Your Wedding - On Top of the World!
Naseem Sharif
SENIOR CATERING SALES EXECUTIVE - WEDDING SPECIALIST
Typically responds within 24h
AWARD WINNER (5X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square is a deluxe hotel and wedding venue in downtown San Francisco, CA. This stunning turn-of-the-century venue boasts multiple opulent spaces ready to host your special day.
In 1904, the Crocker family set out to help make San Francisco a premier destination in the West, using elegant European locations like Paris and Monaco as a blueprint. This hotel was their flagship achievement, and since then, it has been a leading venue for cultural and artistic events in the city. With its central location, guests can stay at the Westin before the big day and discover San Francisco. Shopping, sports stadiums, and some of the city’s premier restaurants are all located within a short distance. Your loved ones can also enjoy the onsite restaurant, the state-of-the-art fitness center, and the modern amenities each room offers. Your wedding will be the highlight of a wonderful city stay at this excellent hotel.
Whether you’re planning an intimate celebration or a grand soiree, this venue has the settings to match. With over 56,000 square feet of event space, you’ll have your pick of gorgeous ballrooms and banquet halls for your ceremony and reception. Enjoy a fully-catered wedding meal in the Golden Gate, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views of San Francisco. Alternatively, dance the night away in the Grand Ballroom, an expansive space accommodating up to 1500 guests with glimmering chandeliers and a stage. The venue offers several other romantic ballrooms which can accommodate weddings of all sizes and styles. Simply meet with the experienced events team before you tie the knot and lay out your wedding vision, and they’ll create a bespoke package for you. At The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square, your wedding day will be an unforgettable experience for all.
Pricing details
Starting prices
Reception:
$2,000
Ceremony:
$500
Bar services:
$60 per person
Catering:
Contact for price
Starting prices don't include service fees, taxes, gratuity, and rental fees. Guest count and seasonality may also affect prices. Peak season for this venue is Apr-May and Aug-Nov.
Amenities + details
Amenities
Ceremony Area
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Vow Renewal Ceremony
Settings
Ballroom
Historic Venue
Hotel
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks
Cakes & Desserts
Food & Catering
Rentals & Equipment
Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Meet the team
Showing slide number 1 out of 2
- Naseem SharifSenior Catering Sales Executive - Wedding SpecialistFrom inquiry to contract, Naseem will assist you with securing your dream wedding venue and making this process as seamless as possible so that you can enjoy your special day! She is supported by our wedding specialist event manager, who will assist with the planning process.
- Jenevieve BeaulieuEvent Manager - Wedding SpecialistJenevieve has worked in the wedding industry for nearly ten years, most recently with Marriott for the past five. With nearly 300 brides of experience, she can help guide you in the right direction. She has always been an event planner at heart and has found her passion within the wedding industry. Whether you need a place to walk down the aisle, or just a location to host the party of a lifetime, Jenevieve will make sure your experience is unforgettable.
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.077 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.
The Westin ST. Francis is highly recommended by multiple reviewers for weddings and other events. The venue is described as beautiful and has breathtaking views from the 32nd floor. The staff, especially Jenevieve, the event manager, is praised for being attentive, helpful, and professional throughout the planning process and on the day of the event. Guests enjoyed the convenience of having all events in one location and appreciated the spacious rooms and amenities provided by the hotel. The food is also complimented as delicious and enjoyed by all guests. Overall, customers highly recommend The Westin ST. Francis for weddings and other special events.- Top reviews
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Meredith S
5.0
7/31/2023
We got married here in July of 2023 and it was unreal! The staff was amazing! Jenevieve was the best to work with! She responded to all of my emails and answered my hundreds of questions. We used the Westin for a welcome party, the wedding, and a post wedding brunch. All of it was amazing and the service was fantastic. Jenevieve is truly the best to work with, she cares so much about clients and we felt it! Great experience and not to mention, beautiful venue!
Vendor response 07/31/2023
Meredith,
You and your family were a blessing to work with. Charles and Josephine were som...
e of the best parents of the couple I have had the pleasure to work with - most of the time they say there are too many cooks in the kitchen but you manage them all so well, and with such grace. I imagine it is the organizational wrangling of children that gives you the both the ability to go with the flow while making things happen. I know you and Kenneth with have a beautiful life together because of these skills - but also just the clear love you have for each other. Wishing you the best,
Jenevieve
Mario M
5.0
12/27/2022
We are so happy we chose The Westin ST. Francis for our event. From the very beginning our event manager Jenevieve was amazing. She made herself available to answer any questions we had. She was professional, full of energy and her attention to detail lead to a stress-free process for the planning of our wedding reception. The whole team from the hotel manager JT who tied my tie, for my pre wedding photo shoot. Check in was smooth and easy. Reception Serving staff, went above and beyond to ensure our guests and ourselves had everything we needed to enjoy a successful, beautiful wedding celebration. Our guests can’t stop talking about the breath-taking views from the 32nd floor and staff.
Thank you for everything,
Mario & Rosemary
Vendor response 07/31/2023
Mario,
I only just regained access to reply to comments on here - so apologies on the dela...
y! You and Rosemary were by far one of the sweetest couples I have had the pleasure of working with . I wish you both the best and more with your future together.
Cheers,
Jenevieve
Any questions?
NANCI M
5.0
10/21/2022
Making our son and daughter-in-law's wedding on the 32nd floor of The Westin St Francis was the best idea and smartest decision! We live on the east coast and the bride and groom live in the bay area. We knew the majority of the guests would be coming from out of town. This hotel made entertaining our guests for the weekend easy and a pleasure! No guest needed a car, and we didn't need to transport our guests anywhere for any weekend function. The hotel is in the heart of all the sightseeing our guests would pursue; the cable car is out the front door.
The way the check-in/reception area is laid out, it was easy for our family to greet and meet our guests from the start and all thru the weekend in the lobby and cafe. The hotel rooms are spacious.
We chose to have our wedding ceremony and celebration on the "32nd Floor". It has multiple spaces, modern and beautifully decorated, wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows, and entirely private for an event. It was the perfect size for our crowd of 130 ppl. The Special Events Manager, Jenevieve Beaulieu, was so attentive and the most professional and helpful for the 1.5 years we worked with her!
We chose a restaurant in the neighborhood that everyone was willing to walk to for the rehearsal dinner.
Staying in the hotel where our wedding ceremony and celebration would occur made it very easy for me to check on vendors and details all thru the day of the wedding. I was able to see the 32nd Floor set up in advance so I would know where we could begin taking photos earlier in the day. At the end of the night, our flowers were taken to the room where our brunch would be held the next day, so we could enjoy them again- fabulous!
We worked with Jenevieve for almost 1.5 years bc we had to postpone the wedding once, due to the Omicron outbreak. Jenevieve has tremendous experience with helping plan weddings in the hotel. She answers calls asap. Her demeanor is always delightful. She's positive and optimistic and aims to say "yes". She walked us thru the process of using the space and planning the menu. She recommended vendors and communicated with some on our behalf. She helped with the room block for our guests and communicated on our behalf with the dept in charge of reservations. It was easy to discuss our thoughts with her. She sought to execute new ideas. She made many valuable suggestions. We grew to rely on her and trust her judgment. She remained enthusiastic and focused on our wedding for 1.5 years despite having special events every weekend. She made us feel like a priority all the time. She's amazingly organized.
