Return to Search Results


The Ahwahnee

Tell a Friend
Add to MyGuide

Yosemite National Park Wedding Venue
One Ahwahnee Drive
Yosemite National Park, CA 95389
View Map

Contact: Special Functions
Phone: 801/559-5050
www.yosemitepark.com/weddings
  Request more information from The Ahwahnee
if you would mention that you found The Ahwahnee on the Here Comes The Guide website.






The Ahwahnee

Why We Like This Place

Yosemite National Park’s beauty is so vast and sublime that Ansel Adams’ photos could hardly contain it. In his famous black & white images, impossibly high granite domes buttress the sky and giant redwoods brush the clouds with their pine-needled tops. Nature on this scale is extraordinary, and a photo simply can’t compare with the experience of being there. To camp, hike, and canoe in the majesty of Yosemite’s High Sierra landscape is fairly inspiring. To get married here is downright magical.

Within the park proper, four hotels take full advantage of the stunning surroundings—and two of them offer first-rate accommodations for weddings of all kinds. Right in Yosemite Valley is The Ahwahnee, a 1920s-era lodge that strikes the perfect balance between rustic and elegant. A veritable log-and-stone castle in the woods, The Ahwahnee features cathedral ceilings and enormous hearths alongside rich wood details and Native American motifs. The grand, Early American atmosphere is complemented by expansive windows throughout, which frame views of the Valley’s most prized natural treasures: Half Dome, Glacier Point, and Yosemite Falls in the distance.

Not far from The Ahwahnee, Curry Village provides a historic and charming setting more than 100 years in the making. You can tie the knot nearby in the impressive Yosemite chapel, followed by a reception in the Curry Pavilion. A high-beamed ceiling and roaring fireplace make the venue inviting, but it’s also spacious enough for 500 guests.

You’ll find two more wonderful options for your celebration at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, located near the tallest waterfall in North America. The seasonally available Cliff/Falls Room holds up to 160, and The Mountain Room Restaurant treats diners to a spectacular view of the cascading falls through twenty-foot, floor-to-ceiling windows.

Just a little further south, another wedding-friendly spot awaits—the Wawona Hotel. Built in 1879, it’s not only one of California’s oldest mountain hotels, it possesses an irresistible Victorian-era appeal. This landmark building, cradled between the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias and Yosemite Valley, boasts verandas off nearly every room. Inside, period antiques, delicate floral ornamentation, and exquisite hanging light fixtures create an old-fashioned ambiance.

When it comes to weddings here, couples often marry outdoors in the spring, summer and fall. The Wawona’s large lawn overlooks mountain peaks and thick groves of pines, an excellent backdrop for a formal seated ceremony or a casual outdoor barbecue/reception. Inside, the hotel’s Sun Room easily hosts cocktails and seated dinners. Walls of French doors open onto the veranda and showcase the lush, scenic vistas beyond.

At all of these wedding venues and in every season of the year, Yosemite National Park captivates: A winter moon over a snow-dusted valley is every bit as romantic as fields of wild flowers in summer. When you get married here, the overall magnificence of Yosemite—along with the moment you say “I do,” dance that first dance, and cut the cake—will sparkle in your memory for years to come.

Most of the information below applies to The Ahwahnee. For details on the other venues go to www.yosemitepark.com/weddings.

Capacity

Ceremony

Reception/Special Events

Meetings

Max. Seated Indoors: 0
Max. Seated Outdoors: 200 		Max. Seated Indoors: 80
Max. Seated Outdoors: 200
Max. Standing Indoors: 100
Max. Standing Outdoors: 75 		Max. Seated: 120

CEREMONY CAPACITY: The Ahwahnee accommodates 200 seated guests outdoors. Indoor ceremonies also available in various locations.

EVENT/RECEPTION CAPACITY: The Ahwahnee holds 80 seated or 100 standing guests indoors; Yosemite Lodge accommodates 160 seated or 185 standing; the Wawona Hotel holds 100 seated or 130 standing indoors in spring and fall, and 200 seated or 300 standing guests outdoors in summer.

MEETING CAPACITY: Meeting spaces accommodate up to 400 seated guests, depending on the facility used.

Fees & Deposits

A nonrefundable deposit is required at the time of booking. Deposits range $500–4,000 depending on the type of event, venue(s) selected and number of guests. Average total reception costs range $150–200/person, which include hors d’oeuvres, bar, wine/champagne, plated dinner or buffet, wedding cake, room rental fees including setup/cleanup, linens, china/crystal; and tax and service charges. Alcohol and lodging are additional.

Availability

Year-round, daily, 8am–10pm. Certain holiday blackout dates may apply. Call for availability.

Catering

Provided

Alcohol

Provided

Location Uses

Ceremonies
Wedding Receptions
Special Events, Parties
Business Functions/Meetings
Rehearsal Dinners
On-Site Accommodations

Services/Amenities

Catering: provided, no BYO
Kitchen Facilities: n/a
Tables & Chairs: provided
Linens, Silver, etc.: provided
Restrooms: wheelchair accessible
Dance Floor: yes
Bride’s & Groom’s Dressing Area: guestroom CBA
Meeting Equipment: CBA, extra fee
Parking: medium-sized lot
Accommodations: 123 guestrooms and cottages
Telephone: pay phone and in guestrooms
Outdoor Night Lighting: access only
Outdoor Cooking Facilities: BBQ CBA
Cleanup: provided
View: Yosemite Park, mountains, forest, waterfalls

Amplified Music

Acoustic Only

Wheelchair Access

Access Limited

Site Views

Creek/River
Forest/Wooded Area
Fountain/Water Feature
Meadow/Fields
Mountains
Park
Waterfall

Venue Type

Banquet Hall/Events Facility
Historic/Landmark Building
Hotel
Inn/Lodge
Park
Resort/Spa
Ski Resort

Restrictions

Alcohol: provided
Smoking: not allowed
Music: acoustic only
Wheelchair Access: limited
Insurance: not required
Other: no rice, petals or birdseed



Wedding Venues > Northern California Wedding Venues > Yosemite / Gold Country / Sierra Wedding Venues

Want to search again?

Wedding Checklist

Wedding Vendors You Might Like

Unveiled BridalUnveiled Bridal, Favors
Jasmine Wang PhotographyJasmine Wang Photography, Photographer
Pink Cloud 9Pink Cloud 9, Coordinator / Wedding Planner
WedSafe Wedding InsuranceWedSafe Wedding Insurance, Wedding Insurance
Designs by YuDesigns by Yu, Invitations

(What's this?)

The vendors listed above work in the Yosemite / Gold Country / Sierra region and are displayed randomly. They may or may not be preferred vendors at The Ahwahnee.

Search for more wedding vendors who work in Yosemite / Gold Country / Sierra or all of Northern California.

Register for your MyGuide account

tout_altWishing you could save a list of the places and services that interest you? You can. Register for MyGuide and save your favorite locations and services. You can even share your list with family or friends or post to your Facebook account.

Just getting started?


Know what questions to ask when evaluating a wedding venue and what questions to ask wedding vendors:   

Where will your wedding guests stay?

Guest cottage at Carneros Inn, Napa 6–9 months before your wedding: Arrange hotel room blocks for out-of-town guests and book your own suite for the wedding night. Find your guest accommodations here! Northern California Wedding Venues With Guest Accommodations

Beach Weddings

Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach Hotel Beach Wedding CeremonyLove the idea of a beach wedding in California? We provide detailed information on dozens and dozens of beachfront wedding venues in California.