Stunning Santa Cruz Mountain Wedding Venues
When it comes to Santa Cruz wedding venues, we can’t resist a stunning mountain location. They are a dream to photograph. A Santa Cruz Mountain wedding venue is perfect for adventurous couples, nature loving couples, wine enthusiasts, and really any couple that wants a beautiful and picturesque location for their wedding. So, if any of these things describe you, then you’ll want to seriously consider getting married in the Santa Cruz mountains.
Of course, as photographers, we love Santa Cruz Mountain wedding venues because of all the natural beauty that surrounds them. For couples searching for the perfect place to celebrate their wedding, the natural beauty of a Santa Cruz mountain wedding venue makes it super easy for you to plan and design a beautiful wedding.
There are so many amazing wedding venues tucked away in the gorgeous Santa Cruz mountains, we couldn’t possibly list them all. But, we are excited to share with you some of our absolute favorite Santa Cruz Mountain wedding venues and why we love them.
Regale Winery | Los Gatos, CA
Regale Winery radiates elegance and charm as soon as you step onto the property. This Santa Cruz mountain wedding venue is reminiscent of the old world wineries of Italy and France and is one of our absolute favorite venues ever! The wedding venue is nestled in the heart of the Santa Cruz mountains not too far from downtown Los Gatos, CA.
Regale Winery is a wedding venue with both indoor and outdoor spaces that offer so much to couples, including Italian fountains, lush gardens and greenery, an olive orchard, a vineyard, a barrel room, ornate fireplaces, vaulted ceilings, Italian fresco paintings, a rustic barn, and most notably a breathtaking view of the Santa Cruz Mountains. One of our favorite features of this wedding venue is the stunning second floor bridal suite with floor to ceiling windows that overlooks the whole venue and the amazing mountain vista.
For more photos and inspiration from this stunning Santa Cruz mountain wedding venue, check out Jessica and Isaac’s elegant Regale Winery Wedding.
The Waterfall Lodge | Ben Lomand, CA
The best word to sum up the Waterfall Lodge would be WOW! This Santa Cruz mountain wedding venue provides a wedding experience like no other. The retreat style venue is hidden high in the Santa Cruz mountains where the redwood trees are massive and the mountain air is so crisp and fresh. Every inch of the property is surrounded with natural beauty, from the towering redwood trees to the lush greenery. And yes, there is a waterfall there too! The outdoor ceremony and reception spaces transport you and your guests away from the busy Bay Area into a tranquil enchanted forest. When it comes time for dancing, the gorgeous rustic barn opens up for the party. If you are dreaming of a weekend getaway wedding, then this Santa Cruz mountain retreat may be the perfect choice as it’s collection of charming and rustic cabins can accommodate you and your guests overnight.
We love the serene setting of the Waterfall Lodge and the endless opportunities for wedding portraits among the majestic beauty of the Santa Cruz mountains.
For more photos and inspiration from this Santa Cruz mountain wedding venue, be sure to check out Kaitlyn and Paul’s Waterfall Lodge Wedding.
Mt. Madonna County Park | Watsonville, CA
It really doesn’t get much more natural and outdoorsy than Mt. Madonna County Park. This Santa Cruz mountain wedding venue is a 4500+ acre Santa Clara County Park full of majestic redwood trees, oak trees, and all kinds of other lush greenery. It is the perfect spot for weddings of any size from elopements to large gatherings. One of the best features of this gorgeous Santa Cruz mountain wedding location is that it is very budget friendly with numerous space rentals available for only a nominal fee, including a pretty and intimate ceremony site with log style benches for your guests.
For more photos and inspiration from this Santa Cruz mountain wedding venue, check out Keely and Tony’s beautiful boho Mt. Madonna elopement.
Saratoga Springs | Saratoga, CA
Saratoga Springs located in the Santa Cruz mountain foothills in Saratoga, CA is a perfect choice for couples who want to enjoy the natural beauty of a Santa Cruz mountains wedding without having to travel too far from the Silicon Valley. This all outdoor, family owned Santa Cruz mountain wedding venue offers multiple event sites nestled among towering redwoods, running creeks, and a beautiful stone bridge. We love how the ceremony site, reception site and many picturesque photo spots are conveniently located in one central location and don’t require much walking for couples and their guests. Bonus, the on-site food provided by this amazing wedding venue in the Santa Cruz Mountains is absolutely delicious!
Testarossa Winery | Los Gatos, CA
With the Santa Cruz mountain region being known for being home to over 200 wineries, including some of the oldest in California, it should be no surprise that another winery is on our list of favorite Santa Cruz mountain wedding venues. Testarossa Winery is over a century old and is full of historic charm. It’s located just in the hills right outside of downtown Los Gatos. This wedding venue’s outdoor patio is flanked with massive redwood trees that serve as the backdrop of the outdoor ceremony site. The venue also boasts a rustic and charming wine cave that can serve as an indoor ceremony site as well. Besides the breathtaking Santa Cruz mountain backdrop, one of our favorite features of this wedding venue is the adorable stone cottage that is used as the bridal suite.
For more photos and inspiration from this Santa Cruz mountain wedding venue, check out Mary and Jerrod’s evening Testarossa Winery Wedding.
Nestldown | Los Gatos, CA
For couples wanting a classically elegant garden affair in the Santa Cruz mountains, Nestdown is the place to have your wedding. The elegant garden setting of the venue is made even more beautiful by the giant redwood trees that border the whole property and serve as the backdrop of the ceremony site.
We love both the natural beauty and the carefully curated beauty of this Santa Cruz mountain wedding venue and the endless possibilities for beautiful photos that the wedding location offers.
Nestldown offers so many unique and fun features. Some that we love about Nestldown are the adorable onsite train, bocce ball at the cocktail hour, a whimsical garden cottage, and the most impressive two story barn with amazingly romantic lighting.
Nestldown wedding venue photos borrowed from our sister brand, Silver Creek Wedding Photography.
Santa Cruz Mountain Wedding Venues
We hope you loved seeing some of our favorite Santa Cruz Mountain wedding venues and all of the stunning beauty each one has to offer as a wedding location. If you’d like to see some more of our favorite wedding venues to photograph, check out our post on Bay Area winery wedding venues.
Hi! We’re Breanne and Fernando, husband and wife wedding photographers from Vivo Photography. We photograph weddings and engagements all over the San Francisco Bay Area and San Jose. Are you currently planning your engagement photos or wedding? We would love to be part of your team. Click the button below and Let’s chat!