I totally recommend making a wedding at the Westin St Francis because the event spaces are beautiful, the quality of the food and staff is excellent and Jenevieve is wonderful to work with.
I especially recommend making a wedding there if you live out of town and/or many of your guests live out of town, because the convenience of staying at and attending events in one premier hotel, so ideally located, can't be beaten. We would choose to do it again.
Vendor response 10/28/2022
My dear Nanci,
It really was truly a pleasure to watch Marshall and Kathryn's gorgeous wed...
ding come together. They are so lucky to have you there to manage the details with your keen eye for detail and design. I couldn't have imagined a more beautiful chuppah, and I don't think I will ever see it topped! Please don't hesitate to reach out if there is anything we can do for you (I know your daughter is getting married in Florida, but if that venue falls through, we are here for you!) :)
Cheers,
Jenevieve Beaulieu
Allen H
5.0
10/14/2022
Spectacular venue. Jenevieve was a great point of contact. She made the whole process super easy and was very responsive. The view is incredible and spacious. Beautiful venue and the food was delicious. So happy that I chose this venue for my wedding.
Vendor response 10/28/2022
Allen and Sedina,
It was a pleasure working with you both, such a stunning couple and trul...
y a front cover worthy wedding! I am excited to see the photos be published - I got a sneak peak and have been gushing over all of the details (mostly Sedina's ballgown - absolutely stunning). I wish you two the best of love and life, please let me know if there is ever anything you need (we do anniversaries and baby showers....) :)
Cheers,
Jenevieve
Corey R
5.0
4/02/2022
One word – phenomenal. Our wedding at the Westin St. Francis was phenomenal. But more specifically, Jenevieve is phenomenal. Jenevieve is the sales executive at the Westin and there's a reason she's mentioned in most Westin reviews. She’s down-to-earth, relatable, and experienced. She is who you want behind the scenes to make sure all venue related accommodations, amenities, and services are impeccable for a wedding. Honestly, she’s more than that – she also helps keep you sane and reassured during the wedding planning process. Our wedding was during a COVID surge, and Jenevieve was flexible and accommodating in providing options and ideas to keep guests safe and happy. Her insight is invaluable – she lets you tap into her wealth of knowledge for suggestions on everything from décor, venue layout suggestions, wedding timeline, to local restaurants and activities for guests. The impression the wedding made on our guests and us was overwhelmingly positive. The Westin is lucky to have her – she is a primary reason we decided to have our wedding at The Westin St. Francis.
Vendor response 04/02/2022
Corey! This is so sweet of you! You and Adam were an absolute joy to work with. I can only...
imagine the beautiful life the two of you will create together. Let me know when your photos are finished, I would love to see them!
Cheers,
Jenevieve
Ellen Y
5.0
11/21/2021
We could not have asked for a better venue or staff for our wedding. The Westin hosted us for six beautiful events throughout the hotel: rehearsal dinner, welcome reception, cocktail & wedding reception, and farewell brunch. The iconic style and ambiance of the hotel and venue space gave us a range of options for events and helped eliminate significant decor costs for each event.
The wedding specialist is very professional and easy to work with. They also introduced us to our wedding planning dream team - AnyOccasion. Both supported us through two COVID-19 postponements and multiple changes to event plans and headcount.
Each of our events was professionally staffed and well executed and our guests and vendors enjoyed every minute of every event. The location is also perfect for our destination wedding - our friends & family enjoyed seeing SF and benefited from ease of transit.
I could not could not give them better praise or a higher recommendation - the Westin brought our wedding vision to life and was a pleasure to work with from start to finish.
Vendor response 04/03/2022
Ellen and Earl - I know you were working with me longer than you would have both preferred...
, but it was truly a pleasure to get to know you both despite the pandemic. I hope you have both been enjoying married life now that we are so close to the light at the end of this tunnel! I wish you both endless years of joy together.
Cheers,
Jenevieve
Terrance L
5.0
9/04/2021
Great venue and better even staff!
The venue has different rooms depending on your guest count. We chose the St. Francis because of the amenities it was able to provide in house without having to hire a ton of different vendors. We wanted to do both the ceremony and reception in one place without having to move around to different locations. It was also nice to have our rooms and guests close by in the event that we needed something or goes wrong, as something inevitably does on a wedding day/planned event.
The entire venue itself was gorgeous, the lobby itself is iconic, reminiscent of an older, classier look, but modernizes as you ascend in glass elevators (think willy-wonka) to your room/event space. We rented out the 32nd floor which has a birds-eye view of the city and was recently refurbished (2019?) to have a more sleek, modern to the point where decorations aren't really necessary as the floor itself is surrounded by windows overlooking the city. A lot of venues in SF look dated or have restrictions, but the Westin was able to accommodate and even anticipate all needs. During the Covid delta surge they even provided several hand sanitizers without us even asking. Lastly, the venue provided certain amenities that we didn't anticipate such as someone to watch the elevators to make sure there were no crasher.
In regards to staff, we worked with Jenevieve, the venue coordinator. She was nothing short of exceptional. We quickly felt that she was invested in our wedding day after the first visit and our future communications. She was able to negotiate concessions or arrangements between us and the hotel and was flexible when we needed something. She was also very knowledgeable and was able to walk a fine line of making suggestions without being overwhelming or narrowing options when there's too many to choose from.
The only negatives of the Westin St. Francis was the parking situation and the price, both of which are a product of having a wedding in downtown San Francisco. Otherwise, I don't regret choosing them. Thanks for everything!
Vendor response 09/20/2021
Thank you so much Terrance! It was a pleasure working with you and I am so excited to see ...
the photos of your gorgeous day!
Wishing you and Thi the best in your marriage!
Ken C
5.0
6/25/2021
Jenevieve, Senior Catering Sales Executive, was amazing!!! The staff for our event were gracious, professional, and ensured our wedding reception went off without a hitch! The food was delicious and enjoyed by all our guests!
Korinna C
5.0
3/18/2020
My five star rating is purely for Jenevieve who handles all events at The Westin. She was amazing from the first time we toured the venue with her and fell in love with the views, to quickly responding to emails, and making me feel at ease day-of when my wedding planner fell short. The overall set-up was lovely, the food selections were all delicious, and the wait staff during the wedding were all nice. My only complaints were with the front desk staff and them being unorganized, grouchy, and not helpful.
In terms of everything wedding related, Jenevieve made everything so easy and fun for us! She knew all the right questions to ask when we were deciding on linens, meals, and packages. The chef even made a special dim sum cart for our late night bites! Yum! You truly can't beat the views on the 32nd floor and the updated space is a dream!
Gabriela I
5.0
11/04/2019
Hands down the BEST! Choosing the Westin St. Francis as our venue was the best decision we made during our wedding planning process. Our coordinator Jenevieve B. went above and beyond for me during the planning stages. I felt extremely comfortable with her and will be referring any and every bride to her. The day of our wedding was a dream all thanks to the staff who made me and our guests feel very welcomed. From the delicious food to the phenomenal service that was provided I would have give 5 stars to the Westin St. Francis. We felt very taken care of and that was so important to us being that the day is very overwhelming. Thank you for making our day so special and I will be referring everyone to the Westin St. Francis for any and every event!
