Celebrate Love at Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa Wedding

Rancho Valencia is a luxury 5-star resort nestled in Rancho Santa Fe, California (San Diego County) with designs influenced by Spanish and Mediterranean architecture. It’s been open since 1989 and has attracted high-end travelers, including famous entertainers, politicians, celebrities, and business leaders. 

Having a Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa Wedding naturally makes a great wedding venue with the convenience of having all the accommodations on site. Your family and guests will definitely won’t stop talking about how magical your wedding weekend felt. Speaking from first hand experience, the customer service, food, and the staff, everything is guaranteed to be an incredible experience.

Reasons to Choose Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa for Your Wedding

Oftentimes, couples are torn between Rancho Valencia Resort or another 5-star resort in San Diego. What makes Rancho Valencia stand out amongst the other local resorts is the vibe, ambiance, and top-notch service. This destination definitely makes you feel like you’re in San Diego or California and it’s often what couples from other states desire for their destination wedding. One of the great things about Rancho Valencia is the free valet and delicious food at their restaurant (The Pony Room). The hospitality and customer service always added a nice experience and I love stopping by here for a self-care spa day. Everyone was so nice! 

P.S. As a photographer, I love that Rancho Valencia has a variety of photo spots and despite it being a big resort, all the key locations are very close to each other. 

Rancho Valencia Resort Wedding Ceremony and Reception Spaces

Croquet Lawn (Max 500 guests)

The Croquet lawn is also one of my favorite parts of Rancho Valencia because of how spacious it feels. On a normal day, it’s really just a blank canvas of lawn that’s well-maintained with so much room to be creative with it. This 8,400 square foot outdoor space can hold up to 500 guests and is conveniently located near the entrance of the resort.

Valencia Lawn (Max 500 guests)

This is one of the spacious spaces at Rancho Valencia, which can accommodate up to 500 guests. The ceremony site in this blog’s gallery is at the Valencia lawn. Recently, People’s Magazine featured Seattle Seahawks Quarterback Sam Darnold chose those space for his ceremony site with Katie Hoofnagle.

The Sunrise Room (Max 40 guests)

The Sunrise Room is an indoor space that can accommodate up to 40 guests for the reception part of the wedding. It has an open-beamed ceiling, giving off an ambiance that feels warm and cozy. The morning light that shines in this room adds a nice touch, hence the room was named after this. 

The Sunrise Patio/Terrace

• Ceremony limited to 220 guests
• Cocktail hour limited to 150 guests
• Dinner limited to 100 guests

This patio space is probably one of my favorites at Rancho Valencia. It’s located close to the entrance and The Pony Room (restaurant). The reason this place left such an impression was because it had beautiful tiles, a fountain, a fireplace, and most importantly the trellis adorned with climbing white roses, bougainvillea, and hibiscus. This space is quite versatile because its use is really dependent on what you desire and your guest count. If you love an outdoor space for your pre-wedding or post-wedding events, then this would honestly be my top choice.

Rose Garden (Max 50 guests)

The rose garden is best during spring time because that’s when you’ll be able to see the most blooms. It’s a very beautiful and intimate space that’s ideal for weddings with small guest counts. An intimate event at Rancho Valencia will definitely give a laid back luxury vibe that feels both relaxing and enjoyable. Even if you don’t end up doing any ceremonies at this site, it’s also a great photo spot at Rancho Valencia for family formals and bridal party portraits. It’s right above the olive grove and surrounded by large palm trees. 

Terrace Ballroom and Patio (Max 200 guests)

The Terrace Ballroom is a 2,000-square foot indoor space that reminds me of the time I entered a beautiful hotel in France. This ballroom opens up into the Terrace Patio, where it is well-lit and great for your guests that want to enjoy a breath of fresh air.

The Hacienda (150-200 guests)

Reserving the Hacienda is best for couples that desire a private experience, where you and your guests will have an exclusive space to celebrate. The space reminds me of a villa, which comes with three bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room space, along with a backyard where there’s a pool and jacuzzi. The ceremony and reception space is usually held in the Hacienda backyard, where it’s spacious enough to accommodate about 150-200 guests.

Wine Cave (Max 22 seated guests)

Based on the maximum guest limit, you can already tell the Wine Cave is ideal for more intimate and small gatherings, including pre-wedding events or post-wedding soiree. Some examples include, rehearsal dinners, bridesmaids’ luncheon, or wedding showers. 

Wedding Cost at Rancho Valencia

The wedding cost at Rancho Valencia is dependent on the following factors:

• Total guest count
• Wedding design
• Catering selection
• Other additional services

You should expect to spend about $470+ per person for food and beverage

Best Time of Year for a Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa Wedding

As a Californian, I can honestly guarantee that the weather is always nice about 80% of the time. The only months you might have to reconsider doing everything indoors is probably around November to January. It’s just a rough estimation, but always discuss this with your wedding planner and have a back-up plan in place.

Tips for Planning a Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa Wedding

Recommendations:

• Reserve your wedding date at least a year in advance.
• Encourage your guests to reserve the rooms with the room block discount because there’s a limit of 150 guests for overnight stays.

Other Relevant Information:

• A minimum spending is required and begins at $20,000 for catering and beverages.
• Weekday wedding fee is not as high as the fee of a Saturday wedding.
• Like most venues, a service charge is applied. For Rancho Valencia, there is a 20% service charge applied to all services.
• Third-party catering service providers are not permitted. Instead, Rancho Valencia offers in-house catering with specialties in American, French, Italian, Grill, Vegetarian, and Vegan cuisine. 
• Bringing your own drinks is not permitted
• Pets are allowed
• No fireworks
• No smoke show
• No confetti
• Events need to finish at 10:00 pm and all equipment removal should be done no later than 11:00 pm.

What’s Next?

We highly recommend scheduling a tour at Rancho Valencia to experience the resort in person and to get all your questions answered by their team. Contact Rancho Valencia today and get started!

Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa stands out as the ideal venue for couples looking to host their dream wedding. With its stunning setting, exceptional service, and luxurious amenities, this resort creates an unforgettable experience for both you and your guests. Don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate your love in a truly magical environment. Contact us for more information about our wedding photography collections and take the first step towards the wedding of your dreams.

Vendors

• Venue | @ranchovalencia | Website
• Planning & Design | @taylorkayesdesign | Website
• Photographer | @sarahnguyenphotos | Website
• Videographer | @stevendornfilms | Website
• Content Creator | @xo.haileycontent | Website
• Hair & Makeup | @randall_beauty | Website
• Florals | @petal.scapefloraldesign | Website
• Cake | @connorscraftcakes | Website
• Stationery | @papermade.studio | Website
• Rentals | @brighteventrentals | Website
• Tableware | @theark_ | Website
• Linens | @reverie_social | Website
• Bridal Dress | @nwlabridal | Website
• Bridal Shoes | @jimmychoo | Website
• Tux | @theblacktux
• Models | @brand_models @madelinehire @luke_desmarais