Carmel, California is home to some of the most beautiful wedding venues. Enjoy your wedding and soak in all the beauty that the California coast has to offer. The top 6 wedding venues in Carmel to host your special day include: Santa Lucia Preserve, Bernardus, Tehama, The Lodge at Pebble Beach, Holman Ranch, and Carmel Valley Ranch.

1. Santa Lucia Preserve – Exclusive

The Saint Lucia Preserve is more than a venue, it is meant to host the greatest experience of your life. The historic Hacienda is nearly 100 years old.

The main ceremony site is the Redwood Grove, which is a circle of towering redwood trees that feels incredibly intimate. It can seat up to 300 people. Exchange sacred vows in a cathedral of redwoods, symbolizing your own growth and love that will stand the test of time. 

Another option is the lawn behind the Hacienda, which provides easy access to the Hacienda and is a beautiful view of open fields. 

Your reception can be hosted in the 100 year old barn, where rustic elegance melds the past with the present. Savor farm-to-table menu and exquisite California wines.

Wedding Weekend

Enjoy a wedding weekend where you can explore epic California scenery on foot or on a romantic horseback ride. For your wedding night, choose between your own cozy, rustic-glam camp near Moore’s Lake, or the honeymoon suite at the Hacienda.

What adds to Santa Lucia Preserve’s charm is its exclusivity. Only those that are sponsored directly by Santa Lucia Preserve members can host their wedding on this property. If you are wondering “where do celebrities get married in California?” it’s here! For example, Hillary Swank got married at the Santa Lucia Preserve in 2018!

Want to learn more? We sat down with Aubrey Yeakel, the Catering and Hospitality Manager, in our Venue Feature: Santa Lucia Preserve!

Address: 1 Rancho San Carlos Road, Carmel, CA 93923

2. Bernardus – Everything You Want in One Place

We appreciate a venue that can host your special day and take out the burden of transportation. If this is your vision, the  Bernardus Lodge & Spa is the PERFECT venue! In fact, it was listed in Here Comes The Guide.

Outdoor Rose Garden

With a backdrop of majestic oak trees and spectacular views of Carmel Valley, the wedding garden at Bernardus Lodge is simply breathtaking. Celebrate your love with a ceremony in a garden filled with over 100 varieties of roses!

• Banquet guest capacity: 200. Reception guest capacity: 225.

Harvest Room

The Harvest Exhibition Kitchen by Sub-Zero and Wolf is a great choice for couples wanting an intimate wedding. Chef Christian customizes dishes, menus, and more. Feast on organic vegetables from the chef’s organic garden and raise a glass of vino from the vineyard.

• Banquet guest capacity: 50. Reception guest capacity: 80.

Meritage Ballroom

Connected to a two-acre landscaped setting, the 2,160-square-foot Meritage Ballroom is perfect for weddings, receptions, and cocktail parties. Guests will enjoy breathtaking views of the grounds and surrounding mountains. Come for the wedding and stay the night! Bernardus Lodge includes accommodations for the wedding couple on their big night. 

• Banquet guest capacity: 150. Reception guest capacity: 200.

We have been to a few weddings at Bernardus Lodge and it has been so special every time. Our legacy couple, Matt and Meli’s ceremony was in the beautiful Rose Garden. A legacy couple is a couple that choose us for all of their milestones. This can include: engagement, boudoir, engagement, maternity, family.

Meli’s bouquet by Gavita Flora was a classic arrangement of all white roses. It gave her such an airy, classic bridal look. Not to mention her super gorgeous Langs Antiques 1920’s art deco ring with an old European cut diamond! Clearly Matt and Meli were bringing all the most immaculate details and pretty things to their Bernardus Lodge Wedding. Read more about their Bernardus Lodge Wedding to inspire you!

As a reminder, your wedding should be all about YOU! We love that our couple, Amlan and Cary did things their way. The ceremony was held at Sacred Heart Church in Salinas. Honestly, it was so refreshing to go to a full mass ceremony. The priest was delivered the message in both English and Spanish so both families could enjoy the ceremony. After, the couple and their closest friends and family went to Bernardus Lodge & Spa to share an intimate dinner and reception. Read more about this Bernardus Lodge & Spa Wedding.

Address: 415 W Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel Valley, CA 93924

3. Clubhouse Tehama – A Hidden Gem

Can I get married in Carmel? Absolutely. The 18,000 square foot Clubhouse Tehama Carmel is designed to bring a feeling of closeness to every wedding.

High above the Monterey Bay, the Clubhouse is a true Teháma centerpiece where you find celebration in each moment. As our hidden gem of a venue, their website doesn’t promote the gorgeous weddings they host! Don’t worry, we have taken beautiful Tehama Wedding Photos for your own vision board.

