Ceremony Sites: Santa Cruz County
Today I went with Dan and two other friends to look for our ceremony site (they were saints and took care of the driving). We stuck to Santa Cruz county, but I think Dan and I will also tour parks in San Mateo county as soon as next weekend. My friend had suggested two sites that looked great, but just so I wouldn't look like the lazy slacker that I am, I threw three state park locations into the mix. Big mistake - two of the three required us to drive on one-lane roads with sheer drops on a given side of the car. We never made it to the first site, and the second one's picnic area consisted of two tables on a 20 square foot plot of land. Maybe I thought it was so funny because I didn't actually have to drive. Only one of my picks has a *small* chance of surviving. A pictorial tour awaits behind the cuts.
The first site we successfully visited was Quail Hollow. It's located on Highway 9 near Felton, 17 minutes outside of Santa Cruz. I liked this place more than Dan did. It was at the limit of our price range, but the package was all-inclusive and all we'd have to worry about is catering. We'd have access to the open field and the house, which includes bathrooms, a kitchen, and a large room. Tables and chairs are also included. The site is fairly nondescript, and I think Dan is looking for something a little more interesting. I thought the surrounding scenery was really pretty though.
After my second failed suggestion, we ended up at Highlands Park. This location was a bit more inspired than Quail Hollow. The site consisted of a large grassy area for a ceremony, a seemingly large indoor site (we didn't get to tour inside), and my favorite, a gorgeous picnic area accented with a large oak tree as its center piece. This place has a lot of options, and we can pick/choose what areas we want to rent. The whole package is similar in cost to Quail Hollow, but we could save money by picking only one or two areas to rent. The layout of the BBQ area was really attractive. The pit was an obvious guideline, but there was also an elevated region against the surrounding trees that would be a good location for Dan and I to exchange vows (or whatever we're doing) while everyone sat at their picnic tables. That area alone sold me, but the house also looked newly refurbished, was larger than Quail Hollow, and included a bar and a dance floor.
Our last destination was Rancho del Oso State park, located near the ocean. It was my only contribution that was at most a possibility. However, I'm not sure about logistics. The site on the picture can only accommodate 36 people (according to the signs), so I'm not even sure where we could have our gathering. Also, there is at least a 0.5 mile walk from the parking lot, which won't make grandma happy. Still, I thought it was by far the most beautiful site we looked at. The grounds were located in a canyon that fed out into the ocean. You can see the beach if you turn 90 degrees from where I took my picture.
In conclusion, we have a lot to think about and we're not even finished looking. Still, this was a huge accomplishment because our planning is officially underway.
The first site we successfully visited was Quail Hollow. It's located on Highway 9 near Felton, 17 minutes outside of Santa Cruz. I liked this place more than Dan did. It was at the limit of our price range, but the package was all-inclusive and all we'd have to worry about is catering. We'd have access to the open field and the house, which includes bathrooms, a kitchen, and a large room. Tables and chairs are also included. The site is fairly nondescript, and I think Dan is looking for something a little more interesting. I thought the surrounding scenery was really pretty though.
After my second failed suggestion, we ended up at Highlands Park. This location was a bit more inspired than Quail Hollow. The site consisted of a large grassy area for a ceremony, a seemingly large indoor site (we didn't get to tour inside), and my favorite, a gorgeous picnic area accented with a large oak tree as its center piece. This place has a lot of options, and we can pick/choose what areas we want to rent. The whole package is similar in cost to Quail Hollow, but we could save money by picking only one or two areas to rent. The layout of the BBQ area was really attractive. The pit was an obvious guideline, but there was also an elevated region against the surrounding trees that would be a good location for Dan and I to exchange vows (or whatever we're doing) while everyone sat at their picnic tables. That area alone sold me, but the house also looked newly refurbished, was larger than Quail Hollow, and included a bar and a dance floor.
Our last destination was Rancho del Oso State park, located near the ocean. It was my only contribution that was at most a possibility. However, I'm not sure about logistics. The site on the picture can only accommodate 36 people (according to the signs), so I'm not even sure where we could have our gathering. Also, there is at least a 0.5 mile walk from the parking lot, which won't make grandma happy. Still, I thought it was by far the most beautiful site we looked at. The grounds were located in a canyon that fed out into the ocean. You can see the beach if you turn 90 degrees from where I took my picture.
In conclusion, we have a lot to think about and we're not even finished looking. Still, this was a huge accomplishment because our planning is officially underway.