Deer Park Villa

We just got married here in October 2023 and booked the venue in December 2021. We loved our wedding but dealt with a fair amount of avoidable issues, many the property director Mark Dawson was responsible for. Pros: stunning venue with amazing amenities like a huge 3 bed/3 bath cottage for getting ready (for extra fee) and beautiful redwoods. You'll also catch deer wandering the property, hence the name! Cons: Having a near 2-year engagement with this venue proved to be troublesome. There were so many changes and little to no communication over those 2 years. A smaller example: the bocce ball court removed - not notified. Completely new staff within that time so a lot of revisiting old conversations we'd checked off (DJ, bar, Mac's after party). For the bar, had to negotiate to have them honor old selections with the previous bar manager. The wine list ended up completely changed 3 weeks before with no notice. We selected the initial list 1.5 years prior. They completely overhauled our package with their after-party venue, Mac's, even though we had a contract (albeit fairly vague). All these issues popped up from 3 months to 6 days before the wedding. Many can be attributed to Mark Dawson. I think had Mark been more proactive this would've been a vastly different experience but we learned he is a salesman. After so much back and forth with Mark and coming to a compromise on the after-party only a couple of months prior to our wedding, he went back on all of it. We received an email days before when our coordinator checked in that he thought we were continuing the party at Deer Park Villa, not Mac's. That had never been a discussion and we were terrified he cancelled something we planned nearly 2 years prior! Luckily our incredible coordinator figured it out but this could've all been solved if he reviewed his own emails within that same email chain. So aesthetics of the venue 5/5, property management 2/5. But luckily we had the best vendors: Forks & Fingers (Debbie), Green Petal Designs, Elisse Deline Photography, Booth Bus, Kyle Mize Videography who made it such an incredible event.

Deer Park Villa was the most magical and special location for a wedding. Our guests couldn't stop gushing about how gorgeous the location was, and paired with our florals, it was the perfect place for our wedding. We couldn't have been happier with the location, and the staff were so friendly and so accommodating. I would love to come back to DPV in the future for someone else's wedding so I can enjoy the beauty as a guest!

This was the first venue we toured and we kept coming back to it because there just wasn't another venue that was close to what we envisioned for our wedding. Deer Park is a truly beautiful setting perfect for an outdoor wedding. They are not cheap though! If you're having a small wedding, it may not be worth the price tag. We read reviews that communication was a challenge, but we didn't have any issues.

Deer Park Villa is one of the most beautiful wedding venues available! The entire staff is flexible, helpful, and generous. I highly recommend DPV for your wedding/event. 10/10

I shot a wedding at Deer Park Villa this past May and it was stunning! The ceremony had the sunset shining through. So magical! Also big enough for all your favorite people to be there

We could not think of a better place for a wedding! The redwoods are gorgeous, and the lodge and outdoor areas create an instant atmosphere of welcome and comfort. We had our ceremony and reception just as the world was opening back up after the COVID-19 pandemic, so most of our event was outdoors, which felt simply magical. The DPV staff were thoughtful, made great recommendations for vendors they have worked with before, and were responsive throughout the year as planning was underway. We are so grateful to have had such a special celebration in this incredible space and could not recommend it enough. Thank you so much, DPV!!

My husband and I got married here in July 2019. It was exactly what we were looking for - outdoor + indoor venue with a redwood grove. We generally had a great experience working with Deer Park, and I think a lot of that came down to the fact that we worked with a wedding planner recommended by them - she had experience working with the venue, and took main point on communications with the venue. We ended up going with a DJ not on their recommended list as well as a caterer - there was just a little back and forth to make that work. The bridal cottage was great and I recommend it if you have a decent sized wedding party. I guess we hadn't been invoiced or charged for it so there was a bit of a last minute panic when we realized the night before that we hadn't paid for the rental cottage. We wrote a check and brought it the day of, so it all ended up being OK. It was great that we were able to set up all day, and were able to make sure everything was out by 10am the next day.

