Monterey

Monterey

It has lured writers, poets and Hollywood stars. Its bluffs and vistas have been filmed for countless movies. It helped launch the Beat Generation, jazz festivals and the dreams of romantics the world over. It is the Monterey Peninsula, a destination for unforgettable weddings and honeymoons.

In Monterey, the old spirit of California can still be seen in its historic buildings, many lovingly restored. Cannery Row, once the center of Monterey’s sardine industry, now draws visitors to its renowned restaurants and pubs and its famous aquarium.

Pebble Beach, accessed by 17-Mile Drive, hosts world-class golf tournaments, including the U.S. Open and the annual AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on its acclaimed courses. Its breathtaking coastline includes Cypress Rock, Bird Rock and the much-photographed Lone Cypress.

Legendary Big Sur entrances visitors the first time they see its majestic cliffs of the Santa Lucia Range, as mountains meet ocean with a spray of mist and the crash of waves. Once you are enveloped by the spirit of Big Sur, you’ll see why writers and artists such as Jack Kerouac, Henry Miller and Edward Weston were drawn to this piece of California paradise.

Big Sur

The Post Ranch Inn

With organic elegance, the Post Ranch Inn nestles into the cliffs of Big Sur, offering sanctuary for a romantic honeymoon amid the natural beauty of the surrounding forest. Each building is inspired by nature, from the Butterfly House with its outstretched wings to the circular Coast House that echoes the neighboring redwood trees.

If you love the architecture of the Inn, but would like more space and even more privacy, reserve Terra Mar, a luxury property designed by Mickey Muennig, the architect of the Inn. Stunning views are matched by an interior that seems to flow with the tide.

The spa at Post Ranch Inn is famed for its signature treatments, including sessions with a shaman who offers such processes as Destiny Retrieval and Illumination. Or, if getting your cardio workout in the fresh air sounds appealing, book a private nature trek over the cliffs and through the woods. Each hike is tailored to your specific abilities. 800.527.2200 | postranchinn.com

Ventana Inn

Built by movie producer Lawrence A. Spector, Ventana sits above the Big Sur coast, and with views to both the coastal hills and the blue Pacific, its name—“window” in Spanish—could not be more appropriate.

Dream weddings turn into reality at Ventana. The Wedding Site has uninterrupted 50-mile coastline views. The Lower Terrace, next to Cielo, the hotel’s restaurant, can accommodate a larger group. Vista del Mar lies within Cielo’s herb garden and is perfect for more intimate gatherings.

For true Hollywood glamour combined with Monterey charm, reserve the Tower House, a three-story octagonal house set apart in a redwood grove. The ground floor has a deck with a private spa while the living room features a river rock fireplace. A sleeping loft and bathroom make up the second floor, and the third story is an enormous deck with views to forever. Bottles of champagne and wine await your arrival. If you like, a chef from Cielo will come to the house to prepare and serve meals created just for you. 831.667.2331 | ventanainn.com

Carmel and Environs

ernardus Winery and Lodge

Embraced by native oaks and cultivated vineyards, Bernardus Lodge is like a villa set in Tuscany with a Pacific sea breeze wafting through the courtyard. Oversized tubs, stone fireplaces and Italian linens are found in all of the 57 rooms, while patios and balconies overlook immaculate grounds.

The organic element to Bernardus is highlighted at the spa where lavender grown on the property and harvested by hand is used as an exfoliant and grape seed oil massages ease tension. The Vineyard Romance treatment is a wonderful way to relax before or after your wedding. The two of you will share a Harvest Crush exfoliation before a lavender grape seed bath, followed by a massage and tea service.

The two-acre garden complete with rosebushes provides a romantic backdrop for your ceremony, while the award-winning cuisine and wine cellar of the celebrated restaurant, Marinus, ensures perfection for your rehearsal dinner or reception. 888.648.9463 | bernardus.com

the mountains near monterey california

Holman Ranch

The 400-acre country estate of Holman Ranch sits above Carmel Valley and commands stunning views of the Santa Lucia Mountains. Built in 1928, the ranch has long been a refuge for those seeking privacy, from Hollywood stars to those who are looking for a picturesque venue for an Old California wedding.

