Reserve grounds at County parks for weddings and receptions
Congratulations on your upcoming big day! One of our many great parks would make an excellent venue for your wedding ceremony and/or reception!
Your wedding ceremony and reception is a special event at Santa Clara County parks. Weddings and receptions have additional procedures, paperwork, fees and include special amenities that are not available with a regular group reservation.
Locations
A wedding ceremony and/or reception can be held at any of our reservable group picnic sites within all of Santa Clara County parks. Reservable group picnic sites are limited to a maximum of 1 site per customer any date. Check with the reservations office if you are interested in reserving more than 1 picnic site, there are some picnic sites at limited locations that are able to be reserved together.
Common wedding reservable areas are listed in the table below or you can visit our reservation site to explore other areas in parks.
| Park | Site | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Sanborn | Sequoia Peterson Grove | 200 People |
| Mt. Madonna | Amphitheater | 150 People |
| Joseph D. Grant | Rose Garden/Cookhouse | 100 People (60 People inside the cookhouse) |
| Vasona | Circle | 150 People |
Site capacities vary, and some sites can accommodate events with up to 300 guests. Weddings at any location must abide by all park rules and hours of 8:00 am to sunset.
Sanborn noise restrictions
Weddings and receptions at the Sequoia Peterson Grove in Sanborn Park are subject to music restrictions from mid-summer through the end of September.
Amplified music will have to be discontinued at 6:30 pm to accommodate performances by the Silicon Valley Shakespeare Theatre Company on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings at the adjacent Outdoor Stage. Please contact the Reservations Department at (408) 355-2201 to get exact dates of music restrictions. For more information about Silicon Valley Shakespeare, visit their website at www.svshakespeare.org.
Fees
- For information about wedding fees please visit the wedding fees page.
Rehearsals
- The reserved site may be used for a wedding ceremony rehearsal Monday through Thursday at no extra charge (holidays are excluded and vehicle entrance fees apply). Rehearsals scheduled on any holiday or on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday will be charged the regular reservation site fee. A reservation site fee will also be charged for a rehearsal lunch/dinner held at any reservable group picnic site regardless of the day of the week.
Photography permits
- A photography permit is included in the wedding fee at no additional charge. Still photography is permitted. No additional forms are required.
Additional requests
- Any additional requests must be made at least 2 weeks prior to your event.
Make a reservation for your wedding today!
Call our Reservations Office for booking and more information at (408) 355-2201.
If you made a reservation online, you must call the reservations office at (408) 355-2201 to convert the booking from a standard picnic reservation to a wedding reservation.
Wedding and reception rules
Music
Amplified sound (Bluetooth speaker/DJ) is allowed at specific sites in some parks. Live amplified music (band) is allowed at the Sequoia/Peterson Grove at Sanborn Park only. Amplified sound is always subject to approval, with a permit required. An addendum application must be submitted no less than 3 business days prior to your event. There is no additional fee for this permit. All music that is played must be copyrighted through ASCAP. If you would like to play music outside of this list, you will need to provide a proof of permit to play music from other music copyright agencies. Our reservationist specialists can help you with this. Contact Reservations at (408) 355-2201.
Food
We are very flexible with food choices for your event. Caterers, Taco Carts and Food Trucks are allowed within all of our parks. Please note, they are required to pay the $6 vehicle entry fee, are not allowed to serve people outside your party, and must remain on designated roadways.
Alcohol
Alcohol is permitted to be served at all of our parks. Alcohol may not be consumed in parking lots or on the trails and should be kept within the bounds of your reservable site. The sale of alcohol is prohibited without a license/permit issued by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
Decorations
Decorations may be used but are not to be stapled, nailed or glued to park property. Decorations should be tied, taped, stapled to itself or free standing. Candles (open flames) are generally not allowed due to the fire hazard. Candles as part of the wedding ceremony may be allowed by individual request with Senior Park Ranger approval.
Fire restrictions
Open fires and the use of charcoal briquettes may be restricted or prohibited due to hot, dry weather conditions that occasionally occur during the summer season. The California Division of Forestry may initiate such restrictions (known as a Red Flag Alert). The criteria for such an alert are checked daily. If your reception includes the use of a BBQ, you may wish to have an alternate method of cooking available. Camp stoves and similar devices with a controlled enclosed flame would be allowed. These restrictions do not apply to parks that have irrigated lawn areas such as Vasona Lake, Los Gatos Creek, Hellyer, and Ed R. Levin.