The Lodge at Tahoe Donner

Words can't describe how great this venue is. Jeff and Lisa are amazing. We immediately clicked and felt a weight lifted off our chest. The grounds itself are spectacular. The food is by far the best I have had from any wedding. I had such great communication and guidance from Jeff, before and during. Our wedding was amazing and everything flowed so well. If we could get married again here we would!!

I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone involved with the planning and execution of details for our daughter's wedding on August 3rd at the Lodge at Tahoe Donner. The ceremony, cocktail hour in the Grotto, and the reception tent, were all beautifully prepared, and our guests have said it was the best wedding they ever attended. Most of all, our daughter and her new husband say it was the best day of their lives! My husband and I are so grateful, and we will relive these happy memories with our families, for years to come. Well done, one and all. We will recommend this venue to all our friends, for sure!

Our wedding here was amazing! The venue is so beautiful and the weather could not have been better. Jeff was so easy to work with and gave us everything we asked for. The food was amazing and the staff were all so nice and friendly. We were able to move into their restaurant for late night snacks and for the after party. I'd recommend this venue to anyone who loves the outdoors, and it's much more affordable than all the bay area venues we saw!

Let’s start from the beginning.... we first met Lisa who gave us a tour of the venue. She was energetic, hilarious, and made us feel immediately comfortable. We left there knowing that this was the place for us. It has a beautiful forest setting, and even though it’s on a golf course, you definitely don’t feel like it! Next we met Jeff.... oh Jeff. What a wonderful man. We went to a tasting where we were able to try several dishes and taste several wines for pairing. The food is fantastic!! Definitely not a typical wedding food experience. And now comes the day of; from the moment we arrived, the staff were beyond helpful and accommodating. Being the slightly neurotic bridezilla, I definitely needed some reassurance and Jeff was right there to tell me everything was great. We had a small wedding and used the beautiful white tent. We had fire pits and Adirondack chairs that were the fav of the party. The food, was once again, fantastic. There was one hiccup in that the vegetarian meals weren’t served, but there were so many other options available that it didn’t really matter to me. And lastly, can we talk about the purple lupin field of flowers?!? They bloomed the week before our wedding and were the epic wedding picture spot. Overall, my husband and I were thrilled with the venue from start to finish. I’d get married there again ;) just kidding! Thank you so much Lisa, Jeff, and the staff!

Our wedding at the The Grotto @Tahoe Donner was magical. The location, the food and the staff were simply amazing. Thank you to Jeff Jack, Lisa Tomasi and the entire staff for making our dream wedding a reality.

Honestly, my wedding day was FLAWLESS. Thanks in large part to my personal wedding planner. But also thanks in large part to Jeff Jack and the entire staff at Tahoe Donner. From the second I arrived to the venue on the wedding day, every staff member made sure everything was PERFECT and exactly how I had envisioned. Thank you, thank you, thank you The Lodge at Tahoe Donner for exceeding all of my expectations. -Mariah

Staff was very kind, helpful, and efficient. It actually started hauling right before or ceremony was going to start and they were able to transform the baxkup room in minutes! And when the clouds and hail managed to clear before we began they were open and happy to help us move everyone back outside. We also didn't have an opportunity to taste the food before or wedding day but everything was VERY delicious!!

THE BEST VENUE EVER! I will never regret one dime I spent at the Lodge for my wedding. It was impeccable- from the staff, the views, the food- everything was absolute perfection. I would recommend this venue time and time again to anyone I know. I've never received so many compliments on this gorgeous venue after any wedding I've attended. Truckee is a beautiful, untapped resource of a town and I highly suggest if you want the wedding of your dreams then book it!

The Lodge at Tahoe Donner was a wonderful place for our wedding! It was a gorgeous setting, perfect for an outdoor rustic feel. The attention that they gave to our wedding (and rehearsal) cannot not be overlooked. Jeff made sure that we had everything we needed to make our day perfect (and all the days leading up). The food was phenomenal, the staff amazing, and the overall feeling we had all night was unbelievable.

