 Wedding Guidelines,
Policies & Preferred Referrals
(Revised January 15, 2008)
Wedding
& Special Events Coordinator
Our Coordinator has worked with many couples and groups over the years and understands the complexity of careful planning. She is familiar with the Ranch staff, grounds, meeting spaces, inventory and general guidelines to assist you with creating a unique and memorable occasion. This service includes pre-event consultation, planning and on-site service coordination throughout your event to ensure a smoothly run experience. A planning guide is developed for the day of the event and is shared with the hosts and key service providers.
Contract
Information
A signed contract is necessary for all functions held at Westerbeke
Ranch. The contract requires an initial deposit and details the cancellation
and payment policies.
Cleaning
& Breakage Deposit
Cleaning and breakage deposits are to cover excessive damages and will
be assessed immediately after departure. This deposit is due with your first deposit payment, and will be refunded within 30 days of departure, if there are no claims against the funds.
Service
Charge & Sales Tax
Service charge and California sales tax will be applied to the food & beverage portion of your final invoice. For overnight stays, local occupancy tax will also be applied. These charges cannot be precisely determined until departure as they are based on consumption and items actually purchased.
Babysitting
Services
You might consider the service of babysitters. Bringing your own, whom your children already know and are comfortable with, is best. If you cannot bring your own babysitter please contact the Ranch office for a local referral. We understand that children are a part of family celebrations, all we ask is that you follow these simple guidelines in order to ensure the children's safety and comfort.
* Children
must always be supervised by an adult.
* Parents/supervisors must clean up after their children.
* No children are allowed in the hot tub or pool without an adult.
Parking
Even though there is plenty of parking available at Westerbeke Ranch,
we encourage car pooling. Please advise your guests to ride share.
Sanctuary
Wedding Sites
For offsite wedding venues, such as churches, please refer to www.sonomavalley.com
Guest
Occupancy, Maximum
Overnight Accommodations (Max.) 49 guests
Event Maximum: 120 guests
Rental
Items
The Special Events Coordinator will work with you to determine what you will need to rent once you have designed your ceremony, meal and dancing plans. Heaters are sometimes needed during early spring and late fall.
Massage
Indulge yourself with a relaxing and therapeutic massage by one of our professional staff. These services can be arranged through the office.
Disabled
Access
It is important to confirm whether you have any disabled guests, especially those in wheelchairs. We have two special parking areas, one accessible bedroom with toilet and temporary ramps. Since the Ranch was constructed in the 1930's, and is located on a hillside, we have limited access, especially for overnight accommodations. We need to know this information prior to your arrival.
Airporter
Service
We use the services of the Sonoma
Airporter, with trips made daily to and from the San
Francisco Airport. Reservations are required through their office at
(707) 938-4246.
Beverages
Coffee, tea, juices at breakfast, bottled water, lemonade and iced teas are included with your weekend package. You can order your alcoholic beverages directly through us or you can bring your own. Let us know which you prefer to do. We can only accept delivery of your beverages beginning the Monday prior to your wedding. Please mark your beverage boxes indicating your name and date of event so that we do not inadvertently mix them with our own.
Catering
Services
We are known for our fantastic food and are available to prepare your celebration meal, however, if you would like to have an offsite caterer, please contact the office.
Officiants
Word of mouth is usually the best way to find an officiant. Be sure you are comfortable with the officiant's style and approach to marriage and relationships, and remember that your officiant needs to be licensed to do the honors. We have heard ceremonies given by the following and have found them to be personal and heartfelt.
Rev. Connie Beall (707) 792-1117
Rev. Mary Beard (707) 546-8782
Carolyn Ringo (707) 823-6903
Ema Drouillard (415) 382-8494 www.CeremonyWay.com
Wedding
Cake Bakeries
We recommend the following local bakeries and suggest that you contact
them to determine your wedding cake needs.
Michelle Marie's (707) 575-1214 www.MichelleMaries.com
Perfect Endings (707) 259-0500 www.PerfectEndings.com
Cake Coquette (415) 248-6840 www.CakeCoquette.com
Photographers
We have included the following names of fine local photographers who are not only familiar with the Ranch but offer a wonderful range of artistic talents.
