You’ve said yes. You’ve celebrated with family and friends. And now comes one of the most exciting parts of planning your wedding: finding the place where it will all happen.
Your venue is where so many of the moments you’ve been imagining begin to take shape. It’s where you’ll get ready, exchange vows, gather everyone you love for dinner, raise a glass and take your first spin around the dance floor.
As you start touring wedding venues, enjoy it. This is your chance to walk through beautiful spaces, picture your day and begin discovering what feels right for the two of you.
Start with What You Picture
Before you schedule your first tour, spend some time talking about the wedding you both imagine.
Do you see yourselves exchanging vows outside with vineyards behind you? A candlelit dinner with your closest family and friends? A larger celebration followed by a full dance floor?
You don’t need to know your flowers, colors or table settings yet. Start with the bigger picture: the people, the setting and how you want to celebrate together.
That vision will help guide you toward a venue that feels like you.
Find a Space That Fits Your People
Your guest list helps determine which venues will work best, so have an approximate number in mind as you begin your search.
At Ponte, couples can choose between two wedding settings. Our Vineyard Pavilion accommodates celebrations of up to 200 guests, while our Pond & Barrel Room welcomes up to 80 guests for a more intimate gathering.
Whether you’re picturing a room filled with everyone you know or dinner surrounded by your closest people, there’s something special about seeing the space for the first time and imagining it filled with your guests.
Picture the Whole Celebration
As you tour, imagine more than the ceremony.
Picture your guests arriving. Think about where everyone will gather afterward with a glass of wine. Walk into the reception space and imagine the tables set, dinner being served and music playing later in the evening.
Having your ceremony and reception in one place allows the celebration to flow naturally. Your guests can enjoy each part of the day without having to leave the property, and you get to spend more of your wedding day with them.
Get Excited About the Menu
Choosing your wedding menu is another part of the planning process to look forward to.
Think about what you’d love to eat on your wedding day and what you want to share with your guests. Ask about menu choices, tastings and how dinner will be served.
And, of course, think about the wine.
A winery wedding gives you the opportunity to make wine part of the celebration, whether that’s a favorite white poured as guests gather, bottles of red and white shared over dinner or a special wine chosen for the toast.
Look at All the Little Details
During your tour, ask what’s already included with the venue. Tables, chairs, linens, dinnerware and other details can give you a wonderful starting point for creating your reception.
Then comes the fun of making it your own.
Flowers, menus, place cards, candles, family traditions and personal details can transform the space into something that feels completely yours.
Fall in Love with the Setting
One of the joys of a vineyard wedding is having the scenery become part of the day.
In Temecula Wine Country, the vineyards change with the seasons, and each time of year brings a different look to the property.
As you walk around a venue, notice the places that catch your eye. Picture your ceremony backdrop, family photos in the gardens, portraits between the vineyard rows and a few quiet photos together as newlyweds.
These are the places that will become the backdrop to photographs you’ll have for years to come.
Make a Weekend of It
Your wedding doesn’t have to begin when the ceremony starts or end with the last dance.
If family and friends are traveling to celebrate with you, consider turning the occasion into a full weekend together.
At Ponte, couples can welcome guests with a rehearsal or welcome dinner, celebrate their wedding the following day, stay at Ponte Vineyard Inn and gather again for a farewell brunch before everyone heads home.
Your guests can also enjoy wine tasting, dining and time in Temecula Wine Country between celebrations.
It gives you something especially valuable during your wedding weekend: more time together.
Enjoy the Tour
Photos are a wonderful place to begin, but there’s nothing quite like walking through a venue yourselves.
Stand where you could exchange your vows. Walk through the reception space. Look out over the vineyards. Imagine your favorite people gathered there.
Ask questions, take photos and talk about what you both love as you go.
You may walk onto a property with a list of things you’re looking for and leave being able to picture your wedding there.
When You Can Picture the Day, You’ll Know
Choosing your wedding venue is the beginning of bringing your celebration to life.
Find a place that fits your plans, welcomes your guests and, most of all, makes the two of you excited for the day ahead.
If you’re dreaming of getting married surrounded by vineyards in Temecula Wine Country, come spend some time with us. We’d love to walk the property with you, show you our wedding spaces and hear what you’re picturing for your day.
(951) 694-9444 or weddings@PonteWinery.com