Jackie P
5.0
9/23/2019
We had the best wedding! This venue is the best! Highly recommend! Working with Jenevieve B was amazing to work with! She helped us make sure all the details were together and made sure we had everything we needed for the day of! The crew working the night of our wedding were top notch, they made sure to take care of our every need! They were great! The food was absolutely delicious!! We were able to have our dream wedding with amazing views of SF! Can't say enough! thanks to all!
Jacqueline L
5.0
6/16/2019
My wedding coordinator Jenevieve is definitely one of the reasons we chose Westin over other vendors such as Ritz Carlton at Half moon Bay and SF or Fairmont Hotel. The venue itself has a breathtaking view of the city on 32nd floor, but it’s Jenevieve’s welcoming personality and helpfulness in the beginning made us to put Westin on the top of the list. Through out the process, she was very quick to respond to our emails, gave us her feedback on different dishes for different seasons, she is very accommodating to our busy schedule when it comes to tasting and walkthrough. Work well with my wedding planner. Westin St Francis also has great modern interior decor with old European ceilings style, love different style of chandelier throughout the old and new building!!
Nina G
5.0
5/16/2019
We celebrated our wedding at the Westin St. Francis on Union Square last month. It had recently been remodeled in winter 2018, and was absolutely gorgeous! It looks a lot more modern now than previously, but very classy. The 360 degree views of SF from the 32nd floor of the hotel were phenomenal. Many of our guests shared with us that they really enjoyed the food, especially the desserts. Working with Jenevieve throughout this whole process was wonderful. She was very understanding if we made last minute changes, very good at navigating our families, and had lots of suggestions if we asked for advice. She also was very responsive, and very kind on the day of the wedding. She even dropped off a little surprise and sweet card in our suite at the end of the night. If you want an unbelievable venue with kind, supportive staff, I highly recommend the Westin!
Erika H
5.0
5/08/2019
My husband and I recently got married at the Westin St. Francis in SF. First of all, the venue is absolutely beautiful! The hotel has a beautiful space to have an intimate ceremony and another gorgeous space for a reception afterwards. We had our ceremony in the St. Francis Suite and our reception at the Mission Bay Room. The Mission Bay Room was recently renovated, so the space is gorgeous and more modern in design. You don’t need to add much décor to the room itself. We had about 60 guests, which was a perfect guest count for the room. The views are absolutely amazing too since it’s on the 32nd floor. We worked with the On-Site Wedding Coordinator, Jenevieve. We had a fantastic time working with Jenevieve! She was attentive, detail-oriented, and responded to all our questions/concerns very promptly. On several occasions, we exchanged emails at least 3-4x/day. She also provided us with several vendor recommendations, which saved us a lot of time and stress with the planning process!
Please note, the venue does require you hire a day of coordinator for the wedding day, which will add at least $2K to your budget.
While at the hotel, we were provided with a beautiful bridal suite, which was a nice perk of planning an event at the Westin. The room is spacious, has great lighting for make up and photographs, and also had fantastic views of the city!
All in all, our guests loved the venue and enjoyed their dinner as well as the desserts! We couldn’t be happier to have celebrated our big day at the Westin!
Khadija H
5.0
11/09/2018
I cannot say enough good things about the Westin St. Francis on Union Square in San Francisco. Their wedding expert and point person at the venue, Jenevieve, is extremely knowledgeable and most importantly, personable. With our crazy big Indian wedding, she accommodated our last minute requests with a friendly attitude and always had a smile. Jenevieve and her staff were a pleasure to work with for the entire process, from planning to execution. A bonus are the breathtaking views from every corner!
As a wedding planner and coordinator with Limelight Productions, I value Jenevieve's willingness to assist, her prompt responses and professionalism. I look forward to letting my client's know about this venue and awesome venue point person! I highly recommend having your wedding or any event at The Westin St Francis.
Abigail L
4.0
1/16/2018
The physical space is incredible; 5 stars for that. Highly recommended! However, I subtracted one star from my rating because the price was high and often complicated about which things were paid and which were add ons. The customer service was top notch with Selma!
Cathy P
4.0
6/06/2017
We had our wedding and reception at the St. Francis Hotel in smaller rooms: the Borgia room and the St. Francis suite. Originally we had planned to have ~120+ guests, but after we fell in love with these two rooms, we decided to have 70 guests. (We hosted a wedding cocktail celebration a month later for those we could not invite to the wedding.) We loved the old world, turn of the century details of the rooms we chose and it was very intimate and special. The food was excellent, as was the service on the day of the wedding. One star removed due to the turnover in the Sales Department. I had to deal with 3 different people and much information was lost with each handoff, so I had to stay on top of all the details, and double and triple check everything. Managing them before the day of the event was time consuming and not something I anticipated.
Chris J
5.0
3/08/2016
Our wedding was on 1.16.16 - A little delayed in my review :) We only had our reception here (Alexandra's for Dinner/Dancing and Victor's for Cocktail Hour) and got married at St Mary's Cathedral.
WOW! What can I say other than Lauren Schardt and the entire Westin team was truly amazing. My wife and I could not be more happy with how everything turned out. Bear with me as I ramble off the cuff...
Searching for a venue in SF can be stressful, but the minute that we met Lauren and saw the amazing venue at the top of the Westin we were blown away. We looked at a handful of venues, but there was not one that topped the Westin (Presidio, Fairmont, Intercontinental, deYoung, Legion of Honor). The top floor view of SF + Lauren = a must book venue.
From the minute that we signed our contract to winding down our unreal wedding reception, Lauren was over the top impressive. We felt so special getting married there. Everything was handled perfectly, she gives amazing feedback and helps guide you through the whole process. There are a TON of things that go into planning a wedding (as you already know or will find out quickly) and Lauren made everything seamless and straightforward. She guided us towards amazing vendors for photo, DJ, cake, video, lights, etc and we couldn't have been happier with our choices (Jasmine Wang - Photog, Sound in Motion - DJ, Elegant Cheesecakes - cake).
Lauren spends a ton of time getting to know you to make sure everything is perfect. We met a handful of times over the months we planned our wedding (yes months...I think it was 3 or 4 total) and every meeting she kept us on track and made sure we were making progress. There is no need for a wedding planner when you book the Westin.
The food at the Westin is amazing. You will have a blast doing the wedding food tasting. Our friends and family said it was some of the best food they have ever had at a wedding (MASSIVE KUDOS TO THE CHEF!). The specialty bride and groom cocktails were a big hit as well.
The rooms for your guests are amazing and the bridal suite was HUGE. A lot of our guests were out of towners and they absolutely loved the hotel. It's truly the perfect place in SF for visitors. They have all the action right in front of them and can easily get to all other areas. When you pick somewhere like the Fairmont, it's a little more difficult as you have to navigate up and down hills!
On the day of the wedding, Lauren goes above and beyond. We did not worry about a single thing. She directs everyone and keeps you on a schedule, which is helpful bc time becomes a blur. She set up the reception and cocktail area perfectly with all of our frames, vases, etc and packed them all up at the end of the night so we did not have to worry about it.
