, hold the special day in Napa. Or, in order to have the best of both worlds, why not split the time between both having one portion of the day in Napa and the other in Sonoma. Wherever the couple chooses to have their wedding, it is sure to be the perfect day as there is no place like the Napa Valley and Sonoma Wine Country region and establishments in that area will aim to please.