The Havens Country Club Wedding : A Guide to Planning the Perfect Big Day
Have you booked or are you considering a The Havens Country Club wedding? If so, you know this San Diego wedding venue is an amazing location! The club and its sister property, Cal-a-Vie Health Spa, sit on 450 private acres in a hidden valley in eastern Vista. From the natural decor to the privacy and seclusion, it’s one of my very favorite San Diego wedding venues.
This guide will help those who’ve booked or are considering The Havens Country Club for their wedding. Here’s a quick summary of what’s in this guide!
About The Havens Country Club
The Havens Country Club is a private golf club nestled in a secluded valley in Vista, California. Several years back the club was purchased by John and Terri Havens, who love everything to do with France. The 2014 redesign features a “Provençal” style throughout the property. Everywhere you look there are French antiques, acquired during the owners’ French buying trips.
Getting to The Havens Country Club
The Havens Country Club’s Getting-Ready Areas
Like many San Diego wedding venues, The Havens Country Club wedding venue has plenty of room for brides and grooms to get ready for their wedding. But its suites are something special!
The Bridal Suite
Every wedding photographer in San Diego has their own personal list of their favorite bridal suites. Near the top of mine is the bridal suite at the club. The bridal suite consists of one large room and one smaller room.
The larger room is the perfect gathering place for a bride and her bridesmaids, with plenty of space for racks of dresses, bags, food and drink.
The smaller room features amazing wood-paneled walls, gorgeous folding mirrors, and an elaborate makeup station. Also, it has amazing light!
The Groom’s Room
In addition, the groom’s suite is amazing in its own right. The room features luxurious furniture and historic wall art. Plus, it has amazing window light!
The Havens Country Club Wedding Ceremony Space
As if the bridal suite weren’t enough, the ceremony space is even more jaw dropping! The ceremony space sits just off the ninth hole of the golf course, just a short walk from the main building.
It all starts at the entrance–18th century gates and columns imported from Provence, France. After guests have been seated, the gates close. When the processional starts, the gates open and the bridal party enters. Once the bridal party has been situated, the gates close again, letting the tension build before the bride and her father enter.
The long, winding walkway from the gates to the ceremony site is really something to see. A flagstone path guides the bride and her father under decades-old oak trees towards a fountain. A quick left at the fountain and the bride and groom are headed toward the altar. As a guest, it’s amazing to see the bride slowly appear from under the trees to the center stage.
The ceremony site is loaded with items with French historical significance. For instance, In addition, the site features unique antique stone windows that date back to the year 1700, from L’Orangerie in the South of France. Similarly, it features shade timbers that date back to the 1730s by George Washington!
The Havens Country Club Wedding Reception Spaces
The Havens Country Club wedding venue has two main wedding reception spaces: the Banquet Room and the Provence Garden areas. Each are has their own unique features. Let’s take a look at them more closely!
Banquet Room
The Banquet Room is located on the main floor of the club. It has room for a large dance floor and a few hundred guests.
The room is connected to the large bar area, even though it feels separate. This allows guests to spill into the bar but yet have the room maintain its cozy feel!
Near the entrance to the Banquet Room is a large fireplace, which most often serves as the backdrop to the sweetheart table. The room also features lovely chairs, so forget about renting chair covers for those ugly hotel chairs! Additional lounge seating and table linens can be brought in by your own vendor.
Just off the Banquet Room is the private wine room. Not only is this a great spot for bride and groom photos, but the outside of it makes a great backdrop for a cake or dessert table!
Provence Gardens
The Provence Gardens is the outdoor reception space at The Havens Country Club wedding venue. The Gardens sit just to the east of the main ceremony area.
The quaint, intimate space is covered in neatly manicured lawn and surrounded by mature oak trees and natural landscaping. With its market lights and quiet ambiance, it’s the perfect spot to treat your guests to a party under the stars!