We loved getting married at deer park! Our guest loved the venue and we just happened to get the perfect weather - not too hot or cold and shade throughout the reception. If we had to do it all over again, we would definitely pick deer park again.

The venue was beautiful. Exactly what we were looking for. Feels like you are lost in the woods but is easily accessible and clean. It Ended up raining on our wedding day so we did a quick ceremony outside and moved everyone to their enclosed patio area for dinner. Great plan B. Was very nice that chairs and tables were all included. It was a huge part of our budget but worth it in the end.

Gavallos

We just got married here last weekend. The venue is absolutely more stunning in person than in pictures. It was a complete dream getting ready in their beautiful bridal cabin, it made getting ready so seamless not having to worry about travel time. The staff was gracious and welcomin. Miguel was easy to work with and professional. I couldn’t recommend this place enough!

Beautiful venue. Able to party late into the night.

True to its name! Almost every time we visited DPV there were deer in the yard. More importantly, it is a majestic place to get married and share the celebration with all of your closest loved ones. We were married here on June 23rd, 2018. I had researched quite a few venues online, but only visited two, because after seeing Deer Park Villa, I knew I had found the perfect place. It is a beautiful redwood grove, in which you will be married and share dinner under the canopy of spectacular redwood trees. The spot is large enough to accommodate at most ~200 (we had 180 and it was tight). In addition to the outdoor area, there is a building next to the ceremony area that houses a large dance floor, a classy historical bar, and a deck patio for cocktail hour. During cocktail hour the outdoor space used for the ceremony is converted into the area with dinner tables. We also had our first dances outside. Later on in the evening guests enjoyed S’mores in the fire pits and a food truck that easily parked in the lot. Importantly, DPV is quite accessible for guests coming from the Bay Area and is located in the charming small town of Fairfax. Overall it was really easy to work with DPV because most of their events are weddings and they are used to all of the questions that arise from engaged couples. They provided a clear contract of expectations, but were very flexible when it came to the timing of the night and the set-up of the venue. It was difficult to find a location that would stay open until midnight, but DPV does! They also supplied all of the tables and chairs (linen came from the caterer). The day ended up being uncharacteristically hot, so the shade of the trees was much-appreciated, but there were heaters readily available if needed! Those are all of the boring details. I cannot emphasize enough that when it came to the actual day of the wedding, Deer Park Villa was more beautiful than I could have imagined. The ceremony was spiritual beneath the redwoods and the dinner was illuminated by the overhead lights that give DPV its enchantment. Everyone fit snugly into the space, where the warmth and love was palpable. While I do not have anything truly negative to say about DPV, here are few considerations: -I do not think a rainy day back up plan would have worked for a wedding of ~200 people. The indoor space is quite small and does not mirror the beauty of the outdoor venue. -DPV needs to hire more people! It seemed that Miguel was working ALL the time, and while he was excellent, he was the only point person we had to reach out to with questions. -The DJ options were limited (they really only work with one, and while he was great, it would have been nice to have alternatives) -There is a noise ordinance so the party must move inside by ~830pm. This did not turn out to be an issue in the least. It actually encourages folks to hit the dance floor! -We booked about 15 months in advance, and even then, some of the Saturday dates were taken. If you have more flexibility with the day of the week you should be fine. -The booking deposit is definitively non-refundable, so make sure you feel confident about the decision! Again, after heeding the above warnings, if you are looking for a magical outdoor/forest feel venue that KNOWs how to do weddings and boasts a sweet dance floor/bar area in a lovely small town, you’ve found your spot! Thanks Deer Park Villa for hosting the best day of our lives!

This venue is to die for. During the day and the night, it’s absolutely gorgeous. There is an awesome outdoor bar and beautiful, old California vibe indoor bar with a patio. The venue is open to being set up however you’d like it, but your caterer is 100% responsible for this. The communication is lacking a bit, but their staff is improving constantly, as they know weddings are their bread and butter. Definitely make sure you choose a caterer that knows the venue well and knows their way around the place, since they essentially take over for the venue staff. Deer Park does have a bar package and they are in charge of that and they did a great job.

