72 hours on the Sonoma Coast as a Travel Wedding Planner
Where: Jenner, California
When: Late June
Why: Traveling for work (wedding planning)
Hotel: Timber Cove Resort, 4/5 stars
Top 3 must packs: warm clothes, comfy sneakers, dramamine
Top 3 must see/do: Golden Gate Bridge, drink wine in Napa Valley, go to literally any vineyard
My glorious part time gig as a traveling wedding planner brought me to the Sonoma Coast in June of this year. Sonoma/Jenner CA is about a 3 hour drive north of the San Francisco airport. One more song about moving along the highway. Truly. Did I become an extreme tourist when driving over the Golden Gate Bridge? Yes. Did I lose my entire shit and bust out my iPhone for subpar moving pics of the San Fran skyline? Even more yes. Listen, if I’m going over one of the 7 wonders of the world, you bet your ass I’m acting appropriately. It was a sight to see. Also did you know that San Francisco is home to some delicious dumplings? I didn’t either, however, I was traveling with a very pregnant friend that had a very pregnant hankering for some dumps. 10/10 would recommend Dumpling Kitchen on Laravar Street, SF.
ITINERARY
Day 1
The drive up the Sonoma Coast was a winding, treacherous adventure without cell service so we sadly couldn’t listen to my carefully curated coastal Cali drive playlist (I’m being dramatic). The 3 hour excursion led to the most gorgeous gem of a resort perched atop a rocky cliff, Timber Cove. When you walk into the lodge, you’re immediately drawn to the ambiance of it all. The wood burning stone fireplace being your visual centerpiece, the classy gold & mirrors bar serving up some of Sonoma’s best wines + cocktails, the warm homemade cookies served on a platter next to the array of records and board games cuddled in the corner (which I can only describe as like walking into your grandma’s living room in the 80’s).
On Thursday nights in the resort lodge, they offer wine tastings from 4-6 PM. I am happy to report that your girl is now a zinfandel fan. Thanks to Seebass Vineyards- I am hooked. One thing about me, is if I like a wine, I will be searching for it in every single liquor store for the rest of my life. Sadly for me, Seebass does not sell in liquor stores because they’re such a tiny, mom and pop vineyard that truly gives a shit about what they’re creating, and only have wines in small batches. I became part of their wine club faster than the sommelier, Michelle, could finish saying, “we don’t ship to Massachusetts”. If you find me buying property in NH/RI/ME/VT strictly for mailing purposes, quite frankly- mind ya business.
The night was chill and ended with 3 friends sipping on their ~drink of choice~ and catching up on the cozy couches in the lodge.
Ghericke wine was a religious experience.
Day 2
Waking up at Timber Cove was like the setting of every Ruth Ware novel, but in a good way. The fog consumed the entire cove- but again in a ~cute~ way. I should’ve packed my fuzzy leg warmers- they would have paired well with the tiny coal stove raging in the corner, the wool blankie on the edge of the bed & the Carole King vinyl spinning in the background. Only thing that was missing was a fluffy wheaten terrier or two pinning me down so I can’t move. PS why does a steaming hot fresh French roast slap that much harder when you’re listening to the waves crash against the cliffs? I don’t make the rules, it just is what it is.
We spent the morning organizing last minute touches for the following wedding day; supervising set up of the tent & other rentals, confirming seating plans & meal choices, running through rehearsal, greeting folks from out of town with delicious welcome drinks & picking up THEE cake of all cakes.
We took a lunch break at Café Aquatica; a quaint coastal café serving up sweets and treats along with some hand-crafted locally roasted coffee. It’s nestled into the edge of the Russian River right before it empties into the Pacific. Did I order the New England clam chowder in Northern California? Why yes, yes I did. And it did not disappoint. You know what they say, you can take the girl out of New England but…. She’ll still order chowder whenever the chance arises.
Pictured here: Enjoying my stew and taking in the thrilling news of Jenner, CA’s local paper.
Not pictured: the harp seal polka dotted baby popping up to catch a glimpse of our lunches.
We joined the couple for rehearsal dinner that night, gathered in the Coastal Kitchen at Timber Cove. The chef definitely knows what they’re doing because this meal was DELICIOUS.
Day 3
Saturday was wedding day and the sun was out, baby! The couple had a gorgeous day surrounded by their beautiful family and friends. All the vendors crushed this wedding, I am so incredibly lucky to work with such badass + talented people from all over.
Day 4
Sunday arrived and it was time to depart back to San Francisco to catch our flights back home. We took the long way through Napa Valley; admiring the miles of vineyards and very exclusive wineries that apparently require reservations months in advance. We did stop twice along the way, first in Guerneville; a sweet little river town with some sweet quirky character. We window shopped and snagged a couple goodies for remembrance and obviously couldn’t NOT stop at the sign for WINE/ART GALLERY. We were drawn in by the colorful art and funky vibes, but stayed for the love and the message. Our amazing wine-tender named Ben shared with us the message and drive for Equality Wines and their stan for the LGBQT+ community. Definitely something I will forever support because love is love and it’s 2023, and if you still think otherwise, grow up.
Our second stop was Healdsburg; a happening little town at the very edge of Napa Valley. A handful of restaurants and overpriced wine bars, however, the wine was fire flames. I will be back when I can spend more time getting driven around Napa with no deadline and no budget. Until then, my $15 Mark West pinot noir will have to suffice even though it’s filled with sulfites and bad shit that I don’t care to acknowledge at this moment in my life because honestly I don’t need that kind of negative energy.
