Crystal cove weddings: 10 tips to have a successful wedding at crystal cove
I am wedding planner or day of coordinator for at least three to four weddings a year at Crystal Cove in Newport Coast. I have found myself an expert now having planned well over 25 weddings there and I wanted to share a few tips and tricks for potential couples.
1. State Park Fees: Make sure you understand all the fees that are included in renting the space through the state park.
The state park is the facilitator in renting any site you can have your wedding ceremony or reception at. That means your contract will be directly with the state park to rent out the location. With that being said often couples do not read the contract very thoroughly and what the requirements are and what they cannot do.
The most looked over requirement, which can have a pretty big impact, is to provide every vendor contract to the state park. Then after the contracts are sent the state park they will charge an additional 18% to your site fee. So please make sure you accommodate that in your overall budget.
2. Weather: Please take in consideration the time of year when you book the venue.
Since this is a beach wedding it will be all outdoors. There is not an indoor space to have a ceremony or a reception. In the event that there is rain Beachcombers Catering who partners with the state park to provide the catering will work with their couples on securing a tent 2 weeks prior to the wedding to have it as a back up plan. The tent costs will be covered by the couple not the catering company or state park so please take that in to consideration on the time of year you book your wedding. An average tent to cover the Cultural Deck or Promenade would be around $9,000+.
3. Parking: All guests, vendors, and bridal party will have to park at the Los Trancos Parking lot.
As the couple you have the option to add a personal shuttle for your wedding to pick up and drop off only your wedding guests for around $600. Please also note if you have a wedding in peak beach season there is a high possibility that the parking lot will say it is full and your guests will have to keep circling the lot to find an open spot.
But back to the shuttle, renting one through Beachcombers is a necessity in my opinion. If you are having a beach ceremony your shuttle will drop all your guests off at the round about so they can walk right to the beach for the ceremony.
Then after the ceremony the shuttle will take your guests up to the cultural deck. There is also the option for your guests to walk about 40 stairs and a little incline hill to get to your reception if they would like to walk instead.
Then the shuttle is waiting in the closest parking lot the entire night to take your guests back to the parking lot across the street when they want to leave. This shuttle will also stay until your last sets of guests are taken to their cars as well. So trust me on this rent the shuttle!
4. Vendor Accommodations: Please send your vendor’s detailed directions regarding set up.
Due to the nature of it being the state park they do not allow the vendors to stay parked anywhere on the venue site. You would have to tell your vendors they could only drop off their equipment/ materials at the designated areas and then go park across the street at the Los Trancos Parking Lot. I always advise my vendors to make sure they have a wagon or their equipment is easy to carry as the temporary parking location is about a quarter mile away from the beach.
5. Signs: Make sure you have designated signs for your guest.
I recommend you buy signs that have an arrow pointing the direction your ceremony will be held on the beach. My suggestion is to have one across from the bar by the bridge corner pointing the direction on where your ceremony will be located (North or South Beach). Remember you cannot stake anything in the ground so I make sure to buy either “A frame signs” or buckets you can put sand in and have the sign weighted down in the bucket. Then depending where your ceremony is then make sure you have one more sign on the path the guests will walk so they know exactly where to go.
6. Décor: LED candles please!
The state park will only allow LED candles. This is actually in your favor, as flamed candles would blow out even if they were in hurricane vases. Also remember it is right on the water so there is a slight breeze regardless of where you are. So any paper signs will need to be in a frame or weighted down somehow.
7. Sound Ordinance: There is a strict sound ordinance regulated by the state park.
You can hire a live musician for your wedding but you will have to get it approved by the state park a head of time. They do not allow bands but typically a live musician and their one instrument is permitted. DJ’s are allowed but the volume of their music cannot be too loud as the state park respects the cottage guests that also stay on the property.
8. Guests: Advise guests to bring a jacket at night.
Even though it may be sunny during the day I would recommend all of your guests to bring a jacket for the reception. There is always a slight breeze being so close to the ocean that it’s nice for them to have.
9. Invitation Start Time: Please put your invitation time 30 minutes prior to when you actually want the ceremony to begin.
Since there are a lot of moving pieces with parking and shuttle drop off I always advise my couples to make sure they put their ceremony to begin 30 minutes prior. For example you want your ceremony to begin promptly at 4:00 pm then you would put on the invitation a 3:30 pm start time. This allows all of your guests to be present for your ceremony and you do not have to wait for them to walk down the aisle.
10. Lastly, Designate someone to take all décor home:
You cannot leave any décor over night at Crystal Cove. I would suggest you designated one person to have their car assigned to take home all the décor and gifts. Then you will know it is completely taken care of and you do not have to stay behind.
I hope all these detailed tips were helpful. Happy planning!!
