One of the biggest mistakes clients make when booking a wedding or private event venue is to fall in love with the venue so deeply they are not paying attention to the site fee, according to local wedding and event planner Kerry Lee Dickey of Santa Barbara Wine Country Weddings & Events. “What ends up happening later on in the planning process is that suddenly the event client realizes that due to the amount they spent on the site fee (which is often just the rental fee alone and does not include many other necessary items), they don’t have the proper budget for other essentials for the event,” Dickey says. Items such as proper amount of heaters, in some remote locations, portable VIP restrooms, proper shading on hot days and much more, get neglected because there aren’t enough funds left after spending so much of the budget on the site fee.
In Santa Barbara’s wine country, the Santa Ynez Valley, there are gorgeous locations from which to choose. Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort is certainly one of them, but with the main ranch requiring at the very least a partial ranch buy-out, as well as other valley venues renting from $5,000-$10,000+ for site fees alone, choosing a private event location that is suitable with your overall spending plan is essential. That is where one of Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort’s satellite venues – open to the public and not requiring any overnight rooms or stays at the ranch – shines.
Alisal River Terrace offers a gorgeous intimate lake-view ceremony site surrounded by lush greenery and the wine country hills, as well as a reception site just above it that overlooks the same view. The outside terrace can host receptions up to 200 guests and the inside, cozy fireplace-centered indoor location can host up to about 60 guests (no dancing). The rental fee of approximately $2500 includes use of both sites as well as basic tables, linens, and chairs (up to a certain guest count) , as well as ample self-parking for guests, restrooms. Additionally, Alisal River Terrace event clients receive the food, beverage and service of its legendary owner and namesake: Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort. While there are delicious ranch menu specialties not to be missed (make sure you ask your Alisal Event Planner about them), Chef Pascal and his team also welcome the opportunity to custom-create something to wow your guests.
With the money you will save on your wine country wedding or private event at Alisal River Terrace, you will be able to afford delightful upgrades to your rental plan, such as specialty linens, china, possibly firebowls and Italian heaters – and don’t forget the incredible specialty lighting that makes an event site “pop” , from such professionals as Spark Creative Events (lighting) and Ventura Rental Party Center (rentals), to name a few. Another specialty service we recommend is valet parking with our exclusive preferred valet parking service Blue Star Parking & Valet. While there is ample self-parking at the terrace, with the money saved in the site rental fee, you will be able to spoil your guests with some genuine service, and the front entry of the terrace is perfect for guests to simply drive up and be taken care of by one of the fine team members of Blue Star Parking and Valet. Alisal has a list of preferred event partners to help make your event planning seamless.
To arrange for a site visit to tour Alisal River Terrace, discuss menu and event options, contact Christina Oliver , Director of Private Events & Conference Services at: Coliver@alisal.com or 805-686-7619 .
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