We thoroughly enjoyed our wedding at Deer Park Villa - Mark is a wonderful tour guide and so helpful in getting everything up and running. Marisol and Miguel did a fantastic job executing on our wedding vision and were so accommodating with our various requests - we wanted a specific beer for the bar, which Miguel was able to source for us, and had escort drinks rather than traditional escort cards, which required alcohol to be poured during our ceremony to prepare for the cocktail hour and people looking for their escort cards. The venue itself is beautiful - the minute my bridal party saw it, they all commented that they completely understood why I wanted to get married at DPV! Being outside but on the flagstones really helped with limiting the amount of "the nature" that got on my dress and walking in heels. The flagstones also made it easier for my grandmom, who is 88, to be able to walk down the aisle and just generally get around. The property is so well landscaped that we really didn't need a ton of flowers at the ceremony to decorate - just the bouts and bouqs flowers were needed. And the inside bar is to die for! I love that bar! There were a few times that I got a little nervous because I felt like the communication in the days and months leading up to the wedding would sometimes fall to the wayside - I had to ask a few questions a couple times to get an answer. But, ultimately, everything went amazingly on my wedding day, so I chalk this up more to DPV doing lots of weddings (so while I was like "OMG, must figure this thing out ASAP or it'll make the wedding less good", they were more like "oh, that's a thing we don't need to work on right now, so do later"). All in all, if I had to do it again, I would pick DPV again and just tell my inner voice to be chill and not stress. I cannot wait to get my pictures back from my photographer, so we can see all the beauty again!

Deer Park Villa was the absolute perfect venue for our wedding. As soon as we saw it, we knew we needed to look no further at the hundreds of other venues in California. The beautiful redwoods made a perfect outdoor sanctuary for our ceremony and at night, with all the string lights lit up, the whole place was magical. We wanted an outdoor wedding but since our wedding was in November, we loved having the dance floor and bar inside so after dinner, toasts and special dances, guests could go inside for drinks or dancing or be outside by the fire pits or on the patio. It was such a perfect spot for us and our guests with a very personal vibe. My fiancé and I heard of the venue online but when we told our parents which venue we picked it came up that my grandparents (who have since passed away) used to visit this site all the time in its restaurant days so it held special meaning with our family especially. I could go on and on about how beautiful this site is but suffice it to say we are SO glad we had our wedding here.

The venue itself is beautiful, with their large grove of redwood trees situated all around the area where we had our wedding and dinner. The grounds are clean and manicured. The maintenance staff ensures that there is no trace of the event that took place prior. Our wedding took place in the garden area and adjoined the building where we went in for dancing afterwards. We would recommend Deer Park Villa for its location, beauty and event suitability alone. In terms of service, we liked that Deer Park doesn’t nickel and dime their customers. When you book the venue, it’s all yours from 10am through the rest of the night. In addition, if we needed heat lamps later in the evening, we were given them without having to pay an additional cost. Overall, our day-of experience was frustration-free. Unfortunately, what came with the laid back business model was a severe lack in customer service in the wedding planning process. We were not happy with the total lack of follow-up by all the business staff at Deer Park Villa as we were planning our wedding. We felt that once we had paid the venue they seemed to ignore us. During the months preceding, our many calls and emails went unanswered - to the point of our total frustration. It was a chore to chase someone down to answer even the most basic questions. The bar package coordination, for example, took almost 3 months to finalize due to weeks of unanswered emails. Overall, we’re very happy we chose this venue. Everything was beautiful and our day went smoothly. What this venue needs to improve on is its customer service.

