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Highlands House and Park

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Ben Lomond Wedding Venue
8500 Highway 9
Ben Lomond, CA 95005
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Contact: Facilities Office
Phone: 831/454-7938
www.scparks.com/weddings.html
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Highlands House and Park

Why We Like This Place

In the early 1900s, Lord and Lady Anderson of England managed to make their way to this beautiful area just outside Felton, whereupon they bought the 43 acres which now make up Highlands Park. Naturally, they built themselves an English-style mansion on the property and named it "The Highlands" in honor of Lord Anderson’s Scottish heritage. In the ‘30s, the Nasser family bought the estate, tore down the aging mansion and built Highlands House, the home you see today. Santa Cruz County purchased the property and then opened it as a park in 1977, and the site has been a favorite of the public ever since.

The park’s grounds have been used for a wide variety of events, and the vast lawn next to the house is where many of them take place. Spread out under the sun and ringed by towering oaks, pines and redwoods, it’s custom-made for a summer wedding. There’s plenty of room for couples to get married in front of a white gazebo at one end of the lawn, and then walk over to tables set up on the other end for their reception. It’s also an ideal spot for a corporate picnic or family reunion, whether you plan to bring in picnic tables, spread blankets right on the grass for a genuine lawn party, or stage a formal affair with linens, silver and market umbrellas. The lawn is actually big enough to have several activities going at once!

The Highlands House is also available for group events. Surrounded by trees and flowers (the camellia bushes and the magnolia tree are gorgeous in bloom), it has several rooms on the first floor which can be used in a multitude of ways. For weddings, set up a buffet in the living room and have your reception in the much larger Lorenzo Room, a pleasant space with a hardwood floor (great for dancing) and multipaned windows overlooking the garden. Decorate the foyer with flowers and use it for a small ceremony or a gift room. The adjacent Garden Room is the coolest in the house, and is considered the best place for the cake and for overheated relatives. During the week, these same rooms work just as well for meetings or other business functions.

You’ll be pleased to note that if you’re a bride, there’s a sizable changing room upstairs and a second-floor balcony from which you can toss your bouquet. The park also has tennis courts, a kids’ play area and a nature trail just a short walk from the house. Highlands House & Park spent almost half a century as a family retreat and getaway, and it continues to provide a natural and relaxing environment for everyone who’s lucky enough to spend some time here.

Capacity

Ceremony

Reception/Special Events

Meetings

Max. Seated Indoors: 75
Max. Seated Outdoors: 200 		Max. Seated Indoors: 75
Max. Seated Outdoors: 200
Max. Standing Indoors: 90
Max. Standing Outdoors: 200 		Max. Seated: 75

CEREMONY & EVENT/RECEPTION CAPACITY: The Lorenzo Room holds 50 seated or 90 for a standing reception; the lawn area seats 200. The Highlands House has a 200-guest limit. Company picnics or family reunions for over 200 people can be arranged in conjunction with the ballfields and group picnic areas next to Highlands House.

MEETING CAPACITY: Highlands House holds 75 seated theater-style or 50 conference-style.

Fees & Deposits

The rental fee plus a security deposit are required when the site is booked. For Santa Cruz County residents, the fee (which covers use of House and lawn) is $992–1,088 for 8 hours of use, and $124–136 for each additional hour. The security deposit is $200 if alcohol is served. There is a 25% discount from November 1 to March 31.

Ballfields and group picnic areas can be reserved for $90–150/day, each, with a 10% surcharge for non-residents.

Availability

Year-round, daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas Days. Hours are 10am-–midnight on Fridays and Saturdays or 10am–10pm, Sunday–Thursday. There’s an 8-hour minimum on weekends and a 2-hour minimum on weekdays.

Catering

BYO

Alcohol

BYO

Location Uses

Ceremonies
Wedding Receptions
Special Events, Parties
Business Functions/Meetings
Rehearsal Dinners

Services/Amenities

Catering: BYO
Parking: may be limited
Kitchen Facilities: moderately equipped
Accommodations: no guestrooms
Tables & Chairs: 125 chairs, 15 tables provided
Telephone: pay phone
Linens, Silver, etc.: BYO
Outdoor Night Lighting: yes, limited
Restrooms: not wheelchair accessible
Outdoor Cooking Facilities: BYO
Dance Floor: in Lorenzo Room
Cleanup: renter
Bride’s Dressing Area: yes
View: park grounds
Meeting Equipment: BYO

Amplified Music

Indoors
Outdoors
w/ Restrictions

Wheelchair Access

Access Limited

Site Views

Landscaped Grounds
Park

Venue Type

Banquet Hall/Events Facility
Historic/Landmark Building
Mansion
Park
Private Estate
Private Home

Restrictions

Alcohol: BYO BWC, no hard liquor
Wheelchair Access: limited
Smoking: no smoking
Insurance: usually not required
Music: amplified restricted to 5 hours, max.



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