Diane Askew (707) 939-7506 www.DianeAskew.com
Morgan Benoit (707) 584-0361 www.PhotoBenoit.com
Caroline Kopp (415) 256-2427 Call for information
Rob Scheid (415) 314-9616 www.RobScheid.net
Decor
& Floral Designs
You will need personal flowers for the wedding party and the ceremony. Whatever flowers are used for the ceremony site, can be used again for the buffet, and then again for the wedding cake/dessert area – we will move them for you. In addition, we suggest a floral arrangement for each dining table and four or five mid-size arrangements for the bar, welcome, appetizer, and other miscellaneous tables. Some people have floated various flowers in our pool. Since we have a “lip” on the edge of our pool – we cannot have free floating, lit, candles in the pool unless they are contained inside something that inhibits the candle from floating under the lip and burning it. We recommend the following local florists and highly suggest that you use their services.
Star Five Designs (707) 935-7575 www.StarFive.com
Wildside Flowers (707) 782-9071 rosager@comcast.net
Viola Flowers (707) 338-2003 www.ViolaFlowers.com
Lavender Floral (800) 566-9901 www.LavenderFloral.com
Entertainment
Acoustical music can be played indoors or out, but, amplified music and microphones are not allowed and all music must conclude by 10:00 P.M. We have very strict guidelines set forth by the Sonoma County Permit and Resource Management Department and need to adhere to their quiet by 10:00 P.M. ordinance. Please refer to our “Event Music Guidelines” page for more clarification. We have included the following musicians who we feel can offer you types of music that are well suited to the environs of Westerbeke Ranch. If you are feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of locating musicians – consider the services of the two music brokers listed first.
Folkloric Productions www.Folkloric.net
Nada Lewis-Music Broker (510) 243-1122
Napa Valley Music Associates www.NapaValleyMusicAssociates.org
Marcia Battat-Music Broker (707) 252-8671
Los Compas (415) 378-6348 www.MiguelGovea.com
Latin Music
Adama - Achi Ben-Shalom (510) 528-8872 www.AdamaMusic.net
Traditional Jewish Folk
The Klez-X (510) 658-4528 www.KlezX.com
Traditional (and Non!) Jewish Folk
Harmonics Steelband (510) 799-6553
Authentic Caribbean Music
Baguette Quartette (510) 528-3723
Vintage Parisian
Restrictions
| • |
120 is our maximum number of guests allowed. |
| • |
NO
amplified music allowed, this includes microphones. |
| • |
Due
to limited parking spaces we ask that you carpool. |
| • |
We
respect the rural quality of our country road; we request that you
not post signs, balloons or streamers. |
| • |
Prior
to your event, you'll probably want to come by the Ranch a couple
of times to show parents, friends, etc. Please
call ahead and make arrangements for this visit. Just dropping by
could be inconsiderate to the private group that is here and a busy
staff that is not expecting you. |
| • |
Please
include travel directions to the Ranch in your invitations. |
| • |
Absolutely
no hard liquor allowed on the premises. |
| • |
Music
must stop precisely at 10:00 P.M. Party must conclude by 11:00 P.M. |
| • |
The
pool and hot tub are not available during any part of the ceremony
or reception due the serving of alcoholic beverages. The regular
pool and hot tub hours are from 8:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M. daily. |
| • |
Cabin
check out on your last day is 11:00 A.M. Please do a final check
for lost and found items at this time. |
| • |
Ranch
departure is promptly at 1:00 P.M. Start gathering your belongings
early so that you have time to leave unhurried. Remember your left over beverages. |
| • |
Please
pick up any items left at the Ranch within two weeks of your event.
(Send a friend if you're on your honeymoon!) We are not responsible
for lost, forgotten or stolen items. |
Congratulations!
(707)
996-7546
We invite
you to visit our beautiful home and workplace, please feel free to make
an appointment for a tour. If you would like to contact us or request
more information, you can email us or even better, fill out our online Contact Form. |
