Category: Rehearsal Dinner

On the way to Lake County for my latest family vacation, I took a leisurely detour to Cornerstone Gardens where I visited their wine tasting room. What a welcome way to cool down on an otherwise painfully hot day! I could instantly see why this place is such a draw for weddings: The outside sculpture garden, which is encircled by lush flowers and art, is simply stunning.

Spas are a great way for couples to de-stress during the pre-wedding planning stage, but it might be hard to convince your oh-so manly man to get into a fuzzy white robe and slippers. If you’re looking for a fun activity to take your mind off the wedding prep just for one night (and who wouldn’t need a night off?), how about spending an evening learning to mix the perfect margarita or tequila sunrise? If that sounds good to you, grab your intended and head to The Sky Room in Long Beach August 30 for a Mixology class.

While I’ve lived in the Bay Area for 30 years, I took my very first trip to Lake County only recently when I rented a house on Clearlake for a much-needed family vacation. Now that I’ve finally visited, though, I’m already starting to wonder when I can return to this peaceful region north of the wine country. Of course I managed to scout out some ideal wedding ceremony, reception and rehearsal dinner sites while there. A couple of my new favorite places:

I recently went to an event billed as a “scintillating evening of fun and information, focused on the Bay Area Indian wedding market.” Well, it was all that and more. Afterwards, I wanted throw my own Indian bash. I wanted to be Indian.

Whenever I want to plan a weekend vacation with my husband Phil, all I have to do is choose a region and then start browsing the wedding locations we feature on the Here Comes The Guide website that also double as fabulous weekend or honeymoon getaways (hint: there are a lot). On a recent trip to California’s Central Coast, I was practically stumbling over one great location after another. Some of the highlights:

When we last left me, I was reveling in the tranquil charms of Capitola’s Monarch Cove Inn… But another sublime experience awaited me in Carmel-by-the-Sea. I was welcomed to L’Auberge Carmel by a smiling host proffering a fresh watermelon cooler, and I easily settled into the laid-back luxury of this European-style hostelry. The lavishly appointed guestrooms embrace a charming garden courtyard where intimate events are held, but now all was quiet, save for the trickling of a fountain.

My favorite part of working at Here Comes The Guide is visiting wedding locations. During a recent jaunt along the California coast, I spent two very different evenings in two very special places.

Continuing our mission to explore Half Moon Bay, Jan and I uncovered more delights: We visited Cypress Meadows, a new wedding location hidden behind a flower farm. We lingered in the sweet terraced garden as long as we could, and Jan had to practically drag me out of the wooden swing.