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    The doorway the chairs are facing will be used as archway for ceremony.
    Dar D.

    Looked at Memory Garden as a possible Wedding venue in Monterey. You can find extensive information on this place on the Here Comes the Guide wedding site, but it's kind of confusing. The "main caterer" for this venue put up the venue on Here Comes the Guide site, but are pretty clear that they are not the owners or the exclusive caterer. So here is the lowdown. The venue itself is part of the Monterey State Historic Park at the Custom House Plaza in Monterey. It's an enclosed garden area with 8 foot high adobe walls so it is private from the public. It is attached to the "Custom House?" but you do not have access to the house itself. You are only renting the "garden" area. It is completely outdoors and capacity is about 500 persons, though we talked to the caterer that was setting up that day and they mentioned that 250-300 is about the max if you plan on mingling areas, dance floor, etc. The garden itself is owned and operated by the California State Parks, so you pay a nominal rental fee of $750 for first 4 hours and $125 for every hour after. You must pay for a monitor (state park ranger) $30 per hour & a peace officer $50 per hour too. Pros: 1) Nominal fees for a large capacity venue and beautiful old adobe outdoor setting w/fountain huge magnolia trees, flowers etc. 2) No catering or alcohol restrictions: hire your own, BYOB (though be aware if you in the DIY category liability insurance & alcohol permits are required....usually a good caterer will help you with that). 3) Huge 5X16 BBQ available for cooking. 4)It's really like having a destination wedding..... Monterey for heaven sake!!!! Cons: 1) You are just renting the venue. They provide virtually nothing else...tables, chairs, dance floor, EVERYTHING needs to be rented and brought in! 2) Limited dressing area (though many hotel steps away), electrical and after dark lighting....but the little lights in the magnolias are lovely! 3) Parking not provided, though plenty of paid parking all around the area. 4) Kind of confusing to find venue for guests...maps, directions and parking info would be a MUST. Overall I really loved this venue.....but there seemed to be such limited info on it. I did some random Google searching just on name as a wedding venue and saw a couple of great wedding sites that couples had set up with information for their guests. The biggest deal for me about this venue is the no restrictions on caterer and alcohol. Most State parks are strictly beer and wine only, which ruled many of those venues out for me. Being able to bring your own bar/bartenders could cut costs considerably. Also having the option to utilize the caterer that you want can be another big cost savings. FYI, main caterer "Grapes of Wrath" looks like it has a pretty good alcohol policy. You can BYOB and hire their staff to serve it. I will say since they seem to do a lot of business at Memory Garden they seem to know the venue inside and out....so they really know what to bring, what will work seating and set up wise. They were actually setting for a 200 person wedding when we went by to see the site. I would feel pretty confident utilizing their services, but if you have a fair number of people that are willing to help you coordinate things and help out you might be able to have a lower cost DIY wedding there. I'm considering it.....and would love to hear from anyone that has done a wedding or been to a wedding there.

    Joe N.

    We used The Memory Garden for our Wedding Venue. It was perfect!! From the moment we walked in to check it out, we were sold. It was the Spanish Secret Garden we didn't even know we were looking for!! We worked with Eugene from the State Park office, he was so easy to work with and walked us through everything we needed. We used Grapes of Wrath/Central Coast events for the Catering and Linens. But the Gold Start goes to Dana Carrazo of East of Eden Weddings, LOOK HER UP!! Since The Memory Garden is a state park, we had to find a company and coordinator who would help. She took care of everything!! Made it an easy one stop shop, while making everything so personal!! Love this place and so glad we have it to visit for our future anniversaries!!!

