Marshmellow Fluff

The first time I visited Temecula wine country was only about a couple of years ago.  I had never been to Temecula and wasn’t convinced it was a place I would even want to visit.

I was pleasantly surprised.  The wineries were beautiful and although it was a lot hotter then I preferred, the heat was diminished by the scenery.  

My mom lives in Morgan Hill and has a few dozen small wineries within driving distance of her house.  When I visit we go wine tasting and I imagine how nice it would be to have a wedding at a winery.  The green lush grounds, pretty grape vines and all around romantic feel.  

I never thought it was realistic to have a wedding at a winery because all that luxury seemed like it would cost a fortune.

In my research I was surprised to find a winery in Temecula that fell CLOSE to our budget only because of  the generous discounted prices offered in the off season.

Paul and I met Loretta, who owns the winery for our tour.  Loretta and her husband purchased the winery about 10 years ago and have made a number of changes since they bought it.  The largest addition is the Pinnacle room a large building that hangs beautifully and precariously off the cliff.

Falkner winery offers two wedding packages.  One is the Pinnacle Package which has a ceremony in the vineyard and the reception in the Pinnacle room.  The second package, is the Garden Terrace Package which offers the ceremony and reception in the grass field behind the winery tasting room.  Both areas are beautiful.  I preferred the garden setting.  It felt more like being at a winery than the Pinnacle Room did.

Pros:

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful

Wedding coordinator included for the day

Loretta seems great

Alcohol included in pricing

Off season price is almost 20% cheaper than in season

If it rains it costs only about $1,500 to tent the Garden Terrace area

You get the winery tasting room if you book the Garden Terrace

Cons:

No hard liquor allowed on any winery

Two weddings can take place at the same time in each venue

Heaters need to be rented for the off season

Pricing:

Loretta made us an amazing deal at $90 per person instead of the $130 rate that normally applies for the Garden Terrace Package (the Pinnacle room is more expensive per person by about $15)  this rate includes:

Food

Alcohol

Centerpieces (rod iron candle holder)

Wedding coordinator

Chairs, linens, tables, plates and cutlery

Verdict:

Paul and I loved the place but it is still out of our financial reach.  Although it’s a great deal, the fact that there isn’t a lot of wiggle room in the $14,000 cost means we don’t have the opportunity to cut spending in any areas to make an impact.  Sadly, the verdict is we need to continue the search.