Enchanting spaces for your fairytale wedding
151 to 200 guests
Holds ceremonies and receptions
AWARD WINNER (2X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Nestldown is a wedding venue located in Los Gatos, CA. Nestled in the redwoods on acres of lush landscaped property, this exceptional retreat is located just minutes away from the heart of Silicon Valley. Gorgeous views, rustic elegance, and unique amenities come together to provide a stunning environment that will always be remembered. Lush gardens, two large ponds, and waterfalls provide a breathtaking location for truly majestic I-do’s.
You and your guests will be transported to an enchanting forest setting surrounded by tall redwoods, green ferns, and magnificent scenery for a ceremony unlike any other. Stone patios and pathways will lead guests from ceremony to reception, either outdoors on the lawn or indoors in the barn, with floor-to-ceiling windows, balconies, and grand chandeliers. Or maybe you’d like to take the tiny train on a trip through the forest before sipping on cocktails and dancing the night away. With creative accents at every turn, your wedding will be truly unique and special, a stunning backdrop for a spectacular day.
Amenities:
∙ 9 hours of access to all areas, additional time may be available for a fee
∙ A Special Events Manager (SEM) starts working with you 7-9 months before your special day, who will customize a Nestldown timeline and layout, will provide support throughout your planning process, handle some logistics, and be on-site day of
∙ 3 Nestldown staff led by the SEM day-of
∙ 30-minute changing room
∙ Sound systems
∙ Screen & projector
∙ Life-size chess set
∙ 2 bocce ball courts
∙ Chairs, dinner tables, cocktail hour/reception tables, high-top kiosks for cocktail hour, and rectangular tables
∙ The use of a 1965 London Taxi, a 5-passenger golf cart, and a 20-passenger train
Restrictions:
∙ Choose from a list of catering services
∙ Alcohol must be served by a licensed bartender/caterer
∙ Some decorations are limited
∙ General liability insurance required
∙ Birdseed is allowed (No rice, confetti, or manufactured small pieces)
∙ Smoking in the designated area
∙ Music must end by 10:00 PM
Now booking through 2025!
What You'll Love About Nestldown
Couples who have hosted their nuptials at Nestldown have praised the stunning venue for its services, setting, and spaces. The breathtaking scenery is highlighted as creating the perfect romantic backdrop, and the team is recommended for their seamless execution and personalized service. Check out their reviews to get an insight into the kind of wedding experience you can expect here.
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Pricing details
Starting prices
Reception:
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Ceremony:
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Bar services:
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Catering:
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Starting prices don't include service fees, taxes, gratuity, and rental fees. Guest count and seasonality may also affect prices.
Amenities + details
Amenities
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Guest Capacity
Up to 200
Settings
Barn
Beach
Waterfront
Garden
Loft
Mountain
Park
Tented
Trees
Venue Service Offerings
Destination Weddings
Planning
Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Availability
Reviews
4.6
out of 5.063 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Nestldown is a highly recommended wedding venue with breathtaking scenery in the redwoods. Reviewers praise the stunning grounds, whimsical touches, and the professional, kind staff, particularly the Special Events Managers like Barbara, Danielle, and Jo Ann. The venue is described as magical, with seamless planning processes, joyful experiences, and flawless executions of weddings that exceeded expectations. Couples appreciated the detailed organization, calm demeanor of staff, and the ability to relax and fully enjoy their wedding day. Guests also complimented the delicious food, exceptional service, and memorable experiences, making Nestldown a top choice for a fairytale wedding.Review photos
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Jaclyn M
5.0
11/06/2024
I first became aware of Nestldown in 2007 and visited it in 2016; I instantly was smitten. When my husband and I got engaged, it was at the top of my list for venues. We toured the property and booked our minimony there immediately afterward, without even looking anywhere else. It's hard for anything to live up to what you've built it up to be in your memory, especially after such a long period of time, and yet, somehow Nestldown ended up far exceeding my sky-high expectations.
First of all, Nestldown is absolutely breathtaking. There are so many whimsical and special touches everywhere you look. Our guests loved walking around the grounds and taking it all in. The ceremony site is gorgeous. But even more importantly, the owners and staff are what truly make Nestldown stand out for me. Every staff member we interacted with there was professional, responsive, and genuinely kind. Once we had booked, Barbara Beck, the owner, was assigned to be our Special Events Manager. She guided us through the planning process, and was consistently thorough, organized, and invested in making our wedding day visions come to life. She was phenomenal, and an absolute delight to work with. It is apparent she loves what she does, and that was seen in every interaction we had with her.
On our wedding day, Barbara was the calming force throughout, keeping us on schedule and everything running smoothly. She somehow managed to be seemingly everywhere all at once and all of our guests who interacted with her could not stop raving about how amazing and lovely she was. She and the rest of the staff made our experience there that much more special and magical. My husband and I were able to simply relax and enjoy the wedding, and never had to worry about a single detail that day.
I wholeheartedly recommend Nestldown! Our wedding day could not have been more perfect.
Roxanna S
5.0
10/15/2024
We had our wedding in November at Nestldown, and it couldn’t have been more magical! Courtney, our coordinator, and the rest of the venue’s staff were so amazing. Everyone worked so hard to make our day flow seamlessly.
The location is so beautiful that it’s not an exaggeration to say I fell in love with it as soon as we walked out of the parking lot. I didn’t have a full vision of what I wanted our wedding to look like, but I knew I wanted it to feel magical and whimsical and I don’t know if we could’ve found a better place. The trees and gardens are gorgeous any time of the year and everywhere you look there’s some hidden treasure tucked away around a corner.
Aside from how visually stunning the grounds are, their staff and our coordinator really made it very easy for us to be able to plan everything without needing to hire a professional wedding planner. I was very overwhelmed with the idea of needing to find so many different vendors so I was really pleased to see that they had a required and recommended vendors list to choose from. It made it very easy to narrow down the search and we knew that if a vendor was on their list, it meant they had to be good so it felt like we couldn’t go wrong! A lot of the vendors on their lists have also worked tons of weddings together at Nestldown so they already knew each other and how to work well as a team.
We worked very closely with our coordinator throughout the year so when our wedding day finally arrived, we knew there wasn’t a single thing we had to worry about. Our coordinator took charge as soon as we arrived at the venue and made sure to get us from place to place on time and efficiently. Everything ran smoothly and every detail was seen to so all we had to do was enjoy ourselves and be present. The staff was also very attentive and were checking on us throughout the day to reassure us and make sure we had everything we needed.
We had a wonderful time and all of our guests told us what a beautiful day it was and how much fun they had. Thank you so so so much to everyone at Nestldown! We hope to come back one day as guests so we can enjoy everything from the other side!
Any questions?
Tom G
5.0
8/08/2024
Our wedding at Nestldown was nothing short of magical. Nestled in the heart of the redwoods, the venue provided a breathtaking backdrop that made our special day feel like a fairytale. The towering trees and serene environment created an atmosphere of peace and beauty that our guests are still talking about.
A huge part of our wonderful experience was due to the incredible staff, particularly Danielle and Diana. They went above and beyond to ensure everything was perfect. Danielle's attention to detail and calm demeanor made the planning process smooth and stress-free. She was always available to answer our questions and provided invaluable advice that truly enhanced our wedding day.
Both Danielle and Diana displayed exceptional professionalism and genuine care for our wedding, making us feel supported and confident throughout the entire journey. Their dedication and hard work did not go unnoticed, and we are incredibly grateful for their contributions.
Nestldown itself is a venue like no other, combining natural beauty with a touch of elegance. If you are looking for a place that offers stunning scenery and a dedicated team to help bring your vision to life, Nestldown is the perfect choice. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect venue or better people to work with. Thank you, Danielle, Diana, and the entire Nestldown team, for making our wedding day unforgettable.
Lauren Q
5.0
4/25/2024
Nestldown is absolutely stunning! The staff and my Special Events Manager (Danielle) are so organized, kind, respectful, eager to help, and easy to work with. Our wedding day there was flawless despite it raining.
10/10 recommend getting married here!! It's definitely expensive, but worth it because our wedding day was on time, smooth, and our guests kept telling us about how much they loved everything the whole day long and for weeks to come! If you want jaw dropping pictures, experienced staff, a gorgeous venue, and memories for a lifetime, then book Nestldown!
