Sausalito is one of the most romantic places I can think of for a wedding, so much so that it makes me second-guess the school ties that led us to have our wedding in our (lovely) old college chapel. But you don’t need me to tell you that the choice of a wedding venue is complicated!
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Confession: As a native of this area I love Sausalito and that shows in what I’ve written about planning weddings in this area. On the flip side, I’ll share some editors’ experiences that were not as fun, and at the bottom of this page I have some general suggestions for the kinds of weddings and receptions that work best here.
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Sausalito Wedding Venues
Everything from churches to a national park to a gazebo next to San Francisco Bay
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Sausalito Wedding Reception Spots
Indoor or outdoor, formal or casual
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Honeymoon in Sausalito
A quiet, beautiful honeymoon spot just minutes from San Francisco
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Churches in Sausalito
Several different faiths, settings and moods are available
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Sausalito Weddings in the Park
We have parks next to the Bay and parks with views of San Francisco
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Weddings in Muir Woods
There are many restrictions, but you can have a ceremony there
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Weddings in the GGNRA
A wide variety of choices, each with special rules
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The Most Romantic Sausalito Hotels
Some provide venues, others are honeymoon spots
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Sausalito Hotels with Views of the Bay
Including some popular Sausalito wedding and reception venues
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Sausalito Weddings: Where to Start Your Planning
Your choice of a wedding location and venue is very personal, and everyone’s tastes are different. Focus on how the two of you feel as a couple about to be married — as opposed to what your guests may want — and you’ll take the shortest path to a wedding that both you and everyone else will enjoy.
To put it another way, if you’re not happy with how the wedding takes place it’s not going to be fun for everyone else either. They come to celebrate your happiness, so building your event around what the two of you love will also serve your guests.
There are many wedding planning sites that ask great questions to help you plan, but here are some Sausalito-specific issues to consider:
Views — Are you looking for a venue right on the water, or with a panoramic view? This can set a wonderful mood for your event, but some couples find it to be a distraction from the ceremony and interactions. It’s critical that you visit the venue and then listen to your intuition — you’ll know if it feels perfect for you or if it’s not the right fit.
Size — If you’re having a large Sausalito wedding there are a few churches in town that could work, and a handful of restaurants, halls or hotels that can handle a large reception. But you won’t have anywhere near as wide a selection as you would across the Bay in San Francisco.
Cost — The Bay Area as a whole is a more expensive place to live than many places in the country. In that context, Sausalito weddings generally cost less than the same kinds of weddings and receptions in equivalent places in San Francisco.
Weather — If your wedding is taking place from May through October the odds are in your favor if you want to have an outdoor wedding, although spring and early autumn can have occasional showers. Rain in June through August is very rare. September and October are often are warmest months due to weather patterns that suppress the San Francisco fog that can cool down afternoons during the summer.
I am grateful that the weather for Sausalito weddings is more predictable than it is for many destinations. We once attended a beautiful wedding in Hawaii… only to have the ceremony rushed as a pounding rain started to pelt down on us and everyone waited for “You may now kiss the bride!” before running for cover. It was too late, and everyone was soaked to the skin.