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Culinary Express Courtyard and Gardens

Morgan Hill Wedding Location
380 West Dunne Avenue
Morgan Hill, CA 95037

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Description

A few hours before each wedding staged at Culinary Express, owner Kay Lawless makes a phone call to the bride. Her message is brief but firm. "I tell every bride eat something!’" laughs Kay. "I want to make sure that nothing happens—like someone keeling over during the ceremony—to spoil the day." This type of motherly care and personal attention to detail from Kay and her husband, co-owner John Lawless, truly set Culinary Express Courtyard and Gardens apart from most other wedding venues.

Located in the quaint community of Morgan Hill, the facility is as welcoming as its owners. Kay and John did an extensive renovation of their building, transforming it into a very versatile site for weddings, corporate events and private parties. Their combined decades of experience in the corporate environment (she as a human resources VP/chef and he as a marketing executive) give the couple a keen eye for the "little things" that make every occasion memorable.

Your visit to Culinary Express first brings you to a cozy foyer that features a slate floor, pale walls, and a large, whitewashed fireplace. In this space, wedding guests can gather for pre-ceremony drinks and hors d’oeuvres; after the service a smaller-sized guest-list could be accommodated for dinner in front of the fire.

The adjoining banquet room is quite spacious, with soothing gray walls and an oak parquet dance floor. Windows covered by sheer curtains provide a glimpse of the surrounding lawn and gardens. French doors open to a patio that will beckon your guests outdoors on a warm South Bay evening. Is your budget too limited for a band or DJ? Then you’ll love the banquet room’s 50s-style jukebox, which can be loaded and programmed with any list of songs from your CD collection (or, you can take advantage of the facility’s own musical treasure trove).

Just beyond the patio is the venue’s new multi-use site. A paved path connecting it to the main building enables brides to make a properly dramatic entrance, and its beautifully terraced gardens, greens-quality lawn and charming wrought-iron gazebo clinch its popularity for ceremonies. However, the space can just as easily be set up for a cocktail reception, al fresco dining or dancing.

Given Kay’s history as a chef, it’s no surprise that outstanding menu options are a priority at Culinary Express. In the facility’s massive catering kitchen (where meals are prepared daily for clients as far away as Lake Tahoe, Tracy and San Francisco), a team of world-class chefs will turn out gastronomic delights guaranteed to set your guests agog. And, should you and your new spouse experience the typical "it-looked-great-but-we-never-sat-down-long-enough-to-eat-dinner" woes, Kay and John will lovingly pack up a basketful of delicacies for your wedding night.

Their willingness to go the extra mile doesn’t end there. In fact, if the idea of hiring a wedding planner gives you a rash, you can skip that step entirely at Culinary Express. "Aside from the dress, we’ll take care of everything else needed for a wedding or a special event," Kay confirms. One call to her, and your cake, photographer, limo, entertainment, and anything else you need will be lined up quickly and efficiently. She and John will even plan a "themed" event, drawing on their collective event planning expertise and their huge on-site inventory of props, set pieces, draping and more. Also, they can put together a full itinerary of sightseeing and activities for your out-of-town guests, book their hotels, arrange their travel, andwell, you get the idea.

Orchestrating a celebration can be a stressful proposition. Wouldn’t it be a relief to simply put yourself in someone else’s capable hands, and let them sweat the small stuff? At Culinary Express, you can.

Capacity

Ceremony	Reception/Special Events	Meetings
Max. Seated Indoors: 300 Max. Seated Outdoors: 300	Max. Seated Indoors: 200 Max. Seated Outdoors: 250 Max. Standing Indoors: 300 Max. Standing Outdoors: 300	Max. Seated: 540
CEREMONY CAPACITY: The location holds up to 300 guests, indoors or outdoors. EVENT/RECEPTION CAPACITY: Indoors, the location holds up to 200 seated or 300 standing guests; outdoors up to 250 seated or 400 standing guests. MEETING CAPACITY: Event spaces accommodate up to 540 seated guests, though not all in the same room. Call for details on configuration.

Fees & Deposits

A $500 deposit is required to reserve your date. The balance is due 7 days prior to the event. Rental fees range $500–3,000 depending on the day of the event and number of guests. Meals range $25–200/person. Tax, alcohol, and an 18% service charge are additional.

Availability

Indoors, year-round, daily; outdoors weather permitting. Open 7am–1am.

Catering Provided Alcohol Provided BYO w/ Corkage Fee Sites Uses Ceremonies Business Functions/Meetings Wedding Receptions Rehearsal Dinners Special Events, Parties Services/Amenities Catering: provided Kitchen Facilities: n/a Tables & Chairs: provided Linens, Silver, etc.: provided Restrooms: wheelchair accessible Dance Floor: yes Bride's Dressing Area: CBA Meeting Equipment: CBA, extra charge Parking: ample on-site Accommodations: no guestrooms Telephone: pay phone Outdoor Night Lighting: yes Outdoor Cooking Facilities: BBQ CBA Cleanup: provided View: garden, fountain, meadows, mountains Other: complete event coordination

Music Indoors Outdoors Wheelchair Access Wheelchair Accessible Site Views Landscaped Grounds Meadow/Fields Mountains Fountain/Water Feature Garden Garden Patio/Courtyard Restrictions Alcohol: provided, or BYO with corkage fee Smoking: designated areas Music: amplified OK Wheelchair Access: yes Insurance: certificate required

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