P.S. Ask for Danielle as your SEM and you won't regret it :)
Gayathri N
5.0
3/28/2024
Nestldown was a dream! Initially I was very nervous to book with them as their contract and policies and add ons seem really extensive and daunting. But now, having completed the whole process, I do see they have it down to a science of creating your dream day. My guests left wowed saying it was the most magical venue and best wedding they had attended. Having multiple spaces in one venue for different events and exclusive use of the property was critical for me and my husband. Jo Ann and Liz were a pleasure to work with, and their vendor list is like a cheat sheet for wedding planning. Highly recommend!
Taco
Sammie F
5.0
10/16/2023
JoAnn and the team at Nestldown made our wedding vision come to life in a way that was better than I could have imagined! The whole group was very prompt with responses and flexible and willing to go the extra mile to make our vision come to life. Our guests were blown away by the grounds and we were told many times that it’s the best venue they’ve ever been to. I highly recommend hosting your wedding here!!!
Emily C
5.0
5/30/2023
My goodness I don't even know where to begin with how happy I am that we found Nestldown. Our event coordinator from nestldown was so, so helpful with planning and keeping us on track. Day of she made it feel like we could actually enjoy our wedding without worrying about everything. The venue was breathtaking and all of our guests mentioned how stunning it was. We also needed a venue that was wheelchair accessible and we had no problems with anyone getting around. Really could not have asked for a better place to get married!
Tara T
5.0
9/20/2022
Our wedding day was pure magic because of Nestldown and the Nestldown staff! I honestly don’t think there is a more beautiful wedding venue out there. The grounds are absolutely gorgeous year round and are so well maintained. The ceremony space amongst the redwoods was exactly what my husband and I were looking for and it made for the most beautiful and special ceremony. We’ve been told by so many of our guests how it was the most unique and breathtaking wedding ceremonies they’ve ever been to. One of the things we loved the most about Nestldown is how vast the property is and how each part of our day had a unique vibe and feeling. We had our cocktail hour in Foxglove Meadow which was perfect for all of the activities we had for our guests (including a golf hole!). Dinner on the main lawn was absolutely gorgeous with the trees lit up by the pond and the surrounding gardens bloomed with beautiful flowers. The barn made the perfect setting for our dance party. Every part of the day was perfection and we feel so lucky to have gotten married there. Nestldown definitely has a lot of rules and policies that worried us at times during the planning process but when it came down to our actual wedding day it was all worth it.
Also, a huge shout out to our SEM Danielle! She was SO amazing to work with every step of the way. Always there for us to help with any questions or things that popped up. On the day-of she was extremely attentive and really made sure everything went super smoothly and according to plan. Thanks to her we were able to really relax and enjoy our day!
They offer every couple the chance to come back on their anniversary for a celebratory picnic and we can’t wait to come back! Its the most magical place ever!
Katie B
5.0
7/31/2022
8. It is hard to express how incredible our experience was at Nestldown-our wedding day was magical and an absolute dream come true. The venue is absolutely breathtaking and unlike any other place- the towering redwoods, gorgeous gardens filled with hidden treasures, and the cozy barn are straight out of a fairytale.
Planning a wedding during a pandemic was a challenge, but the Nestldown team was there every step of the way. We are so fortunate to have worked with Courtney Donlon as our Special Events Manager (SEM) throughout the entire planning process. She is organized, communicative, caring, and really went the extra mile to make our day unforgettable. She met with us many times before the big day to go over the logistics/ timeline and each and every detail to make sure our day was everything we wanted and more.
If you are looking for a beautiful gem of a venue in the redwoods- look no further. This place is magical. Thank you, Nestldown!!!!!
Omeed M
5.0
7/17/2022
The most magical day we ever had! Nestldown truly is a fairytale come true. My wife and I couldn't have been happier to spend the most important day of our life at such a breathtaking location.
From our first steps on the property during our tour at Nestldown, we knew that this venue was like no other. After seeing multiple wedding venues, we couldn't go back to any of them once we saw what Nestldown had to offer. From the professional and organized staff to the gorgeous and well maintained gardens, choosing Nestldown was a no-brainer.
Our SEC, Jo Ann, was an absolute delight to work with. She helped us with our wedding timeline, all the details about our vendor, what to prepare for leading up to our wedding, and answered all our questions. I'm not sure how she had time to organize and remember every detail about our wedding while helping others as well.
Our wedding itself was better than we could've imagined. Nestldown truly knows how to pamper and spoil the bride and groom. As soon as we entered, we were constantly being looked our for. We were handed appetizers when we were hungry, our cocktails when we took breaks, and everything was organized down to a T. We also had the luxury to work with the owner of Nestldown, Barbara. She was the perfect blend of sweet and professional. She somehow knew where every vendor was and what they were doing at all times!
My wife and I are still talking about how magical our wedding was. Our guests also can't stop bragging that they went to the best wedding ever. We wish we would experience this day again!
Lauren B
5.0
4/04/2022
Where do I even begin...Nestldown is worth every single penny. We worked with Jo Ann and Danielle (SEM) throughout the entire process and they made everything so easy. They guided us through the whole planning process and provided insight when we needed it and made me, a type-A nervous wreck, feel calm and collected. On the big day, I didn't even have to think, they let us know our cues for everything and kept our gorgeous day on schedule and FUN! I cannot say enough about how truly wonderful the Nestldown team is. They make you feel like you are part of their family, we are forever grateful to Jo Ann and Danielle for making the happiest day of our lives run smoothly so that we could just enjoy everything. Nestldown team, we love and appreciate you all!!
Katherine Q
5.0
3/19/2022
My partner and I had the best experience with Nestldown for our minimony. We had toured a few other venues but after seeing Nesltdown, there was no competition. There is nothing quite like it - it truly looks like something out of a fairytale and there are so many little touches that make the property so magical.
The booking process was very smooth for us and shortly after, we were paired with our SEM, Danielle to discuss the timeline and details for our minimony. Danielle is such a sweet person and was integral in bringing our vision to life. She kept us on track during the planning process and she was such a calming presence for me on the day-of as my nerves were through the roof! Our ceremony and cocktail hour went off without a hitch, and I know Danielle did so much behind the scenes to make sure everything went smoothly.
I had so many of our guests compliment us on how beautiful the venue was and how kind all of the Nestldown staff were. We couldn't have picked a better place to get married and we are so grateful to Danielle and the rest of the team at Nestldown for all the work they put into making our day so special!
Brenda D
5.0
2/21/2022
My daughter's wedding was changed due to Covid. Nestldown staff were fantastic to work with. Then on the day of my daughter's wedding - the great Atmospheric River Storm hit California. Barbara and her staff were fantastic! Although I was a basket case, they made sure everything was to my vision (even if it all now was moved inside). Another plus for this venue - they have a huge generator so when we lost power, my daughter's wedding didn't have to end. I can't say enough about how wonderful the staff is and of course, the beauty of the venue speaks for itself.
Leah K
5.0
1/29/2022
The wonderful staff at Nestldown truly made our wedding day! We are so happy that we picked this venue because from the day we signed the contract to the day of our wedding they were so helpful, communicative, organized, and timely. We want to give a special shout out to Courtney, our coordinator, who helped us every step of the way. She helped bring our vision to light and was so much fun to work with.
The whole staff helped us navigate having a wedding during COVID-19 and made sure we followed guidelines, kept everyone safe, and we were still able to have a great time! I will always recommend this venue! Thank you again!
amanda b
3.0
12/31/2021
Pros: Beautiful venue and well organized. The template timeline is very helpful as is the recommended vendor list for planning
Cons: Their COVID change/cancellation policies were pretty poor so be sure to ask ahead of time! Even during lockdown and tight restrictions they didn't offer our deposit back. The options were 1) mini moon with ~20 guests, boxed meals, and no reception 2) change to a weekday (regardless if you paid extra for the weekend) or pay ~40% more for a weekend day or 3) cancel and lose the deposit. Fortunately, the restrictions lifted by the time of our wedding, but if you want to move the reception/dancing outdoors, you may need to pay extra for a golf cart or to coordinate with your caterer. I'd hoped they'd at least throw in the golf cart for free given we paid considerably more for a weekend day but had to push the date to a week day (Unfortunately, they were not accommodating here). They did throw in free guest house use and games to everyone, but this hardly balanced the cost difference and weren't items we'd originally wanted.
Carla F
5.0
9/28/2021
I have nothing but wonderful comments about this place. Its beauty cannot be described with words. Our guests were in awe. We used the Apple Knoll for dancing and cake cutting and it was the best decision we could have made. The staff is incredible.