For couples who opt to hold their reception in the banquet room, this space is commonly used as a wonderful spill-over spot after the ceremony!
Bride and Groom Photo Spots at The Havens Country Club
Yet another reason why The Havens Country Club is an amazing wedding venue is the amount of beautiful spots for bride and groom photos! Let’s take a look at my favorites!
The Havens Country Club’s Main Entrance
The terracotta stone-covered rotunda with a circular stone driveway makes this showpiece an obvious choice for bride and groom photos.
The light is even so its great from any angle, but my favorite is looking towards the antique doors to the club! And, there are small openings high in the rotunda so light streams in in the afternoon.
French Gates
First and foremost, the French gates at the entrance to the ceremony space are a must-have on your photo list. The gates are unlike anything you’ll find at any other San Diego wedding venue.
These gates, which date back to the 1800’s, are mounted to two columns covered in French stone from the same time period. The gates sit at the entrance to the ceremony site, so it’s an easy spot to shoot bride and groom portraits or bridal party photos. They are often covered in a floral arrangement, which really enhances the natural steel patina! Open or closed, it’s one of the best photo spots at The Havens Country Club.
Oak Grove
Another spot, this one not so obvious, is the small grove of oak trees that sits directly behind the altar at the ceremony space.
The space itself it not much more than a grassy area and a trail, but the light is amazing! It’s a great spot to get images that don’t look like you’re at a golf club!
Private Wine Room
The private wine room, which is adjacent to the ballroom, is a great spot as well! With ample window light and dark wood paneling, it makes a perfect spot for those sultry images brides and grooms love.
In addition, one side of the wall has a beautiful tapestry that can be used as a unique background for bride and groom photos. It’s a great spot for private, secluded photos of the bride and groom!
Golf Course’s 12th Hole
But my absolute FAVORITE spot on the property is a simple tree on the tee box of the golf course’s 12th hole.
The tree sits atop a rise and, late in the afternoon, when the light is just right, its a location unlike any other wedding photo location in San Diego!
The Fountain
The fountain sits just to the west of the main ceremony site. Surrounded by mature oak trees and manicured landscaping, it’s a wonderfully serene spot for bride and groom photos!
The Havens Country Club Wedding Cost
The the starting site fee for a wedding at The Havens Country Club is 4000-10000 (as of December 2023). The following are included:
- 5-hour exclusive facility rental, plus a half-hour prior to transport guests and 3 hours prior for vendor setup
- Access to the bridal suite, salon, and library starting at 9am, with a designated server for the bridal party
- Provence Garden ceremony area set with white padded chairs, lemonade and fruited water station, tables for guest book/gifts, and to & from transportation for guests
- Facility coordinator to oversee day-of timeline and coordination, as well as pre-event planning and 1-hour ceremony rehearsal
- Dining tables & chairs, farm and accent tables, easels, dance floor, linens, china, flatware, glassware, servers & bartenders, and a tasting for four
- Fire pit, fireplace, and heaters on terraces
- Complimentary round of golf for two
- Complimentary self-parking
Catering costs generally run 125-205 per guest. This includes hors d’oeuvres, salad, and entrées. Pricing varies based on menu selection, time of year, and space reserved.
Bar costs are an additional 40-70 per person for a four-hour hosted bar.
The Havens Country Club Resource Guide
Here’s a list of some of my favorite vendors for your The Havens Country Club wedding!
| Vendor Type | Name | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wedding Planner | Tres Chic Affairs | https://www.treschicaffairs.com/ | molly@treschicaffairs.com |
| Florist | Organic Elements | https://www.organicelements.com/ | sharon@organicelements.com |
| Videography | Sky Story Films | https://skystoryfilms.com/ | |
| Hair/Makeup | KG Hair and Makeup | http://kg-hair-and-makeup-1.showit.site/ | info@kghairandmakeup.com |
| Photography | John Schnack Photography | https://www.johnschnack.com/ | studio@johnschnack.com |
