Southern California wineries make the perfect location for a local destination wedding.  Spring is here full of bright color, but Fall would be the perfect time to celebrate a romantic and warm seasonal wedding.  Check out local vineyards in Temecula and Santa Barbara or plan a quick weekend away for guests in the beautiful Central Coast.

San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles offer some of the most beautiful vineyards in all of California and are sure to offer some fall color that will warm any cool autumn night.  The Central Coast offers wedding guests an inexpensive destination experience just a short 4-hour drive from LA or OC, or a quick hour flight into the San Luis Obispo Airport.  The local vineyards offer exceptional wine, champagne and world class dining and are sure to make your wedding day truly unique.

Check out the following local Winery Wedding venues in Southern California:

Temecula: South Coast Winery or Wilson Creek Winery

Santa Barbara: Gainey Vineyard

San Luis Obispo: Edna Valley Vineyard

Paso Robles: Robert Hall Winery or Martin & Weyrich:Villa Toscana

Happy Planning! ~www.weddingonthebrain.com~ Kari Brooner

Beach weddings are one of the new wedding fads. Since we live by the beach, a beach wedding is not a far fetched idea. There are many gorgeous beaches in the California area. Most California beaches are open to the public and have no fee if you are using the area for your wedding (always make sure to look into this prior to planning the wedding and also look into the fees for parking at the beach).

A safe bet is to have the ceremony on the beach and have the reception at one of the 150 hotels or resorts that are located on or near the beach. But if you insist on having the whole wedding outside at the beach, there are a few things you need to consider:

1. Make sure you have a tent reserved in case Mother Nature puts a damper on your day
2. Make it clear to your guests in the invitations that the wedding will be outside, so they can dress accordingly
3. Try to find the most sheltered part of the beach to avoid the wind
4. Consider renting a floor to put on the sand. This way people will be able to sit and dance without sinking in the sand, this is especially necessary if you have elderly guests.
5. A sound systems may not be necessary but is something to look into for all your guests to be able to enjoy the music
6. Bathrooms!!! If you are not within walking distance to public restrooms, then toilets should be rented.

This past weekend I did several site walks with Clients of Mine. With Rachel & Marcus I had the opportunity to view a very charming and new coastal ceremony spot, right here in Newport Beach!

It's all about Crystal Cove! You can reserve a large wood deck area which directly looks over the ocean. It is adjacent to a few historical beach cottages built in the 1920's and 1930's. I totally loved it and truly appreciated the uniqueness. It truly reflected character and charm. The sound of the waves crashing on the shores was relaxing as well! I believe the deck can accommodate approximately 180 ceremony guests. My Clients will also have access to one of the newly renovated cottages, before and after the ceremony. Their Reception will take place @ the Hyatt Huntington Beach Resort and Spa. For more information, please contact the Crystal Cove State Park Special Events Coordinator at (949) 494-3539. Here are some quick snap shots I took: Just part of the wood deck! They will have all the tables, benches and umbrellas removed. We will bring in a rental company.

Cottage the bride and groom will have access to. It has a kitchen and bathroom.

Just loved this front door. I suggested to Rachel to adorn the door with a wreath made of starfish, sea-shells and fresh flowers. The other picture is the ivy arch way which the guest will enter through to get to the coastal ceremony spot!

The Crystal Cove Alliance also offers cute newly renovated cottages which are available for rental.Go to  crystalcovebeachcottages  to get more info. Great idea to have some of your guests stay there. Or better yet enjoy it yourself! My husband, our two daughters and I will be staying there for a mini vakay next SUMMER!  However one thing to remember is the cottages are limited in numbers and go very quickly. You need to reserve them on the first day of each month @ 8:00 a.m., 7 months in advance

Here is a direct link to some other State Park sites where you can get married. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=23428

Carrie Goff