Daniela B
5.0
9/16/2021
Nestldown is the most amazing place to get married! The property is like something out of a fairytale. The Chapel is absolutely beautiful! When you book a wedding at Nestldown you rent the entire property for your event (unlike a country club, hotel, or resort). The ceremony was at the Chapel, cocktail hour at the Apple Knoll, dinner at the Main Lawn, and the reception at the Barn. We are so thankful to our SEM Danielle. She kept us informed of all Covid related updates that would affect the wedding and did an amazing job following the timeline and being flexible with a last-minute changes. Danielle did a great job keeping the bride and groom from seeing each other before the ceremony as well as going above and beyond her duties as an SEM by making sure that my husband's mother with Alzheimer’s was transported around Nestldown, taking care of a melting cake, and helping us surprise the bride and groom with a VW photo booth.
We are so grateful to the Beck family for making their property and guesthouse available for weddings. Their property is like a fairy tale or like our South American guests would say “un cuento de hadas”. The Chapel is breathtaking! Their guesthouse is not only beautiful but very convenient for weddings at the property. When our daughter told us that she wanted to get married surrounded by redwoods I was worried. Once we toured Nestldown, we knew that this was the place where she would marry her soulmate.
Elvina F
5.0
1/16/2021
Even before I started wedding planning, I knew that having my future wedding at Nestldown would be a dream come true. For years, I had seen pictures of the beautiful redwoods, flowers, ponds, and buildings, not realizing that this gorgeous venue was local. When I got engaged, I knew that the first venue I was going to want to tour was Nestldown! In hindsight, touring Nestldown before any other venue may have been a mistake, as I knew that no other venue could live up to it. The property even more beautiful in real life and I felt like I was transported into a fairytale forest.
It is clear that Nestldown really knows what they are doing when it comes to weddings. The entire planning process was extremely organized, with plenty of paperwork provided to outline every guideline. I'm not going to lie, the guidelines were pretty strict, but completely justified considering all of the efforts made to keep the property wedding-ready. Diana, the Events Director, sat down with my husband and me and patiently went through all of the paperwork and its legalese to ensure we understood everything. We were also given lists of their recommended vendors and Diana was able to provide us with personalized recommendations that suited our needs.
We were initially assigned Jaynie as our Special Events Manager (SEM) who would be our point person leading up to and on our big day. Jaynie was such a delight, but unfortunately we only got to meet her once before the pandemic hit and we had to change our wedding day plans.
With the uncertainty of planning a wedding during a pandemic, my husband and I ultimately decided to downsize our guest list and cut out our reception dinner altogether. Diana was wonderful, keeping us updated on how our wedding would be affected by the county guidelines as well as providing us with various options for keeping our original date or postponing. We opted to downsize to a "minimony", which is essentially just the ceremony and cocktail hour, but were still able to incorporate aspects from our original full length wedding.
Samantha, our new minimony SEM, and her team really went above and beyond to make our day special. We really wanted to make our grand entrance on the train, but when it was discovered that there would be no one available to drive the train, she arranged it so that someone got trained literally the day before our wedding to make it happen! On the day of the wedding, there was a motorcycle accident leading to the venue, with the resultant traffic making me arrive 45 minutes late. By the time I showed up, I was completely frantic and convinced we were going to have to cut things out of our schedule to get back on track. Samantha was totally on it, calming me down and worked her magic to adjust the timing of our schedule, making everything play out as originally intended. At the end of the night, after we returned to our hotel, we were pleasantly surprised to find that someone from the Nestldown team dropped off a ring box we had left at the venue. I can't even begin to express how grateful we were to Samantha and her team for making our day absolutely perfect. We can't thank her, Diana, and everyone at Nestldown enough!
Magdalena L
5.0
9/06/2020
We got married at Nestldown in September 2019 and our wedding was better than I could've imagined! We selected this venue because of the breathtaking ceremony space that makes you feel like you're in a cathedral of redwood trees, the expansive lawn for outdoor dining, and beautiful barn for dancing. The staff at Nestldown are absolute pros at executing weddings seamlessly and giving guests the best experience possible. Several of our guests have remarked that it was the best wedding they have been to. Much of this credit goes to our Special Events Manager, Marissa Barnes, and the rest of the staff at Nestldown. The only issue we faced was Nestldown's insistence that you use a wedding planner off of their approved list, or pay a $1,000 fee. I understood this policy and willingly paid the fee when I found an off-list planner that I loved, but Nestldown still made me feel like it was a big inconvenience for them to work with someone off-list. That was the only hitch. My wedding planner learned the venue quickly, and the day was perfect!
Kelsey K
5.0
7/20/2020
To say the least, getting married at Nestldown was a dream come true. My (now) husband and I instantly fell in love with this property. I had viewed 18+ properties and had very high standards. Nestldown met every single one of those and more. There are so many beautiful features to this property including the stunning redwood trees, lake, small train, horses, twinkle tree lights, and more! While we had our wedding reception, deer actually walked down and fed in the meadow next to guests-- it was out of a fairy tale.
My wedding day truly went off without a snag. My goal was for each guest to have a blast. I was told multiple times by various guests it was the best wedding they had ever too and the most stunning venue they had ever visited. I truly cannot say enough positive things about Nestldown and my wedding day-- I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful memory. In addition to the incredible day, the Beck family is also incredible! They truly care about each and every bride. They welcomed us into their home for the contract signing and we spent hours just chatting and bonding. I grew very close with the family over the 1.5 years of planning and never had a bad encounter. They are beyond generous, loving, warm, compassionate people. It is so rare to meet people like the Beck family. Diana Beck and I have continued to stay close since my wedding (2 years ago) and can truly say she is one of my closest friends.
You will be so so happy to get married here and make the most fabulous life long memories and friendships.
Previc D
5.0
7/17/2020
We eloped with our wedding party and were officially married at Bellagio so that my husband's parents could be in attendance. We then had our wedding reception/celebration at Nestldown on Sunday, June 16, 2019 - Father's Day. It was the only date available and we still took it, because no matter what the date --- I had to celebrate at Nestldown! The lush greenery, vibrant flora and whimsical atmosphere was too spectacular and magical to pass up!
It was and continues to be a dream come true! Mark and Barbara were awesome to work with! They are impeccably professional and are also warm, welcoming and kindhearted. The entire team who tended to our wedding celebration (Marissa, Meghan, Edward, Tiffany & Leftery) were amazing! The planning and execution was superb! They were accommodating, easy to work with, very honest and very upfront in terms of what was possible and what was not possible to have on the property (I wanted a whole arcade and pool table brought in, but that was so impractical, perhaps maybe now it is possible, now that they have an upper veranda area).
We stayed at their lovely home on the grounds the night before, which I highly recommend for the Bride and her party! Having our celebration at Nestldown was worth every penny and signing all their contracts. Which there are is a lot to sign, but every single thing in the contracts makes sense to be written out and agreed to. I highly recommend using their recommended vendors list - it's better if the vendors are familiar with the area and they also already have their own liability contracts with Nestldown. Every single vendor we worked with (listed below) were A+++!!!
We had an amazing time! Our guests had an amazing time! Everyone appreciated and cherished the surroundings, the festivities, and memories carved with each other in this gorgeous place!
We recently returned to Nestldown for our anniversary picnic (delayed due to covid), but a little delay is no biggie in the grand scheme of things and compared to everything else that is happening throughout the world.
Thank you so much to Mark and Barbara for opening up their home and their property for their guests to enjoy! They don't have to, but they do. They and their entire team work extremely hard to maintain Nestldown so that we could have a wonderful experience. We are so blessed to be part of the Nestldown family and are very thankful that we get to come to this fairytale land to celebrate throughout the year, forever!
Krista B
5.0
7/16/2020
My wife and I got married at Nestldown in 06/2019 and couldn't have had a better experience. The venue is unbeatable, which goes without saying. I am someone who appreciates essential contact (I am busy!), and Nestldown did an excellent job of matching us with a coordinator who did exactly that. I was not flooded with unnecessary emails, nor was I not wondering where the communication was at - it was perfect! If I had questions, they were answered in a very timely fashion (often within the hour). Nestldown works like a WELL OILED MACHINE and as a consumer, you need to trust that. We did and would do it all again the exact same way. They do have particular policies that you need to be aware of, but they are not at all detrimental to the day and if anything, they add magic to the day without you even noticing. They know their property, their staff, the flow of how you want your wedding. The "preferred vendors" list was also a game changer - we saved so much time, money, and energy by trusting our day, food, videography, photography, and many other services to this list. The day couldn't have been more perfect and I would, without hesitation, recommend other couples to trust their special, magic day with Nestldown.
