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Attributes highlighted by couples

Unique aesthetic style
Quality catering
Guests comfort
Amenities

About

On WeddingWire since 2013

Located in Pescadero, California, Venture Retreat Center is a wedding venue that invites couples to experience the natural beauty of the Northern California coastal region. The center has a long history of community spirit and invites parties to gather and celebrate together in harmony with the earth. Conveniently situated 10 minutes off the coast and accessible from both San Francisco and San Jose, it is an ideal location for guests traveling from far and wide. The venue is a great choice for nature-loving couples who want to celebrate in their own slice of private paradise.

Facilities and Capacity

Venture Retreat Center is an effortlessly stylish and luxurious retreat enveloped by the serene calm of the Northern Californian landscape. With roots in the 1960s counterculture movement, the center has served as a place of spiritual exploration and self-discovery for decades. Wedding parties are invited to rent the entire premises, allowing them to celebrate in privacy and seclusion from the outside world. Guests can wander the forest that surrounds the center, meandering through its ancient redwoods or visit the creek, and taking a moment to reconnect with nature. Indeed, couples can choose to exchange their vows under the shelter of stately boughs in a sophisticated outdoor ceremony. The party can continue afterward on the lawn, taking advantage of the surrounding natural beauty and the year-round California sunshine. Rental of the venue includes access to a stylish selection of rustic event furniture. As dusk falls, the warmth of a campfire invites attendees for intimate chats in its glow or to gather around toasting marshmallows and s’mores. The venue is ideal for a wedding weekend amongst close friends and family, and because the venue can be rented in its entirety couples have the freedom to celebrate as they wish. This includes partying the night away as guests see fit, as there is no curfew in place thanks to the property’s isolated location. During the weekend guests can take advantage of the center’s many facilities such as its pool and hot tub. There is enough space to accommodate up to 50 guests in the lodge, and another 50 on its campsite grounds.

Services Offered

Venture Retreat Center’s staff welcomes couples to the venue and provides support throughout their wedding experience. The management welcomes outside vendors, and can also provide access to a fully equipped kitchen for caterers. The coordination team listens to couples’ needs and works with them, providing advice on the property and its surrounding area.

  • Woman-owned

Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

No

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

No

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Bridal Suite
Event Planning
Parking

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Wedding Cake

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

5

Describe your venue:

Campsite/Cabin
Farm/Ranch
Resort

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Accommodations
Event Planner
Event Rentals
Get Ready Rooms
Outside Vendors
Wifi

What food and beverage items are available?

China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
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Any other questions?

Message vendor
4.8 out of 5 rating
6 Reviews
  • Quality of service
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.5 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    5 out of 5 rating
100% Recommended by couples
C
Czd Sent on 02/07/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Last minute wedding in nature!

VRC helped accommodate us and our entire family when our original reception venue cancelled due to wildfires (we were married in September 2020)! We ended up doing an informal wedding ceremony and reception here. They were super flexible and obliging even though our very large group scheduled with them very last minute. We used all of the grounds (stayed the night before our wedding and the night after) and it was so beautiful! The venue is surrounded by nature - some woods and very close to the beach - but still had the comforts of a very spacious kitchen/dining, bathrooms, etc. The only issue we ran into was that there was no cell service - but we wanted an unplugged ceremony anyway. :)
C
Chandra Sent on 02/10/2016
4.9 out of 5 rating
Venture Retreat Center is a wonderful place to have a wedding. We had our ceremony on the beach and our reception at Venture. Bob was great and very flexible with us about all the logistics. We built an entire lighting rig in the space beside the pool to go over our tables and took it down in plenty of time- the place was transformed and we had everything we needed.
We highly recommend it- its just beautiful. Recommended for a smaller wedding- as parking was just a little tricky but not a problem. This is a rural site and that's why we chose it.
We loved having places for our wedding party to stay on site. Some folks camped. The pool and the hot tub were a great bonus. The kitchen complete with just about all the supplies we needed was awesome.
We love Venture and want to come back for other occasions....we'll be in touch Bob! <3
Thank you Bob!!!
Chandra and Jay
C
Chris Sent on 02/16/2016
4.9 out of 5 rating
Venture Retreat Center was the ideal venue for our wedding. We had a big vision with a small budget, and Venture was the only place that gave us enough flexibility to realize our vision and not completely break our budget. Other venues had so many rules, restrictions, and added fees - the answer to every question was either "no" or "yeah, but it'll cost you". The answers we got from Venture, on the other hand, tended to be "sure, why not, it's your wedding!" That's all we wanted hear. Venture is not "fancy", but the grounds are lovely, it was very reasonably priced, there was space for many of our guests to spend the night, and the folks running it genuinely wanted us to be able to create the event we dreamed of. And we did. Our wedding at Venture was a beautiful gathering of friends and family, and everyone had a spectacular time.
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Awards

6
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner

Pricing

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Venture Retreat Center frequently asked questions

Venture Retreat Center includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Bridal Suite
  • Event Planning
  • Parking
Venture Retreat Center includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Wedding Cake
The space offered by Venture Retreat Center for wedding events is known for:
  • Campsite/Cabin
  • Farm/Ranch
  • Resort
Venture Retreat Center offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
Venture Retreat Center offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Elopements
  • Rehearsal Dinner
Venture Retreat Center offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Accommodations
  • Event Planner
  • Event Rentals
  • Get Ready Rooms
  • Outside Vendors
  • Wifi
Venture Retreat Center is recommended by 96% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.8 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 5 in flexibility, 4.9 in quality of service, 4.8 in average response time, 4.8 in value and 4.5 in professionalism.

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