While I may have hung up my wedding coordinator hat a couple of years ago, I didn’t hesitate to help out family friends when asked to coordinate their wedding this past weekend. Thank you, Jenny & Adam, it was an honor to be your coordinator for the day!
Their venue of choice was the beautiful award winning Park Winters country estate located in Winters, California, about 40 minutes from Sacramento. This was the first opportunity I had to view the property and trust me, it did not disappoint!
The land was purchased in the mid-1800s by George Washington Scott for a large grain farming and stock-raising operation and the Park Winters Mansion was built in 1865.
Upon entering the property you are greeted by the venues Bed and Breakfast, a majestic and historic Victorian Inn. Stay on the path past the Inn and you will encounter a gorgeous fountain, lush gardens and expansive lawn area leading you to a charming event barn and a guest house referred to as the “Tower”.
You will find various lounge/conversation areas along the way, (all great for photo ops) and if you continue down the path, you will come across a very large stand-alone door inviting you into the gorgeous saltwater pool and spa area.
There are plenty of options for ceremony and reception locations on the property. You have use of the event space for 12 hours along with the main house and guest house and because the venue only hosts one event at a time, the run of the property is reserved for you and your guests only.
Adam and Jenny chose to have the bride and bridesmaids use the main house to get ready and the groom and groomsmen, the guest house. Did I mention that the houses come with a “House Hostess”? You need to bring your own snacks and beverages but the House Hostess will provide plenty of chilled cucumber water, see that your snacks are plated, provide glasses for your beverages and help out with any requests you may have regarding both houses.
Because the rental of the venue includes such a generous amount of time, one advantage of having your wedding here is the ease and time afforded to decorate the venue. After years of working in the wedding industry and having assisted with hundreds of weddings, I had become accustomed to venues that typically limit setup time to one to two hours before the ceremony. Adam and Jenny had the venue from 12 noon to midnight with their wedding ceremony starting at 5:30 pm which allowed for a relaxed and fun experience for all who helped with their setup.
The land surrounding the estate grounds continues to be a working organic farm. The food prepared by their award-winning chef and professional staff uses ingredients not only from their farm but from their neighbor’s surrounding farms. I can vouch that the food was exceptional and the service beyond reproach.
In summation; this venue is stunning, relaxed, romantic, magical, and best of all unique!
