Sites we've already ruled out:
1) UC Berkeley Botanical Garden: The reception area here stinks. The ceremony area was very pretty, but a 15 minute ceremony is not worth $1k if we have to have the reception elsewhere.
2) Wildwood Acres in Lafayette: Food options were unacceptable. Limited vegetarian options, and no way of tasting the food, plus food presentation needs help.
3) Waterfront Hotel in Jack London Square: We didn't think the site was really suitable for a wedding. Wasn't really sure where the ceremony would be, and we weren't nuts about the reception room (really dark, kind of blah).
Sites we're considering:
1) Scott's Gardens in Walnut Creek (http://www.herecomestheguide.com/location/detail/scotts-gardens/)
Costs: Total estimate was about $8500, which includes: ceremony/reception site, all tables/linens/china, a Sunday brunch menu (10 AM-4 PM) with a dessert table, free valet, champagne toast (full glass), 2 bottles of wine per table, and a capped bar tab of $750.
Pros: Scott's food is fantastic, and their Sunday brunch is amazing. Their menu is very flexible - you can pretty much add anything you want. The site was very nice (prettier than I could capture in the photos), with multiple fountains, a garden area, very elegant and classy looking. Also very affordable: they waive the fee for renting the site on Sundays, and the ceremony site is only $250.
Cons: The ceremony area is dinky and didn't really wow me; I doubt our wedding party would even fit. It was the smallest site of the ones we saw - not much room for kids to run around. Bar expenses would be considerable (for ex, $75 for Moet & Chandon white star, sodas $3, beers $5).
2) Hacienda de las flores in Moraga (http://www.herecomestheguide.com/location/detail/hacienda-de-las-flores/)
Costs: I think $1500 for the site, including tables/chairs/umbrellas but nothing else.
Pros: Very beautiful. The site is easily the biggest of all of them, includes use of the entire property, which has a pavilion, a big mansion-like house, a botanical garden trail, and a huge lawn, and everything looks amazing. You can pick your own caterer so you have more control over the food, and you can bring your own alcohol. We get a resident discount (around $1000). Very kid-friendly. Also, the cost is the same for a Saturday as for a Sunday.
Cons: Alcohol limit: cannot bring more than 1/2 bottle of champagne/person, OR no more than 3 beers (however, the site is literally 100 feet from Tim's door, so we could probably smuggle more in if needed). I liked the reception area better at Scott's, but I liked the overall site better here. A bit louder than the other sites, as it is right off of Moraga Rd. Overall not "all inclusive" like other sites, which means extra coordination on our part to bring it all together. Not as weather proof either -- if there's bad weather, it ruins the event.
3) Mira Vista Country Club in El Cerrito (http://www.herecomestheguide.com/location/detail/mira-vista-golf-and-country-club/)
Costs: $1650 for reception room + $850 for ceremony room; lunch costs at around $31/pp + alcohol priced comparatively to Scott's + tax/service charge
Pros: Panoramic views of the bay (when it's not overcast, like it was on the day we visited). Very "warm" feeling with a lot of wood on the ceilings and stuff -- still very pretty on a crappy day. Beautiful bar area.
Cons: No idea what the food tastes like (although it's supposed to be good). Wasn't as "wowed" by it as by other sites I saw. A little further away than the other sites we looked at.
4) Brazil Room in Tilden Park (http://www.herecomestheguide.com/location/detail/brazilian-room/)
Costs: Most expensive site at around $3400 (not including any food/alcohol)
Pros: Gorgeous inside and out. The ceremony site looks over a grassy knoll area and garden, which is really pretty. The inside has a lot of wood and sort of a lodge-y feel. They allow you to choose your own catering/alcohol which can control the cost somewhat. Fits a lot of people.
Cons: Expensive. So far I don't know what the other cons are b/c we didn't get a chance to talk to anyone about the site.
