Montalvo Arts Center 15400 Montalvo Road • Saratoga • California 95071

Nestled against a wooded slope in the secluded Saratoga Hills is Montalvo Arts Center, a lovely complex that holds a veritable treasure trove of venues for corporate events, private parties and, of course, weddings!

An inviting one-way road leads up to the center, and as you round the last turn you get your first glimpse of the expansive manicured lawns, colorful gardens, and Montalvo's beautiful Villa. Built in 1912 as the private residence of Senator James Duval Phelan, the Mediterranean-style estate is now a National Register Historic Landmark.

One of the property's most popular ceremony sites is the Love Temple, set inside the Italianate Garden at the bottom of the Great Lawn. A wide, rose-lined brick path flanked by antique marble statues leads to this open-air, white-columned pavilion, and couples wed in view of the surrounding garden with the Villa and woods in the background.

Directly behind the Villa, the Oval Garden offers a lush, intimate setting complete with classical statuary and wisteria-covered pergolas. A brick pathway serves as the center aisle, and a columned arcade makes a stately backdrop for exchanging vows. A third ceremony option is the new West Lawn Garden, which can accommodate 300+ guests.

While the newlyweds are photographed on the picturesque grounds, family and friends enjoy the cocktail hour either in the West Lawn Garden or the scenic Spanish Courtyard. Receptions follow on the Villa's broad veranda, where everyone is treated to splendid garden vistas and the occasional visiting deer.

The Villa's interior is equally impressive. All of the first floor's adjoining rooms open onto the veranda, creating a wonderful flow to your event. The huge Main Hall at the center of the house boasts a high, beamed ceiling and gilded chandeliers. An enormous fireplace topped with a tile and carved-wood mantel is usually set with flickering votives. The Hall is often used for dancing, its many French doors left open so that the music carries out to guests relaxing in the adjacent courtyard and on the veranda.

Other unique gathering spots include the handsome Library, paneled with rare New Zealand walnut. A working fireplace, soaring bookshelves and a grand piano are just a few of the Library's attractions. The couple sometimes displays family photos on the Library's large desk, and arranges the wedding gifts on a built-in marble bar. Then there's the Dining Room, a cozy salon with a century-old fireplace and richly paneled walls.

Perhaps the Villa's most charming space is the Solarium, the perfect niche to showcase the wedding cake. Floor-to-ceiling windows along the north and east walls frame the scenery and let in abundant natural light, while the other walls are covered in 100-year-old lattice wood. The original terracotta tile floor, inlaid with floral patterns, enhances the vintage ambiance.

And that's not all: The entire upstairs is reserved for the wedding party and their immediate family. The three spacious suites include a lavish dressing room, with its own balcony overlooking the Great Lawn.