08 03 24
Saturday, August 3rd, 2024
Sonoma, California
MEET US IN CALIFORNIA
FIVE THIRTY IN THE AFTERNOON
VIANSA WINERY
SONOMA, CALIFORNIA
BLACK TIE OPTIONAL
THE CEREMONY
Viansa Sonoma
5:30 in the afternoon
THE RECEPTION
Viansa Sonoma
Dinner, drinks and dancing to follow
Buses will pickup and drop-off at two locations:
Please arrive 10-min early as these are actual departure times.
4:25 Departure
Sonoma Plaza Parking Lot (335 1st St E, Sonoma, CA)
4:35 Departure
Lodge Sonoma Resort (1325 Broadway, Sonoma, CA)
Early Return Shuttle: 10:00PM
Other Return Shuttles: 11:30PM
transport info
Buses will pickup and drop-off at two locations:
Please arrive 10-min early as these are actual departure times.
4:25 Departure
Sonoma Plaza Parking Lot (335 1st St E, Sonoma, CA)
4:35 Departure
Lodge Sonoma Resort (1325 Broadway, Sonoma, CA)
Early Return Shuttle: 10:00PM
Other Return Shuttles: 11:30PM
WEEKEND EVENTS
we hope to see you for a weekend of events and look forward to spending time together in Sonoma!
(and THANK YOU profusely for making the trek)
welcome to sonoma
friday, august 2nd
JOIN US FRIDAY FOR DESSERT & DRINKS
7:30PM - 9:30PM
The General's Daughter
400 W Spain St, Sonoma, CA
Attire: Cocktail. You may notice that Sonoma feels like an old Western town...feel free to bring out your boots if you have them (this is really just an excuse for Ryan to wear his cowboy boots).
10 MIN WALK FROM SONOMA PLAZA
after party
saturday, august 3rd
POST-RECEPTION UNTIL LATE
Steiner's Tavern
465 1st St, Sonoma, CA 95476
WEST SIDE OF SONOMA PLAZA
sticking around? pool party!
sunday, august 4th
Trust us - you’d rather be hanging out in Sonoma on Sunday than getting on a flight. We’ll probably be hanging around by the pool at The Lodge at Sonoma on Sunday.
We’d love to get a chance to see people in our home state, so whether before or after the wedding, feel free to let us know your plans as we might crash them!
TRAVEL
IMPORTANT INFO
Sonoma Plaza (also referred to as Sonoma Square) is at the center of town, and the central location for all events for the weekend! Sonoma's Historic Plaza has great options for dining and activities. While it's a great jumping point to explore wine country and beyond, you could also easily stay within the square for the weekend, as there are plenty of restaurants, wineries, bike rentals, and shops. We encourage you to stay near the Plaza, especially those booking VRBO/AirBnb as rideshare availability can be limited in Sonoma Valley late evening.
We have room blocks at three locations: Sonoma Valley Inn, The Lodge at Sonoma, and Courtyard Novato. Please see below for booking instructions.
Other hotel options are listed below that we recommend and most are within a 20 minute walk or less from Sonoma Plaza.
Please note transportation to/from the venue for the wedding will depart from Sonoma Plaza Parking Lot and The Lodge Sonoma.
We encourage you to book / secure lodging early (maybe even now that you've received our save the date!) - you can always cancel if you find a place you prefer more or rates change, but many locations on the Sonoma Plaza/Square are boutique properties that book in advance.
Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions about lodging - we'd love to help you find a home for the weekend that works!
WHERE TO STAY
below are the three hotels where we have a room block. please see instructions below for discounted rates!
sonoma valley inn
LAST DAY TO BOOK: 5/1/24
A 5 MINUTE WALK FROM SONOMA PLAZA
transportation will also pick up from sonoma plaza.
call 707-938-9200 to book.
the lodge at sonoma resort
LAST DAY TO BOOK: 6/21/24
20 MIN WALK, 4 MIN DRIVE FROM SONOMA PLAZA
transportation will pick up and drop-off at the lodge, a marriott property.
courtyard novato
LAST DAY TO BOOK: 7/5/24
A 25 MINUTE DRIVE FROM SONOMA PLAZA
transportation will *not* pick up at the courtyard novato.
$199/night rate
We don't consider this location 'Sonoma' / a place to explore via foot, but it may be a convenient option if you plan on exploring other areas or just want a place to rest your head. Please see our Q&A regarding transportation, as you will be responsible for your own transportation to weekend events if you stay at this hotel, and ride share availability may be limited at night from Sonoma.
