We are Charleston wedding photographers who have been photographing weddings around the world since 2005. Kate and Ian brought us out to Sonoma County, in Jenner, California, for their wedding at Timber Cover Resort. In addition to reading about the wedding here, it is also published on World’s Best Wedding Photos.
They chose Timber Cove Resort for many reasons. However, mainly they wanted a resort where they could do a full buyout, to make the event completely private and also to give their guests a weekend getaway. Most of Ian and Kate’s guests work in tech in Silicon Valley and San Francisco. Timber Cove Resort provides the perfect vacation for Bay Area residents without having to go too far. Yet, it’s a world away from the city, so much so that there is no cell reception. What we loved about Timber Cove was that everyone could stay in one spot for the entire wedding weekend, without having to worry about driving, parking, and other travel logistics. Once they were there, they could settle in and give themselves over to three days of celebration.
Guests arrived early Friday evening and went straight into a casual dinner in the Timber Cove restaurant (with the most beautiful, warm light filtering in through the windows and glass doors that face the sea.) After dinner, they changed into festive, glittery outfits for a welcome party that featured karaoke and casino tables. Many of the guests also regularly attend Burning Man, the alternative arts festival in the Nevada desert, so they particularly love colorful, over-the-top, outlandish clothing.
Timber Cove features several different areas for having your wedding ceremony. Kate and Ian had their ceremony under a tree on the cliffs, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Guests simply walked over and stood up for the ceremony (with just a few chairs provided for the couple’s parents). It was a beautiful, dramatic backdrop for a wedding ceremony. One thing to note is that it can get quite windy and cold on the cliffs. Make sure to warn your guests about that so they can bring coats and maybe wear their hair pinned up.
The wedding reception was held in a beautiful tent with chandeliers and wide swaths of white fabric extending across the top. Inside the tent, guests settled in for dinner, speeches and sweets. After dinner, everyone returned to the main reception area of the resort for a full-blown dance party under a custom disco ball shaped like the couple’s dog.
This Timber Cove wedding was planned and coordinated by Mango Muse Events. The DJ was Ericalandia, who, as a renowned club DJ, doesn’t take many weddings. But this one was right up her alley.
As the photographers, here are our favorite aspects of a Timber Cove Resort wedding:
- The ability to have everyone stay on-site and never leave until Sunday :). You can get breakfast, lunch and dinner in the restaurant every day, and everything you need is provided. There’s really no reason to leave unless you go on hikes or other adventures.
- The stunning landscape of ocean, cliffs and the most beautiful California light.
- The decidedly vintage, throwback vibe of the decor. In the main dining area and event space of Timber Cove, you feel like you’re in a Wes Anderson movie.
Planning a California wedding and looking for the best location? Check out all of our California weddings from over the years and get some great ideas and inspiration for your own!