The entire Westin staff is first class. The front desk, bell hops, concierge, servers at the Reception, bartenders, etc all were amazing. They make you and your entire wedding group feel special.
I could seriously go on and on about Lauren and the impeccable white glove service she provides + the amazing staff + beautiful views of the Westin. Before you finalize your wedding venue search, go see Lauren and the Westin...you won't regret it!!!
Knottie28985925
5.0
10/30/2015
We recently had our wedding at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco. What an amazing event! We were thrilled with the Westin, across the board, and we especially appreciate the amazing, professional and over the top efforts of our wedding coordinator Lauren Schardt. I can't imagine anone is better at the job of wedding coordinator than Lauren, after having gone through this process with her. We had our reception in Victors/Alexandra's on the 32nd floor of the tower and it was amazing! The view is so incredible from up there. All of our guests remarked on how beautiful the room and the view was. Also, we got great reviews from our guests on the food! We had a tasting and during the tasting the chef tweaked one of their standard salads to come up with something we liked better, and it was a big hit! The beef and chicken saltimbocca choices were awesome as well. Sirloin beef tips were my favorite of the appetizers (thank you Lauren for saving a plate for myself and my Bride). One thing we did which was a bit out of the ordinary was we asked for a few antipasto plates for each of the tables when people first came in to sit down. I've heard many remarks from our guests about how much the loved the antipasto! Not only because everyone was pretty hungry by that point. But also because of how bountiful the plate of antipasto was. Really full with some nice meats and cheese, etc. I just can't say enough about how positive our experience was, all the way through the planning to the event itself. Lauren really lead the charge, and guided us along the way. The wait staff and service folks at the hotel and reception were amazing as well. Everyone is raving about our wedding, and for us it will always be such an awesome memory. What a setting and what a night. Thanks to Lauren and the Westin for a fantastic event!
Jillian C
5.0
10/29/2015
Working with Lauren at The Westin St. Francis was one of the best experiences I've had. She helped my vision come to life while working within my budget. The food and service was impeccable, and this was noticed by almost all of my 300 guests. The night moved smoothly thanks to Lauren and her team, and, if there was a hiccup, I don't even know about it now. The Westin St. Francis offered me a large enough ballroom for my wedding without feeling like I was in a conference room. It had a very classic San Francisco feel to it and is a timeless setting. I would highly recommend Lauren and her team at The Westin St. Francis to any bride and groom who are looking for a wedding site!
melissa s
5.0
10/26/2015
Our wedding coordinator was Lauren. I would highly recommend using her and Westin St Francis Union Square. They made our wedding everything we ever imaged. My family, my husband and I were so impressed with everything they did and helped with. Lauren was absolutely amazing, she had everything ready for us and knew exactly what needed to be done before we knew. She was with us through the whole process. We don't know what we would have done without her. We can't express how much she helped us. She was involved with everything down to our timeline, schedule, photos, meals and rehearsal dinner/rehearsal, as well as our ceremony & reception. Everything went off without a hitch with her assistance. She was great to work with, very responsive, personable & friendly. Anytime we had a question or concern she would address it right away. Leading up to the wedding she was fantastic, following up with us to make sure everything was going well with the planning and keeping us updated & giving us recommendations. She helped us execute our dream wedding. We would highly recommend her and Westin St Francis to host any event or your wedding.
The hotel and hotel staff was absolutely amazing, the food was delicious. We also hosted our rehearsal dinner at the hotel and everyone was raving about the food. The staff was so nice and professional. She provided our vendors loading/unloading instructions and kept in constant communication with our wedding coordinator. On the wedding day- she was so great, making sure everything went smoothly. The hotel provided a meal tasting- all of their selections are so good! They have a seasonal menu so the food is very fresh, elegant and filling. No one went home hungry from our wedding. We held our wedding ceremony in Victor's Palace and our reception in Alexandra's Ballroom. They were beautiful and the team did a great job setting up the room to accommodate all of our guests- some handicap. Our photos also turned our amazing in this venue!
Annie T
5.0
10/26/2015
We hosted our wedding reception here. We had about 65 guests and we used the St. Francis Suite.
Lauren gave us an informative tour of the venue options before we started and once we began planning, she was always quick to respond to our emails and very helpful in the planning process. I think she really enjoys seeing people's weddings come together and contributed to making our day feel special.
The St. Francis Suite itself is a gorgeous venue, with wood panelling, a beautiful ceiling, and nice accents throughout. Very classy and with a character all its own. The smaller rooms attached to the main room provided plenty of space for the cocktail hour, bar, favors, etc., so a very practical space.
The cake vendors had to be chosen from a list of three, but they all looked pretty good and we were really happy with the one we picked.
On the day of, all the setup went very smoothly and they were helpful and accommodating with the little details (all those little things you have to remember to bring on the day of!). The tables and decor provided also all looked great, including the small things like the cake stand and table ware.
The hotel-provided catering lived up to the classy atmosphere of the venue. The tasting allowed us to try the wines and a few of the food options. We didn't get to try the appetizers, or pick exactly which desserts, but those were all amazing so I wouldn't sweat it. Our only complaint was the chicken dish we picked wasn't quite as crispy as it was during the tasting. It was still very good and no guests complained, but I guess it is hard to get the dishes to come out *exactly* like the tasting when they need to serve up 50+ of them. Something to keep in mind.
Also, one night in one of the signature suites was included. We opted to add one night before the event too, which was great because we were able to bring all the things we needed a whole day early. We even had makeup and hair done in the suite. This was a big plus for us, and it didn't cost too much extra. The suite itself is really huge, large enough to host a small event on its own. Very convenient!
Kristina S
5.0
10/22/2015
We held our reception at the St. Francis in Victor's Palace on the 32nd floor and it was absolutely stunning. The food was excellent, the service was outstanding and the venue was beautiful. My husband and I stayed in one of their suites on our wedding night and it was gorgeous with sweeping views of the city, we were given champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries when we arrived, everything was done to perfection! Lauren Schardt was great to work with, she was professional, quick to respond to emails and very accommodating to our requests. This is a beautiful venue, it's bit pricey but definitely worth the money.
Knottie44969900
5.0
10/21/2015
We had our wedding reception here in October and it was a fantastic experience from beginning to end, in large part due to Lauren Schardt. Lauren was great to work with, from answering all our questions to helping us along with our planning with her insightful advice.
We never had a doubt that the reception would be amazing under her direction so she really helped us immensely by keeping the planning and event low stress. We were touched by the personalized notes and treats she left in our Suite (which in itself was amazing).
The banquet staff were all so nice and gracious and the food was absolutely delicious and received numerous compliments throughout the night from our guests. Having the reception at the Westin St. Francis allowed us to really enjoy the evening without worry.
Alyson E
5.0
10/21/2015
From the moment we saw the space, I knew the Westin St. Francis was the spot for our wedding.
The day was magical. Everything I had dreamed of and more. The planning process with Lauren Schardt was so effortless. She provided so much support and was attentive to every single one of our needs. I did not need to worry about one thing. Lauren had everything covered.
The entire experience from the food, the beautiful room set up, to the service, was flawless.
Family and friends still talk about how gorgeous our wedding was. We could not have done it without the staff at the Westin St. Francis! I would do it all over again, without changing one single detail. It was such a special day and we thank the St. Francis Team for creating that memory for us!
