Eloping in California

California elopement packages!

There are so many different areas of California which are great for eloping:

• Southern California Beaches
• San Francisco Bay Area
• Wine Country of Napa, Sonoma
• Etc., Etc., Etc.

Where to begin?

Southern California Beaches

The good news for couples wishing an intimate elopement ceremony on the beaches of Southern California is that many of Southern California's public beaches are free for small gatherings, often with no permit required. You will want to check with each individual beach, however, as some beaches do require a permit.

When seeking out an elopement package for a Southern California beach you would want to look for a hotel directly on the beach, or check with individual wedding officiants who offer elopement packages which include a beach location. Some standouts here are:

Santa Barbara Elopement

DestinationSantaBarbara.com
27 W. Anapamu Str. suite 278
Santa Barbara,CA
(805)689 5463
email: ic@DestinationSantaBarbara.com

Destination Santa Barbara offers a wedding package which includes a beach or bluff location in Santa Barbara, as well as:

• Officiant
• Witnesses
• Driver who will take you to and from the ceremony, as well as tour of Santa Barbara after the ceremony
• Photo package
• Wedding cake
• Bouquet/boutonniere
• 2 nights at an area hotel

As of July, 2009, this package costs $3,695.00.

San Diego Elopement

The San Diego area has some spectacular beaches, including the awesome beaches of La Jolla - Windansea and Cuvier Park, also called "The Wedding Bowl."

San Diego Vows
Curtis and Vickie Rhodes
4186 Stephens St
San Diego, CA
619-906-8736 or 802-349-0041 (cell)
Website: sandiegovows.com

San Diego Vows is a husband and wife wedding officiant team who provide elopement packages in and around the San Diego area, including La Jolla and Del Mar beaches. They offer a bare-bones "ceremony only" package for under $300, as well as several elopement packages for under 25 guests. Their "Petite Package" costs under $1,000 and is for 6 guests or under and includes:

• Officiant
• Filing of the License after the ceremony
• Bridal bouquet and matching boutonnière for the groom
• 60 wedding images on CD shipped free of charge

Catalina Island Elopement

Catalina Island lies approximately 26 miles away from Los Angeles and Long Beach, and is a very popular place for weddings large and small.

If you need an inexpensive Catalina Island elopement package, then consider the simple ceremony package from the people at Magical-Melodies & Weddings (catalinaweddings.com) for under $200. They offer elopement packages with many more bells and whistles, including their Island Romance "Just For Two" Package for $2250 (as of July, 2009), which includes (among a host of things):

• Round trip Catalina Express Boat for two
• Two-Night hotel stay with in-room Jacuzzi
• Minister
• Wedding day photo with frame
• Telephone consultation prior to ceremony
• Seaside ceremony location
• 1-hour Rolls Royce tour of Avalon
• Wedding cake
• 48 professional wedding day photos

They have many other elopement and small wedding packages to choose from, so do check out their website, or call 310-510-9614 for more information.

San Francisco Elopement

San Francisco and the Bay Area is a very romantic location to elope and honeymoon. The city itself offers honeymooners much to see and do: walking tours, theater, romantic restaurants, ferry rides. As you can imagine, however, San Francisco can be a pricey place to elope. That's why it's good to know there's a fabulous place to elope for very little cost: San Francisco
City Hall.

San Francisco City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

San Francisco City Hall is where you can go for a license, as well as a wedding ceremony. And, what a splendid place it is! With a wide, winding staircase (great for photos) and intimate nooks and crannies (also great for photos) San Francisco City Hall is a very elegant and cost effective place for a wedding ceremony. It'll cost you $93 for the license and $70 for a ceremony.

Ceremonies are available Monday through Friday at 10AM, 10:30AM, and from 12:00 noon through 3PM every half hour. There is also an additional 11AM and 11:30AM ceremony on Thursdays and Fridays only. You can get more info at www.sfgov.org/countyclerk.

Queen Anne Hotel
1590 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA
415-441-2828
Email: stay@queenanne.com
website: queenanne.com

If you want something more elaborate than a simple City Hall ceremony, but keep it within a reasonable price, then you may want to consider the Intimate Wedding package offered at the Queen Ann Hotel on Sutter Street. As of July, 2009 this wedding package was priced at $1,500, and included:

• 2-night stay in the Honeymoon 'Garden' Suite
• 1-hour used of their parlor for your wedding for up to 6 guests
• Non-denominational minister
• Bridal bouquet & boutonniere
• Wedding cake

The Queen Anne is in the Pacific Heights area, near Union Square and all it has to offer: cable cars, incredible shopping, theaters and art galleries. For current elopement package prices do go to their website at queenanne.com

Wine Country of Napa Valley

Although there are many different "wine country" areas in California (and, we'll be covering them all in the future), many people consider Napa Valley THE wine country of California. With it's rolling hills, vineyards and superb spas and restaurants, it's a very romantic place to elope. And, one of the most romantic spots for an elopement package in Napa Valley is Churchill Manor.

Churchill Manor
485 Brown Street
Napa, California
800-799-7733
churchillmanor.com

Churchill Manor is a 125-year-old mansion in Napa Valley which is easy walking distance to downtown Napa. They offer beautiful gardens, croquet on the south lawn, a grand piano in the music room, as well as tandem bikes to their guests for rides into Napa. They're also included in "Best Places to Kiss." And, they offer elopement packages on Sundays through Thursdays, April through November, and any day of the week, December through March.

Churchill Manor offers two elopement packages, the "The Simply Elegant" and "the Ultimate Intimate."

The Simply Elegant Package includes:

• Wedding coordination
• 2-night stay for the bride and groom
• A ceremony location -- you can choose the grand parlors, on the rotunda of the verandas, or in the gardens
• Officiant
• Wedding bouquet and boutonnière
• Wedding cake
• Champagne toast with Napa Valley sparkling wine

The Ultimate Intimate Package includes all of the above, except the bride and groom receive a three-night stay, as well as:

• Professional wedding photography
• In-room massage for two
• $250.00 gift certificate towards a gourmet dining experience at one of Napa's top restaurants
• Six-hour wine country limousine tour, including wine tastings and gourmet picnic lunch
• Two logo Churchill Manor robes, two logo champagne flutes, Napa Valley bubbly (750ml), and Napa Valley chocolate truffles

While in Napa you will want to take advantage of all that the vineyards and wineries have to offer, including tastings, as well as the view, which is best seen overhead in a hot-air balloon.

You can find out current elopement package pricing by going to their website at churchillmanor.com.

Synonyms:  californian, californi, califormia, californa, californina, calofornia, clifornia, callifornia, californis, caliornia, califorinia, califirnia, califonia, caifornia, calafornia, califoria, calfornia, califorina, cailforni,  claifornia, califonria, california's, californai, califronia, and calfiornia are typos and mispellings for "California."  Elopin, elpoing, elopnig, and loping are all popular typos for eloping.  Elopeent, elopmnt, elopemet, eopement and elopemen are all popular typos for elopement.