Top 10 List of Venues in the Bay Area

Hunting for the perfect venue to meet the needs for your big day can be a tedious task. As you are creating your list, we felt that another set of helping hands wouldn't hurt. Down below we generated a list of 10 venues, covering the Bay Area. Our top two highlighted picks are San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo  and The Rengstorff House in Mountain View 

The San Francisco Theological Seminary

The San Francisco Theological Seminary is a great place to celebrate an outdoor wedding. I was blessed with the opportunity to work at this venue for Arshia and Stephanie Behnam's wedding on July 19, 2014.  I was amazed by the beauty surrounding the area and the great service that was presented by the management and staff. Although the video above isn't the wedding I worked for, it clearly illustrates the kind of wedding experience you can have . Below are some pictures provided by Hana Chung Photograpy as well. 

Here is a personal quote from Arshia and Stephanie, the newlyweds 

"We chose the San Francisco Theological Seminary because we wanted an outdoor venue with a beautiful view.  The Geneva Terrace overlooks Mt. Tam with the Seminary's castle-like buildings in the foreground, which really makes for a stunning backdrop for a wedding.  The venue has a relatively low venue fee and allows you to bring in any caterer, DJ, florist, etc. that you would want, so you can really tailor the day exactly as you'd like."

If you're interested on planning a tour or have any inquiries please feel free to contact....

Debby Carey

Events Manager of Events & Conference Services

Weddings & Special Events

San Francisco Theological Seminary 105 Seminary Road, Montgomery Hall, Office G06 San Anselmo, CA 94960

(415) 451-2843 Direct | (415) 451-2857 Fax | dcarey@sfts.edu

The Rengstorff House

On September 7, 2013 I had the opportunity to work for Jason and Katy Ingram.  Their wedding took place at The Rengstorff House, a Victorian Italianate facility located within a 750-acre wildlife and recreation area; It is primarily an outdoor space, with sweeping lawns, brick patios, and garden areas … while also providing access to the indoor furnished space.   Check the pictures below provided by Erica B. Photography 

Here is a personal quote from Katy Ingram , the bride

"Our wedding at the Rengstorff House was everything that we had hoped for. The vintage house and gorgeous trees created the perfect balance of beauty for our DIY shabby-chiq wedding! The venue was intimate enough to feel close to all of our guests, yet large enough for our friends and family to relax and take in the sights of the trees, flowers and nearby lake. For our daytime wedding, the tall trees provided just enough shade to keep our guests from sizzling in the sun, and the light breeze from the lake kept the air moving and cool. There are so many hidden treasures around the venue, from the water tower and windmill to the weeping willows surrounding the property - there are an unlimited amount of photo opportunities! The staff at the Rengstoff House was happy to work with us, and very responsive. We felt well taken care of, and couldn't be happier with our choice of venue. They are extremely affordable, but do not provide any services except for the physical location. (aka - the perfect spot for the true Do-It-Yourself bride!) I highly recommend the Rengstorff House, it was nothing short of a structured yet whimsical dream!" 

If your interested on planning a tour of have any inquires about The Rengstorff House please visit their Facebook page at www.facebook/rengstorff-house

 or Contact 

Kristina Perino

Senior Recreation Coordinator

email:   rhouserentals@mountainview.gov   

Here are other venues that I have worked at. Click the venue name to visit their website. 

• Silicon Valley Capital Club (DTSJ)
• Hayes Mansion (South SJ) 
• Nestldown (Santa Cruz Mountains)
• Saratoga Foothill Club (Saratoga)
• University Club of Palo Alto (Palo Alto)
• Handles Gastropub (Pleasanton)
• Willow Heights Mansion (Morgan Hill)
• Ocean Hotel (Half Moon Bay)

This post was done in collaboration with Rosey Gonzales

Favors, Flowers, & Centerpieces

With wedding planning, there are many little details that can make a difference. We thought to ourselves, how can we help that process?