A number of spots around the ranch can set the stage for your celebration. Weddings take place on the lawn with panoramic views while the Great Room, with its picture windows and original terracotta tiles, is a wonderful place for an elegant cocktail hour. On a winter day, your guests will enjoy the warmth from the fireplace in the Theatre while being served drinks from the antique bar. 831.659.2640 | holmanranch.com

Stonepine Estate

With four private homes and cottages, Stonepine Estate offers unparalleled luxury and seclusion on its 330 acres. Chateau Noel, the owners’ residence, offers six suites, from the Don Quixote Suite with French doors leading out to a secluded garden to the Venetian Suite with its canopied king bed. The Gate House once housed Joan Baez’s Institute for the Study of Nonviolence and today is a celebrity hideaway.

Stonepine can arrange a spectrum of glorious weddings, from formal affairs with a vintage horse-drawn carriage to beautiful ceremonies at the Paddock House Lawn and Pavilion. Tip: While you can certainly get to Stonepine by rental car, make a grand entrance by chartering a helicopter or requesting the estate’s own Phantom V Rolls Royce. 831.659.2245 | stonepinecalifornia.com

Monterey

Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa

Extending out over the water to give its guests an unsurpassed seaside experience, Monterey Plaza combines the best of European elegance with California coastal ambiance, making it the luxury destination in the heart of Monterey.

The Cannery Row Suite is a perfect romantic getaway. The living room comes complete with a fireplace and wet bar, while the bedroom offers its own fireplace and whirlpool tub. For ultimate grandeur at the top, book the Presidential Suite and enjoy its sundeck, full bar and 180-degree view of Monterey Bay.

The Duck Club Grill, with its innovative cuisine and impeccable service, is a wonderful choice for a rehearsal dinner. Two bayside terraces provide idyllic settings for ceremonies, and in the ballrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows delight guests with vistas of the Pacific Ocean. 831.646.1700 | montereyplazahotel.com

Pebble Beach

The Lodge at Pebble Beach

There are actually three resorts at Pebble Beach, but the legendary flagship of them all is The Lodge at Pebble Beach. The understated elegance of the Lodge has enchanted guests since 1919, the year both it and its famous course, Pebble Beach Golf Links, opened. Most of the traditionally styled rooms feature fireplaces and balconies or patios with stunning views of gardens, fairways or sunsets over Carmel Bay.

Weddings at The Lodge can be celebrated at a number of beautiful locations, but for an authentic Pebble Beach experience, plan an outdoor ceremony on the famous 18th fairway at the Links. With the waters of the bay in the background, your wedding will have a one-of-a-kind ambiance. 800.654.9300 | pebblebeach.com

Reel to Real

For almost a century, film directors have used the incredible landscape of the Monterey peninsula as a backdrop for their movies. Now you can relive some the famous scenes in cinema history through a custom tour by Monterey Movie Tours. The multimedia coach is one of only five in the world, with eight monitors for viewing enjoyment.

“One of the favorite things couples like to do is to book a tour for family and bridal party members on the evening of the rehearsal dinner,” says Doug Lumsden, company founder and president. “It’s a very romantic tour. We take them to different locations and show them love scenes from the movies.”

The company can help arrange a stop for wine or even your rehearsal dinner at the renowned Lodge at Pebble Beach. Celebrate your upcoming nuptials with your loved ones, then get back on the coach for the journey home.

“On the return trip, couples will bring their montage CDs,” Lumsden says. “We put it on for them, and then it’s so quiet, you can hear everyone’s reaction, from crying to laughter. It’s just like in a movie theater, and the bride and groom get to be the stars.” montereymovietours.com

Automobile aficionados flock to the peninsula every August for the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, a premier historic car competition. Nearly 200 of the rarest cars in the world, with names such as Daimler, Voisin, and Bugatti, sit on the famous 18th fairway of the Pebble Beach Golf Links, all burnished to a finer-than-mint shine. The Tour d’Elegance, the parade of the cars through the region’s winding roads, is held the Thursday before the main event. Proceeds benefit local, national and international charities. pebblebeachconcours.net

Play Dizzy for Me

Dedicated to perpetuating jazz—that uniquely American music form—the Monterey Jazz Festival is the longest-running jazz festival in the world. Started in 1958, when Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday graced the stage, today the festival proudly features such artists as Los Lobos, Diana Krall and The Dave Brubeck Quartet. Ticket packages provide you with reserved seats for arena performances. montereyjazzfestival.org