Dane E
1.0
7/16/2020
I was supposed to be a groom in a wedding originally scheduled for August. Nestldown has really let my fiancée and I down and we are extremely disappointed by our experience Nestldown. We choose Nestldown because its beautiful property reflected our dreams and we hoped that it would become a reality for our wedding day. Unfortunately, that dream has been shattered by COVID 19 and our poor experience with Nestldown during this pandemic. It has been a painful experience.
Shelter-in-place restrictions began in March & soon after we reached out to Nestldown to ask about our options (See what the venue's safety guidelines, additional challenges & rescheduling options). The events program manager directed us to wait until June 1st. We were patient because we knew that there were couples before us who had to cancel due to the restrictions. Throughout our communications, we were under the impression that we would be able to reschedule our wedding for an equivalent weekend date sometime in 2021 depending on availability, but this was not at all the case.
My fiancée and I waited all day on June 1st, for an update from the events manager. Finally, in the evening, we received an email with some very unexpected options. Instead of Nestldown rescheduling our wedding for a comparable date, the options they provided were:
1) Keep our Date & Wait & See. Not only would keeping our date put our guests in danger (many of our guests are from out of town), but as of June the social gatherings limit for Santa Clara County was 25 people. Meaning we could only have 25 people including the photographer, etc., & we would have to uninvite some of our 150 guests. Please note that with the pandemic, we’ve been "on hold" since March unable & uncomfortable to continue with any additional plans & new deposits.
2) Reschedule our wedding for the contracted price for an available Mon, Tues or Wed.
3) Reschedule our wedding for one of Nestldown's available Thurs, Fri or Sat in 2021 & pay an additional 40% on top of what we originally agreed to in our contract. (To hold our new date, we would have to pay 100% of the original cost & we were not guaranteed the same time of year - in the original contract, there is an extra cost for weekends & an extra cost for "peak" season).
4) Cancel our Wedding & Lose our 50% Deposit. Meaning, that we have to cancel our wedding but Nestldown would keep our deposit.
All of these options were not acceptable or viable for us. We were shocked and disappointed. We had already invested so much into our day and we felt misled & were particularly upset when we found out that they had known these were the options since April. We felt betrayed & taken advantage of. We asked for a call with the owners to better understand the options and see if we would be able to work something out. They did take our call but they refused to deviate from their prior positions or return our deposit.
In a follow up email, we asked if it would be possible to get even a part of our deposit back & they refused again. All we want & have asked for is a reasonable amount of our deposit back so that we can have a wedding later when it is safe. We are truly crushed and disappointed at Nestldown’s poor partnership. We feel like they do not care about couples at all and only care about their bottom line.
To help future couples avoid this painful process & disappointment, I am sharing our story to help inform couples considering Nestldown for their venue.
Long P
1.0
7/07/2020
Nestldown is such a beautiful venue. My fiancé and I fell in love with it when we visited. They were so courteous during the whole process. Although they are pricey, we signed to have our wedding with them for this year and have worked very hard to save for our big day.
Then COVID-19 occurred. California was sheltering in place and their communication to us was non-existent. When we inquired about rescheduling due to the pandemic in April, they told us that we had to wait until July to talk about it. Then we heard about other couples having trouble with Nestldown from a thread on WeddingWire. When we asked Nestldown, they confirmed that they were giving couples the options of:
1. Keeping the wedding date during a pandemic that has killed 131,000 people in the US, with numbers climbing. The county also only allows 25 guests for outside events, including vendors.
2. Cancel your wedding so they get to pocket the deposit.
3. Choose a Monday to Wednesday date for next year, without a charge. Even though they charged you extra for your weekend date and weekday weddings are tough for many reasons.
4. They charge 40% extra rescheduling fee for a Thursday to Sunday date because they want to make up for lost income due to the pandemic.
None of these options have the couples' best interests in mind. Nestldown is acting like they are the only people hurt by this pandemic. Other venues and vendors are struggling through this, losing out on possible income, and yet they are kind enough to reschedule with couples without any fees or just refund them. Nestldown is charging up to $10,000 to reschedule our weddings to 2021 or 2022. Couples are struggling through this. Some of us, having lost our jobs. But Nestldown thinks it is perfectly fine to take advantage of struggling couples by forcing to choose between 4 bad options.
If you are an affected couple, use your voices. Reviews, tweets, and complaints. None of us are happy with what Nestldown is doing to us during COVID-19. Let us show Nestldown that what they are doing is not right or kind.
If you have been similarly mistreated by Nestldown, please email ndcovid@gmail.com to connect with other couples who are working together on next steps.
Christen F
1.0
7/07/2020
I am saddened & extremely disappointed in the poor partnership & experience I have had with Nestldown. Many people dream of having a fairy tale wedding & it is true, Nestldown has a beautiful property but how they have treated couples during this pandemic has been shocking & unsettling.
COVID 19 & the shelter-in-place restrictions began in March & soon after I reached out to Nestldown multiple times throughout Mar, Apr & May to see about potential challenges, the venue's safety guidelines, & rescheduling options for our late August wedding. After several emails & a meeting with our coordinator to go over the timeline, we were then directed to the Events Program manager who said that we would need to wait until June 1st before she would share the options available to us. Later in May, I requested a meeting for June 1st but the Event Manager said that she would send an email. We tried to be patient because we knew that there were couples before us who had to cancel due to the restrictions. We were under the impression that we would be able to reschedule our wedding for a similar day sometime in 2021 depending on availability. This was not the case.
On June 1st, we anxiously waited all day & followed up with the Events Manager mid-day for the promised update. Finally, at 6:15pm, we received an email with some very unexpected options. Instead of Nestldown rescheduling our wedding for a comparable date, the options were:
1) Keep our Date & Wait & See. Not only would keeping our date put our guests in danger (many of our guests are from out of town), but as of June the social gatherings limit for Santa Clara County was 25 people. Meaning I could only have 25 people including the photographer, etc., & I would have to uninvite some of our 150 guests. (For those with larger families, you understand why this is not an option). Not only that, but with the pandemic, we’ve been "on hold" since March unable & uncomfortable to continue with any additional plans & new deposits.
2) Reschedule our wedding for the contracted price for an available Mon, Tues or Wed.
3) Reschedule our wedding for one of Nestldown's available Thurs, Fri or Sat in 2021 & pay an additional 40% on top of what we originally agreed to in our contract. (To hold our new date, we would have to pay 100% of the original cost & we were not guaranteed the same time of year - in the original contract, there is an extra cost for weekends & an extra cost for "peak" season).
4) Cancel our Wedding & Lose our 50% Deposit. As in, you can cancel your wedding but Nestldown would keep your deposit.
We were shocked. Not only were these options egregious, but we felt misled & were particularly upset when we found out that they had known these were the options since April. (We found this out from posts on WeddingWire). We felt betrayed & our patience used. We then asked for a call with the owners in hopes that maybe we can gain some additional insight into our options. They did take our call but they refused to deviate from their prior positions or return our deposit.
In a follow up email, we then asked if it would be possible to get even part of our deposit back & they refused again with hostility.
All we want & have asked for is our deposit back so that we can have a wedding later when the regulations allow gatherings of this size & it is safe. To help future couples avoid this pain & disappointment, I am sharing our story to help inform couples considering Nestldown for their venue.
response 07/11/2020
Christen, The option of losing your 50% deposit in the case of something like the pandemic...
--- in which we are unable to open for your day is in the contract you signed. I know you hate it, we hate it - and that's why we offered options. All are at a significant cost to us. But we wanted anyone who still chose Nestldown for their day to have the option to do this. You chose to enact Force Majeure and walk away. And that was an option. We're sorry that we couldn't come to a better outcome for either of us. Truly.
Tamar P
1.0
7/07/2020
My fiancé and I were scheduled to have our wedding ceremony and reception at Nestldown in September of this year. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its continuing worldwide impact, it is impossible to hold our event as planned. We have been deeply troubled by Nestldown's response amidst the crisis, and it is with much sorrow that I share my experience here.
To date we have had no proactive official communication from Nestldown regarding COVID-19. It was through Yelp that we were first made aware that Nestldown had closed due to the pandemic, and we have had to reach out to Nestldown each time we have sought any information or updates. We first reached out to Nestldown regarding COVID-19 on March 31, 2020. Further, we first learned of the current Nestldown rescheduling options from a wedding website community discussion thread. We continue to be told that we will not be able to begin rescheduling discussions until an unspecified date in July. The failure of Nestldown to provide proactive and timely communication robs us of the full exercise of our rights and options. We recommend that, moving forward, the Nestldown team prioritizes proactive and transparent communication with all potentially affected couples in order to engender trust and provide much-needed support during such unsettling times.
