by Ronald Larson
What is the one thought that crosses the mind of many brides (and perhaps more than a few grooms) when they think of having a "wine country" wedding? Getting married at a winery, right? Or at least getting married in a location surrounded by vineyards. Believe it or not, there are almost no wineries or vineyards in the Napa Valley that are allowed to host weddings because county ordinances essentially prohibit them. Wineries in Napa County are zoned as agricultural areas and as such, may only engage in commerce that is related to the marketing of wine. Weddings, unlike wine tastings, are not considered to be related to the marketing of wine by Napa County authorities and subsequently they are not allowed. To be more exact, Napa's county code is a "permissive" one. This means that any activity not specifically authorized in the county ordinances is not allowed. Since weddings are not specifically authorized, they are considered violations of the code. Some wedding ceremonies are held at wineries, nonetheless, but they are not recorded as such and are done under the county's radar. Enforcement of Napa County's code, with respect to weddings, comes mainly after the fact, after complaints have been received by the county and the event is long over.
Although an explanation for the anti-wedding tenor of the Napa County ordinances is beyond the scope of this article, suffice it to say that there are forces in the county who want to promote tourism and the wedding industry and there are other forces that don't. Until recently, those who are anti-growth have dominated the county board. Their essential argument, as we understand it, is that growth in "wedding tourism" will create additional congestion and pollution which might be detrimental to wine production and the quality of life in the valley. They also fear the "Disneylandification" of the wine country. The fact that tourism has a $1.3 billion dollar impact on the county is seen presumably as support to their argument that there is already enough tourism here. While there is a "General Plan Update" currently in the works in Napa County, which may present an opportunity for change, revisiting this issue is generally perceived as opening a can of worms that could lead to years of legal conflict (as it has in the past).
Not only are wedding ceremonies at wineries illegal, county code also forbids "wedding receptions" and "rehearsal dinners" as these events are not related to marketing wine, per se. Some wineries, however, do host these events, which they typically characterize on the books as a "wine and food pairing" (featuring their wines, of course) or as an "educational" event. Wine tastings are seen as a legitimate marketing device, so by carefully presenting their booking of an event as a "tasting" to potential customers, wineries are sometimes able to skirt the county ordinances. Unfortunately, the potentiality of having a special event shut down by county authorities drives many people seeking a "winery wedding" to Sonoma County where there are more options that are legal.
There are those in the Napa Valley who are happy about this shift in wedding tourism to the neighboring county, but there are many more (primarily business owners who are part of the wedding/tourism industry) who are very disappointed by the enforcement of these codes.
In Napa County, the winery facilities who are authorized to host weddings and wedding-related events are V. Sattui Winery (St. Helena), Charles Krug (St. Helena) and the Silver Rose Winery (Calistoga). The Hans Fahden Winery, which is technically in Sonoma County, is often touted as a Napa Valley venue because of its proximity to Calistoga.