Rachel F
5.0
9/20/2015
You cannot go wrong with the westin St. Francis. the venue is stunning and the wedding specialist, Lauren Schardt is amazing. I can't say enough great things about her. She really knows what she is doing! you are in great hands with her!
Nicole B
5.0
9/18/2015
My wife and I were dead set on having a reception in the city that we met in and love so much. We looked at several places and weighing the cost, views, food, and people we met with, we felt very confident in picking the Westin St. Francis.
Everyone says your wedding day is the best day of your life, but honestly the Westin St. Francis made it that much better. Every single part of the day went perfectly, we were continuously complemented on the beautiful views, and Lauren who runs things for weddings made sure that my wife and I were taken care of at every single moment.
Truly an A+ experience!
Knottie22878465
5.0
9/16/2015
We loved having our wedding at the Westin! We were lucky enough to get the Imperial floor. The view and atmosphere could not be beat. Many of our guests were from out of town and were blown away by the city. The Westin (especially Lauren) made everything so seamless and easy for us. It only took a few meetings to figure out the planning for the day. Lauren was quick to respond to all emails as questions came up. We could imagine any other venue!
Courtney C
5.0
9/16/2015
I recently had my wedding ceremony and reception at The Westin St. Francis in downtown San Francisco on 9/5/15. It was truly the best day of my life and I owe a lot of that to Lauren Schardt, our wedding coordinator from the St. Francis. She was absolutely amazing. I honestly can't express how easy she made this process. Everything was perfect; the service, the attention to detail, and the execution. Her staff was on point throughout the entire day. Leading up to the day, she was instrumental in the planning process and helped me with all of the details. She would make recommendations that hadn't even crossed my mind, which I'm incredibly thankful for. I am so thrilled with how everything was planned and how the day turned out. I highly recommend having your wedding at the St. Francis and especially working with Lauren.
violet q
5.0
1/14/2015
Lauren - I'm sorry this review is so overdue.
We got married on the imperial floor in April 2014 and the space was absolutely stunning. We picked the space for the floor to ceiling windows and view of the city, but I would recommend the Westin St. Francis as a wedding venue just to have Lauren, the wedding specialist. She consistently went above and beyond throughout the planning process. As a bride, I was as stress-free as could be throughout the planning process and on my wedding day because of Lauren. I honestly miss working her. Thanks for making our dream wedding (and dream honeymoon) a reality! M&V
Kayla S
5.0
11/17/2014
My wife and I held our wedding at the St. Francis on the 32nd floor in Alexandra's. We worked closely with Lauren and her team to make this moment in our lives perfect. Lauren did an incredible job, every step of the way. Not only did she alleviate the number of stresses a couple takes on during wedding planning, but she also went out of her way to allow us to fully enjoy the moment. If we had to do it again, we wouldn't change one single thing :) . We received endless comments from our guests on the food quality, service, and gorgeous location. Of all the venues we researched in the Bay Area, I don't think we could have made a stronger choice. Thank you Lauren and the St. Francis team for enhancing this special moment in our lives!
Nicole C
5.0
10/27/2014
When planning our wedding, we knew we wanted a classy, formal, and elegant venue for our reception. The Westin St. Francis was the only one that met all of our high expectations.
From the start, their event coordinator, Lauren Schardt, made us feel like we were in good hands. She guided us at every step and made sure to answer every question. We used their preferred vendors (Poppy's Petalworks for flowers and Elegant Cheesecakes for cake) and it made things very easy to plan and coordinate.
We had many guests coming from out of town and Lauren made sure everyone got our welcome bags and had a great stay. By the time the big day arrived, I knew the day would be great because Lauren was taking care of everything.
The reception was beyond anything I could have imagined. It's almost like a dream. The 32nd Floor is a magical and impressive space and made sure it was a wedding none of our guests would forget. From the food, to the wine, to the service, to the late night ice cream station... everything was perfect. Thank you to the Westin and Lauren for making my wedding amazing.
Gina T
5.0
10/23/2014
We had our wedding reception at the Westin St Francis last month and it was amazing! We got engaged at the WSF so it only seemed fitting to have our wedding reception there, too. We are in Los Angeles so, I thought it would be challenging. Well, enter Lauren Schardt, expert wedding specialist at the Westin St. Francis - from our first meeting 7 months prior to our big day, we were in great hands.
Lauren walked us through the rooms that made sense for the number of guests we would have. Suggesting layout ideas and what would work for having dining, dancing and a Jazz Band. She guided us through the event packages, the menu tastings, and she accommodated our changes. We never felt lost as we were in communication throughout the entire planning process. We visited San Francisco three times during our planning, and each time Lauren met with us to go over details, details, details. I could go on and on about how great Lauren is – room upgrades, treats in our rooms, assistance and suggestions, all the way down to bringing us – the bride and groom- hors d'oeuvres and cocktails (Hendrick’s Martinis which she had to arrange from the bar 31 floors down), while we waited to make our grand entrance. Wonderful!
Victor’s Palace on the 32nd floor was the room we chose for our reception. Floor to ceiling windows – amazing views day and night. Thank you Lauren- Everything went off without a hitch! The room was set up beautifully. The food was delicious and the service was perfect. We had the BEST time because we didn’t have to worry about anything. We laughed, we danced, and we had cake. What a beautiful day!
Anyone who has ever been to the Westin St. Francis already knows it’s a beautiful, grand hotel and the customer service is second to none. People like Lauren are who make exceptional hospitality. You see smiling, helpful faces everywhere at the WSF. Since having two major life events happen there- getting engaged and having my wedding reception there- I’m happy to say the Westin St. Francis is part of my life story. I don’t want to stay at any other hotel when I visit San Francisco.
Knottie14916888
5.0
10/22/2014
My (now) wife and I knew we wanted to get married in San Francisco, as this is the place we call our home and the city we love. The Westin St. Francis was the first venue we looked at, but we wanted to look at other venues (so we looked in Napa, Carmel, a couple of other hotels including the Fairmont, and the Ferry Building). At the end of it all, we ended up deciding that the Westin St. Francis would be perfect because: 1) it was in San Francisco; 2) we really enjoyed meeting and interacting with Lauren, the wedding coordinator, and just had a good feeling; 3) the venue is beautiful and the Imperial Floor had some of the best views around and the decor and style were just so classic and beautiful; and 4) we're both extremely busy individuals and having a wedding package would make things so much less stressful for us.
From day 1, Lauren provided us with so much support and was attentive to every single one of our needs. The hotel was easy to work with and accommodated pretty much all of our reasonable requests, making sure we were happy. There was regular follow-up and communication - I'm not sure if we had more questions than other couples but I know we certainly had quite a few - and all questions were answered promptly and re-assured us that we had made the right choice.
The food tasting was a lot of fun, and Lauren/the chefs gave us an amazing tasting. All of the food was so great and so well prepared. Everyone says to remember to eat during the wedding - well, we knew we had to make sure we ate the food just because it was so good.
The suite we were given for the weekend was amazing, with incredible views and impeccable service. Also, the fact that they accommodated our dog during the ceremony and with a bed, dish, and treats was so thoughtful, and we were definitely glad we had our dog there with us during the festivities.
