By: Nora Zelevansky
Imagine acres of lush vineyards, farmer’s market sourced dinners and lazy afternoons sipping local wine. No, we’re not speaking of Argentina or the South of France. Instead, you and your wedding guests can take a less arduous journey up the coast to Northern California’s wine country. Spots like Napa Valley, Calistoga and Sonoma offer up variations on a similar theme, each projecting a distinct personality with their own local resorts, hotels, restaurants and wineries. A few prime examples below:
An Elegant Napa Experience
As Carrie Bradshaw famously quipped to Big in Sex and The City, “You don’t move to Napa. You take a Napa.” Or, in this case, you get married in Napa. Resort experiences are rarely more exclusive and idyllic than at Napa Valley’s jewel, Auberge de Soleil. Originally built around their fine-dining eatery, “The Inn of the Sun” is made up of meticulously erected “maisons” or cottages in a light Mediterranean-style on a 33-acre olive tree-filled hillside. The resort’s private dining area and “Wisteria-Entwined Trellis” is completely intimate and has panoramic views of the valley, which are beyond beautiful. Guest can sip signature cocktails like Auberge Sunset with sparkling wine, cassis and a splash of brandy, while snacking on remarkable farm-to-table dishes like Diver Scallop with Eggplant Caviar and Ratatouille Vinaigrette. And, for downtime with the bridesmaids, don’t even get us started on the amazing pool with mountains rising in the background or the spa, where estheticians grow their own herbs for treatments in an adjacent garden. $$$
A Relaxed Calistoga Experience
At Solage, mud is thicker than water. Well, we supposed that’s true anywhere, but, in the resort’s Calistoga town, mud baths are the signature activity. Tucked beneath the mountains, the hotel itself has a youthful and relaxed vibe, as complimentary bicycles park outside standalone cabins. Inside, though, the design is anything but rustic with warm colors, but also streamlined modern décor and state-of-the art technology (WiFi, iPod docking etc.). The Solage experience is unpretentious, but high-end with unmatched service sans formality. The indoor/outdoor event spaces continue the clean and organic aesthetic.
Hang out by the retro-style pool with your wedding party or head over to the spa for a yoga class in the amazing open-air studio or a much-elevated version of the area’s signature Mudslide Experience (amazing for your skin) with aromatherapy mud bar, geothermal soaking tubs and harmonic sound chairs. Solbar at Solage offers up fresh bistro fare that guests can’t help but adore (Chef Brandon Sharp is an alumna of French Laundry, widely considered one of the world’s best restaurants and located in nearby Yontville). You can easily bike to the quaint, unfussy town, but you’ll hardly ever want to leave. $$
A Hipster Sonoma Experience
Though the Lodge at Sonoma also offers up a lovely wedding resort experience nearby the precious town, Hotel El Dorado is the cool kids’ option right smack on the square (across the street from favorite spot The Girl & The Fig—um, rehearsal dinner much?). Thanks to the cooler-than-thou new restaurant El Dorado Kitchen, this hotel and restaurant has become a truly hot destination. The design is certainly more spare and minimal, a contemporary design lover’s dream.
Still, the garden patio and Fig Tree courtyard create a more rustic vibe and make ideal spots for wedding receptions (they boast being able to host events from 20 people to 250). And Chef Justin Everett’s deep commitment to the green movement ensures that all the eats are farm fresh and the wines are mostly biodynamic. They also infuse their own liqueurs like Jalapeno Peach Vodka. A new café Eldorado Kitchenette makes a great breakfast stop for guests, as well. $
So pour some wine and propose a toast: “To your wedding!”
