If you are shopping for a forest / redwoods venue for your wedding, you can stop now, because you will not be able to find a more beautiful venue, with a more dedicated and empathetic staff, at a better price than the Amphitheater of the Redwoods at Pema Osel Ling (POL). My wife and I recently hosted 90 of our closest friends and family here for our wedding a few weeks ago, and we are still reminiscing about how wonderful and unforgettable of a weekend it was! We can sing their praises all day, but for brevity's sake, here are the main reasons we went with POL and how they somehow exceeded our already high expectations:

1 - The Ceremony Location. It's a wooden deck that is built seamlessly into a redwoods ring or "family circle" that carry touching parallels that write themselves. Some may know that all redwoods in the ring share the same root system underground, allowing any tree to send nutrients, water, and even disease resistance to other struggling trees to nurse them back to health. You would be inviting your guests into a literal "inner circle," a solemn space that resembles a natural cathedral with majestic pillars, a ceiling of interlaced branches, and even "stained glass" sunlight filtering through the trees. Truly, a place of deep peace and solemnness to witness your vows.

2 - The Value. If the ceremony site didn't make your jaw drop, the prices definitely will. The price was almost a THIRD of some other wedding venues we were looking at in the Bay Area. But that's not all - in a market where some venues book two different ceremonies for the same day, POL gives you access to the entire beautiful grounds for the ENTIRE weekend (Friday afternoon to Sunday noon). BUT that's still not all - this price also includes a fantastically talented and considerate on-site coordinator who will likely eliminate your need for a separate wedding coordinator. Which brings me to the next reason to book POL...

3 - Mia and Venue Staff. Wow, just wow - they are an all-star Formula 1 pit crew with the singular goal to to make your wedding day run smoother than you ever dreamed. We simply cannot overexaggerate how fantastic, professional, patient, and empathetic Mia was throughout the entire process. She checked in with us at key intervals with a well-curated checklist with deadlines for confirming our vendors, making key decisions, and various decor options. Her thoroughness and diligence gave us absolute peace of mind that we were not forgetting any important detail, because Mia already gave us a heads up about it two meetings ago. And on the day of, Mia and her team masterfully orchestrated the entire weekend, making it feel like the entire event came together by itself. Bride and groom haven't had a chance to eat all day? Appetizers and champagne already waiting in the dressing room after the ceremony. Didn't tell anyone what to do with your ground florals after the ceremony? They've magically appeared by the sweetheart table. Never even thought about how to handle all the cards and gifts your guests might bring? They've already set out a nice basket to receive your guests' well-wishes. This team allowed us to fully bask and soak in our special day, focus on our guests and each other, with complete faith that they would handle all the details. Bravo all.

4 - The Menu. Most wedding food sucks, because venues know that you're a captive audience and don't need to worry about your return business. Not so with POL and Chef Brian. The food was impeccable, and I will not do it the injustice of its experience clumsily conveyed by text. I will just note that Chef Brian took the time to introduce himself to us and our guests, who were all too eager to ask him about his food. We learned that he had been the executive chef at a number of French establishments, that he is now living the dream chef retirement of creating and curating bespoke menus to share with people on their special days, and that they would need to drag him out of the kitchen before he stopped doing what he loved. And his food reflected that. Be warned that you too might be stricken by the bittersweet thought that the best wedding food you've tasted was at your own wedding when you were least capable of going back for seconds.

There are genuinely so many more great things we can say about POL - their lovely pond that welcomes your guests as they arrive, the modest yet cozy cabins and houses on the grounds, and the captivating drive your guests will experience along Eureka Canyon as they get to your venue. But in the spirit of fairness, here are also the reasons that you might NOT want to go with POL:
- This is through and through a forest venue, which is very different from a winery or hotel wedding for folks who would prefer those instead.
- The buildings and location are charming but are not glitzy or glamorous (e.g., the cabins do not have bathrooms inside, and you'd have to walk to a common bathroom for showering). If you come in expecting mountain luxury resort, you will be disappointed. If you come in expecting summer forest camp, you will be pleasantly surprised!
- Getting to the venue is a beautiful drive but can be somewhat tricky. Certain routes are on winding narrow mountain roads, but the venue will suggest routes that are easier to drive.

We have often heard from too many friends about the stresses of wedding planning and the many unexpected crises that crop up on the day of. This venue and its cast of professional and thoughtful staff completely flipped that script and far exceeded what we imagined our dream wedding would be.