The Nestldown rescheduling options that have been provided to us are as follows:
1. Continue with our original wedding date with the current guest + vendor count capped at 25 people (everyone must wear masks). No discount given for lower guest count (originally set at 150).
2. Reschedule to a Monday through Wednesday in 2021/2022 with no additional charge. No discount given for moving to a much less expensive day of the week (Nestldown has historically only offered weddings Thursday through Sunday, each with a different not-inexpensive price point).
3. Reschedule to a Friday (as originally contracted for) in 2021/2022 with an additional $8,400 charge (for a date within July through October).
4. Cancel and forfeit our $10,000 deposit.
None of the options meet the expectations set forth within our contract, so are not acceptable. Unfortunately, Nestldown has communicated that these options will not change.
There is so much turmoil in California, the US, and the world right now. It is incredibly disappointing that Nestldown is choosing to value their bottom line above the sanctity of human life, and it is quite unfortunate that they're taking such a hard line in response to our request to reschedule to a Friday in 2021 without an additional fee. Our trust in their ability to operate ethically within our Bay Area community has been seriously degraded.
I hope that, in sharing my story, other affected couples will not feel as isolated or powerless as we have. We believe a moral compass should drive all business decisions. Nestldown is being unethical by taking advantage of couples attempting to reimagine their dreams amidst a surging pandemic. It is hurtful, and it is wrong. We hope Nestldown will have a change of heart, and choose love before their bottom line.
If you have been similarly mistreated by Nestldown, please email ndcovid@gmail.com to connect with other couples who are working together on next steps.
Sarah M
5.0
5/17/2020
From start to finish, Nestldown was there for us through the planning process! One of the main reasons we went with this venue was the built-in Special Events Manager role, and it was amazing to have Diana helping us to plan and make decisions on our timeline. Everything ran smoothly on the day so we didn't have to stress about anything. The venue itself is a fairytale... we stayed in the guest house onsite the night before (myself and my bridesmaids) and it was so beautiful and comfortable. It was an amazing experience and even for how highly rated this venue is, it is underrated.
Ally M
5.0
11/06/2019
Our entire experience with Nestldown was an absolute dream. The photos of the venue do not do it justice, this place is magical. But the staff at Nestldown is what sets this place apart from the rest. They are incredibly organized, professional, and run that place like a well oiled machine. Our SEM, Diana, is the best. Thank you Diana for making our day beyond perfect, smooth, and stress free. I know that the price tag might be a little bit scary, but it is worth every single penny. I cannot stress this enough, it was worth every single dime we shelled out to have our wedding at Nestldown. We booked the venue 20 months in advance and the entire planning process was so easy thanks to how tight of a ship Diana runs. As for day of execution, I have zero complaints. Diana took care of absolutely everything. Our entire wedding party felt at ease and nothing felt like a chore. I didn't feel rushed a single moment the entire day and was able to be entirely present as Diana and her team took care of everything. There was only one hiccup the entire day (a guest brought an uninvited plus 1) and the Nestldown team accommodated everything immediately without fuss or issue. I am beyond grateful for the Nestldown team for making our day absolutely perfect.
Rebekah G
5.0
6/06/2019
Where do I begin with Nestldown? From the moment we set foot in the chapel and I was brought to tears, I knew that we HAD to have our wedding there. We had visited a few venues up to that point and none of them evoked the kind of emotion or vision that Nestldown did.
From the initial contract signing, to meeting with our amazing SEM Jen, to the actual day of our wedding, everything was seamless and top notch. It is a bit on the expensive side, but for what you get, we felt that it was absolutely worth it. Plus, having a Friday wedding meant everyone who attended could have a three day weekend!
It is a beautiful, one of a kind venue that will not only make you fall in love with it, but will amaze and impress your guests.
Jen was a rockstar and always reassured me that I was on track and that things were going as planned throughout the whole process. They have weddings down to a science, and we felt so supported and cared for on our special day.
I can't wait to visit Nestldown again for our anniversary and to one day show our children the beautiful venue where their parents tied the knot. Thank you Nestldown!
Lauren V
5.0
5/07/2019
We got married at Nestldown on April 18th this year. We got lucky with warm weather and the beautiful tulips were in bloom! It was THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!! The venue is just breathtaking!! Fell in love with it when I first pulled it up online. We live in Las Vegas and traveled to CA to tour the venue with Diana (her family owns the venue/land). She was very informative and made the contract signing very easy and smooth. Since we planned from NV, our meetings were all through FaceTime. We did tour the venue one more time before the wedding so we could also pick out “first look” location. Riley was our coordinator and she had an assistant, Tiffany, help with everything! THEY WERE AMAZINGGGGG!!! Wish I could just hug everyone for making our wedding day run so smoothly and just for being so awesome. Our guests loved how organized the staff was. We had 2 golf carts to assist with transporting guests since we had a larger party. As the bride and groom, you won’t have to worry about a thing on the day of. They literally have everything taken care of (and on a timeline) so you can enjoy the day- stress free!
This venue was worth EVERY PENNY. We can’t thank the Nestldown team enough! The day was magical and I’ll never forget it. Can’t wait to visit for our anniversary!!
Emma C
5.0
4/22/2019
I cannot stress enough how gorgeous this venue is. My, now, husband and I went hunting for the perfect venue a little over a year ago. We only viewed 5 places, Nestldown being the first. After our 5th location, I decided that Nestldown had to be the spot. Yes, Nestldown is not the cheapest venue, but we just had to make it happen and we were not disappointed at all.
The owners were very personable and friendly. They invited us into their home to sign the contract. They made us feel welcome - like family during our whole process.
We signed the contract and begun our planning adventure for the next year. We visited this venue a few times to meet with our coordinator, Marissa, and to get a feel for how we wanted to set everything up the day of our wedding. The flowers hadn't yet bloomed the days we visited prior to the wedding, but they were in full force on our special day! It was a pleasant and beautiful surprise on the day of our wedding to see how beautiful and majestic this place truly is. The weather was a wonderful 78 degrees, sunny, and warm. Marissa made sure everything ran smoothly the day of. The staff was superb. Seriously could not have been a better day for us. It was worth the money we spent - every single penny. (We celebrated 4/19/2019.)
Things to know:
1.) They provide a day of coordinator and coordinating team. "Day of" means she will organize and set everything up that the caterer and florist do not handle. She makes sure everything gets done pre-wedding and is there with you and your party making sure the day runs smoothly. There is no need to hire a wedding coordinator, at least, the day of. Also, the "day of" coordinator will meet with you a few times throughout the wedding planning process. They will create an intensive timeline so you know exactly what's going on from start to finish and everything in between. Literally!
2.) There are a ton of additions you can choose to have like the fireplace on, the piano available to play, the firepit on (we used this for s'mores table), lawn games (extra fee), the train on during cocktail hours for the guest to ride (included).
3.) I cannot stress this enough - you can pay for 2 hours of extra time. It is not cheap but it is WORTH THE MONEY!!! After taking pictures, schmoozing with the guests, taking more pictures, schmoozing more, eating, pictures, barely getting a drink at the bar, more pictures, first dance, walking around to see the whole set up of the venue - when open dancing comes around...there's no time left for yourselves to just let loose. This made a huge difference. If we did not add this extra time, we would have maybe 45-min to dance and just be ourselves without worrying about anything else.
4.) We chose all our vendors off the vendor list. Best idea since they have been to Nestldown several times and know the layout and how everything works. Makes things run so much better.
All in all, this was the best decision we made. Definitely considering celebrating our 1-year anniversary here. Thank you, everyone!
Michele S
1.0
9/23/2018
Is Nestldown beautiful? Yes, absolutely; however, after talking with over 30 wedding venues, they are the absolute worst with communication, follow-up and common courtesy, and are simply not worth the hassle. Due to them being so popular, they are not worried about following up with potential clients or even responding to emails. After touring the site on Sept 1, 2018, we were given an email of available dates on Sept 4th. We requested to place a date on hold that same night (within an hour of the email) and the following day (Sept 5) were told the date was previously on hold (though the first email did not have that marked). Devra stated she was scheduled to have a phone call with the other couple the next day, on Sept 6th, at 1pm and would get back to as soon as she knew after the phone call. However, she NEVER emailed me back. Instead, I sent her a follow-up email on the evening of Sept 6th, only to hear nothing back from her. I again reached out with another email, one including my previous attempts to contact her, on Sept 13th and still have not heard back from her. As previously stated Nestldown is beautiful, but so are many other venues. Nestldown has by far the worst customer service, especially considering the price for booking there. I would not recommend booking your wedding at Nestldown.
response 09/24/2018
Michele, as I said in my personal response to you, on Wedding Wire, YELP, and now to your ...
new review on The Knot,
THERE WAS A REASON FOR THIS- Devra's doctor put her on maternity leave for her pregnancy early for medical reasons. We were able to cover her weddings and the urgent things seamlessly, but we didn't get the e-mails transitioned early enough.