OTHER HOTELS
below are other places to stay in Sonoma, but no group rate available. many are smaller, boutique hotels, so book in advance!
el dorado hotel
STAY RIGHT ON SONOMA PLAZA
in the center of all the action in sonoma
fairmont sonoma
9 MIN DRIVE TO SONOMA PLAZA
great hotel with pool and spa
macarthur place
15 MIN WALK, 3 MIN DRIVE TO SONOMA PLAZA
luxury hotel and spa
cottage inn and spa
ONE BLOCK OFF SONOMA PLAZA
modern hotel with suite rooms
bungalows 313
ONE BLOCK OFF SONOMA PLAZA
hotel with suite rooms
el pueblo inn
20 MIN WALK, 4 MIN DRIVE TO SONOMA PLAZA
a lower cost option near sonoma plaza
inn at sonoma
5 MIN WALK FROM SONOMA PLAZA
a boutique hotel in downtown sonoma
an inn 2 remember
5 MIN WALK FROM SONOMA PLAZA
a boutique hotel in downtown sonoma
the swiss hotel
STAY RIGHT ON SONOMA PLAZA
a historic hotel with an old school bar
sonoma creek inn
10 MIN DRIVE FROM SONOMA PLAZA
a lower cost option with pretty rooms
VRBO
JOIN UP WITH FRIENDS
sonoma plaza is the center of all the action
AIRBNB
JOIN UP WITH FRIENDS
sonoma plaza is the center of all the action
The City of Petaluma
ANOTHER NEARBY TOWN
the town of petaluma can be another option to stay (and generally has varying price point hotels / chains), although please note, you will need to provide your own transportation to wedding events. While not in the midst of wine country, it is ~25 minutes from Sonoma and does have a town center with dining & activities.
WHERE TO FLY
SFO is an easy option, but all three airports are less than 80 minutes from Sonoma Plaza.
Uber/Lyft from SFO to Sonoma averages $120 one-way, but rental cars are available at all airports. Transfers are readily available from SFO/OAK to Sonoma.
We suggest to book an Uber/Lyft in advance when returning to the airport.
san francisco (SFO)
70min
round-trip Uber/Lyft very easy
oakland (OAK)
65min
round-trip Uber/Lyft very easy
sacramento (SMF)
75min
we suggest to rent a car
santa rosa (STS)
45min
small airport, only Alaska and American fly here
WINE COUNTRY
take advantage of being in napa + sonoma valley!
if you click the link below, you will see a long list of great wineries and restaurants to visit during your stay. being in either valley in August is a great time to visit.
generally speaking, Sonoma tends to be slightly more affordable/casual for visits/tastings, but both offer incredible experiences, views and weather! You'll see spots clustered in Sonoma, Napa, and Healdsburg.
general guidelines / helpful tips for visiting wine country
- scheduling two visits is usually perfect! three visits is possible, but sometimes its easy to feel rushed when you have three scheduled
- our favorite itinerary is one tasting before lunch, lunch at Oakville Grocery or somewhere for a sandwich, and one tasting after lunch.
- the further north you go up the valley, the more rural it gets. if you need food/ubers, they are harder to get the further north you go.
- Nowadays, you generally need reservations as tasting rooms - however, some will let you walk in (mainly in Sonoma), or can ask to order by the glass
- For winery reservations, you can either book directly with the winery, or through 'Tock' or 'Cellerpass,' which are like the Opentable of wineries
- we recommend only visiting one 'area' a day - such as Napa/Yountville/Oakville, Healdsburg, or Sonoma, as driving between areas can get cumbersome
- we don't recommend going to wineries on Saturday before the wedding - we are getting married at a winery with lots of wine that needs drinking! Feel free to check out the google map for spots to visit during the daytime, such as walking around the Sonoma Square, hiking in Mill Valley, or driving to the Sonoma Coast.
A great day in Sonoma
Pick 2:
- Anaba Wines
- Patz & Hall
- Glorria Ferrer
- Domaine Carneros
- Scribe (best vibes, sometimes members only)
- The Sticks Wines at the Adobe (in the square)
- Auteur (casual, can walk-in, in the square)
- Gundlach Bundshau
- Cuvasion
- Cline Family Cellars
- Jacuzzi Winery
- Rams Gate Winery
- Domaine Carneros
Lunch at:
- Lou's Luncheonette
- Sonoma's Best
- in the square
A great day in Napa
Pick 2:
- Stag's Leap
- Ashes & Diamonds
- Cakebread
- Prisoner Wine Company
- Chateau Montalena - from the famous movie Bottleshock (would recommend a watch!)
