Skyline Community Church 12540 Skyline Boulevard • Oakland • CA 94619

High in the Oakland hills, past handsome hillside residences, woodsy Joaquin Miller Park and the Chabot Space & Science Center, you'll find a pleasant surprise just off Skyline Boulevard. When you see the sign for Skyline Community Church, turn into the drive. Let it lead you up past the two lower parking lots on a sun-splashed, flower-flanked climb to the white wooden bell tower that signals your arrival at the church. Set on the crest of a hill that borders the East Bay Regional Park District, this quiet sanctuary sits under an expanse of blue sky and sunlight. Birds sing in the treetops. Gentle breezes stir the pines. Noise and commotion seem far, far away.

It's a charming venue for a wedding, retreat, or any other event where an open and affirming environment fits the bill. Couples of any faith are welcome, and you're also free to invite your own priest, rabbi, or other spiritual leader to officiate.

Receptions are generally held in the picturesque circular courtyard, outfitted with teak benches flanked by urns overflowing with succulents. The courtyard provides plenty of space for your DJ or band and dance floor, and can be set up with tenting, umbrella-shaded tables or whatever suits your celebration.

On one side of the courtyard, a little path that winds through the well-kept lawn ends in a heart-shaped pattern just in front of an old-fashioned gazebo with a peaked roof and weathervane that spins with the cooling winds. From here you can look down on a hillside lovingly planted and tended, like the other nicely landscaped parts of the property, by church members. The gazebo is an attractive spot to tie the knot, but you might want to save it for the cake cutting and photos and opt instead for a ceremony in the chapel on the opposite side of the courtyard.

Accessed by four large doors, the fan-shaped sanctuary has a beamed ceiling, parquet floor and a stunning wall of glass behind the altar that frames uninterrupted views of regional parkland and hills that roll toward Mt. Diablo. Acoustics in this hall are ethereal, making solo, a cappella, string or pipe organ (yes, this church has one!) performances sublime. Sea-blue carpeting leads down the stairs to the Meditation Room. It's a great spot for the groom and his guys to dress and meet with the pastor. The groom can then shake off any pre-wedding jitters in the serene labyrinth garden, which is also a beautiful site for photos. It even works perfectly for a tea ceremony prior to the wedding ceremony!

The bride and her attendants can get ready in the Friendship Room off the courtyard. Often used for fellowship and community gatherings, it features big windows, a compact adjacent kitchen, and double-mirrored cabinets with stage lighting that encourage plenty of primping.

Safe, private, relaxed and family-friendly, Skyline Community Church has much to offer children, too. Kids are encouraged to ring the church bell as the newlyweds leave the grounds. It's all so sweet and embracing … you and your guests will feel like you've found your own little piece of heaven.