Elegant venue, attentive staff with stellar customer service, and excellent food! We hosted our wedding ceremony and reception at The Lodge in August 2017, and we could not recommend this venue more. From start to finish, we were so appreciative of Jeff and the rest of the Lodge staff. Specifically, Jeff made himself available to answer any questions we had promptly, and provided guidance whenever we needed it (despite having 20+ events in the two weeks leading up to our big day!). All of the staff we met and worked with were superb ambassadors of the Lodge and Tahoe Donner Association. We felt strongly about getting the most value for our investment, and from our experience, the Lodge really offers a comprehensive wedding package that's fully transparent in pricing, with the flexibility to modify your plans as your vision develops. There are no "hidden fees" and the venue staff are extraordinarily accommodating to ensure you are happy with your wedding day celebration. The menu options are extensive and can accommodate a wide variety of tastes and dietary restrictions. We chose to serve plated meals, and the presentation and timing of the food coming out to the guests were both well-executed. We knew of at least two guests who approached Jeff asking if they could have extras of some of the sides because they were so delicious (and of course he obliged)! I cannot stress enough the superb level of customer service that Jeff and his colleagues provided. We felt supported and informed during the entire planning process, especially during the weeks and days leading up to the wedding. Five star venue, location and staff!

This review will be two parts: wedding and food We held our wedding over the Labor Day 2016 weekend at the Lodge. We had our day saved almost a year and they were super flexible and easy to work with throughout the entire planning process. The Lodge wedding packages are pretty all inclusive. The only thing they didn't handle food-wise was the cake. Their service during the dress rehearsal and on the day of the wedding was impeccable. Their catering manager, Jeff Jack, is top notch. It was a beautiful venue and an amazing experience. We totally lucked out finding this place! Now let's talk food - there's a reason this place is one of the top rated eateries in the Tahoe / Truckee area. It's divine. Food that seems simple (baked chicken) is amazingly well prepared and super tasty. Their wine pairings are excellent. They work with any and all food allergies so you have nothing to worry about. They were considerate of every random question and tweak that needed to happen to make our wedding feast (guests were over the moon) and every meal we had leading up to it epic.

I just attended a beautiful wedding at the lodge this evening! Jeff who runs the wedding is excellent and his execution to detail was so relaxed and on target! THE FOOD WAS AMAZING! I highly recommend this location for a wedding. Cheers! Suzanne

Tahoe Donner was the best place we could have chosen to have our wedding and reception. They made everything simple, easy and straightforward so that our day with friends, family, and loved ones went off without a hitch and there wasn't any drama or last minute details to iron over. They went above and beyond everything we asked for. They even stuck with our rustic/chalkboard theme and used the chalkboards for the buffet menu and provided round wooden log slices to display our cupcakes and cake on. Jeff, the event coordinator, checked in on us throughout the night to make sure that we had drinks and to see if there was anything we needed. All of the servers and bartenders were professional, sincere and genuinely happy for us. Tahoe Donner provided space for me to get dressed, take pictures and even helped us steal a few minutes away so that we could get a quick bite of apps instead of searching for the passed apps while mingling. And then there is the food!! My mouth is still watering just thinking about it! We decided to upgrade slightly on the apps and we did not regret it one bit! We got the tequila lime tri-tip steak and teriyaki salmon with the buffet dinner which were also fantastic! It was so good I went back for seconds! The drinks were also fantastic. We got the Sierra Sunrise as our signature drink and our friends are still talking about how good it was. The ceremony space is beautiful if you're looking for an outdoor wedding. And, if the weather takes a turn, they have a back-up plan which doesn't require you to do anything except what you were hopefully already planning to do that day which is show up and have the time of your life. Our family and friends rented homes in the Tahoe Donner HOA and enjoyed the Tahoe Donner amenities including quick access to Donner Lake, pools, and tennis courts. As this was a destination wedding, we did quite a bit of searching around the area for an all in one venue at a reasonable price with an outside ceremony site. Without a doubt, I'd select Tahoe Donner again and hope to visit the restaurant this winter ski season!