The wedding itself - it was incredible. The room and setup looked more incredible than either of us could have imagined. The colors, windows, furniture - everything was perfect. Lauren and the entire staff worked really hard to ensure that the whole night ran without a hitch, and really, nothing went wrong. The staff was attentive, nobody was left wanting for drinks or food or whatever, and we didn't have to worry about taking care of anything at all.
Even now, over a month after the wedding, our friends and family are still telling us about how incredible the wedding was and how it was "the wedding of the year". Obviously, they could just be saying that, but I definitely believe it when they say that, especially when we have that many people saying it. This really was our perfect wedding and the best way to start off the rest of our lives.
Once again, Lauren, her staff, and the Westin St. Francis have our gratitude for all that they did to help make that most special of days such a lasting memory.
Charles A
5.0
10/16/2014
The Westin St. Francis venue sells itself. But what you won’t realize when you book your wedding there is what incredible value and pleasure you will get from being able to work with Lauren Schardt.
Lauren helped us create and execute a perfect, flawless wedding. She worked with us throughout the process and it was a great pleasure – she was fun to be around, extremely cool and logical and helped us make some otherwise emotional decisions as wedding decisions tend to be. She has infallible patience, as we flip-flopped between decisions, asked for changes to event order proposals, etc. Our guests had an incredible time, and much of the reason for this lies in Lauren’s ability to make things happen for us.
She consistently went above and beyond for us and made things happen that we didn’t think were possible. For example:
- She helped us extend our room block to not only include Saturday and Sunday nights but also Thursday and Friday as many people were coming from out of town.
- She helped get reservations moved into the room block for guests who booked too late.
- She helped us get use of not only Alexandra’s but also Victor’s for the cocktail reception following the ceremony.
- She put together a Friday night cocktail welcome reception in the Olympic Room after so much back and forth with us – if it were me I would have gone mad! – and made special arrangements to accommodate my family’s desire to provide a large block of English Stilton cheese (a family tradition)
- She organized a breakfast on Sunday in Victor’s – the event order for which we changed at the last possible minute!
- I had flowers delivered to her for the wedding suite and she laid them out as I requested on the night of the wedding
- She even helped us put together our dream honeymoon at various other Starwood properties!
I could go on…
Our wedding was perfect, and the execution by Lauren and team at the Westin St Francis was flawless. After over a year of working with Lauren and team, my wife and I don’t have post-wedding blues. But we will be sad to not have the opportunity to speak with Lauren on a regular basis!
Knottie15938318
5.0
10/12/2014
We recently had our wedding at the Westin St. Francis. Their 32nd floor is simply unbeatable - gorgeous golden room with floor-to-ceiling windows that have panoramic views of the city. The food was delicious, good service, great hotel amenities, and definitely felt like we got great value for our money.
What made our wedding above and beyond for us was the staff at the Westin - Lauren is the best! She is organized, responsive, and helps you get the most out of what the venue can offer. She was also great at problem solving with vendors. She is so on top of things - so on our wedding day, I was totally low-stress because I knew that no matter what things popped up, Lauren would take care of it, which let my husband and I just focus on each other and the day.
This was the perfect venue for us, no regrets, and would pick it again in a heartbeat.
Aracely S
5.0
10/11/2014
Our wedding was absolutely beautiful and a lot of that credit goes to Lauren and the St. Francis. Everything was perfect from the incredible view to the flow of all the night. Lauren was always there making sure we were on track the whole night. My husband and I were able to enjoy the evening without having to worry about what was next and that was PRICELESS. We got married 2 months ago and still our guests are talking about how fabulous our wedding was and how great our venue and Lauren were.
Not only was the wedding reception great but so was the planning towards the big day! Lauren was always there when we needed her, she was very responsive and accommodating which is key to every bride!!
Lisa H
5.0
10/11/2014
I am officially obsessed with this property. Hosting my wedding here was the second best decision to marrying my husband. The hotel itself has always been an icon for my life. I made the decision to move to San Francisco after a spring break visit back in college after looking out into the city views from my room. Many more good memories lead to the easy decision of hosting my wedding on the imperial floor. If you are going to be getting married in San Francisco, why not see all its beauty from the top floor with surrounding windows of the Golden Gate, Coit Tower, and much more! Although the hotel rooms are amazing, the venue is gorgeous, sometimes that means nothing without good service. The Westin St. Francis is the leading example of what exemplary service is. From the valet to housekeeping...all supporting members were overly gracious to my loved ones visiting. However, I want to make a BIG shout out to Lauren Schardt. She was by far, the best support for my entire wedding. When I needed something she was there. Out of all the stories I heard after the big day, Lauren's name was always mentioned. She is one of those amazing people you find once in a blue moon, where you know she is taking her responsibilities a step beyond and making sure your special day is more than you dreamed. THANK YOU TO THE WESTIN ST. FRANCIS & LAUREN!
a member
5.0
6/29/2014
I am so glad we chose to have our wedding at the Westin St. Francis. After weighing numerous options, we came to the conclusion that the Westin St. Francis could not be beat in terms of location, convenience for our out-of-town guests, spectacular view of the city, history, beauty, and competitive prices / value for the money. The team at the Westin pulled out all of the stops, adding thoughtful touches throughout our experience. Lauren Schardt was especially wonderful to work with. Her can-do, positive attitude made her a pleasure to plan with. She made us feel very well taken care of, and like we didn't have to worry about a thing. Planning at the Westin was so much easier than it felt like it would be at other venues since so many details are already taken care of by the hotel. I can't forget to mention how amazing the food was! Lauren worked with the chef to come up with a menu that reflected our taste, and we loved every bite! I would definitely recommend having a wedding at the Westin St. Francis, and I will treasure the memories we made there for the rest of my life.
Kimberly J
5.0
6/25/2014
Lauren Schardt is a super star. The End.
Seriously, she is the reason that we ultimately chose The Westin St. Francis and she did not let us down. And she is not alone there in the hospitality and professionalism department. Everyone from the Executive Chef, to the servers and bartenders performed expertly and delivered with a smile. It was an incredible thing to watch…and enjoy.
Our short list for choice of venue was; The Palace Hotel, The Westin St. Francis, and V. Sattui Winery. All three are amazing venues, each with their strengths. But only one of these gave us the warm welcome on first meeting, and only one kept coming through with reasons to choose them. After choosing Lauren, she continued to impress us with her organization, flexibility with options, and overall cheery positive attitude. She made us feel like everything is under control, and we had nothing to worry about. She was always very responsive to emails and phone calls. She also let us make late changes to our food and drink packages. Very late in the planning phase I decided that I didn’t like the bar package that we had chosen earlier. No problem…Lauren made all the changes without affecting our budget.
On Wedding Day, Lauren was calmly in control. She even helped us relax with her infectious smile and sense of humor. She made sure our guests were seated on time, and that all the pieces were in place. Once we made it to the reception, the table service was flawless and the food was top tier delicious. We dine a lot in San Francisco, and I can assure you that the quality of the food prepared at The Westin St. Francis is right in line with 5-star restaurants.
I highly recommend this amazing hotel, Lauren Schardt and her entire catering staff.
