Beautiful Wedding Sites Near Bakersfield, California
Your wedding is one of the most important events in your life and where you have your ceremony and reception is one of the most important decisions you’ll make regarding your wedding.
A winery, a beach, a vineyard, a ballroom, a Victorian home, or ? Weddings are done everywhere now with wineries and vineyards being the most popular.
In this article I’ll mention a few reception venues near Bakersfield, California. Ceremonies are sometimes done at the same site as the reception; often the ceremony will be held outdoors at a site, then move (but on the same property) so the reception is done inside. Many ceremonies are still done in churches and the receptions are being held just about anywhere.
The Bakersfield Museum of Art offers three different venues for your wedding. You can have your ceremony or reception inside one of the museum galleries which have a capacity of 125 people, or inside their banquet room which handles up to 200 guests. Another option is their beautiful and lush garden outdoors; this venue has a capacity of 300 guests. Any of these sites can be rented for either four or five hours with two hours for set up and take down plus an additional hour for rehearsal purposes, if needed. Their packages include a variety of table shapes and sizes, chairs, a PA system, piano and security. You’ll also receive a family membership to the Bakersfield Museum of Art.
The Bakersfield Country Club has a beautiful room perfect for wedding receptions. The landscaping around the course itself is very lovely and makes an excellent backdrop for your wedding pictures. This is a private country club so you must be a member to hold an event here. They can accommodate up to 250 guests at this venue. The women’s and men’s locker rooms are very nicely appointed and would work for preparing for your wedding. Visit their website at www.memberstatements.com
The Kern County Museum also has several lovely wedding sites. You can get married, or have the reception in their Transportation Courtyard, with a 1940’a style gas station, old fashion lampposts in a tiled courtyard. This venue can seat up to 300 guests. For a smaller group of up to 60 guests, you can rent the Fellows Hotel, from the 1920’s era. It’s been fully refurbished, has a kitchen and two private restrooms. Their chapel was built in the late 1800’s and would work out for a ceremony for 60 people or less and the green will hold up to 150 guests.
There is a lovely Queen Anne Style Victorian, The Howell House, and both the home and the adjacent green will handle up to 150 guests. The Bandstand and Green will handle up to 750 guests or 500 with a dance floor. There is an additional fee to use the kitchen at that site. There are a couple of other places also. For more details, visit their website at www.kcmuseum.org.
RiverLakes Ranch Golf Course would be a beautiful spot for your wedding ceremony and reception. Their indoor ballroom has wonderful views of the fountains, lakes, and the golf course. Or, you can have the ceremony and reception outdoors. Keep in mind the very hot summers in the region; I’d suggest nothing outdoors after 12 noon from mid May to mid October. Some of their wedding packages include complimentary passes to the golf course for the groom and three of his guests. Visit riverlakesgc.com for additional information.
The Petroleum Club of Bakersfield is “Twelve Stories Above The Rest,” located on the 12th floor in downtown Bakersfield, overlooking the city. For over 50 years, this organization has been an integral part of business in Bakersfield. In addition to a large event facility on the 12th floor, they have several other rooms of varying sizes. Check them out at www.thepetroleumclub.com
Another excellent place for both your wedding ceremony and reception is the Seven Oaks Country Club in Bakersfield. This country club is actually part of a planned, gated community of luxury homes with terrific amenities. Again, you must be a member of the country club in order to have a special event at this location. If you are lucky enough to belong to this club, you will have a memorable andwonderful, well-planned out wedding or other special event here.
Last but not least, is Coconut Joe’s. Located on Easton Drive, this restaurant does nothing but private parties. You’ll need to have a guest list between 100 and 200 people and after that, the staff will take care of everything for you. They are set up to handle the decorating, whatever chairs and tables you’ll need, a sound system, etc. They have another location which is their “Grill House,” and they also do off-site catering. Visit coconutjoes.com. for extra information.
There are many other venues in the Bakersfield area, although not as many as other parts of California. Some are located in the larger hotels in the area. The information in this article will give a you good start on obtaining local wedding information.
Happy wedding planning!