What came about, was this round-up of youtube videos and websites that focus on ideas/DIY's related to favors, flowers, & centerpieces. And while you are going through these, don't forget to hit that play button on our Cocktail Hour Playlist.

CENTERPIECES:

CLICK THE LINK BELOW FOR MORE DIY CENTERPIECE IDEAS ON PINTEREST 

Website: http://www.pinterest.com/exclusivelywed/diy-wedding-centerpieces/

CHECK OUT OTHER CENTERPIECE IDEAS ON THE VIDEO ABOVE

FAVORS:

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR "42 WEDDING FAVORS YOUR GUEST WILL ACTULLY WANT" 

Website: http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/useful-wedding-favors-your-guests-will-actually-want

CLINK ON THE VIDEO ABOVE FOR OTHER IDEAS ON WEDDING FAVORS

FLOWERS: 

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW ON DIY FLOWERS

Website: http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/06/diy-how-i-made-my-own-wedding-bouquet-.html

CLICK ON THE VIDEO ABOVE FOR MORE FLOWER IDEAS 

This post was done in collaboration with Rosey Gonzales

Cocktail Hour Playlist

After the ceremony, the celebratory festivities begin. Guests are encouraged to mingle, partake in appetizing starters and spirit lifting beverages. To round out that experience, a nicely refined set of tunes can encourage the right kind of mood. 

Down below we put together a sampler platter of songs to serve during "Cocktail Hour"

This post and playlist was done in collaboration with Rosey Gonzales

DJ NAPPY PRESENTS SOUL THERAPY AT MYTH

SOUL THERAPY AT MYTH

DJS

GOLDENCHYLD

G-WREX

RATED R

REMEDY

New Site, New Me.

View fullsize

Life is all about manifesting destiny. This is a story about the journey I took to manifest  DJGWREX.COM. The idea came to me after my DJ set at one of my private events while I was packing up my equipment. A majority of my clients would leave the party wanting to refer me to their colleagues, friends, and family. I would simply say "thank you" give them a hug and hand them my business card. Although business cards are effective tools, I wanted to give my clients more. Hence the birth of this online destination. 

I needed a place where my clients can get to know, see, and hear me. In order to make this happen, I knew I had to collaborate with the right creative. First on my list was Barry Lai at Design Rehab. Barry is a rare talent. His keen sense of what the consumer wants in addition to his sense of style and detail is something that I was looking for in the creative direction, branding, and designs.

The site and rebrand took about three months to complete. Constant emails and phone calls between Barry and I became a ritual. We spoke about the look of my new logo, the direction of my brand, and what my website needed to convey. Constant iterations and critiques made us obsess over each others work. Once things came to an agreement between Barry and I, the next step was to take photos. 

With the new rebrand, I needed someone to help capture me in my purest moments as a DJ - a person with a set of eyes that understood what needed to be accomplished through photo composition. Barry understood my vision and was able to prescribe some Salt as the solution. I can explain, this man goes by the name of "Salt". I've seen his work on Instagram (@shotbysalt) and easily agreed with the direction. His photos leave you with a sense of wonder and mystery. Something I exactly needed through the shots.

What an adventure! I never knew how much work went into taking photos. I literally had to go on a hike, climb mini mountains and boulders for my photos, but it was worth every single dangerous moment. What I loved most was learning the elements it took to take a great photo. Salt definitely knows what he's doing and I'm truly honored to have him shoot my site profile shots.  

Lastly, Goldenchyld (who Barry also rebranded), brought his honest view points when it came to my site aesthetics and functionally as well as my new mix, Carpe Diem. 

A single idea gave birth to creativity, friendship and experiences. I've learned about what it takes to build a website, rebrand a artist, how much light is needed in a photo and how to filter the low end in a mix, but most importantly, I learned about myself and manifesting destiny through hunger. I learned that if you really focus on something weather it be 20 minutes or 4 hours things will begin to reveal themselves. Life is all about your thoughts and what you do with it everyday. In the motto of 99u life is "1% idea 99% perspiration". 

G-WREX