By Tina Swithin

One of the joys of working for Central Coast Wedding Professionals is hearing the wedding stories.  There are so many categories when it comes to wedding stories—from inspirational to downright humorous.  Have you ever heard the phrase, “if only these walls could talk”?  I’ve re-coined the phrase for the wedding industry to say, “if only these CCWP DJ’s could talk”.  When you really think about it, they see it all.  From the first meeting with the engaged couple to the best man’s speech that leaves everyone completely speechless.  They get to see the behind the scenes fiascoes and that very last dancer who is a bit over-confident in his dancing abilities during the song, “Baby’s Got Back”.

I was recently talking to DJ Bob Stock about a wedding for the memory books.  It turns out that the bride and groom had less than a month to get out the invitations, find their vendors and plan for the entire wedding.  This would prove daunting to most but not this couple.  They had three secret weapons: Mom, Dad and Central Coast Wedding Professionals.  Talk about a Dream Team!  The first part of their mission was quite simple, they got on the phone and booked their favorite resort: Avila Beach Resort and with Alex at the helm, you can’t go wrong with this beautiful Central Coast wedding venue.  With the location problem solved, they moved onto the next task: FOOD!  Chef Mike Foley of GCR Catering gladly came on board to create a feast for the eyes and the stomach.  The decision to hire the Collective Photographers utilizing the talents of William McKee and his partner were also an easy decision for this couple.  At this point, they were on the right track with a solid and amazing team of wedding professionals.

One potential challenge with a February wedding is weather.  Luckily, the rain that was expected that day decided to grace this couple with a sunny day yet sent the wind in its place.  The sun set and temperatures dropped to a chilly 47 degrees.  This is when it pays to have a professional caterer from CCWP who will ensure that despite the weather, your guests will be eating hot, delicious food.  Careful planning goes into developing a menu that follows the bride’s guidelines but also takes Mother Nature’s guidelines into consideration.

At this point, the stage was set for a truly wild, fun and even unexpected evening. The energy these two families had was off the charts as they were bouncing in their seats to the background music and loving every minute of DJ Bob’s rhythms. The volume of the conversations was loud and crazy from the very first minute and carried all the way through dinner and into the traditional events.  They went through the normal song progression such as the first dance, Father-Daughter dance and everyone’s favorite: the bouquet/garter toss.  The evening was perfect in every way but it was missing one thing: the Grandma Dance!

You are probably scratching your head about now.  The Grandma Dance?  One day, I hope to BE this Grandma.  This conservatively-dressed Grandma arrived on the dance floor and let her inner freak loose.  Rumor has it that she was pulling guys onto the dance floor and just having a full blown dance party of her own. I was told that she affectionately received the name, “Lady GaGa” and by the end of the night, she had a fan club of her own!  “Grandma GaGa” is now a wedding legend- glowing with fun and became the total life of the party.

Tina Swithin is the Social Media Queen and Blog Manager for Central Coast Wedding Professionals.  Follow the CCWP Blog, Facebook and Twitter  for the latest and greatest in Central Coast weddings. As a lifelong Central Coast resident, Tina looks forward to keeping you “in the know” when it comes to anything old, new, borrowed and blue.

By Tina Swithin

As a lifelong resident of the Central Coast, I am a creature of habit.  One of my favorite drives is the road to Avila Beach- a beautiful winding road with the anticipation of the magnificent Pacific Ocean waiting to greet you just around the bend.

On the right-hand side of the road sits the Avila Beach Golf Course which is a stunning landmark that just so happens to be one of my favorite venues for Central Coast Weddings and events.

Year after year, I drive past the Avila Beach Golf Course on the weekends and I’m greeted by the yellow and white striped tents which could only mean one thing: a wedding or some other fantastic event is taking place!  Lately, I’ve

noticed a change so I picked up the phone and called Alex Lorton of Avila Beach Golf Resort to get the inside scoop on behalf of Central Coast Wedding Professionals.