Everyone here is an absolute gem of a human! From first contact everyone was kind, welcoming, and extremely helpful. The venue itself is spectacular. It was so calm and peaceful, it really gave us and our guests the serenity we needed on what could easily be a hectic wedding weekend. Mia is a STAR! She made planning the wedding so easy and went above and beyond to make sure it ran smoothly. The food is so incredible! I've been to restaurants where the food wasn't nearly as good. Why are you considering getting married anywhere else? You won't regret picking Pema Osel Ling.

Everything about our wedding experience was so spectacular! We live in San Diego, but when we started planning our wedding, we knew that we wanted to get married in the Santa Cruz area among the redwoods. We booked visits at 5 different venues, and this one jumped out to us as clearly the best choice. This venue is gorgeous, with a great combination of more redwood/forested areas, like the ceremony space, and more open areas, like the lawn down the hill. When we toured the property, it really felt like the people there are full of love and that they really care, which turned out to be 100% true for our whole wedding experience. We also loved the idea of having our loved ones stay for the whole weekend on-site with us - this part really made the weekend that much more special. The fact that this venue is owned by the Vajrayana Foundation is great too - the shrine is gorgeous, and the Buddhist influence makes everything so much more peaceful. Basically, this venue felt like the most peaceful, perfect place to get married.

The catering here is spectacular! We were a bit wary at first about the catering being 100% handled on-site, as we've heard that that can be risky because some venues doing that don't make the best food. However, after reading reviews and hearing the story of the kitchen over the past few decades, our worries were gone. And thank goodness, because the food was so good! Our favorite was the mushroom & butternut squash dish, but everything was amazing - the brisket was so tender! And this goes for all 3 meals provided - the rehearsal dinner, the reception dinner, and the farewell brunch. All were amazing.

Mia, our coordinator with the venue, was also fantastic. She talked with us as much as we needed before the wedding, and she really helped us coordinate our other vendors (DJ, photographer, etc.). She was also so fantastic on the wedding day itself, really taking care of all of the details and organization for us as much as possible. It really felt like we were able to focus on enjoying our wedding rather than worrying about everything else going on. One of our favorite pictures puts this on display - Mia helping with my wife's dress as we were taking pictures.

If you're planning to have your wedding here, I strongly recommend one add-on: do the fire pit for both nights. You won't regret it. I can't imagine a better way to end the night than going with a bunch of our guests straight from the dance floor at the reception back up to the fire pit, where we sat and enjoyed s'mores and conversation. It gave us the perfect casual wind-down after a long day.

I can't imagine any better experience than we got from our wedding here. And on top of all of that, it was more affordable than comparable venues in the area, especially once you account for things like having the venue all weekend, the catering, etc. If you can get married here, you should!

Pema Osel Ling was the *best* place we could have ever imagined for our wedding. The setting is unreal: a peaceful ceremony space tucked into the redwoods, full of charm; a perfect magical backdrop for the entire weekend. Most of our guests told us it was the best wedding they had ever been to. Surely we’re biased, but we have to agree.

Beyond just the Amphitheater of the Redwoods for your wedding day, the entire POL property itself is amazing! A pool, pond, hiking trail, beautiful art, temples, space for a slip n’ side and/or kickball, well-kept firepit and chill zones, charming cabins and family housing, plus a cozy honeymoon cottage for a little breather. We hosted a sound bath in the roundhouse, gathered around the fire pit at night, had a pool party in the afternoon sun, and enjoyed every corner of the grounds. The mission of preserving Tibetan Buddhist art makes it all feel even more meaningful; multiple guests said they joined the POL community for morning services and chanting and had a wonderful time.

The food was outstanding from start to finish. Every meal was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented, adding so much to the whole experience. We worked with Margot and Ulysses (who were so friendly and effective) the most that weekend, but truly all members of staff from groundskeeping to catering to housekeeping were warm, accommodating and knowledgeable. Everyone seemed to go above and beyond to make our guests feel welcome, and for us to feel at ease on our big day.

Lastly, we in particular want to shoutout Mia our wedding coordinator. From day one, basically a entire year in advance of our wedding date, Mia was smooth, genuine, and so attentive to all of our questions (even when we’d repeatedly forget many of precise details she shared!), and had practical and creative solutions for any snag that came up. Her calm, thoughtful approach made everything feel effortless that weekend, and allowed us to truly relax and soak it all in. Mia was reliably just the sweetest soul to work with, and it felt as though she sincerely cared about it being a special weekend. Her capacity to put this much attention and care into all the weddings she does is beyond impressive!

