Auberge du Soleil, Napa Valley, California
The basics
Auberge du Soleil, which pretty much invented California country style when it opened 30 years ago, continues to set the standard for Napa County glamour, with elegant outdoor spaces, obsessively well-thought-out rooms (you’ll find a full fridge stocked with complimentary wine and fruit), and inventive food. If you like the sound of lemon panna cotta with white sturgeon caviar, or trout salad served with egg mimosa and endive, you’re going to be one happy bride.
Wedding details
You could circle the globe and not find as stunning a marriage site as the Ceremony Terrace, from which manicured grape vines and gnarled olive trees stretch all the way to the Mayacamas Mountains. Something like 100 couples marry here each year; most move from the vows to a dedicated event pavilion, wrapped by a yawning terrace that’s ideal for cocktails. You’ll find several gathering spaces within, including the circular Cedar Room, boasts a fireplace and a huge tree in the middle. In a separate building, La Galerie features rotating work from local and national artists.
Getting there
About midway up the Napa Valley, Auberge is a 90-minute drive from the Golden Gate Bridge. A little off the beaten path, it’s about a 10-minute drive to St. Helena, the nearest town.
Keep in mind
Auberge doesn’t have a full-time wedding staffer, so asks that you bring in your own planner. We’re going to warn you: The prices are not for the feint of heart. But if you crave perfection, this is your place.
