26+ Best Santa Cruz Wedding Venues
Ultimate Guide to the 26+ Best Santa Cruz Wedding Venues
(updated 2024)
If you are interested in learning the best Santa Cruz wedding venues you have come to the right place! In many ways, Santa Cruz is the quintessential Californian town with a mix of the coast, mountains, and local charm. For those ready to tie the knot in Santa Cruz, you will find many excellent locations to host your wedding regardless of whether you’re eloping or choosing to have a large celebration. Check out some of my personal favorite Santa Cruz wedding venues below.
Nestldown (Los Gatos)
Packages: $9,500 – $28,000
Just a short ten-minute drive north of Santa Cruz sits Nestldown, a place that aims to provide extraordinary experiences. Rental gives you and up to 200 guests private access to all 36 redwood strewn acres including a 20 passenter train, life size chess set, numerous photo ops, and beautiful gardens. You’ll also receive a dedicated four-person event planning staff to customize your wedding and reception over nine hours.
Check out my Nestldown weddings guide for more info
OVY Camp (San Gregorio)
Rental Fee : $13,000 – $19,000 (rate includes 130 beds between lodging accomodations)
Rental Period: Friday at 11am – Sunday at 1pm
Capacity: up to 200 guests
OVY Camp and Event Center can be rented by the weekend (exclusive use) for an incredibly reasonable price. It is one of the more flexible and affordable redwood wedding venues in the Bay Area. They provide the backdrop – you choose the rest. You are not tied down to a list of caterers, florists, or event suppliers – assemble your own vendor team at no additional cost.
Check out my OVY Camp wedding guide for more info
Seymour Marine Discovery Center
Rental fee: $3,350
Whether you’re a fan of museums or not, you’ll find the Seymour Center to be one of the most fun Santa Cruz wedding venues. This package includes expansive views of Monterey Bay, all-day use of the La Feliz Room & Deck, private use of the aquarium and Shipwreck Deck after 5 p.m., and a staffed aquarium touch table in the exhibit hall during the reception for your guests. It is a beautiful setting with great options for stunning photos.
Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
Rental fee: $2,875 – $5,175 (ceremony & reception package)
Art lovers will rejoice at a wedding at this Santa Cruz venue. With several ceremony locations including a rooftop sculpture garden, the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History can host up to 250 people. The full package includes nine hours; however, shorter ceremony & brunch or reception-only options are available for lower rates and up to 5 hour rentals
For a more thorough breakdown of everything, check out their online brochure
Kennolyn (Soquel)
Package: starting at $11,000
With Kennolyn’s wedding package, the entire Hilltop Hacienda Estate is yours for a ceremony and reception. The package includes a wedding coordinator, music, tables, décor, and a wide array of perks. They also offer excellent catering packages. If you want a serene, peaceful location, this will be at the top of your list.
Check out my Kennolyn weddings guide for more info
Waterfall Lodge (Ben Lomond)
Rental Fee: $7,800 – $22,900
Waterfall Lodge is a gorgeous redwood forest wedding venue in the Santa Cruz mountains. It offers a choice of two sites for weddings wide terrace and patio areas for cocktail parties and dining in the middle of uplifting redwood scents. A reclaimed wood barn makes up the dancing area and some chic 1970’s style cabins for accommodation—summer camp style. It is incredibly serene, and if you hadn’t deduced from the name, there is a gorgeous waterfall just to make it extra special and one of the most romantic redwood forest wedding venues.
Check out my Waterfall Lodge weddings guide for more info
Inn at Pasatiempo
Ceremony Fee : $1,500
Reception Fee : $275 – $800
Here you’ll find the recently renovated Wedding Garden that features a lush lawn circled by a terrace featuring redwood bark décor and evergreen pear trees. The Inn at Pasatiempo also features indoor seating for up to 150 guests with three different rooms that can be booked for a reception dinner. A number of buffet menu packages are also available.
Sydalyn Hill (Felton)
Rental fee: Submit contact form for info
A family run farm is the setting for this venue, which offers weddings between May and September each year. Offered only on Saturdays, a Sydalyn Hill wedding features rustic décor amidst walnut trees. Orchards, a garden, cabin, and barn are all available for photos.
Felton Guild (Felton)
Rental fee: contact the venue for the package
This venue offers a serene setting and is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Therefore, if you love the outdoors, this peaceful, lovely location is an excellent choice. A beautifully planted space serves as the banquet area. More than 200 people may easily fit in the reception space. Around 100 guests can be seated on the cathedral’s redwood benches and seats, and there is plenty of standing area and capacity for additional chairs if there is a need.
Check out my Redwood wedding venues guide for other similar Bay Area wedding venues
Shadowbrook (Capitola)
Ceremony fee: $250
Rental fee: $200 – $2,000
Shadowbrook restaurant is located in nearby Capitola and probably the most romantic restaurant in the county. There are a number of options for location but the Creekside Patio is a personal favorite. The restaurant’s trolley is a must-have photo for the happy couple.
Secret Garden Ceremonies (Santa Cruz County)
Rental fee: $3,850 – $7,850
Specializing in micro-weddings of up to 40 people, there are two main areas for ceremonies and celebrations, the Secret Redwood Retreat and the Secret Garden Estate.