Q. Alex- I’ve noticed some changes at Avila Beach Golf Resort .  You have beautiful, new, white tents.  Does this mean what I think it does?  Have the striped circus tents retired?

A. Yes, Tina.  All good things must come to an end and I have to admit, I am pretty excited about this change.  The yellow and white tents served us well for 20 years and the new, crispy, white tents gives us a fresh “pop” to the property as you’ve probably seen.

Q. That’s really exciting—change can be good and I’m sure the brides will be ecstatic to hear the news.  I’ve heard a little “buzz” that there are some other changes to the venue.  Have you created some new areas on the property for ceremonies and reception spaces?

A. Actually, the Resort now offers a choice of ceremony sites. The new “Mountain View” site is located on one of our greens, where we hold ceremonies in an oak lined valley surrounded by the rolling hills that characterize the Central Coast. Post ceremony, guests make their way to a beachfront reception location, meaning guests get the best of both Central Coast landscapes!

In addition to the new ceremony site, we’ve also created an “Under the Stars” reception package for brides looking for

romantic outdoor space, installed by our favorite lighting designers at Kramer Entertainment. Both our beachfront green and our putting green on the terrace transform into a velvety lawn under a glittering ceiling of lights, providing an amber glow which sets the tone for lounging and dining alfresco on the water’s edge.  It’s amazing!

Q. If I remember correctly, you have an in-house catering service that you require the wedding party to utilize when having on-site events.  Tell me more about that.

A. That’s another change that will thrill our couples who are planning a wedding at Avila Beach Golf Resort.  After 20 years of catering our own events, we have opened it up to allow our couples to choose the caterer of their choice.

If planning a wedding, Avila Beach Golf Resort has so much to offer.  It is located in

the delightful town of Avila Beach and offers a plethora of possibilities for the wedding party and guests.  In Avila Beach, you will discover restaurants, shopping, the Port San Luis Harbor, Avila Valley Barn, Bob Jones Trail and the charming Avila Lighthouse Suites.

Your out-of-town guests can begin their day sipping coffee in this casual beach town and end their day watching the theatrical sunsets dancing on the horizon.  Avila Beach Golf Resort is a hidden gem on the Central Coast and will make your wedding dreams become a reality.

Avila Beach Golf Resort
6464 Ana Bay Drive, Avila Beach, California
(805) 540-3214 or events@rossi-ent.com

Photography credits to: A. Blake Photography, David Pascolla Photography & Mike Larson, Inc.

Tina Swithin is the Social Media Queen and Blog Manager for Central Coast Wedding Professionals.  Follow the CCWP Blog, Facebook and Twitter  for the latest and greatest in Central Coast weddings. As a lifelong Central Coast resident, Tina looks forward to keeping you “in the know” when it comes to anything old, new, borrowed and blue.

Find A San Luis Obispo Wedding Venue

If you're looking for a wedding venue in San Luis Obispo, CA, Central Coast Wedding Professionals is here to help.  All of our members are pre-screened, local, endorsed by local couples who have used their services for their own weddings and referred by other local wedding professionals.

That includes the San Luis Obispo wedding venues below so you can be sure your wedding goes off without a hitch (pun intended).

San Luis Obispo Wedding Venues

Officers Club Camp San Luis Obispo – The Herbert R. Temple Center in SLO is great for weddings, with an affordable elegance that accommodates up to 300 guests.  Greet your guests at the reception area and enjoy several private sitting areas, including one with a fireplace for intimate family conversations.

SLO Country Club – Located in the heart of the Edna Valley, we offer stunning views of rolling hills, vineyards and an immaculate golf course. Experience the wedding of your dreams in our beautiful Tuscan-inspired clubhouse. Our full time event coordinator will ensure that every detail of your special day is handled with the utmost and professional care.

Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort - Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort is the ideal location for intimate Central Coast wedding ceremonies and receptions of up to 100 guests. Create your dream wedding in the gorgeous Avila Valley in our lovely garden gazebo. Surrounded by lush floral landscape, our outdoor garden gazebo offers you one of the most breathtaking settings in San Luis Obispo County.

Edna Valley Vineyard - Edna Valley Vineyard is one of the few wineries in San Luis Obispo to host spectacular weddings and rehearsal dinners that will make a lasting impression. Wine Enthusiast magazine has called Edna Valley Vineyard "one of the best places in wine country to be married."

Embassy Suites – Our upscale, all-suite hotels are known worldwide for their evening guest receptions. But our capable staff knows a thing or two about planning wedding receptions, as well. We'll take great care to arrange a breathtakingly beautiful rehearsal dinner, ceremony or reception

Madonna Inn – Here at the Madonna Inn our staff has made it a personal mission to help make your dreams come true. Each wedding is planned individually to help you to capture and accent all of your needs and wants. Both of our event coordinators will meet and work with you personally to help you create and bring to life the wedding that you are envisioning.

More San Luis Obispo Wedding Professionals

Once you've decided on a San Luis Obispo wedding venue, that's just the start of the long and exciting process of planning your dream wedding.

To help you save more time, money and gas, check out our comprehensive list of San Luis Obispo County wedding professionals.

If you have any questions or need help, just let us know.

San Luis Obispo Wedding Venues Index

Congratulations!

The local businesses that make up the Central Coast Wedding Professionals have over 750 years of wedding experience, and now that you’re getting married, we get to put some of that expertise to work making your San Luis Obispo County wedding the happiest day of your life.

But just in case you haven’t had time to travel all over San Luis Obispo County to find your dream wedding location, we’ve put together this San Luis Obispo Wedding Venues Index to help you save time, money, energy and gas.   Not to mention find the perfect San Luis Obispo wedding venue.

A Virtual Tour of San Luis Obispo Wedding Venues

SLO County is home to beaches, wineries and some of the most gorgeous wedding venues in the world.  See for yourself.

Arroyo Grande Wedding Venues

The Gardens at Peacock Farms – Envision your wedding day celebration in a gorgeous garden under a shade canopy of beautiful walnut trees. The joys of music are echoed by a cascading fountain that announces your love and devotion on this day to be remembered forever. Accommodates over 200 guests.

The Victorian Pitkin Conrow Estate - Celebrate your special day at the lovely Victorian Pitkin Conrow Estate. With expansive beautifully manicured grounds and a turn of the century mansion in the backdrop, it is a glorious setting for a romantic wedding.

Atascadero Wedding Venues

Pavilion on the Lake – Stand next to the Atascadero Lake as you say your vows in front of our beautiful gazebo. Your guests will then make their way to the Pavilion just a few steps away for a cocktail hour on the deck, or an indoor cocktail hour followed by your wedding reception.

Portola Inn - Professional, turn-key preparation relieves your stress and makes your special event even more special, courtesy of Portola Event Planning. Everything from silverware to sound systems including a professional quality, portable dance floor. A complete one-stop event planning service in gorgeous locations with multiple event venues.

Avila Beach Wedding Venues

Avila Beach Resort – The staff at the Avila Beach Golf Resort will design and create the most intimate to the grandest of wedding ceremonies and receptions it's up to you. Offering unique facilities including magnificent tent-structures that comfortably accommodate up to 1000 guests.

Avila Lighthouse Suites – The Avila Lighthouse Suites will help you plan the most romantic California destination wedding and provides an unforgettable backdrop for your special wedding day. Nestled in between rolling green hills and the beautiful serenity of the Pacific Ocean.

Cambria Wedding Venues

Cambria Pines Lodge – Located just minutes from the coast, Cambria Pines Lodge offers a spectacular location for your Central Coast wedding. Outdoor areas are available for the ceremony, and several different options are available for an indoor or outdoor wedding reception.