- Chandon (Sparkling)
Lunch at:
- Gott's Roadside
- Brix
- Oakville Grocery
- Owbox Market
Other:
- drive / walk through Yountville, go to Bouchon Bistro for pastries, stop into RH Yountville
- walk around downtown Napa
A great day in Healdsburg
Pick 2:
- Macrostie Winery
- Flowers Winery
- Marine Layer Wines
- Cast Wines
- Bricoleur Vineyards
Lunch at:
- Oakville Grocery (the other one)
- Barndiva
Other:
- Walk around downtown Healdburg
MAKE IT A VACATION
We are so grateful so many of our guests are traveling across the country to celebrate with us. Outside of the weekend events, we (although likely biased) think California is a great place to explore, and many of these spots are reasons we love living in San Francisco. You can usually find us in the City, on the coast, or in the mountains!
We're listing below a few options to consider if you'd like to explore California further during your trip. Some are day trips that can be done during the wedding weekend, others would be best with an extra day or so. We'll add more details regarding some of these spots, but please feel free to reach out to us directly (or via our 'contact' page) as you start planning your trip, we'd love to send you our itineraries. These are just a few places to get ya started & get ya excited if you're considering extending.
We've also linked our favorites in our google map, we encourage you to visit!
SAN FRANCISCO
see the city
Sarah & Ryan's home base
think victorian architecture, parks filled with palm trees, and croissants (& other great food but we eat a lot of croissants)
~45 minutes from Sonoma
some of our favorites parks, restaurants, and places to see, with more favorites linked in our Google Map! We've linked a number of stops/sights in San Francisco or right across the Golden Gate bridge in Sausalito/Mill Valley that can be done in between the airport (SFO) and Sonoma, or if you choose to stay in the city prior to/after the wedding. You'll see spots clustered in some of our favorite neighborhoods, such as The Mission, Cow Hollow / The Marina, Fillmore Street, North Beach, and China Town. In all directions, the max distance between places in SF is only ~15-20 minutes!
What to Say: people lovingly refer to San Francisco as 'SF' or 'the city' - 'San Fran' immediately denotes you as a tourist!
Parks/Sights:
Crissy Field (see the GGB + Bay up close)
Mission-Dolores Park (views of the whole city)
Great Meadow Park at Fort Mason (see the GGB + Bay, but less windy)
Land's End / Ocean Beach
Golden Gate Park (our version of Central Park)
Lombard Street
Painted Ladies
Haight Ashbury for 70s inspired/vintage shops & the Grateful Dead house
Muir Woods (across the Golden Gate Bridge)
Drive to 'Hawk Hill' for coastal views (across the Golden Gate Bridge) or walk the Tennessee Valley Trail or Muir Beach Trail
Restaurants/Food:
Molinari's for a Sandwich in North Beach (the Italian-influenced part of town)
Tony's Pizza - also North Beach
Luccas Delicatessan for a sandwich to-go in Cow Hollow
Mamanoko for Sushi in the Marina with a legendary cookie dough sushi roll
Taqueria El Buen Sabor for a massive burrito to eat in Mission Dolores Park
Flour + Water for a fancy meal w/ a cocktail at Trick Dog
Burma Love
Arsicault Bakery for top 2 best croissant
Tartine Bakery for the other top 2 best croissant
Sam's Anchor Cafe Tiburon for ocean front views and seafood across the Golden Gate Bridge
Good Bars/Pubs:
Balboa Cafe (legendary spot, espresso martinis galore) in Cow Hollow, owned by Governor Gavin Newsome
Radhaus (views of the Golden Gate + Bay)
Bus Stop (best sports bar in the city, proclaimed by Ryan - unfortunately also a UGA bar)
Monaghan's (irish pub)
Peacekeeper (cocktail bar)
Lodging: we recommend staying in either Marina / Cow Hollow / Presidio (we have recs if you need them!) or nob hill (the cluster of hotels near The Fairmont) for the best version of San Francisco! We don't recommend staying in Fisherman's Wharf or Union Square area, as these are generally more touristy and not the gems of SF.
Please we are begging you, do not leave valuables or suitcases in your rental cars as you stop at all the tourist sites! We feel incredibly safe in San Francisco and have never had any incidents, but unfortunately tourist hot spots + loads of baggage is not a great combo, just like in any city.
SONOMA COAST Pt. Reyes,
Bodega Bay
see the coast
it's giving coastal towns, oysters, hiking, and beach days watching surfers (and elephant seals and elk at the same time?)