    Outside gate area at the Memory Gardens

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    Review Highlights - Memory Garden

    Perfect as a wedding venue, but can be an issue for those with limited access.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

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    The Barns at Cooper Molera - Wedding Day | 1985Luke Photography

    The Barns at Cooper Molera

    (37 reviews)

    We are incredibly happy that we chose to do our wedding at the Barns at Cooper Molera, and we…read morerelive our beautiful memories every day. We truly got to enjoy every minute of our wedding day with no stress, because we knew that Makenna, Chef David, Amanda, and the whole team were on top of every detail. Our wedding was 240 people with a morning ceremony/lunch, a full space flip, and an evening cocktail/reception. The Barns team seamlessly pulled off two layouts in the same space in one day, with different meals, bar offerings, decor, and rentals for each. Beyond the amazing team - the venue itself is truly stunning; it's so beautiful that we only had to minimally decorate to create a warm and elegant atmosphere. The space is the perfect balance of rustic and modern, and the barn is deceptively large; we were able to fit everyone on the dance floor! The attached garden is perfect for photographs and a quieter space for guests. We were even able to do an Indian Baraat, due to the unique downtown layout with street access. The Barns are walkable to multiple downtown hotels, so if you do a hotel block or ancillary events, guests can easily move between the spaces without worrying about late-night transportation. From the start, working with our sales manager Amanda was a joy. She coordinated a pre-booking tasting for us and showed us many different layouts for the space, to help us feel confident that the Barns would be the right fit for our wedding. Amanda helped us with flexibility throughout our planning process - helping us contract reasonable spend minimums well ahead of having a firm guest count. Our event manager Makenna went above and beyond to enable our vision. She accommodated a remarkable number of requests, questions, and add-ons with grace and professionalism. Makenna kept us organized, and her meticulous notes ensured no detail was forgotten. She liaised with our photographer, DJ, florist, and rental contact to ensure everyone was working off of the same schedule. She took the time to understand the context behind each of the cultural aspects of our wedding ceremony and event flow, and ensured that the spirit and the intent was carried through. Finally - Makenna was a constant source of creative ideas; she knows every detail of the Barns in and out, and has thought through every possible configuration, down to the height of plants that might block views and where the sun might fall at different times of the day. We were so lucky to have had Makenna's expertise, dedication, and creativity throughout the process. Chef David and the culinary team at the Barns were truly exceptional. The team learned how to make multiple Indian dishes for our wedding, and managed two large multi-cuisine meals in one day. We're still hearing rave reviews of the food 6 months later. Throughout the whole process, the team was open to feedback and refining flavors and sizing to match our vision. Finally, we appreciated the level of attention given to dietary restrictions, including willingness to label tray-passed items, which we had never seen before. We highly recommend getting married at the Barns at Cooper Molera. The team at the Barns worked with us for 18 months to bring our vision to reality, answering countless calls, texts, and emails to ensure every detail was perfect. Thank you to the Barns team for making our dream wedding come to life!

    Choosing The Barns at Cooper Molera was one of the easiest and best decisions we made during our…read morewedding planning process. This venue is not only a stunning canvas for a beautiful event, but it offers a seamless, all-inclusive package that made planning a breeze, covering food, beverage, and equipment rentals in one convenient deal. The team here was incredible. Our sales rep Amanda was awesome - we immediately had good vibes as she was so responsive via email and phone. She met with us multiple times, including a detailed walkthrough onsite before we signed--which helped us feel confident and informed. We really appreciated how transparent they were about pricing, clearly laying out the packages so there were zero surprises. Our event manager, Makenna, was equally helpful and easy to work once we signed and kicked off the planning process. The venue itself is stunning and so flexible. We loved having so many layout options for the ceremony and reception, letting us customize everything. The location itself was unbeatable. It's right in the heart of downtown Monterey, with numerous hotels in walking distance. Despite it being so central, he venue still feels tucked away and private, and there was tons of space for everyone to spread out during the reception. Have to give a HUGE shoutout to the kitchen staff as the food was absolutely insane. We went with the "stations" buffet-style dinner, and our guests are still raving that it was the best wedding food they've ever had (the variety and quality were incredible). The staff was so on top of it. I've never seen a buffet line move so fast. Plus, having multiple bars meant getting a drink was never a hassle. They were also super great about handling all the dietary restrictions, which everyone appreciated. The staff's attention to detail was spot-on. They were so calm and professional, you barely noticed they were there, but everything ran perfectly. The Barns gave us everything we wanted and more--a stress-free day, beautiful location, and the best food that left a lasting impression. If you're looking for a venue, stop scrolling and book the Barns!!

    Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa - Courtyard Facing Room, 2nd Floor

    Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa

    (1.2k reviews)

    $$$

    This is our second visit in an ocean view room, and the experience was just as stellar as the…read morefirst. The views are magical, the room is perfect and the beds and pillows are like clouds. We enjoyed their rooftop spa overlooking the bay- next level. The entrance to the hotel opens up to a beautiful first floor with ocean view, large fireplace, sofas and seating areas, and a small bar. The hotel offers a nightly happy hour and musical performances. During our visit we had the pleasure to discover a highly talented artist by the name of Adrea, who has the most incredible voice and presence. We were so impressed by her and were very fortunate that she performed both nights of our visit. It was a performance we would have gladly paid to see, she is a rising talent for sure. I can't state how exceptional our experience was to enjoy the music in such an elevated atmosphere, relaxing by the fire, enjoying the outstanding craft cocktails by their highly talented mixologist. Schooners is not to be missed, the food is as outstanding as the ocean view! A special mention to the superior customer care provided by Pracha, a guest service manager at the hotel, who is an absolute star. And yes, the long review is a love letter to the Monterey Plaza Hotel, until next time!

    The room charges are astronomical . We've stayed here…read moreseveral times and now it has become ridiculous . Prices quoted do not include taxes fees etc. Make sure you get total charges on your stay or you will be disappointed. Our total charges were 20% more than room rates.

    Club Del Monte at Monterey Naval Postgraduate School - Check in/out desk.

    Club Del Monte at Monterey Naval Postgraduate School

    (16 reviews)

    We usually stay at the Naval Post Graduate school in Monterrey when we go down to the area. You…read moreneed to have some form of a military ID to stay and can reserve rooms by calling or online. The rooms have a fantastic price compared to the local area and are rally nice compared to other Navy lodges. It is located just off the freeway and has easy access to downtown, Fisherman's ward, and the aquarium (via car bike or walk). The walk (70 minutes or so) will take you a bit but if you have time and are up for the exercise, we enjoy it! The Trident room is in the basement and parking is available on the grounds restricted during the week to certain lots as parking is needed for students and faculty.

    This venue is absolutely stunning and gorgeous. The architecture and romantic feel of the Barbara…read moreMcNitt ballroom on top of the military pricing is what absolutely sold this place to me. My two star dock is for the service while planning, and the lack of attention to detail on the food on my wedding day which I will elaborate the pros and cons below. PROS - They are super nice - No tax - Deposit goes toward final bill! Yay! It's not just a holding deposit - Absolutely beautiful architecture with white demask ceilings, black chandeliers, and phenomenal tile work - The price is a steal for getting married in Monterey - You take their menu and can customize it into your own. My husband and I are Filipino and they were able to incorporate that into the food. - Cordon Bleu trained chefs - Big, gigantic space. You definitely don't have to worry about having enough room here - Newly renovated Hotel rooms in main building that are super nice and military priced CONS - They forgot I was coming on the day of my tasting, and I had to come back a second day - Lack of attention to detail on food garnishes on my wedding day. They forgot the lemon wedges for the pancit noodles, and had a bottle of sauce out for my roasted pig that everyone had to shake out in the buffet line. This should have been in a sauce dish with a spoon - Base access list for your guests is time consuming - I requested Perros Colombianos for my midnight snack, and they delivered me a hotdog bar instead. Not the same thing! - When serving cakes to my guests, they did not distribute forks/spoons and my guests had to hunt someone down to ask for them Overall we had a successful wedding, however if you are having a wedding here, don't assume they will automatically take care of the small things. Be very firm with how you want things (even condiments) presented.

    Memory Garden - venues - Updated May 2026

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