Nipomo Wedding Venues

Kaleidoscope Inn & Gardens – In addition to being a beautiful garden wedding and reception setting for San Luis Obispo County locals, the Kaleidoscope Inn and Gardens was renovated to recreate the elegance and charm of the Victorian era. The acre of lush, flower-filled gardens provides a unique, gracious, unforgettably elegant setting that you and your guests will remember forever.

Monarch Club - The Monarch Club is devoted to making your dream wedding become a reality.  Our award-winning facility is perfectly suited to host your ceremony, reception, and rehearsal dinner (in fact, with our full-service spa on-site, we can host the wedding shower as well!).

Paso Robles Wedding Venues

Paso Robles Inn – The historic Paso Robles Inn offers a romantic setting of natural beauty that has become a favorite Central Coast wedding venue. You and up to 250 guests will be surrounded by gorgeous green gardens, majestic oak trees, a babbling brook and lovely flower gardens.

Robert Hall Winery - The perfect place for a local or destination wedding. Imagine a dream wedding in Wine Country where the ambiance is elegant yet comfortable. Our professional staff is dedicated to providing you and your guests with an occasion that will be memorable for its great wines, beautiful setting and wine country graciousness.

Still Waters Vineyards - Tucked into the rolling hills of Paso Robles Wine Country, this endearing boutique vineyard is loaded with rustic charm. Our staff believes in “attention to detail” whether it’s the year-round care we give our fruit or the warm welcome we offer our visitors. Accommodates up to 150 people.

Zenaida Cellars – Winners of the 2012 WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards, recognizing the top local wedding professionals from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism.

Pismo Beach Wedding Venues

Pismo Beach Golf Course – Celebrate your special event in a spacious tent with room for dining, dancing, and entertainment for you and your guests overlooking the Pismo pier to the north, and the Oceano dunes to the south.

SeaVenture Resort - The ultimate in ocean front resorts, the SeaVenture Resort in Pismo Beach is one of the most sought after wedding sites on the Central Coast. Being the only full service hotel and restaurant right on the beach in Pismo, the SeaVenture's professional and experienced staff will help you create your dream destination beach wedding.

Spyglass Inn Restaurant - The Pismo Bluffs setting offers the perfect spot for an unforgettable wedding ceremony and reception for you and up to 125 guests. The combination of ocean clear skies provides a picturesque backdrop to remember forever in photos.

Steamers of Pismo - The Wave Room has a partial ocean-view, its own entrance for your guests, with direct parking lot access, private rest rooms, and private bar capabilities. The room has a maximum guest capacity of 130.

The Cliffs Resort - Nestled in the “new wine country” along the Pacific, The Cliffs Resort is a glistening choice among Central Coast wedding locations. Discover a level of oceanfront elegance where the bride and groom and their guests can enjoy every detail of luxury.

San Luis Obispo Wedding Venues

Officers Club Camp San Luis Obispo – The Herbert R. Temple Center in SLO is great for weddings, with an affordable elegance that accommodates up to 300 guests.  Greet your guests at the reception area and enjoy several private sitting areas, including one with a fireplace for intimate family conversations.

SLO Country Club – Located in the heart of the Edna Valley, we offer stunning views of rolling hills, vineyards and an immaculate golf course. Experience the wedding of your dreams in our beautiful Tuscan-inspired clubhouse. Our full time event coordinator will ensure that every detail of your special day is handled with the utmost and professional care.

Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort - Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort is the ideal location for intimate Central Coast wedding ceremonies and receptions of up to 100 guests. Create your dream wedding in the gorgeous Avila Valley in our lovely garden gazebo. Surrounded by lush floral landscape, our outdoor garden gazebo offers you one of the most breathtaking settings in San Luis Obispo County.

Edna Valley Vineyard - Edna Valley Vineyard is one of the few wineries in San Luis Obispo to host spectacular weddings and rehearsal dinners that will make a lasting impression. Wine Enthusiast magazine has called Edna Valley Vineyard "one of the best places in wine country to be married."