As for the wedding vibe, at The Clubhouse, Spanish-style architecture takes center stage. Their native gardens lead from the grand entry through the courtyard. Be on the lookout for four elegantly adorned guest suites leading toward their Event Space.

Spaces to Choose From

The Event Space is managed by an innovative and professional staff with an aversion to the ordinary, making it a one of a kind wedding experience. 

In the warm, private Dining Room, Executive Chef Dave Parker offers artfully presented and exquisite gourmet cuisine. The menu is complete with organic, locally grown and raised produce and meats. 

Outside, enjoy al fresco receptions on the Terrace while the sun sets on your magical day.

You can also have your ceremony nearby and utilize Tehama for your reception. We captured a beautiful wedding when Emily and Conor did just this! For their Tehama Carmel Wedding, they opted for a gorgeous church ceremony and then headed over to Tehama for a fun-filled reception!

Address: 25000 Vía Malpaso, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93923

4. Carmel Valley Ranch – A Wedding Weekend 

Tucked away in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains, is Carmel Valley Ranch. The Ranch has been named one of the top resorts in Northern California in Condé Nast Traveler’s prestigious Readers’ Choice Awards. The Ranch offers easy access to miles of scenic hiking vineyards, gardens, and other natural wonders. Perfect for a full wedding weekend! CVR also made the Top 20 Wedding Venues in Carmel-By-The-Sea by Party Slate.

As a local Carmel photographer, I featured Carmel Valley Ranch as the second venue in our Venue Feature Series. Carmel Valley Ranch offers the premiere full weekend experience. It is perfect for the bride that wants an all-inclusive space with plenty to do and see!

Another perk? It’s right by The Cottage where I meet with all my couples to talk about their big day vision! In fact, you’ll end up passing by my office on your way to the ranch. I personally spend a lot of time at CVR. It’s always a soft and welcoming space.

Where to have your wedding at Carmel Valley Ranch, one of our top wedding venues in Carmel

Valley Lawn

The Valley Lawn puts a playful spin on Carmel’s sophisticated style. Say your vows with up to 300 guests in attendance. Rent out the nearby Clubhouse for the reception. This outdoor/indoor dual experience is a wedding couple’s dream.

• Ceremony capacity: 300.

The Clubhouse

The Clubhouse comes complete with crackling fire pits and an expansive patio with front-row seats to the rolling fairways. You’ll be captivated by the view.  It pairs perfectly with the adjacent verdant, stone-lined Valley Lawn—offering expansive views of the valley and hills, soaring vaulted ceilings and an experience that combines fanciful with traditional.

• Reception capacity 220. Seated dinner capacity: 180.

Harvest Landing

For a truly unique experience, hold your reception at Harvest Landing. Like a treetop aerie, this terrace offers impeccable views of vineyards below and the expanse of Carmel Valley beyond.

• Reception capacity 100. Seated dinner capacity: 80.

Oak Room

For our food enthusiasts, the Oak Room is something special just for you. Chefs at the Oak Room can prepare fresh-from-the-garden feasts in front of you and your guests. The Oak Room offers intimacy, a private outdoor courtyard, and walls of picture windows.

• Reception capacity 150. Seated dinner capacity: 120.

Vineyard Lawn

The Vineyard Lawn is nestled among acres of Pinot Noir grapevines, surrounded by ancient oaks and lavender fields. The signature Vineyard Lawn invites you and your large wedding to gather under the Santa Lucia Mountains.

• Reception/Ceremony capacity 300. Seated dinner capacity: 250.

Redwood Room

Perched high above the Vineyard Lawn in the Lodge, the Redwood Room spills out onto an expansive private outdoor terrace, where social cocktail hours are unparalleled.

• Reception capacity 250. Seated dinner capacity: 220.

Redwood Terrace

Perfect for socializing, this natural setting offers views of both the valley and the forest with plenty of space to gather and celebrate!

• Reception capacity 100. Seated dinner capacity: 90.

The Organic Garden

Intimate, rustic and magical year-round, the Organic Garden is one of the most unique reception settings you’ll find. Dine al fresco among award-winning flowerbeds, vegetables and herbs used to create their legendary farm-to-table cuisine.

• Reception capacity 350. Seated dinner capacity: 300.

The Range

The golf range is a memorable setting for your reception. It is steps from the redwood-lined Valley Lawn with a backdrop of sweeping valley views.

• Reception capacity 350. Seated dinner capacity: 300.

Vintner Room

For wine country “wow” factor, the Vintner Room’s retractable floor-to-ceiling windows offer vineyard views and spectacular sunsets. Step out onto the glass-walled terrace for al fresco revelry and s’mores around the fire pits.

• Reception capacity 100. Seated dinner capacity: 80.