Our wedding day was awesome and the staff at Tahoe Donner Lodge were awesome. From the planning with Jeanne and Jeff, to the actual wedding ceremony and reception, it was "first class" all the way! They were all very accommodating and our guests couldn't stop talking about the food and the venue! Thanks for making our "special" day truly special! We would highly recommend this location and staff to future brides and grooms....

It's been just over a month since our late September wedding and I can't stop talking about it. If I had to say three words about Tahoe Donner they would be: Beautiful, Relaxed, AMAZING! Tahoe Donner was an incredible venue and the staff was unreal. We picked it about 9 months in advance and had a really great experience leading up to the big day. Jeff Jack was always available to answer any questions, and since I didn't have a wedding planner, he also kept me on track with things I needed to do and decisions to be made. We had about 180 people at the Lodge, and it was the best party ever! From the rehearsal to the end of the evening, it was perfect. The outdoor ceremony space is gorgeous, it has all the charm of an outdoor wedding but with the comfort of nice facilities for our older guests. Plus, since it was late Sept, in case of rain/weather TD was ready with back up plans which was very comforting to me. The food was incredible, and the staff made sure my groom and I actually ate which was really sweet. Jeff and his team even helped craft our specialty cocktail which everyone loved :) Having the food and alcohol included was a no brainer for me and just helped smooth the process of planning a wedding. I cannot stress enough how relaxing the staff made the big day. I had no worries at all the entire night. Once the party moved into the gorgeous tent and the band started up, the energy in the tent was amazing. Also, being able to move upstairs to the bar after 10pm was very convenient for our guests and we loved being able to continue the evening in the same venue. We also hired the Tahoe Donner shuttle to take our guests home afterwards which made us feel like our friends were making safe choices. Our wedding really was magical. It was almost a full moon and the open sides of the tent gave us the ability to enjoy it. The beautiful venue, delicious food, and amazing staff truly made our night fun for everyone who attended from the bride to the flower girl. Thank you so much to all the staff at the Lodge! Xo Jess and Mike Carr

We loved The Lodge! We had our wedding in July, 2015 and we did both the ceremony and reception here. We worked with Jeff for everything and he was beforehand great and day of. All the set up was done beautifully and the lodge coordinated with all the other vendors (flowers, DJ, linens) so there wasn't too much coordination for us to do the day of the wedding. We were able to have a rehearsal the day before the wedding and Jeff was really helpful with that as well. We had a big wedding party and lots of family in town so we had the rehearsal dinner down the road at the bennet flat tent. We were also really happy with the food for our wedding! We chose to have chicken and pork and both (I heard) were great. I can't remember the entire menu but we had great pasta salad and arugula salad as well. It was a beautiful venue for photos and our guests really enjoyed it. It was nice to have so many friends and family in the area for the weekend and they all had fun that weekend all over Truckee. I would definitely recommend this venue for anyone looking to have an outdoor wedding that's also easily accessible and has the whole wedding thing down.

The Lodge was part of my dream wedding. From the first time I saw the tent, I knew that this was the perfect spot for what I envisioned. The tent was so elegant and beautiful and it allowed for my event to be simultaneously indoors and outdoors. The simple white backdrop emphasized the beauty of the surrounding natural environment but also allowed my orange/green flower scheme and other decorations to stand out. Everything up to the wedding was very easy. Contact was minimal, but this worked for me because I'm pretty low-key. I didn't have a wedding planner and I do not think one was necessary at all. The banquet manager answered all my questions by email promptly and with good humor. He also arranged for our tasting, which was a very enjoyable experience. On the day of the event everything went seamlessly. I was impressed that with some basic coordinating, everything came together perfectly. They even set aside a plate of appetizers for me to eat in my dressing room. In addition, so many of my guests commented on how good the food was, especially considering it was a buffet. There are a number of serious foodies in my husband's family, so this compliment means a lot. The one negative that I would mention is the alcohol cost. Of course, since you must purchase all alcohol through The Lodge, the prices were a little inflated and I'm sure we didn't finish off the kegs we bought but we weren't able to take them. However, the overall value of my wedding was extremely high for what I paid considering the location. Ultimately, I enjoyed the freedom to choose all my own vendors (minus food and drink) and The Lodge made it so easy to bring everything together to bring my dream to life.