K W
5.0
6/23/2014
Lauren Schardt and the team at The Westin St. Francis were amazing to work with when planning our wedding reception! It was one of the first venues we visited at the beginning of our engagement. On our initial visit, she laid out all of our options for us, but didn't try to push any one package on us. She understood our budget constraints and helped inform us accordingly. While we instantly fell in love with the view and the Imperial Floor, we still wanted to check out other venues that might be more cost effective. As promised, Lauren continually checked in with us over several weeks and months, not pressuring us to make a decision, but kindly checking to see if we had any other questions. After a few more visits to the hotel and some package tweaking, we decided to sign the contract. We knew we would be in good hands with Lauren.
During the months leading up to the wedding, Lauren was immensely helpful in ensuring our event was a success. She was always professional, responsive, calm, and supportive throughout the process. During the menu tasting, she patiently listened to our likes and dislikes and helped make recommendations to adjust items to our preferences. She was also thoughtful with little details and added touches here and there, especially during the wedding week. The bottom line is Lauren really took care of us for a whole year, from the moment we first visited the venue to after the big event.
We had a gorgeous, unforgettable wedding and couldn't have asked for a better venue. The overall execution, the package options, the view, and all the little touches made our wedding day perfect.
lija m
5.0
4/25/2014
We loved having our wedding at the Westin St. Francis hotel. We live in San Francisco, and this was the perfect classic SF wedding venue. Our ceremony was in the intimate, beautiful Borgia room, and the reception was up in Alexandra's ballroom on the 32nd floor of the new tower. Gorgeous! We had about exactly 100 people and both venues felt like the perfect size. In addition to the truly beautiful venue, the other huge "plus" of having our wedding at the Westin St. Francis was Lauren Schardt, the hotel's wedding specialist. We worked with her from initial contract through our day-after brunch, and she's stellar. She's a wedding expert! Very patient, very service-oriented, and very very helpful. She is a calm and collected presence throughout the wedding planning process, and she enabled our event to go off without a hitch. With Lauren, and the various amenities provided by the hotel (i.e., you do not need to work with a bunch of vendors because catering, beverages, etc., are through the hotel) a wedding planner is not necessary. The only other vendors we needed to work with were the DJ, florist, and cake-maker.
Highly recommend the Westin St. Francis, and thank-you Lauren for helping to make our wedding day such a dream! Best day of our lives :)
Victoria D
5.0
11/19/2013
My husband and I are 100% city people, so a wedding in Sonoma or the country didn't make any sense to us. We visited many hotels in San Francisco and their ballrooms had no windows and were dark and stuffy; it is like they put you in a pretty basement with chandlers. I wanted windows and the Westin St. Francis delivered. The venue is on the top floor of the hotel, with floor to ceiling windows. The place is so beautiful, you do not have to overboard with flowers and additional decor, it was already impressive.The views are amazing!
If you look at everything as a cost per person, it looks really expensive. But everything is included. The room rental is included in the cost per person amount. So it averaged out to be fair (in my eyes). If you look at the average cost of a wedding in the bay area, it is not the highest, if you don't go overboard on flowers and other things, its works.
Also, the hotel supplied us with the most amazing coordinator ever, Lauren. I was so worried that I needed my own wedding coordinator for my wedding, but Lauren helped us with a lot. She even buttoned up my dress (my mom forgot) so I could dance. She is on point, I couldn't ask for anyone better. The wedding ran smoothly, so I wasn't so stressed out. She gave great advise too, and let my husband and I know what is typical and what is not (we were not wedding experts.
Anyways, the ceremony and venue was well worth the money. I would totally recommend 100% to people who want to get married.
Crystal M
5.0
10/04/2013
Having our reception at the Westin St. Francis was the best decision my husband and I could have done. First of all, the staff is AMAZING! Lauren and her team went above an beyond for us. Everything went as planned and everything was perfectly in place. Cocktail hour in Victor's was great. The food was customized to what we wanted and everyone loved it. We were very lucky, it was cloudless day in the city and the views were gorgeous!! Alexandra's was set-up perfectly, the room was perfect for our wedding with the gold accents. I would highly recommend having your wedding at the Westin St. Francis. I can't stress how beautiful the wedding was and how helpful the staff is. Everything we wanted, they gave us, with a smile on their face. The planning process was a great learning experience and Lauren had everything organized to the "T". Get married here,its totally worth it!! Happy Wedding Day!! :)
Michelle P
5.0
10/02/2013
The Westin St. Francis Hotel exceed my dreams of my perfect wedding. From our first meeting with Lauren Schardt she did everything in her power to make sure my dream and visions were put to life. At our tasting with the Chef she made custom menus with our names on it. The tasting was amazing we tried so many different options of appetizers, salads, main course and desserts. We spoke with the chef and told him how to make our traditional middle eastern dishes and he exceeded our expectations. He also came up with ideas of making the sweet potatoes in to a heart shape and adding glitter to the desserts. Made for an extra special experience. The staff at the hotel went out of their way to make us feel like Queens and Kings on our wedding day. They also gave 5 star service to all of our guests. I can't say enough about Lauren or the Westin. They truly gave me my dream wedding.
Carrie M
5.0
10/02/2013
Our daytime reception was held on the Imperial Floor. The stunningly beautiful view of SF is awesome but what really made the experience excellent was the service we received from Lauren Schardt and the staff. Lauren is fantastic and she really put my husband and I at ease when we were planning the reception. All of the staff, from the bellhops to the service staff at the reception, were kind, professional, and on top of all of the details. It was a wonderful event that went so smoothly-thanks to Lauren and the staff at the Westin!
Hana S
5.0
8/12/2013
I recently held my wedding reception at the Westin St. Francis, San Francisco. My husband and I were extremely happy with the way everything turned out and would not hesitate to highly recommend the Westin for future events! Since we wanted to be married in San Francisco, we had many places to choose from for our reception. The Westin turned out to be the best venue for us and the service and the value we received was outstanding! We were fortunate to have Lauren Schardt as our coordinator and she really helped guide us through all the preparation. Lauren was truly a pleasure to work with and we appreciate how helpful, and essential, she was in the decision making and planning process. She was also there at the event to make sure all went smoothly (and it did).
The event was held on the 32nd floor of the Tower building and the views were amazing. The beautiful event rooms were accessed by the outside glass elevators. Our cocktail hour was held in Victor’s Palace, a stunning room with view windows and twinkling chandeliers. The dinner and dancing was held at the other end of the hall at the Alexandra’s Ballroom. The décor of the ballroom was “dreamlike” and the floor to ceiling windows showcased the city skyline and beyond. The size was perfect to accommodate our guests for a romantic dinner, a band with a dance floor and two bars.
One other advantage of this location was that the “package” included a block of rooms for our guests, at a very fair price and a complimentary suite for us. There were wonderful menu and cake choices and many of our guests commented on how delicious the food was. Once again, I would like to mention how fortunate we were to have had Lauren Schardt as our coordinator. Our reception was even better than we ever could have imagined.
Kaela g
5.0
8/07/2013
We had our wedding at the Westin St. Francis this past June 2013. We had a rough time selecting a venue. We were trying to keep costs down and I felt like we had looked everywhere with no luck. Finally we stopped in the the Westin St. Francis with no appointment but hoping to have some luck at the end of a long venue searching day. We absolutely fell in love with Victors and Alexanders Palace both on the top floor of the Westin with amazing views of the city. We both new instantly that the Westin was where we were having our wedding. The cost at the Westin was higher then we had wanted to spend but the venue was incomparable to anything else we had seen. I do not regret the money we spent on this amazing venue.
