Vineyard wedding venue and budget aren’t usually words that appear together, but after several months of scouring the internet and cold calling (yes, that’s right, I physically picked up the phone and called a bunch of random wineries without any leads whatsoever just for the off chance that they might do weddings but didn’t advertise it), I did find this rare combination in Bernardo Winery in Escondido, California. And yes, I’m damn proud of it.
Bernardo is like a quaint little village in the middle of a community of expensive looking homes in Escondido. The drive is very pleasant and the winery not far off the freeway and is easy to find. The space itself is enormous, with three separate areas for weddings.
The most popular of the three spaces is Rosario’s Pavilion, which as you can see the photos below and the video, has two connecting areas: a rustic covered patio used as for cocktail reception and a wide open lawn for the reception and ceremony.
On the other side of Rosario’s pavilion is the tasting room and Cafe Merlot, a really cute restaurant that is also the preferred caterer. Bernardo is literally a one-stop shop because there’s also a florist, hair salon, and photographer all on the premise.
So last weekend, I got my engaged friend to go check the venue out with me. And of course, she loves it! She even recorded it. And so now you get to enjoy the full “virtual” tour of this venue. Please excuse the shaky footage. The videographer was a bit giddy with excitement.
“Budget” is a relative word, but to give you an idea, after we punched all the numbers, we guesstimate it’s about $82/person for the site (including chairs and tables), catering (sit down dinner), alcohol (champagne and open bar), linens and complete tableware, service, and tax/gratuity. The price is probably the best deal you can find for a vineyard of this size and location (most start at 100/person plus at least $4000 site rental fee without any chairs and tables). If you can find better, please let me know! I’m always on the look out for good deals to share and venues are often the most costly and the most difficult to find.
*Just FYI, I’m not being endorsed for making this post, I’m just really excited to share good finds!
SWOOOOOOON. What a fantastic wedding location – so rustic and real. Love it. Thanks so much for sharing! Happy Friday, Ann!
Thanks again for sharing this venue with us! It's perfect! and yes I was very giddy! I kinda don't want to share this place with too many people until we book a date! haha I hope May is wide open
I love this! I could even get married here one day. What a great deal!!! –Linda
I am so impressed with your venue reviews – and you post prices! That is incredibly helpful. I’m just starting with my own wedding blog and will be posting venue reviews of the 11 places I’ve investigated so far starting next week. Thank you for this – I thought we were totally priced out of vineyard weddings.
what room or rooms at the winery are those prices based on?
This looks too good to be true!!!