We captured Anastasia and Tünde’s portrait session at Carmel Valley Ranch and it was so special. The couple are avid golf fans. They adore everything about golf, so it made sense for them to come visit the area during the U.S. Open. CVR has such beautiful lavender fields! There are pockets of beauty to photograph at every turn. It was so important for me, as a local Carmel Valley Ranch photographer, to capture their love in all of the right places- especially the golf course! I love choosing locations that are important to my couples. It’s a way to personalize their experience. Knowing your way around the venue is especially key, which is why I highly recommend hiring a local Carmel photographer! Long story short, there are so many reception areas for your Carmel Valley Ranch wedding that you are sure to find the perfect place for you.

Address: 1 Old Ranch Rd, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93923

5. Holman Ranch Carmel – A Wedding Venue Focused on YOU

As a 750 acre private estate, Holman Ranch only hosts one event at a time. This provides couples with exclusive access to their historic hacienda, secluded lawn, and guest rooms during their event.

Holman Ranch is a boutique winery with stunning vineyards that produce some of the region’s best pinot noir and chardonnay. Their state-of-the-art wine cave allows for unique tasting experiences and a venue for cocktail hours or seated dinners.

Throughout the property, you have an extensive selection of both natural and historic settings to fit the mood of your wedding. From their intimate stone terraces to spacious lawns, they’ve hosted gatherings of all shapes and sizes, from 2 to nearly 400, making them one of the top venues in Carmel.

Wedding Venues in Carmel & AGS Wedding Photography

We captured Ellie and Houston’s Holman Ranch Wedding and it was absolutely incredible! This location is one of my favorite places to shoot weddings. The venue is stunning with so many beautiful spots to capture special moments. Ellie and Houston slowly got ready in the morning with their wedding parties and decide to share their first look coming down the aisle. Houston’s reaction is priceless and a real tear jerker. The wedding was full of love, joy, and endless smiles.

While Ellie and Houston had a large wedding, Holman Ranch is also a great choice for an intimate wedding. Alea and Devon had such a fun and small Holman Ranch wedding! The couple knew they wanted to have a winter wedding with just a handful of their closest family and it was perfect. The wedding day was magical with the sun peeking through the clouds. The trees were turning colors, which matched beautifully with the deep red and green velvet dresses the couples’ family wore. We were able to adventure the whole day around Holman Ranch together! Alea and Devon’s picture-perfect intimate wedding ended with the two dancing the night away!

Address: 60 Holman Rd, Carmel Valley, CA 93924

6. Top Wedding Venues in Carmel: The Lodge at Pebble Beach, a Golf Lovers Dream

Pebble Beach Resorts has three distinctively unique and beautiful wedding locations: The Inn at Spanish Bay, The Lodge at Pebble Beach and Csa Palemro. We are sharing all of the best features of The Lodge at Pebble Beach Resort, but if you are interested in any of the three, we are happy to be your Carmel Valley wedding photographer!

Ceremony Locations at The Lodge at Pebble Beach Resorts

18th Lawn

The 18th Lawn is the grassy oasis set between The Lodge and Stillwater Cove, and is adjacent to the famed 18th hole of Pebble Beach Golf Links. Their signature ceremony site offers unobstructed views of Carmel’s white sand beach and Point Lobos in the distance.

• Guest capacity: 200.

Fairway Lawns

The 3rd Fairway Lawn is the grassy expanse perched above the 3rd Fairway offering gorgeous water views over Stillwater Cove.

• Guest capacity: 200.

Fairway One Lawn – Guest capacity: 125

Reception at one of the wedding venues in Carmel

Card Room & Library

After sharing your sweet vows, it is time for your beautiful reception. Just beyond the iconic entrance to The Lodge at Pebble Beach, the Card Room and Library feature crystal chandeliers, marble fireplaces and an expansive patio offering exquisite, unobstructed ocean views. The two rooms open onto one another with double sets of tall French doors.

• Guest capacity: 60

Pebble Beach Room

The most spacious venue at The Lodge at Pebble Beach, located on the upper level, is the Pebble Beach Room. It boasts a stately ambiance for larger weddings. The adjoining patio overlooks the 18th green of Pebble Beach Golf Links, Stillwater Cove and lovely manicured gardens.

• Guest capacity: 125

Address: 1700 17 Mile Dr, Pebble Beach, CA 93953

What do wedding venues cost? For wedding venues in Carmel, it really depends on where you go and what special touches you envision. The Knot – Wedding Venues in Carmel By The Sea, CA has a roundup of some venue costs so you can get an idea.

What are your thoughts on our top wedding venues in Carmel? If you are interested in any of these or finding another one of the amazing Carmel venues, contact me! As a Carmel wedding photographer, I am ready to capture your dream day!