If, after the explanations and all of the attempts to communicate with you and apologize to you, are continuing to find new places to write a bad review of us because of this, there is nothing else I can do. And yes, it is best that you find somewhere else for your day. Because sometimes things happen that are out of anyone's control, and as a doctor (psychologist?), I would expect that you would understand this.
Nestldown is a labor of love for us - we work hard to make it a beautiful and wonderful experience for the couples who are married here and the team that makes up who we are. I do wish you the best in your search for the perfect place.
Erika A
5.0
11/28/2017
My husband and I got married last month at Nestldown and it was honestly such a beautiful venue it was unbelievable! It’s expensive but worth every penny. The staff at Nestldown is well organized, professional and very good at what they do. We are especially grateful for our events coordinator, Marissa Barnes! Marissa was on point with all of our plans and the details, both big and small. It’s so nice not to have to worry about that the day of, she really allowed my husband and I to focus on each other and those around us and nothing else. That was such a blessing! We loved our food we highly recommend Poetry in Motion for that, and our photographer was amazing! Choosing Danielle Gillet Photography was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding. She truly has a gift and was so fun to work with. Big Fun DJ was awesome as well, we got so many compliments on them that we lost count. Would highly recommend using them! All in all this venue is picture perfect all on its own and the staff are the best. Can’t say enough good things about Nestldown and our wedding there!
Lisa L
5.0
10/22/2017
Lovely Fairy tale look to this site. It couldn't be nicer. The attention to detail, the incredible service. The owners make it so easy to have a perfect wedding.
Kaitlin C
5.0
9/07/2017
Nestldown was the BEST decision we made for our wedding day!
First of all, the venue is stunning. If you have not seen it in person yet, I highly recommend that you check it out because it is even more beautiful than what the pictures can capture. When we went to see the venue for the first time and I heard the music from the speakers that are hidden throughout redwood trees, I fell in love with it immediately.
Secondly, the Nestldown staff and their preferred vendors are extremely professional and great to work with. They help a TON with the planning process and made me to feel so at ease every step of the way. My wedding coordinator was Barbara Beck and she was amazing to work with! She is so sweet and incredibly organized. I felt like she genuinely cared about making sure our wedding day was all we had hoped for it to be!
We got so many compliments from all of our guests about how beautiful the venue was and how perfect everything turned out! The entire day was better than we could have ever dreamed of! Thank you Nestldown!
Kelly E
4.0
8/30/2017
Nestldown is a magical, whimsical, unique and romantic venue "nestled" in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains between Los Gatos and Santa Cruz. As a Los Gatos native, it is a spot my family has been lucky enough to fall in love with over the years as we hosted anniversaries, remembrances and play times. With it's towering redwoods, sturdy barn, sloping lawns and meticulous landscaping, it truly embraces the spirit and pristine beauty of California. It's a venue that should be cherished for its natural beauty; decorations and attire do not need to be over-the-top.
The single downside to Nestldown is the cost. In addition to the venue rental, there are extra fees around every twist and turn and small details quickly add up to big expenses. With that said, I've know this was the venue at which I would get married since I was a child, and I am overwhelmingly grateful to the Beck family and our wedding coordinator for helping make our dreams come true so perfectly.
Carlie M
5.0
5/19/2017
We had our wedding at Nestldown and it was absolutely amazing! We had such a beautiful, fun, and perfect day. Everything went so smoothly and quickly for us. A lot of that is thanks to the wonderful Nestldown team.
Barbara Beck was our contact and day-of coordinator. She was so wonderful to work with and made sure every detail of our day was planned and implemented. Barbara is kind, helpful, encouraging, and supportive. She was always quick to reply to emails and made sure everything went smoothly on the day of the wedding. We felt so loved by the Nestldown community!
Nestldown does a great job helping you plan your day, but they give you the freedom to make it fit your wants and needs. They helped us create a timeline for our day with their expert knowledge of the venue and weddings in general. It was so helpful to us to have support in the planning process. It was easier than we expected because of their help!
We had Poetry in Motion as our catering company, and they were wonderful as well. They know the venue and Barbara extremely well and together they worked as a big team. People loved the food and everything came together seamlessly.
Nestldown is such an amazing place, and we feel so blessed to have started our marriage together there. All of our guests loved the venue and had so much fun exploring the area. There are so many fun places to see during cocktail hour! Nestldown is simply stunning.
We will forever treasure the memories from that day, and Nestldown was a big part of it. I cannot recommend this venue enough! You have to see it for yourself :)
Life.Film L
5.0
12/14/2016
The very first word Life.FIlm team said when got to the venue was: “WOW”!
Nestldown is on of the most beautiful wedding locations we had chance to film in!
Imagine to walk into a magic forest where a fairytale take place- so this is it!
But lets start from the begging! When the Life.Film crew got to the venue the event manager got introduce herself and showed us around, also she offered us a ride to help with the equipment - which was very helpful for us since we always have a ton of gear.
The bride and the groom were getting ready at the cottages on the hill - very cozy and rustic.
For the first look we walk down to the park in front of the pound - and it cannot be more romantic then this place.
The most impressive for us was the ceremony spot! It just spectacular! The ceremony set up was surrounded my huge trees and it looked definitely like the fairytale. We set up like 8 cameras for the ceremony in order to get so many different angles - and the result was totally worth it!
The dinner were served in the main building - very cozy barn with super high sealing!
We totally felt in love into this place and can’t wait to film there our next wedding!
Watch the video from a wedding at Nestldown: https://vimeo.com/170522387
http://life.film/wedding/
Emily S
5.0
11/12/2016
Nestldown is a dream wedding venue. It’s gorgeous, everything is run incredibly smoothly, and the people are super nice and go the extra mile to make sure everything is awesome. Barbara and Claudette knocked it out of the park. Pricey, but worth every single penny!
Some highlights:
- They 100% have weddings figured out. They helped us with every detail, and even if they weren’t organizing it, they were still reminding us to think about it. Every single thing is thought of ahead of time, so when the big day comes, it just all happens so smoothly.
- They do have a lot of rules and restrictions, but we loved it! Made decision making easy and we knew everything was buttoned up. It never impeded on what we wanted to do- there were still plenty of choices of vendors, etc.
- Barbara and Claudette were so kind. Great communicators. Very organized, too—each meeting and walkthrough was fun and productive.
- The venue itself is BEYOND stunning. The redwood chapel was the most magical place to exchange our vows— it alone was unforgettable. Foxglove meadow in the back was everything I could have imagined for a cocktail hour with lots of yard games and gorgeous treeline. The barn was the perfect place to dance the night away. The landscaping is gorgeous, with tons of flowers and plants all over. It’s lush and manicured without being too prissy.
- Barbara and Claudette had so many killer tips that made our day special. Key things… Whisking us away briefly for 5-10 minutes right after the ceremony so we could spend some time with ourselves (plus champagne, appetizers - so smart). Bringing blankets out when temperatures started dropping at dinner. Knowing the barn was a backup plan in case of rain, so no need to worry about tents etc. So many details, big and small, that all added up.
- One giant highlight was the miniature donkey, Starbuck! We actually knew Starbuck from his previous residence down near Aptos, so we had a special fondness for him. For our wedding day, they groomed him and brought him to hang out and take pictures — it was so special, and we really appreciated all the extra effort.
Basically, yes it was expensive, but it was gorgeous, super smooth, and everything we could have dreamed of and more. So grateful we got to have our wedding there!
Tierney F
5.0
10/22/2016
5 stars doesn't even begin to explain the majestic experience we had with Nestldown. Barbara, Alex, MyDung, and all the staff, from beginning to end, were simply wonderful. Barb worked with us for over a year long distance- we are NJ folk (destination wedding!). She was above and beyond kind, helpful, SUPER knowledgable about the property, recommending superb vendors, and overall weaving all the moving pieces together to create the best day of our lives. The property itself breathes a life of it's own magic. Words really don't do justice to the beauty of nature that exists at Nestldown. It's a real life fairytale and we can't wait to come back one day and visit again.