We were turned over to (at the time new wedding planner to the Westin) Lauren Schardt. Lauren went above and beyond to make every aspect of our wedding amazing. I was more then impressed with the service at the Westin. I had exchanged countless emails with Lauren in planning and had numerous meetings with her as well. We planned every detail of our wedding from food and tasting to tablecloths and napkins modifying everything to my liking. We had an amazing time at our tasting and picked some of the best food (crab cakes, beef sliders, ahi, halibut, spinach pasta and braised short ribs with prawns) to name a few of my favorites and the Westin also helped us with a speciality drink. The chef was very accommodating with any suggestions we had.
Lauren assured me the day would be perfect and the it was beyond my every expectation. She kept me up to date on everything, she was attentive and had all the answers when I had questions. She was also there on the day of making sure the day was flawless and that my husband and I had everything we needed.
The day couldn't have gone smoother and couldn't have been more beautiful. I got complements from so many guests on the venue, the food and so many told us how calm we looked which is only because of how confident I was in the Westin. I wish we could have our day over again it was flawless! The best day of my life.
Terry Y
5.0
8/04/2013
We recently had our wedding on the Imperial Floor at the Westin St. Francis. It was absolutely beautiful and the entire day was amazing. We were a little worried when Robin our original banquet manager left during our wedding planning process, as we really enjoyed working with her and she knew all of the details we had discussed since Day 1. But, Lauren Schardt transitioned seamlessly as our new banquet manager and exceeded our expectations. She was extremely responsive and went above and beyond during the planning process and day of to ensure we had a wonderful time. We didn't have to worry about anything on our wedding day except having a great time. The day was seamless! I highly recommend the Westin St. Francis as a wedding venue. The beautiful venue with stunning views, great food, and their staff's attention to detail made for an unforgettable wedding!
cathy P
5.0
7/25/2013
My daughter’s wedding at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco was beyond magical. The exquisite venue contributed to the fairy tale fantasy, but the most important component was the people in the catering and banquet department of the hotel. At every step of the way, what we got was well beyond excellent service; it was a caring and helpfulness that was far in excess of what one would expect, even at such a grand hotel.
The venue (Alexandra’s and Victor’s on the 32nd floor) is amazing. There are views of the City and the Bay. But it is even more beautiful when set up for a banquet, with tea candles everywhere gleaming off the exquisite silver, china and glassware. Even the tablecloths and chairs amplify the golden glow that fills the room. It is simply breathtaking.
The staff truly wanted our event to be wonderful and stress free. They helped us every step of the way, from planning a date when the city would not be crowded with conventioneers to anticipating that we would need two sets of steps to the riser to provide ample room for the gown. They provided options when possible, with suggestions about what had worked in the past. They accommodated the inclusion of the dog as ringbearer. On the morning of the wedding, when the bride had been feeling sick and wished for Gatorade, there appeared three bottles in different flavors. In short, the staff was there for us, providing suggestions and support all along the way.
The food was fantastic. The dinner was sumptuous, like the chef’s tasting menu at a very elegant restaurant. The tasting is so much fun – not only are you presented with an incredible variety of delicious things to choose from, but the chefs come out to explain why they chose each particular combination of flavors.
We had both the ceremony and the dining and dancing in Alexandra’s, with cocktails in Victor’s in between. This meant that the staff performed Herculean feats in getting the room rearranged from the ceremony (rows of chairs with a center aisle) to the banquet setting – it was a wonder of planning, organization, skill, and cooperation among so many people.
My daughter had her choice of a “bridal suite” for the night before and the wedding night. The one she chose, the State Suite, made a beautiful and elegant background for the “before” wedding pictures.
Last, but not least, was the morning-after brunch in the St. Francis Suite, yet another elegant yet comfortable venue for delicious food and relaxation, with a view of Union Square.
Because the catering department is so experienced, all charges were included in the initial plan. Thus we were not surprised along the way by any suggestions that we could add things we had not thought of for “extra charges”. Everything we could want was included and explained upfront. This is also a consideration if you compare with some venues that require that you go through the hassle (and cost) of arranging separately for chairs, tablecloths, etc.
In short, having the wedding at the Westin St. Francis was a great decision. It was a wonderful event for us, and the staff made it as easy as such a thing could be. I cannot imagine a more romantic and elegant venue, and the people we worked with went above and beyond at every turn. Be sure to go and talk to them when you plan your San Francisco wedding; you will be doing yourself a great disservice if you don’t.
Albert H
5.0
7/24/2013
We picked The Westin St. Francis Hotel because it's decoration was beautiful, hotel staff was nice, and the price was affordable. We are very glad we pick this hotel as our wedding venue. The hotel wedding manager was very helpful and skillful. She gave us a great guidance throughout the planning and provided us many helpful suggestions. On the day the wedding went smooth and well. The hotel staff was responsive, friendly, and they setup the venue exactly the way we desired. Last but not least, the hotel was extremely beautiful, the night view, the suite, the Union Square, it was amazing. Highly recommended.
Meredith C
5.0
6/18/2013
Ok I'm biased, of course I think I had the best wedding ever. But really...it's because of the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco. I was fortunate to work with Lauren Schardt the entire way from planning through execution. Lauren was fabulous, a real pro! She was great in every way: Communication - responsive and knew her stuff. She answered all our questions with no hesitation. Professional - always calm, collective, and will insert her opinion when asked or in a timely manner. Accommodating - Lauren was flexible and never showed frustration with changes or ideas that we wanted to execute. All in all I have nothing but great things to say. The confidence she exudes made me feel like I was going to have a successful wedding. I literally did not stress at all on the day of my wedding and Lauren made that possible.
I loved the venue, the 32nd floor is gorgeous for a wedding, cocktail reception & dinner. The food was outstanding. We had positive feedback from guests - how often does that happen? We were able to create our own menu with the chef - loved that. The hotel staff was friendly - from the front desk to our wait staff. Thank you so much, Westin St. Francis!
Jesse F
5.0
6/09/2013
Lauren Schardt and Bill Hedgepeth are amazing and will make sure you get the wedding of your dreams. In addition to amazing food, beautiful location, and perfect coordination with our vendors, the Westin went way above and beyond to provide exceptional service.
debbie s
5.0
4/05/2013
The Westin St Francis is an ideal venue for a destination wedding. The charm of the St Francis Suite was perfect for the wedding ceremony. The reception rooms, Victor's and Alexandra's on the 32nd have stunning views of the city.
Our Wedding Sales Specialist, Lauren and Dee her assistant were great to work with and were always available.The enitre staff from check in to the last dance went above and beyond to create a memorable wedding day!!
Bryan V
5.0
3/29/2013
Our wedding at the Westin St. Francis was an incredible success and we are so happy and thrilled with how it turned out. We had an amazing time and our friends and family were so impressed with the Westin. When we chose the Westin, we knew from asking around that they had a great staff, but we really had no idea what an incredible job Lauren Schardt and the t