Wedding Lake Tahoe Wedding - Anyone do this?

[Aloros]

I was browsing a thread a few days ago about the economy and weddings, and people''s low-cost alternatives. Someone posted about renting a place for a weekend and having friends/family over for a bbq.

This really fired something off in my head. I''d considered renting a place for the wedding before, but I''d looked at places in our area. What about Lake Tahoe?

Cabin rental prices are fairly low, some specifically say they allow weddings, and they''re right in the forest and close to the lake. FI LOVES forests, and getting married among the trees will really tickle his fancy. I''ve always wanted to get married outdoors as well, and it''s soooo beautiful there. We''re thinking we''d go with a catered BBQ for the reception. We want something fun and low key.

Ran the idea past my parents, and they think it''s a great idea and an excellent location.

We''re saving for a mortgage cushion (almost there!) and we''ll start getting back on the wedding planning wagon once we''re done with that, but has anyone done anything similar? Any tips or things I should consider?

I''m starting to feel a bit of the pressure (everyone wants to know WHEN), but buying the house really set us back! Absolutely and totally worth it though, in case any of you are considering house vs. wedding

 

[marchswallowbird]

Aloros, there was a somewhat similar thread recently. Keep in mind that you will have to bring in EVERYTHING...linens, any furniture rentals (tables, chairs) that you need, food, a place for the caterer to "stage" the food (they need a lot of room for this), etc. Lake Tahoe may also require a permit, and they may also require that you bring in porta-potties, depending on how many people you''re inviting. Before you set your heart on this, you should call up someone at the chamber of commerce or visitors and convention bureau or county clerk''s office or something. It might be more expensive than you think, unless your wedding is going to be very small.

Keep in mind that there are also hotels in South Lake Tahoe where you could at least do the reception all-inclusively. You could do the ceremony at your cabin, or off in the woods, or maybe even on the beach. Again, you would have to check with Lake Tahoe, they have severe beach restrictions to preserve the water quality of the lake.

All those negatives aside, I LOVE this as a wedding location. Love it. Tahoe is one of the most gorgeous places in California. If I weren''t already getting married in Yosemite, I''d be checking out Tahoe.

I would urge you to check it out. If it works, it would be GORGEOUS.

 

[gtn]

marchswallowbird makes a very good point and she knows from experience (

link) I think it will be gorgeous, but you have to take into consideration these extra cost.

 

[KimberlyH]

My sister and brother-in-law were married in a hotel suite in North Lake Tahoe (there were only 5 guests: me, my mom, my dad, his mom, and his great aunt) and afterwards we all went out to a nice dinner to celebrate. The room overlooked the lake and the setting was gorgeous. The cabin idea sounds like a ton of fun (but could get complicated with the need to bring so much). Could you have a picnic and pull together picnic supplies instead of needing to furnish linens and such?

I was the maid-of-honor in a wedding that was very down home; they had over 300 guests and managed to spend less than $5,000 dollars. They did all of the cooking, supplied their own music via the computer (this was pre-iPoeds) and the bride just threw picnic blankets all over the yard along side picnic tables, and people just sort of sat wherever they landed (reserving tables for the elderly and those who might need to sit). It was a great wedding, and right up their alley.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

My aunt and uncle were married there a couple of years ago - at Heavenly in the summer, and it was a gorgeous wedding! I'll see if I can find some pics, but in the meantime, check this link out!

http://www.skiheavenly.com/plan_your_trip/groups/weddings/

Also, my parents live on the Reno side of Mt. Rose, and I've been going to Tahoe for my whole life, so I've seen loads of wedddings there on the beach, and in the mountains.

Heavenly was also incredibly inexpensive for a 120 guest wedding. I think it was sun $10k including everything.