State Beaches Around Half Moon Bay CA – Affordable Low Budget Wedding Locations

The San Mateo Coastside has many beach location for recreation, but there are four beaches that are best suited for a small wedding ceremony. For a couple or a wedding planner, these locations are certainly ones to consider for a low budget, more affordable wedding location.

Let’s travel down the Coastside, starting just south of Pacifica at Montara Beach.

Traveling south on Highway 1, just north of Half Moon Bay you find Roosevelt Beach

Just south of Half Moon Bay, on the way to the Ritz-Carlton on Miramontes Pt. Road, there is a parking lot that begins the access to a short walk to Pelican Point Beach.

7 miles further on Highway 1 from Half Moon Bay is San Gregorio Beach; there are several bluff top locations and you can also walk down to the beach for a feet-in-the-sand ceremony location.

At Weddings By The Sea we have used all of these beach locations for our Destination Wedding Package, and I’ve officiated where the couple or a wedding planner has obtained the Permit themselves and planned out the rest of the wedding for groups of up to 50 people.

For those who want to move up the scale of cost for a wedding location, there are many fine venues on the San Mateo County Coastside. Here are a number of them.

Authored by Terry Plank – Comment below;  if on master Blog page go to 4 Best Beach Locations.

Questions To Ask When Planning An Affordable Reception Restaurant Location

Last post I wrote about low budget, Affordable Wedding Locations. Choosing to have your wedding  in a more affordable location usually means having your reception and wedding in  different locations. Restaurants have become a popular and affordable  reception location or venue for a low budget wedding, especially for smaller weddings.

Why does a restaurant save you money over renting a facility?

• No chairs, tableware, glassware, and linens to rent.
• No need have to hire a caterer.
• Decorations and decor are already in place because a restaurant comes with an inviting, welcoming ambiance.

What other reasons are there for choosing a restaurant?

• A broad choice of unique locations.
• Most restaurants come with a distinctive ambiance and décor, which allows for individual taste being reflected in your environment.
• Restaurants have a particular and unique cuisine.
• Restaurants want return business, unlike a wedding location, so often you get more personal attention.

How do you find a suitable restaurant to fit your low budget wedding?

• Search Google using these possible search phrases: (city, county, or state) restaurant reception location (site), (city, county, or state) restaurant wedding reception location (site)
• Search local Chamber of commerce: at Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber you can do a search for restaurants.
• Consider a restaurant that doesn’t normally have receptions, perhaps one where you are a regular customer and they may be open for your reception.
• Here is a list of San Mateo Coastside restaurant locations at Weddings By The Sea.

Sam's Chowder House Restaurant

What things should you consider, what questions should you ask?

• Can the restaurant handle your number of guests?
• Do they have a location apart from regular diners or do you need to rent the whole location? The best option when you have a limited budget is to choose a location with more than one dining area or that has private dining facilities.
• Is there an option for brunch or buffet?  What is the cost difference between a sit-down dinner and a buffet?
• Are their options for dishes to select from? Can there be individual ordering for each guest?
• Are there enough bathrooms and parking?
• What amenities are included with the event?
• Does the quoted price include the waitperson’s tips and parking for the guests?

One final tip: Be sure to test the food several times yourself and experiment with different dishes.
Authored by Terry Plank

Six Ideas For Planning An Affordable Low Budget Wedding

In this economy, there are many reasons for considering a more affordable,  low budget wedding, everything from one of you being out of work to trying to save up to purchase a home.

In the next few blog posts, I’ll suggest some ways to adjust costs in order to have a less expensive wedding.

Let’s start with finding a low budget location. One way to make a wedding more affordable is to save on location so you can spend more on your photography and other elements you value.

Start with a Google and Bing search for the following keyword phrases (add you specific city, county, or state…search for “location” and then same phrase with “venue”):

•  (city, county, or state) affordable wedding location (venue)
•  (city, county, or state) inexpensive wedding location (venue)
•  (city, county, or state) cheap wedding location (venue)
•  (city, county, or state) low cost wedding location (venue)
•  (city, county, or state) low budget wedding location (venue)

Next consider locations that are not formal wedding venues, but might be good options for your wedding ceremony location.

• Public spaces like beaches.
• National and local parks.
• State beaches
• Restaurants.
• Performing arts centers or theaters.
• Lighthouses.
• Your college or University.
• Bed and breakfast.
• Home or private garden.
• Community center buildings.

In addition to these, even more expensive locations can be affordable. It’s worth researching the following and then comparing your options:

• Special discounts for booking reservations early.
• An off-season date such as fall, winter, or early spring.
• Weekdays.
• Morning wedding.

Three other suggestions may help you find that special location you can also manage financially.

• Consider having your reception at a different location, i.e., a restaurant.
• Instead of a reception immediately following the wedding, have a party later that is in a less expensive location.
• Consider an all-inclusive package. Our Weddings By The Sea Destination Package is an example of an inexpensive approach to a simple wedding ceremony.

I’ll look at these last three ideas in a later post in this series on affordable low budget weddings.

Authored by Terry Plank