Palm Event Center Wedding

This article contains all of my thoughts on weddings at the Palm Event Center in Pleasanton, CA! I love that this venue is a huge property with plenty of spaces to choose from, and it’s got a high-end look without being over the top. It’s perfect for the bride and groom who want a venue that has lots of options and a beautiful ceremony and reception site. Choosing a Palm Event Center wedding is a great choice for your day.

Table of Contents (click to jump to a section!)
– Weddings at the Palm Event Center (General Info)
– Getting Ready
– Ceremony at the Event Center
– Portrait Time
– Reception and Party

I’ve photographed two weddings at the Palm Event Center in Pleasanton – one in winter and one in summer. As you read through my experience, pay attention to the differences that come with the seasons, especially in the vines and the ceremony arch. Things definitely grew a lot between February and June! Knowing whether you want an indoor or outdoor ceremony can help you determine if it’s ok if some of the vines are dead, or if you’d rather they be sprawling and lively.

Palm Event Center Weddings

Overall I love the venue, and I love the service there. The staff at the Palm Event Center take REALLY good care of the vendors, so I can only imagine how well the bride and groom are treated! They assign an assistant to help keep the timeline running perfectly, and to spread the word between vendors about any changes so the bride and groom don’t have to worry about anything on the day of. The day runs really smoothly because they’re so on top of things. The property is beautiful – all you have to do is search Pinterest for all the “popular” photo spots there and you’ll see a few of the best areas. It’s all really well maintained and has a lot of neat architecture and landscaping designs. Plus the food is amazing.

The main reception room is pretty dark, lighted only with candles and ambiance lighting. This isn’t a huge problem for photography since your photographer should know how to use flash and adjust to the different lighting scenarios, but it is something to keep in mind when you’re thinking about the feel for your wedding day. The darker room contributes to a more formal setting for the dinner than you would get say at an outdoor venue. When you move into the party dancing part of the evening, it definitely helps set a fun vibe as well with all the DJ lights. Something to keep in mind: if the vibe of the wedding day is more upbeat and fun than classy elegant, or if your colors are brighter, it might not fit the theme as well.

They use the space really well. There are moveable partitions that sort of divide up the room to however you want and it helps keep the guests out of the eating area until it’s time. It seems like the staff there can basically set up the room however you want!

The Palm Event Center has a few spots for the ceremony…I’ve seen photos of people having it indoors in the cellar room (very dark and romantic, more so than the main room – definitely a unique ceremony location that would work well for a winter wedding!) or outside in the back part of the building where there is a lawn and an arch covered in vines.

I have one thing to mention on outside ceremonies as a photographer: the problem with the Palm Event Center’s outside location is that depending on the month and time of day, half the ceremony will be in the sun and half in the shade. And unfortunately the bride and groom are the ones in the sun. This makes it incredibly difficult as a photographer – the best way to position for a photo is with the light behind the couple, but diffused in some way. This is direct harsh light in FRONT of them which will cause a lot shadows on faces, lots of squinting. It can be done, but know that you may be uncomfortable standing in the sun and your photos may not have a light and airy feel to them depending on the time you hold your ceremony.

TLDR; it’s a BEAUTIFUL venue with a LOT of perks, very much worth the money if it matches the feel of your vision for your wedding day!

Your Wedding at Ravenswood

If you’re looking for a photographer for your Palm Event Center wedding, I would love to give you my info and see if Amber Rivas Photography is a good fit for your wedding day. Contact me with any questions you might have about the hiring process!