I grew up going to Deer Park Villa -- my aunt was married there in the 1970s and my nana loved their brunch (a mother's day tradition). The venue is so beautiful; can't ask for a prettier setting. BUT: if you don't have a wedding planner, I wouldn't suggest it. Their communication is really lacking and I got the feeling that because they knew I'd never be renting their venue out again, they had no financial motivation to make anything easy on me. Only once I handed the communication reigns over to our planner did they finally respond to our questions/concerns/contract revisions. My sense was that they didn't want to upset a planner (potential repeat business), but they didn't mind causing panic in a frantic bride (one-time use). I hate to have to say that (especially with our family history and how beautiful the space is), but really: you're signing up for stress if you don't have a planner to go to bat for you with Deer Park Villa. If communication and contracts had been bearable, I'd say our experience was near-perfect.

We had our wedding at Deer Park Villa in October 2016. We had planned a perfect outdoor wedding - both ceremony and reception. Unfortunately, we encountered a freak October Marin county rain storm, and had to move everything inside. The team at Deer Park was so accommodating, and everything was wonderful. They allowed us to use their indoor bar, the dance hall, the deck out back, and their long room (we used the long room for our ceremony). The deck was used for dinner and it was beautiful! I know it wasn't the "under the Redwoods" outdoor wedding I had originally planned for, but Deer Park offered such an amazing plan B that no one even know it wasn't the original plan. Mark, Miguel and the team are so very kind and also very responsive. So glad we chose DPV for our venue!

We had our wedding at Deer Park Villa in August 2016 and we are still hearing wonderful compliments on the venue. For us, it was not a contest, we went to 10 other places in search for an outdoor wedding and nothing compared to Deer Park. Our guest felt transported to another place and time. Everything was even more beautiful than we could ever dream. At first we just bought out the back for our wedding but as it got closer to the date we bought the whole venue (and got a great deal for it), which was great so we could have the cool bar as well too. I would recommend to everyone looking for a magical redwood wedding setting to consider (and choose) Deer Park!

I love this place .. my second time here is really welcoming is superb! It's like you're in a movie everything is perfect, deer park you know how to keep your customers happy! unique service, delicious food ... great guys in the bar, a beautiful girl in special Sokoró "She is extremely beautiful, professional, very friendly, always attentive and helping around .. you they should bring more people as it ,is the perfect complement to this beautiful place! blessings deer park Villa see u next year

We had a fantastic wedding at Deer Park Villa, and at the end of the day, are happy we chose the venue, which is really quite beautiful. That being said, the venue was at times quite frustrating to deal with leading up to our wedding, which for us was compounded because we were planning our wedding from across the country. The biggest issue was that we felt there wasn't complete transparency and forthrightness from Deer Park when we booked the venue. Apparently when you book Deer Park, you don't buy out the full site -- that we learned after the fact was an option, for more money, but no one mentioned this to us. At the time we booked Deer Park, which was about 10 months before our wedding, there was no restaurant or bar on site, and no one mentioned anything opening, so we (perhaps mistakenly) assumed the space was ours. It wasn't until our caterer had asked if we did a buyout of the site that we learned about all this, which frankly is quite frustrating. Then we learned that Deer Park planned to open (and now operates) a public bar out of the front of the building. We weren't told that from the beginning and didn't know that our rental excluded that part of the building, and (more problematically) the public would be sharing the building (and bathrooms) with us. The bar has pretty sporadic hours and fortunately it ended up being closed during our wedding, but it's still quite frustrating that they didn't explain that was a possibility to us when we booked, and it led to some headaches. So just make sure if you book Deer Park Villa, you are very clear on what exactly you are reserving/what your rental fee covers. Further, there was a lot of confusion about outside music. When we booked the venue, they pointed out the ability to have music and dancing outside into the evening. But our contract explicitly required all outside amplified sound to end by 9 pm. And then, a few days out from our wedding, they told our DJ that outside music had to end by 8:30. We ended up making it work (music can continue inside the building and there's a dance floor in there - it's just not as picturesque as the outside), but it would have helped with our figuring out our day of schedule if the music issue had been clear from the beginning. The responsiveness of folks at the venue was also sometimes pretty spotty. Once people responded, they were helpful (in particular Miguel, who heads the bar, was very helpful, particularly with personalizing our bar), but you had to often nag folks. Also, a small quibble - at least for our wedding, Deer Park did not have a to-scale map of its space, so trying to lay out tables and figure out how to use the space was challenging. Our coordinator created a to-scale map on her own when she did a different wedding at the venue. All that being said, on the actual day, the staff at Deer Park was very helpful and on point, and we had a fantastic, lovely wedding. So basically, just be extremely clear with them from the beginning, get things written down, and if you're a bride or groom who wants super prompt responses, Deer Park might not be the venue for you. But if you can let some stuff slide, at the end of the day you should have a great event (the venue really is incredibly beautiful).