~1 hr from Sonoma
Points of interest:
Tony's Seafood
Point Reyes Lighthouse
Chimney Rock Trailhead
Heidrun Meadery
Spud Point Crab Company
Point Reyes Elk Reserve
Stinson / Bolinas Beach
Pelican Inn / Muir Beach
Not quite the coast, but between San Francisco and Sonoma there are a number of stops in Sausalito, Mill Valley and Tiburon that are great to do either en route to Sonoma, or during the day before wedding events. Check out our map!
LAKE TAHOE
explore Lake Tahoe
hiking, kayaking and bears, oh my!
~3 hours from SF/Sonoma (can also fly in/out of Reno or Sacramento)
South Lake:
Eagle Lake (Hike)
Cascade Lake (Hike)
Emerald Bay State Park (Sightseeing)
Camp Richardson (Beach)
Heavenly Resort Gondola (Sightseeing)
Casinos in Stateline, NV (Lose your money)
Edgewood Tahoe (Grab a scenic drink)
North Lake:
Town of Truckee (Old gold rush town)
Kings Beach (Public beach/kayaking)
Sand Harbor (Public beach/kayaking)
Garwoods Restaurant (Good grub/drinks on the water)
Tahoe East Short Trail (Paved trail)
Fly fish in the Truckee
Float the Truckee from Tahoe City
Rock Climb at Palisades Tahoe
YOSEMITE
free solo el capitan
JK. but go see one of the most breathtaking national parks in the country! While there's absolutely incredible hikes including a swimming hole at the top of a waterfall (sorry mom), we also find Yosemite to be a very accessible national park via car.
~4 hours from SF
points of interest:
Nevada/Vernal Falls (easier, amazing hike)
Upper Yosemite Falls (hard hike)
Clouds Rest (hard hike)
Park near Hanging Valley View point and fly fish the Merced River (right off the road!)
Park at Camp 4 and swim in the Merced River
CARMEL / MONTEREY
visit Pebble beach and drive the famous 17-mile drive!
FAQs
how did we land on Sonoma?
After 9 years of dating, you'd think we'd have been dreaming up our wedding for years. However, you never know where life will take you, and when it came time to start planning, it felt right to celebrate our wedding in the place we've come to love over the last 4 years. Although our community is spread out about as far as you can possibly get into the corners of the country, we can't wait to bring everyone together in California.
As for Sonoma, we have always enjoyed the warm weather, relaxed atmosphere, and green landscapes.
We're certainly *not* wine snobs, we just like having great places to sit & maybe even play a game of cards. Sonoma is very laid back - have fun! We can taste notes of wedding cake already.
is there parking available on-site? and can you leave it overnight?
If you would rather drive, yes, there is parking on-site and you can leave your car over night. Transportation will be provided from Sonoma Plaza Parking Lot and The Lodge at Sonoma Resort where there is a room block with a discounted rate. Sonoma plaza is also walking distance from the sonoma valley inn, another hotel with a discounted rate.
Is there Parking at Generals Daughter?
yes! there is parking on-site at generals daughter for the site of the welcome party.
Is there parking by the Sonoma Square shuttle stop?
Yes, the shuttle stop is actually in a parking lot if you want to drive to the shuttle.
does it matter what shuttle stop I get on?
Nope - either one is fine even if you're not staying at the Lodge
what should I wear?
Black tie optional. For men, if you have a tux, we encourage you to get it out of the back of your closet and wear it! If not, a dark, matching suit and dark tie is also an option. For women, longer, more formal dresses are encouraged. A portion of the evening will be outside so you may want to bring a shawl as it can get chilly in the evenings.
A note from the bride: Please feel free to be ~Fun~ Formal and bring out the bright colors and fun accessories - since I can't, you sure should!
what's the weather like?
Sonoma valley can be very hot in the summer. some days its 75 degrees, other days can get up to 90 degrees. We will be monitoring this closely to make sure our setup accommodates the heat, although it traditionally cools off significantly and quickly in the evening.
what about kids?
If you're considering coming with your children, please contact Sarah or Ryan directly for more details on some options we've put together - we love your kids and are happy to help.
Registry
We love ya! - Sarah and Ryan
We are incredibly grateful for those traveling near and far to celebrate our love. Your presence is truly a gift to us. That being said, we know some love to give gifts to the bride & groom, and are linking our registry below. We hope to host you in our home and are grateful for your support as we build our lives and future together.
ZOLA REGISTRY
HAVE A QUESTION?
shoot us a note
or if you just want to chat, send us a note! - Sarah and Ryan