Lara E
5.0
9/24/2016
Although Nestldown was one of the more expensive venues my fiance and I looked at when we first got engaged, we ultimately decided that it was worth the extra expense, and I'm so glad we did. Nestldown is not only breathtakingly beautiful, but their experienced and knowledgeable staff made the whole planning process very low stress. Our coordinator was exceptionally organized from the moment we signed the papers to the day itself. Nothing was left to chance, and I honestly feel that my Pinterest dream wedding wouldn't have ever been executed with such meticulous attention to detail had I selected a different venue.
Paul F
5.0
8/24/2016
We absolutely loved our wedding at Nestldown! We looked at so many different places and Nestldown was the last on our list. We didn’t have high hopes for this venue as the only thing we had to go off prior to visiting was the picture of the “hobbit house” on the website—in fact we joked the place calling it the “Shire". Boy were we wrong. When we got to Nestldown and saw what it had to offer--magnificently tall redwoods, beautiful lakes, streams, a dragon, yes, a dragon--nature in all of its beauty and splendor. The site is so well manicured...it’s a really a gem nestled in the mountains of Los Gatos—an unforgettable place. We chose Nestldown as our venue for all of these reasons but most importantly because my wife and I both connected to it and felt it would be the place that we and our children would remember for many years to come. A place that our friends and family would feel was unique, open, warm, and just beautiful. Nestldown also provided us with a same day wedding coordinator, My-Dung, and she was truly awesome as well. She kept us on track and focused, answered our questions, and basically kept us sane throughout the entire process. It even rained on our wedding day but My-Dung and her crack commando team kept our spirits up and made sure that our wedding moved forward as planned despite the weather. Our photos and videos also came out fantastic--a testament to how beautiful and picturesque Nestldown truly is, and how great of a job My-Dung did for us. Keep in mind however that Nestldown can be strict with their contract and how they run things but rightfully so, to maintain upkeep of the site and to ensure it is pristine for the next couple that is expecting the best wedding experience possible, just as we were. Choosing a wedding venue is no small matter and to be honest, we stressed over this decision so much. And, if we had to make this decision again, it would not change. Thank you Nestldown and thank you My-Dung! ~Paul & Anna
Brittany J
5.0
8/10/2016
All I can say is that we only did a tour of one place. Nestldown! Leaving there, we didn't care what it took, we wanted to get married there. It is a magical place and their processes help you tremendously.
Alex K
1.0
3/13/2016
This is why I am giving Nestldown one star: At 10:20 pm on Thursday night, essentially one day before our scheduled tour, we received an email letting us know that our tour had been cancelled due to last weekend's weather having made the construction sites inaccessible. I was so upset I could not stop crying. First of all, Nestldown's staff knew we were coming from Florida and that we had arranged this trip specifically for that tour. Nestldown of COURSE does not have control over the weather. We totally and completely understand that (we aren't a-holes!). However, the fact that they e-mailed 36 hours before...knowing how far we had come and that we already had limited time due to the stress of work/school/distance was completely unacceptable. The cost of the flights ($600) and the rental car ($100) were not nearly as devastating as the severe lack of consideration to inform us earlier. If Nestldown knew the construction sites were hazardous due to LAST weekend's weather...an e-mail or phone call would have been highly appreciated on Monday or Tuesday...or even Wednesday. In that case, my fiance and I could have easily re-arranged our other appointments and fit another venue in. As a result of the poor communication, my fiance and I were left with a wide-open Saturday (because no one could see us in such short-notice...of course) and now having to figure out another time to make time in our schedules and fork up another $600 for another flight out (and if anyone is in grad-school or any school really and also planning a wedding...you understand the perils of being financially strapped). The cherry on top of all of this is that my fiance called yesterday morning respectfully begging someone to just give him a call back so that we could at least hear some options and more information over the phone....and his phone has yet to ring. When I respectfully wrote back at 11pm on Thursday night telling them we would unfortunately have to look elsewhere (after they encouraged me to "reschedule the tour"), they e-mailed back almost instantaneously with a lengthy explanation. So we know someone has received his message.
Unforuntately, Nestldown is off of our list because we cannot trust them to help us from 3,000 miles away during such a critical time. I can't imagine ourselves stressing out further because of poor communication. It makes me sad because this was our dream venue...but to be honest, it truly is not the only magical forest-like hidden gem in beautiful California. We will be flying out again to look at The Sequoia Retreat Center - who tried exceedingly hard to accommodate us in less than 24 hours but was (understandably) unable to.
Kristy J
5.0
10/30/2015
My husband and I got married in April and I could not have been happier with this choice. I booked it and paid for it site unseen and was not disappointed when I went to see the property a couple months before our wedding. It literally takes your breath away and I was just in awe.
We planned our wedding in about 4 months (crazy I know, but so do-able) and it is because of the staff it really was...dare I say EASY to do. The staff is so professional and got everything perfectly how I imagined it to be. I loved the timeline they used to make sure everything that happened was how I wanted it to be and it really was seamless from the first look pictures to the final send off. You can dress it up or down or not even at all because the venue's beauty really speaks for itself. My motto was less is more. It really doesn't need any decor. Guests loved the venue too and sung its praises. I also appreciated they had a golf cart for anyone who needed it, elderly, disabled etc.
I stayed in the house on the property the night prior with my bridesmaids...super pricey but as a last minute decision I said, what the heck...you only get married once. It made for a really fun evening, and made the morning more relaxed...as long as your hair and makeup people know where they are going!;)Mine did get lost so maybe use someone who has been there before.
I would say this venue would make anyone happy except for those that don't work well with type A personalities. The staff is very organized and have many rules (that need to be there). I had some family members who decided to bring a full bar to the parking lot and were busted for it...but in their defense they didn't know they couldn't do that and I didn't know they were going to do that. SO make sure your drinking friends are aware. The venue does need to keep their liqueur license after all. Also as a mini tip to the staff, for info like that, as a Bride, I'd probably prefer my maid of honor or parents be in the know and stay oblivious to it myself. Brides are on cloud nine and once that ceremony is done, you really couldn't care less about the little things that dont go quite as planned. In general, the maid of honor knows the bride best and can filter what they should tell the bride:) Nonetheless the day was perfect and between the venue and all the vendors it was an incredible day.
Most importantly I married the love of my life and that trumps everything, including where we got married. So if getting married here will break the bank, pick somewhere else because as long as you are marrying the person you love it won't matter where you are. But if you do choose here, get ready for a beautiful and magical day. Thank you to all the Nestldown staff. To the owners, the property you have created is one-of-a- kind. Thank you so much for sharing it for others to enjoy.
Brittney J
4.0
8/31/2015
Wow! What a stunning venue! I knew Nestldown was the place I wanted to get married the moment I laid eyes on the grounds. The grounds are always well kept and surreal in sight. They have made it physically acceptable for all, utilizing golf carts to help cart people around if needed. They provide activities for the guests to enjoy. The on-site coordinator is there from the beginning of the process to assist the bride with planning needs at the venue. My coordinator, My-Dung, was very timely, professional, and cordial during the planning period in her communication with me. She even made the extra effort to video chat with me for our "first meeting" since we could not meet in person due to distance! She made it her goal to make sure all of my desires were met for that day.
A couple drawbacks would be a lack of communication with the bride regarding the time during the reception, causing rushed feelings during dinner and the grand exit at the end of the night. I barely greeted any of my guests at dinner due to a lack of knowing how much time I had before the other festivities began. Some guests, as well as myself, felt rushed to leave the venue at the end of the night, some feeling that the staff were more abrupt in manner. If you can get through the many pages of contracts and specific instructions, this venue is very much so worth it! I have heard numerous praises of how beautiful it was, and I agree! I cannot wait for the pictures!
Alicia
5.0
11/11/2014
I was recently married at Nestldown in Oct 2014. We absolutely loved the venue, and we are so so glad we chose it. We bought the Nestldown+ package for a day of coordinator, and I'm really glad we did that too. We had a 150 person fusion wedding, so it would have been very difficult for me to coordinate that without extra help. Thank you to Jaynie!
Speaking of Jaynie, she was incredibly positive and supportive and wonderful to work with! In fact, she's meeting me in a week to deliver some of my leftover decorations she found. So thoughtful!
It's interesting; there are a few difficult things to deal with at Nestldown, but it all feels worth it because it is just that beautiful and professional. We had a blast at our wedding, and I know a lot of that is because it is gorgeous and has really great management.
Now to describe the difficult parts, Nestldown is very expensive and very strict about their rules. They have you sign a long legal contract that threatens charges for violations. I'm sure this is common practice, especially in the privately owned areas of Los Gatos. You need an approved caterer, DJ, and shuttle driver. You're also not allowed to take shots?! Use of the driveway is very strictly enforced for the safety of the guests, but that can add hours and $$ to your vendors, like a photo booth. I honestly forget the other rules now, but it felt like a bit much. Again, they run a very good business there though so it makes sense. A good business protects itself.