Embassy Suites – Our upscale, all-suite hotels are known worldwide for their evening guest receptions. But our capable staff knows a thing or two about planning wedding receptions, as well. We'll take great care to arrange a breathtakingly beautiful rehearsal dinner, ceremony or reception

Madonna Inn – Here at the Madonna Inn our staff has made it a personal mission to help make your dreams come true. Each wedding is planned individually to help you to capture and accent all of your needs and wants. Both of our event coordinators will meet and work with you personally to help you create and bring to life the wedding that you are envisioning.

Shell Beach Wedding Venues

Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa – From a simple elopement overlooking the Pacific Ocean to a lavish Wedding weekend full of exciting events, we can help you create the experience you’ve been dreaming of. Dolphin Bay offers an elegant and luxurious destination, along the picturesque Central California Coast, for your guests to experience.

F. McLintocks Saloon & Dining House – With Great food, atmosphere, and accommodations makes F. McLintocks Dining House the perfect location for your wedding. We take pride in making your event a memorable occasion with our ranch-style cooking and true western hospitality.

Templeton Wedding Venues

Hummingbird House & Vineyard - Hummingbird House is a private vineyard estate nestled in the scenic hills between Templeton and Paso Robles, in the heart of Central Coast wine country. Expansive lawns and a beautifully landscaped pond, lined with willow, sycamore, and redwood trees, forms a stunning backdrop for the wedding of your dreams.

All of the San Luis Obispo wedding venues listed above are Central Coast Wedding Professionals members and must adhere to a strict code of ethics.

Largest Winter Bridal Faire on the Central Coast Coming Soon

Did you know the majority of soon-to-be-brides spend an average of 9-12 months planning their weddings?

If you’re planning on a San Luis Obispo wedding in 2012, don’t dare miss the 17^th Annual Central Coast Wedding & Special Events Faire.  Instead of spending the better part of a year stressing out, you can plan most, if not all of your wedding in a single day.

The Best San Luis Obispo Wedding Vendors

All vendors are prequalified and upstanding members of the Central Coast Wedding Professionals, San Luis Obispo County’s largest and most respected wedding organization for nearly 20 years.

All members are local, have been in business for more than two years, are referred by other CCWP members and endorsed by satisfied couples who have used them for their own San Luis Obispo weddings.

No matter what kind of wedding services you need, you’ll find the very best providers January 29^th, 2012 at the Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo.

Many of our 140+ wedding professionals will be showcasing their services and every booth you visit will have local vendors familiar with your San Luis Obispo wedding venue and reception sites.

Once inside, you’ll find products and services from:

• Wedding apparel and accessories
• Wedding bakeries
• Wedding caterers
• Wedding coordinators and consultants
• Wedding disc jockeys
• Wedding floral designers
• Wedding hairstylists
• Wedding invitations and favors
• Wedding lighting and décor
• Wedding music and entertainment
• Wedding photographers
• Wedding rentals
• Wedding travel and transportation
• Wedding videographers
• Wedding venues

If you’d like to do some homework before attending, you can check out our member directory and prepare questions about your big day.

And if you pre-register on our website, you’ll get to experience the entire day as a V.I.B. (Very Important Bride). You’ll get to bypass registration and be escorted directly to the VIB Lounge for complimentary beverages and snacks while you get helpful tips from our wedding faire concierge, and receive a VIB bag of goodies.

Plan Your Wedding With The Central Coast Wedding Professionals

The 17^th Annual Central Coast Wedding & Special Events Faire is Sunday, January 29, 2012 at the Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo.

Come join us and plan your special day in just one day, all in one location.

Save time.

Save gas.

Save stress.

DATE: Sunday, January 29th, 2012
LOCATION: Embassy Suites
ADDRESS: 333 Madonna Rd.
CITY: San Luis Obispo
TIME: Noon to 4:00pm