Chardonnay Golf Club 2555 Jameson Canyon Road • American Canyon • CA 94503

Set among vineyards in Napa’s Jameson Canyon, Chardonnay Golf Club is immersed in a quintessential Wine Country landscape: Rows of Merlot, Syrah and Chardonnay grapevines stretch away to oak-tufted hills, and the view west from the club’s first hole extends for miles toward distant peaks.

Being in the country, this place has a very easy-going feel to it. That includes the low-key approach Chardonnay takes to weddings. Their staff is open to what it calls “building a budget,” which means working with you to create an event that fits not only your vision, but your pocketbook, too. Ninety percent of the weddings at the club are custom packages, and 60% of all weddings here come from referrals. In other words, Chardonnay makes a lot of couples happy, and their flexibility has earned them good word-of-mouth.

Much of the club’s confidence in meeting brides’ needs is based on the talents of a seasoned staff. All of its members have worked in Napa Valley for years, and possess catering and fine-dining experience. Of special note is executive chef Adolfo Garcia, who was chef of the wildly popular Napa Valley Wine Train for several years. His food, served by an impeccably trained wait staff, is why wedding meals here have a luxe feel to them, from appetizers to dessert.

Chardonnay’s two outdoor wedding sites are distinctively different, yet both have powerful appeal. The first is beneath a majestic California Valley Oak, which club members call simply “The Oak Tree.” Its dramatic silhouette, against a backdrop of golf greens and vineyards, has made it the preferred spot for scores of ceremonies under its great branches.

The second is the Moonlight Grove, a simple rose-decked arbor at one end of a lawn whose grass is as thick and fine as a bowling green’s. The lawn fans out from an enormous, shimmering white tent where receptions are held. Inside, the venue is all graceful billows and folds (you feel like you’re dining inside a cloud!). This is an ideal site, removed from the club’s main buildings and activities, while providing country vistas and an effortless blending of indoors and out. The tent is set up around a permanent brick floor, and you can have the numerous side panels opened or closed as you like. Just steps from the tent are plenty of photo opportunities: vineyards, a small lake, a wooden bridge, under The Oak Tree or by the garden-flanked arbor at the Moonlight Grove.

Smaller receptions often use the Clubhouse, which has a 30-foot sloping ceiling and a massive sandstone fireplace. Large picture windows frame an extensive view of the golf course and hilltops beyond. The Clubhouse also has a porch with an awning for shade, and added seating in the adjacent Banquet Room.

Chardonnay has all the ingredients you need to experience the classic Napa Valley wedding you’ve always wanted.