Despite the above caveat, when our entire event came together, we realized how wonderful it was that the venue looked as beautiful as we dreamed our wedding would look. I don't miss wedding planning, but I do miss visiting Nestldown!! We might stay at the house on the hill for an anniversary...
stephanie h
5.0
11/06/2014
When my daughter got engaged she called to tell me, and informed me she knew exactly where she wanted the wedding...Nestldown. She lives in California, I'm in Connecticut and planning across the country was difficult. But her wedding was FANTASTIC. And along with a delightful bride and groom, huge credit goes to Nestldown, our contact at Nestldown and master planner, Jaynie Neveras and our participating vendors. The wedding went off without a hitch and all of us, including the type-A mother of the Bride, had a wonderful and happy time.
The venue looks like something out of a movie set...with towering Redwoods, lovely forests, ponds, fields, flowers and an authentic and lovely barn. Jaynie and her staff helped with the coordination and planning of all our vendors, and made the day effortless and perfect. Jaynie is super personable and kind and caring. She loves her job and it shows. And the staff at Nestldown are professional and fun.
From start to finish, this was a happy experience for all of us, parents of the bride, bride and groom, and the guests. I've had so many people write to tell me how much they loved the wedding, and that 'amazing place' Nestldown. This venue is THE BEST!!!!!!
Please note, the wedding was this past September, 2014, not 2009
Jessica S
5.0
9/10/2014
- Nestldown
This venue was amazing!!! I looked online on a few different websites to see what venues are around the area- I knew we wanted to have a local wedding and I wanted to compile a list of top 3 venues to look at in person. At first we looked at the Ritz in HMB but ruled that out because it's a huge risk- the weather over there is cloudy and cold more often than not and the locals aren't the friendliest- from past experiences! So I kept looking and my bff actually mentioned Nestldown to me since her boyfriend went to a wedding there. When she told me about it, she said it was a barn and in my head I was like mmkay, let's see this so called barn! So we looked up pictures on yelp and it was just gorgeous! I fell in love with the place from just seeing it online. There weren't any other venues that caught my eye so Chris and I checked it out and knew when we were there that this was the one. However, my mom told me I had to look at a few more so we also checked out a couple wineries and other venues and nothing compared to Nestldown.
We booked a year in advance and chose Friday, August 8th since 8-8 is good luck and we were both born in '88. Also because Friday is more affordable, 10k (for up to 150 people) versus 15k (for up to 150 people) for a Saturday.
The price to me was totally worth it, the ambiance was amazing, being surrounded by all the redwoods was truly breathtaking and ALL our guests were as amazed as we were being surrounded by nature. Plus, the venue does not need a lot of decoration, it is already gorgeous all around. We did minimal floral decoration in the ceremony area and added personal touches to the barn area. Even though it was summer, I chose to have dinner in the barn mainly because of the flies that are out in the summer. The barn seats up to 125 guests comfortably and we had 115 guests. After dinner, we just pushed the tables back to make room for a dance floor. Oh man, we had so much fun! The only thing I wish is that we could have rented the venue out for a longer amount of time- we had to do the last dance at 9:30pm since everyone had to be out by 10pm since ND is in a neighborhood with time restraints on parties (boo!).
Planning at ND isn't the easiest but if you're on top of your stuff, it's not so bad- it's just coordinating who has to be where and when since there are multiple separate areas to this venue.
Looking back at it, we would not have chosen any other place to have our wedding. Talking to our guests after the wedding, the most common remark is that it was the funnest/best wedding they had been to and that ND was absolutely gorgeous!
Rashna W
5.0
8/13/2014
I first saw the Nestldown website even before I was engaged and absolutely loved it. Once engaged, we visited Nestldown and it was not only stunningly beautiful, but it had such a spiritual feel to it with all the redwood trees surrounding the property. We were both overcome with emotion when we visited Nestldown. In our search for wedding venues, we couldn't find a place that gave us the same feeling as Nestldown.
My only concern was the cost, but once we started working with Barbara my worries soon dissipated. I knew we were in good hands and that the cost would be well worth it. She worked with us several months before the wedding, helping us get organized and choose our vendors. She helped us tirelessly with the timeline and helped us think through the details that we sometimes didn't think through completely.
On the day of the wedding she and her staff were more than amazing! Barbara was so warm and welcoming to my family. She calmed my dad down when she saw he was getting a bit anxious before the ceremony, kept my toddler nephews entertained throughout the evening by letting them feed the fish, ring the train bell, and driving them on the golf cart. When my husband's boutonniere wilted before the ceremony, Barbara and her staff took flowers from their own garden and made him a substitute boutonniere! Our wedding day was magical. We thank Barbara and her Nestldown team for working so hard on all the details to make our day very, very special!!
Krystal H
5.0
5/12/2014
Working with Barbara at Nestldown took all of my worries away through out the day. I felt so comfortable with her that I knew any decision she made would be with my thoughts and opinions in mind. It was an absolute pleasure working with her.
Getting married at Nestldown was the most magical day. All of our guests could not stop talking about how wonderful it was, you feel as though you have stepped into a story book fairytale for the day.
5.0
5/28/2013
Nestldown is costly but we paid for beauty and quality. The venue is drop-dead gorgeous, our guests won't stop talking about how its the most beautiful venue they've ever seen. Pictures don't even do it justice as there is a sense of peacefulness and serenity once you're walking around the property. Secondly, Alex (the wedding coordinator) is brilliant, she is so calm and so sweet and knows exactly how to take care of business. She is very professional and our day was seamless thanks to her and the Nestldown staff.
Tee K
5.0
9/23/2012
This is a gorgeous outdoor venue, and Brooke is the nicest.
Janelle F
5.0
9/07/2012
It's expensive, but it's worth it if you want to trust your day to the pros! Brooke knows what she is doing and will help make everything run smoothly, from your initial meeting, to your rehearsal and wedding day. This place is so magical, it hardly needs to be decorated. Your guests will be impressed. The only cons are the strict timing rules, so you have to be out no later than 11. If you're looking for a lax time frame or a late night party, this might not be the place for you. It' s beautiful!
Erin S
5.0
9/04/2012
Nestldown was my dream location for our wedding. It was lush and green, two ponds, an orchard, beautiful barn, play house for the kids, land... locomotive train? We got the location for the beauty and for the many activities that our guests could participate in during the cocktail hour.
It is a bit pricy, but well worth the money given the location (just go and see it) and the excellent service. The property manager is extremely organized and was like a wedding planner. She helped orchestrated everything from the bridal party alignment, to the timing of the processional, helping with the setup, and is just a wonderful person.
Catherine P
5.0
6/10/2012
Nestldown was an absolutely stunning location. There are several useful portions to the property, including a large (and stone paved) redwood grove for the ceremony, multiple lawns for dinner or cocktail hour, and a "barn" (more of a large lodge building) for dancing. The staff were incredibly helpful, attentive and supportive. Nothing is included in the cost, which is VERY high, but with no corkage fee and that kind of environment, I thought it was worth every penny.
Kristina I
5.0
5/11/2012
I had my wedding here and all my guests gushed about how amazing it was. Brooke Greene heads the staff and she is incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. She walked us through the rehearsal (i had NO idea what i was doing) and did a fabulous job. I can't say enough wonderful things about this venue; the staff is top notch, it's unlike anything else I saw and absolutely breathtaking!
LeighAnne H
5.0
12/06/2011
Nestldown is absolutely a beautiful place to get married. The people who work there are also extremely helpful and make the whole experience so easy. Brooke is the primary contact and is almost a coordinator onsite when it comes to the big day. She organized all of the vendors setup flawlessly, ensured everyone got down the very long aisle successfully, poured champagne for me and the girls, and even bustled my gown. If you are considering a location in the south Bay Area, you must go see this place.
Valerie E
5.0
7/25/2011
The best place in California to get married outside. Our guest were in awe of the venue. It is expensive, but worth it for the awesome pictures and memories
Jen S
5.0
4/07/2011
I wouldn't have been able to afford this venue if we didn't get it in March - the off season. And it was still stretching our budget. But it was worth it!!! The staff knew exactly what they were doing, it was like having a day-of coordinator included. It was beautiful. We got so many complements that it was most beautiful wedding they had ever been to. The only downside was how expensive it was, but I would do it again. We were so lucky that the weather was perfect. If I had the money, I wouldn't mind spending the full amount for in-season.
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