I cannot imagine a more perfect venue for our wedding! Our guests loved the redwood grove, and had nothing but compliments for the food. We had a few hiccups at the beginning of the planning process when DPV changed event planners a few times, but at the end of the day Mike (owner) and Bobbi (catering manager and event planner) went out of their way to make sure we had a perfect day. I would highly recommend this venus for a beautiful California wedding out under the trees and lights.

Deer Park Villa is a tradition in Marin County. The grounds are so BEAUTIFUL and it really is a magical setting. They take great care in the appearance and upkeep of the venue.Redwood trees and wonderful firepits with plenty of space and seating. Everything is done onsite when you have your event there. They provide catering, a variety or options from buffet to sit-down, etc. The food on our wedding day was absolutely incredible! Delicious and fresh. They also do bar service with many options. Rentals and linens are also apart of the package. While my husband and I's wedding was just what we dreamed, and we couldn't have asked for a better setting, the service is something to be desired. Without going into too much detail, the coordinator for our day changed 4 times through the 15 months we were planning, and there was a lack of communication of this. Slow response to emails, and day of hard to track down at times. It still is a beautiful place and we had an incredible day, just know that coordination maybe a little looser than what you would expect.

Wow!! We could not be happier with our choice of Deer Park Villa as our wedding venue for our July 2014 wedding. We scouted 30-35 wedding venues all over the extended Bay Area and are 1000% confident we made the right decision to go with Deer Park Villa. From our very first meeting, Danny Buell and the DPV staff made us feel totally taken care of and at ease. (Working with Danny was actually one of the biggest highlights of the planning process for us - he has a real knack for making wedding planning feel totally manageable and exciting, even when you're months behind all the "checklists" and are firing off a million questions at him at once.) The location is super convenient but feels like a totally secluded little wonderland. Many of our guests told us it was the most beautiful wedding site they'd ever been to. The redwood grove is both intimate and awe-inspiring. There is so much natural beauty that you don't need to spend a fortune on decorations or flowers to make it feel like a special place. Another big perk is that the property is versatile enough to transition from a very sweet and serious ceremony in the afternoon to a rowdy dance party by the end of the night - and, again, the staff was totally accommodating in this regard. Great food is really important to us and we were not disappointed here. We had 110 guests (including steak-lovers, vegans, and everything in between), and we've heard nothing but rave reviews about the dinner. Plus, the DPV staff handles large events all the time, so they know how to get everyone served smoothly and efficiently, as well as transitioning the outdoor area between ceremony, dinner, dancing, etc. No rookie mistakes here. They're professionals and they know how to use the space effectively. Deer Park Villa is a real gem, especially given what an insanely great value it is. Not only is the location / ambiance / service top-notch, I was constantly surprised by how often we were told "oh don't worry, we'll handle that for you." We kept waiting to hear that we'd be charged for planning meetings or having the staff help set up our decorations, but the DPV team actually just cares about making sure your big day goes as smoothly as possible. We didn't have any wildly complicated or extravagant requests, but we personalized pretty much every detail and I'm still in awe that everything was so well executed by DPV. (If it's not clear yet, I'm pretty Type A, and the fact that I was able to let loose and have a great time at my wedding is really a testament to the venue team.) This location did not match several of the factors we initially thought would be totally critical in a venue, but we're so glad we checked it out and fell in love with it. Highly recommend!!