This was an amazing place to have a wedding. They were always easy to get ahold of and talk me through what was happening and when. High quality food and service for the wedding guest. They make sure that your day is perfect and that is exactly what it was!

Absolutely gorgeous setting. Staff was so helpful for the wedding and rehearsal dinner. Perfect day. Highly recommend the Tahoe Donner Lodge.

As the Groom I was excited to get married but NEVER thought that I would have the time of my life as I did. Everything about the loge at TAHOE DONNER was amazing. We played golf in the morning on a beautiful mountain course, got ready with a few cocktails from the bar, and drove around in golf carts to take pictures which I amazingly enjoyed! i was complimented on their food by several people and the staff was very gracious and accommodating! I would highly recommend this venue to anyone!

I can't speak highly enough for my experience with The Lodge. From the get-go, the service they provided was absolutely excellent. For starters, the location is stunning. My husband and I were committed to getting married in the beauty of nature, and the forested area surrounding the lodge was perfect. At the same time, The Lodge provided every amenity we needed to make sure our guests were comfortable and happy. In terms of communication, their staff always provided immediate answers to my (many) questions during the lead-up to my wedding. On the actual wedding day, I didn't have to worry about any details--the staff made sure absolutely everything was perfect. This allowed for a great savings in cost as I didn't need to hire a "day-of" wedding coordinator. Overall, I'd highly recommend them to anyone in the future!

We found the Tahoe Donner Lodge from a Northern California wedding venue website. As soon as I saw the pictures I was sold. My husband and I went to look and we knew we didn't have to look any further. Working with the team at the lodge was very enjoyable. We asked questions and they always had answers. Since we weren't from the area we used their preferred vendor list to find our other vendors we needed and we weren't disappointed. On the day of, I didn't have to worry about a thing, it was all set up and the party was ready to start' I couldn't have asked for a more perfect seamless wedding. Thank you to the team at the lodge for helping us have the wedding of our dreams!

Our wedding day was a dream. It was July and the day was absolutely gorgeous. I cannot imagine a prettier day and a better setting. The team at the Lodge was so helpful and wonderful to our guests. Jeff Jack the coordinator was so amazing! Very quick to respond to emails and questions throughout the planning process. He always helped keep my mind at ease that everything would be great. He also went through my time line with me a few weeks before the wedding in detail to give me some tips and tricks from his years of experience. Very helpful. The day of team of professionals exceeded our expectations as well. The food was Delicious!Jeff worked with all of our coordinators to make sure everything ran smooth and all went extremely well!! And I can not say enough how absolutely beautiful the setting is at the lodge. The tent was awesome as well. Very cozy and one side was completely open to the beautiful grass and trees which had a nice effect of feeling like you are outside and inside at the same time. Could not have asked for a better day. Thank you everyone at the lodge!

Where do I begin? From the second we thought The Lodge might be a possible venue, the experience was nothing but positive. Our first correspondence was with Jeanne, the manager, who was prompt, informative, confident without pressuring, and very relaxed. And let's be real, having someone so smooth sailing when you are making one of the biggest decisions of your wedding makes a huge difference in your attitude toward the venue! I visited the venue first with my parents. My groom was very "this is your day, I'm just a prop" through the whole thing. We met with Jeanne, toured the venue, looked at pics of previous weddings... and we were sold. Shall I mention that the first time I saw The Lodge, it was covered in snow, so I had no idea what it really would look like come wedding season. No matter. It was an easy decision. Between the rustic, comfortable, yet still beautiful and elegant feel of the place, combined with the warm welcome feeling from Jeanne, I knew this was it. Fast forward. I had been emailing back and forth with the event coordinator, the amazing Jeff... he is just incredible. He is funny, the best at what he does, and is the man responsible for making sure my day went off without a hitch (and if there was a hitch, he made sure I never knew about it)! Whatever I needed, even random last minute emergencies, he delivered! I cannot say enough about The Lodge at Tahoe Donner. A beautiful venue, a staff that is second to none, and did I mention affordable?! Don't pretend thats not important! There is nothing that I didn't absolutely LOVE about my entire experience at The Lodge. Its five months later and people are STILL talking about it. I think that says something :)

