We held our wedding at Bar SZ ranch in June 2019. It was beautiful and exactly what we were looking for in a venue. Bar SZ allowed us to 1) host our families on-site for the weekend, 2) spread out our wedding activities, and 3) do what we wanted. And Tim and his family and staff were extremely helpful throughout!

The ranch has three airbnb style houses that are well appointed and spacious. We had our families stay in the houses for our wedding weekend, and it was very special to hang out with them in the houses and the common areas before the hectic wedding reception. We had friends stay in the glamping tents, and they found the beds very comfortable (though the chickens encouraged them to wake up in the morning). A few friends brought their own tents and camped, and took advantage of the camping showers to clean up for the party. With these folks were on-site, the nights by the campfire were really fun.

Our wedding activities were spread across the ranch. We held a Sangeet on Friday night on the slab, the ceremony on Saturday at the Eucalyptus grove, cocktail hour at the bar (along with general hanging out there throughout the weekend), and the reception on the grassy lawn. This helped each moment feel distinct. Thankfully, the friends and family on-site helped us move tables and setup decor. While all of this setup was our responsibility, Tim couldn't help but help us - he made the whole process easier.

The ranch also let us do what we wanted for our wedding weekend. We brought in the food we wanted. We could chose where to hold each event. We were also offered horseback riding and skeet shooting activities for us and our guests. Neither activity were things that we, as the couple, were familiar with before, but it was such a cool way to make some special memories with our friends and family. The horseback riding was cooler than any other riding experiences we had had before - you could actually guide the horse, as opposed to just sitting there and letting the horse follow the horse in front of it. Skeet shooting was the first time many of us touched a gun, and it was safe and fun. And the scenery was beautiful.

Tim, his entire family, and the ranch staff, were extremely welcoming and helpful throughout the weekend. They helped set things up and kept everything smooth through the weekend. They were even kind enough to accept deliveries from Amazon in the weeks before the wedding, which wound up being a lifesaver. We couldn't have chosen a better venue, especially with Tim and his team to make the weekend a success.

We are excited to return to the ranch, hopefully soon!

Bar SZ Ranch is absolutely gorgeous! My husband and I had our wedding here on June 9, 2018, and honestly I could not have imagined having it anywhere else. From first contact with Rebekah, I knew that this would end up being the place that we selected to have our wedding. Sure enough, when we went to visit we fell in love with the place. It is just so serene out there and we can't wait to go back. Rebekah, who was the point of contact for all wedding related details, is great at responding to e-mails and lays it all out there for you, which is great because it is so straightforward and everything is on the table. Then, there is Tim and Michelle and their kids who were just THE best, they were so helpful with the venue visits and during the wedding weekend we were on the ranch. They go way beyond expectations and are just so accommodating it really makes you feel welcome. We only spent a weekend with them, but I was so glad to have them be able to partake in some of our wedding festivities because again AMAZING people. There are so many things that you can do on the ranch there is never a dull moment (ALL THE ANIMALS). Also, there are so many different ways to customize parts of the ranch to make your dream wedding come true, Tim seems to always be open to any ideas you might have and will help as much as he can (within reason of course). I always hear that weddings are stressful, but I can tell you that mine had zero stress. Book your wedding here and you're guaranteed to have a good time. There's so much more I can write about this amazing place and the amazing people that run it, but I feel like I've given you enough to at least reach out and experience the ranch for itself and the people that run it. At the very least make a trip out there to check it out.

I think it's safe to say this is the single best wedding venue in California. Consider the reasons:
- It's gorgeous. It's just you and nature, with 660 acres of golden hills, which make for an epic backdrop during your wedding. The structures on the ranch add to the rustic feel. And the Art House makes for beautiful photos, too. And then there is that old oak tree on the hill that has overseen so many couples get married, including us. It is magical.
- It's remote. That means you can party all night and no one will care. But it's not that hard to get to: It's just 2.5 hours south of San Francisco. The closest town is 40 minutes north. Your cellphone won't get service, which is perfect.
- The Borland family and ranch staff work so hard to make your wedding dream come to reality -- while just being the nicest, warmest people in the process. We can't thank you all enough for allowing us to celebrate our special day on your magnificent property. And thank you all so much for being so welcoming and warm. They are truly wonderful people!
- It's good value. Renting the ranch for your wedding typically means you get the entire property for the whole weekend, including beds for up to 35 people. Then there's ample space for other guests to camp. While you do have to rent bathrooms, etc., for campers, you can recoup some costs by charging guests small housing fees. And otherwise there is plenty of infrastructure there.
- Most importantly, you have freedom. We ultimately chose the ranch because they allowed us to create the wedding we wanted: a party in the middle of a field that lasted until 5 a.m. So many other venues we considered had countless rules about where we could go, what vendors we had to use, when we could be there, etc. Bar SZ Ranch has very little of that. The ranch is your canvas from when you arrive on Friday to when you leave on Sunday, enabling you to create your very own wedding weekend. We highly recommend this venue.