Love the aesthetics of Deer Park. We planned to get married here long before anything else (as in…I didn't even have a ring yet). We got married in the Redwood Grove, and were 100% happy with it. Everyone told us what a perfect venue it was. We were the first to have the outdoor tent (used for bad weather). Fortunately, we didn't have to have the ceremony in the tent, but it enabled us to have the ceremony under the trees and the dinner under the tent. It was lovely. Everyone at Deer Park Villa is super nice and helpful. My ONLY complaint is that we did feel a bit abandoned after dinner was served at our reception. We had several issues with their sound system and no one was around to help us.

My husband and I used Deer Park to cater our wedding at the Falkirk Cultural Center. Everyone loved the food, which of course is the most important part. The price was great too, but dealing with the catering management staff was not always so smooth. The issue is that there is one email for the whole catering staff - so even if you have been working with one particular person, you might send an email and get a response from another staff member who does not know the whole story. I think that is how I ended up with no champagne flutes at my wedding, even though I had asked and been told they would be provided. Turns out they don't even have champagne flutes! My coordinator (Va De Vie Events) covered the caterer's rear and got us the glasses, but that was a bit frustrating. For the money, they are a great deal. I guess they do most of their catering on-site, so you can tell they get a bit flustered with the off-site jobs.

It's no wonder almost everyone I know has been to or had an event at Deer Park Villa. Between the family owned feel, the gorgeous setting and the convenience of services, this is THE place to get married in Marin County. Not only did we have the convenience of having our ceremony and reception in the same location (perfect when you have out of town guests!), Deer Park also provided all the tables, chairs, linens, food, drinks, alter...everything! Not a single rental needed! They were also incredibly flexible when it came to us bringing in some of our own furniture and helping us to have it set up properly as well. Debbie and Jessica are excellent to work with and they just want their clients to enjoy their event. It shows.

We were married her just a few weeks ago and had a beautiful and seamless wedding thanks to the amazing staff at DPV. The venue is gorgeous, more beautiful than I could have imagined once they have it all set up, the food was great and the service was very friendly. There is a reason DPV has such a great reputation - they know what they are doing and they do it very well!

It was surrounded by redwood trees, and our ceremony was outside, and absolutely beautiful. We were framed by redwood trees for the ceremony, and the dinner was set up afterwards in the same spot. Lights hung from tree to tree, and the sky was breathtaking. The inside was charming, built in the 20's, and the staff were excellent. Debbie, the owner, was very pleasant and helpful, and approachable, and Mary, the event planner, was the sweetest woman possible. They really made me feel that they cared about how my wedding would turn out. They also were extremely helpful in suggesting vendors, as we lived a good hour from the site. The food was awesome, and they used local, organic produce. I wouldn't change a thing about this place.;The only gripe I had was with the Head waiter. He seemed inpatient with me as my husband and I were taking pictures after the ceremony, and he wanted to serve dinner. In retrospect, I would have told him to stop bugging me and ask my Mom or Dad. I was far too cloudy in the head to make decisions. His attitude changed a little when my husband said some not-so-nice things within earshot.

Food was spectacular and the service was exceptional. The restaurant manager was very knowledgable and worked with your budget to provide high quality service. The atmosphere was semi-formal - very classic old Italian, which I loved! The garden, with the sweet fountain and old redwood groves were lovely. Location was close to my guests' home, yet felt far removed and secluded. Plenty of parking, and easy access (no steps, flat groiund) for my elderly guests - which was important to me.;The ambiance inside might not be for everyone. It is somewhat 'out of date' - but with the help of your florest, this can be easily fixed up.