If you're looking for a gorgeous Tahoe venue that's reasonably priced, look no further than The Lodge at Tahoe Donner! My husband and I were married at The Lodge in July 2014 and couldn't have been more pleased with our experience working with the staff there. The Events Manager, Jeff, was my point of contact while I was planning our wedding and he is simply the BEST! Jeff's super organized, responds promptly to emails, stays calm under pressure and always maintains a sense of humor. He's exactly who you want to be managing your wedding! We had a wonderful wedding at The Lodge and highly recommend it.

The Lodge helped us host the most perfect wedding. We feel so lucky we were able to find this gem of a venue! Jeff and his team at The Lodge provided excellent customer service throughout the planning and our event. Over nine months, our emails and calls received quick responses, any site visits were easily accommodated and there was not one request from us that The Lodge staff wasn't able to make happen. From vendor recommendations to food tastings to décor drop-offs, they made everything so easy with great communication and customer service. And, all of the food for our rehearsal dinner and wedding was DELICIOUS. The ceremony space is absolutely gorgeous, as is the cocktail hour area. The reception tent is beautiful inside and needed little decorations, as it was already beautiful enough. Being so close to the golf course, I was a little worried it might be loud with golfers during our ceremony. Even with a golf tournament the same weekend as our wedding, the golfers were all very respectful of our event, you didn't even know they were there. And the course was a great spot for photos! My husband and I knew that we wanted our wedding celebration to be a weekend affair as all of our guests were traveling from at least two hours away. Many were coming from Southern California, the Midwest and even Canada. Our goal was to spend a fun and beautiful weekend in the mountains with our friends and family. The Lodge accommodated this goal exceptionally. We had our rehearsal dinner at The Lodge followed by a fun night in the Pub with about 50 of our friends and family. The next day, our ceremony, cocktail hour and wedding reception were all at The Lodge, followed by an after party in the Pub until 1:30 a.m. where guests were served midnight snack sliders. Even with all the time we spent celebrating at The Lodge it still doesn't feel like enough! Thanks to Jeff and his awesome team for making our wedding such a beautiful, fun and memorable event.

Our wedding experience at the Lodge at Tahoe Donner: 1) Lack of communication: After being told by the lodge event coordinator that our questions sent in emails would be addressed within 1-2 days, it took an average of a week to get responses. The only statement we received after paying for our wedding, was a credit card receipt, nothing itemized. When we went back the next day we asked for an itemized receipt. It was in this discussion that, the event coordinator realized that the homeowner discount that we were entitled to had not been figured into our bill. It took a week to get an accurate receipt. 2) False information: We were told multiple times that the bar at the Lodge would be open until 2AM so we could continue our wedding celebration. This was a very IMPORTANT reason in choosing the lodge. We had multiple guests coming from out of state and wanted to ensure we could maximize our time together. We went up there after the wedding ended, and the bar was ready for closing, stools on the bar, chairs upside down on the tables. Management’s response the next day when we addressed this issue, was that at 10PM there weren't enough guests from our wedding there yet. As we pointed out, the bar being open was never presented as being conditional on a specific number of patrons. 3) Incorrect menu: Our entrees, the roasted chicken in natural juices and tequila lime grilled tri tip were served doused in BBQ sauce. The general manager responded by saying: “…it did not ruin the dish, because the entrees were all consumed by your guests.” We found this to be an extremely condescending response. Of course they were consumed, the guests didn’t know what we had ordered, and even if they did, they had no other choice. Bottom line: although my husband and I had an amazing time at our wedding, we would never be able to recommend the Lodge at Tahoe Donner to another couple for their wedding because you may not get what you contract and pay for.

We had our ceremony outside overlooking the golf course and the reception also outside under a huge white tent. Everything was picture perfect. They were on top of all details. When the local bakery neglected to deliver the cupcakes, the people at The Lodge got on the phone and made sure they were delivered immediately. I didn't even know until after the fact. It was nice to know that I didn't need to worry about anything regarding the venue.