Roaring Camp Railroads (Felton)
Ceremony $700 – $2,950
Reception $4,500
Create your own magical day with Roaring Camp Railroads. While there are a number of options, the most charming takes you and 100 guests round trip on a 100 year old steam engine to a circle of three generations of redwoods. Follow with a ceremony at Bret Harte Hall with a wide variety of catering options. You’ll have memorable and unique photos with this Santa Cruz wedding venue.
Check out my Redwood wedding venues guide for other similar Bay Area wedding venues
Valencia Hall (Aptos)
Rental fee: $850 – $940 (10 hours)
Capacity: up to 80 guests
An elegant Santa Cruz wedding venue bordered by orchards and redwoods, Valencia Hall is incredibly affordable and includes the ability for an outdoor or indoor ceremony followed by an indoor reception of up to 80 people.
Paradox Hotel
Rental fee: Submit RFP for custom quote
Paradox Hotel sits on the edge of the Santa Cruz Riverwalk Park. Here, the feature is the Sequoia Ballroom. It’s 4,400 square feet can host nearly 500 guests, making this one of the largest venues available in Santa Cruz. Meanwhile, the Solaire Breezeway provides a great backdrop for a small ceremony.
Hollins House
Rental fee: $900 + catering
Deposit: $3,000
A historic 1920’s home overlooking Monterey Bay, the Hollins House provides beautiful grounds that can accommodate a variety of crowd sizes. Exchange nuptials in front of a gazebo. Reception options include a wide menu selection including buffet or served options.
Quail Hollow Ranch County Park (Felton)
Rental fee: $1,300 – $1,430 (10 hours)
A historical site and rustic ranch, Quail Hollow Park is filled with wildflowers and old California charm. The site provide a spacious lawn that can host an outdoor reception if desired as well as indoor facilities for up to 100 people. There are beautiful views of the Santa Cruz mountains.
Bargetto Winery (Soquel)
Rental fee: $1,900 – $3,950
Focusing on providing an atmosphere of “enchanted elegance,” Bargetto Winery provides virtually everything you’ll need for a wedding including the option to have them create a signature drink for the event. Their Creekside Courtyard comfortably seats 150 and resembled a large Italian country villa backyard. A photo shoot in their Regan Vineyards is an excellent choice.
Dream Inn
Rental fee: Submit RFP for custom quote
A beachfront hotel near Santa Cruz Park, Dream Inn provides 3,500 square feet of banquet space with sustainable food and wine from local farms. Choose between the Dream Ballroom or Cowell Beach for the ceremony. They also have elopement packages and micro-wedding packages available.
Cowell Ranch Hay Barn at UCSC
Rental fee: $5500/event
Barn weddings provide stunning scenery and ample space for everything and everyone, and The Cowell Ranch Hay Barn is no exception. The Hay Barn can easily host gatherings of up to 200 people thanks to its Main Hall’s over 2500 square feet, and an additional 100 people can be seated outside.
Seascape Golf Club (Aptos)
Rental fee: $6,595 to $15,995
The magnificent ballrooms at Seascape Golf Club include stunning views of the golf course and a perfect outside wedding location. Not only does this location offer an incredible view, but also a fantastic team. Their wedding specialists will work with you, and you may choose from various wedding packages. They also offer packages for the rehearsal dinner and the bridal shower.
Chaminade Resort & Spa
Rental fee: $145-$185/ per person
This is a hotel wedding venue, and up to 180 people can attend the ceremony in this area. With space for 200 guests, the Spanish-inspired Courtyard Terrace is decorated with vibrant flowers and a beautiful stone fountain. Additionally, it provides a variety of flexible wedding packages. The best part is that they can be customized and are all-inclusive.
Aptos Village Park
Rental fee: request pricing
This location is tucked away in the middle of nature in the former Aptos Village. This beautiful, 10-acre park provides an excellent outdoor location. The quaint clubhouse and lovely park make the ideal locations for your vows.
Hilton Santa Cruz
Ceremony Fee : $400 – 700
Reception Fee : $800 – $1,500
Food & Beverage Minimum $3,500
With over 6,000 feet of total event space as well as options for garden or veranda outdoor ceremonies, this Santa Cruz wedding venue will ensure that your wedding is a day to remember. Guests can receive a 15% discount on room rates. Ceremonies seat up to 120 with reception space for 200.
Sesnon House (Aptos)
Rental fee: Inquire for pricing
Situated on the Cabrillo College campus, the Sesnon House is an 1850’s mansion that combines Moorish, Mission, and American architecture. Events are catered by student chefs from the college’s culinary arts program. Rental gets you an event coordinator to plan the perfect event for up to 250 guests.
Monarch Cove Inn (Capitola)
Rental fee: estimated $6059 for 50 guests
The Monarch Cove Inn is located on a sea cliff and offers stunning views of Monterey Bay’s sweeping curve. The rooms are tucked away among private flower-filled gardens, and the venue can easily accommodate up to 150 people.
Natural Bridges State Beach
Rental fee: contact for more information
From mansions to sandy beaches, California State Parks offers a variety of distinctive and stunning wedding locations. And if you have decided to have a beach wedding Natural Bridges State Beach is a beautiful spot with strong waves and a sandy beach. You can exchange vows as the waves crash behind you at this popular beach.
If you are interested in locations closer to San Francisco, check out these San Francisco wedding venues.
If you prefer more ocean views, these Half Moon Bay wedding venues provide ideal settings.
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