If you want a wedding that feels personal, unforgettable, and tasteful, Pema Osel Ling is the place. We’ll always treasure our time here and are so grateful to everyone who made it possible.

My wife and I recently had our wedding at Pema Osel Ling, and we are so incredibly thrilled with our entire experience.

One of the first things that drew us to Pema Osel Ling was the value. We found that it was much more reasonably priced than many comparable locations, without sacrificing any of the quality or beauty. The property is a gorgeous, serene, and unique setting that felt magical on our wedding day. Our guests loved staying onsite.

The staff at Pema Osel Ling truly made our experience unforgettable. Everyone we worked with was helpful, kind, and genuinely invested in making our day special. A huge part of this success was our wedding coordinator, Mia. We honestly can't say enough good things about her. We'd heard horror stories from friends about incompetent coordinators and all sorts of things going wrong with their own weddings, but Mia was a dream to work with. She was professional, organized, and went above and beyond to make sure every detail was exactly as we had hoped.

And let's talk about the food! They were able to accommodate an entirely vegan menu, and it was absolutely delicious. Even some of our most hardcore meat-eating guests loved the food. We received many compliments on both the rehearsal dinner and the reception dinner.

If you are looking for a beautiful, affordable, and professionally-run venue with a top-notch team, look no further than Pema Osel Ling. We couldn't be happier with our decision and highly recommend it to anyone planning their wedding!

As Santa Cruz locals, we knew we wanted to get married in the redwoods. We knew from the first few minutes of our tour that we wanted to get married at the Amphitheater. Our experience with the team at Pema Osel Ling was extraordinary. Mia was our wedding planner and even with surprise downpour of rain, she kept our day on-track and made sure that every detail was taken care of so that we had the best day ever. The food we had was incredible, we still think about the freshly made sourdough and the Ginger Peanut sauce often! Our day was stress-free knowing there was a dedicated team ready to help. We loved that our guests could stay on-site and the out-of-town folks could enjoy staying in the redwoods, some for their first trip out to California! We’ve had multiple guests tell us it was the most beautiful and magical wedding they’ve ever attended, and we truly believe that’s because of the stunning setting and the thoughtful team behind it. We’ve tried to think of anything that could have been improved, and honestly, we can’t. We wholeheartedly recommend Mia and the entire team who work so hard to make Pema such a magical place.

This venue is so special and unlike the others. We were looking for an outdoor redwoods venue, and the Amphitheater of the Redwoods checked all our boxes and more. It's the most unique wedding venue I have seen. And on top of that, we got to use it for the whole weekend. I also loved that the venue has housing on site making it so convenient for getting ready, spending time with friends and family, and celebrating a whole weekend instead of just a day. And the team they provide are amazing! Mia helped us through the wedding planning, coordinating the schedule, and was there the whole weekend. She took away the stress of planning a wedding and was so welcoming to all the silly ideas I had for our wedding weekend. Not only do you get a wedding coordinator, but the onsite chef is phenomenal! We went to a tasting at the venue and every item was delicious!! Our guests can't stop talking about how amazing the food was. The chef was also very accommodating for dietary restrictions as well. It was the perfect wedding and I couldn't be any happier with how it all went. Thank you Mia and the Pema Osel Ling team!

The venue is beautiful and all of the staff are amazing! We had the best weekend here with our friends and family. Our coordinator, Mia, was so helpful and kind throughout the entire process. She helped keep us on track with planning all of the details. The food is great and they worked with us to keep our menu allergy friendly, and had vegan options throughout to accommodate our needs. Our wedding was beautiful from start to finish and we received compliments on everything. We’re so glad we had our wedding here and only have good things to say about the experience!

We knew right away the moment that we got out of the car to tour the venue, and the scent of the trees hit our nose, that Amphitheater of the Redwoods at Pema Osel Ling was very special and our search for a venue was completed. Pema Osel Ling provided everything we were looking for and so much more. Pema had a beautiful natural fairy circle ceremony site in the middle of the redwood forest, comfortable lodging for our friends and family for the weekend, on-site gourmet, absolutely delicious organic catering, a provided wedding coordinator, a fire pit for our post-reception acoustic instrument music jam, a reception hall we could turn into a space disco, a beautiful garden courtyard for cocktail hour and dinner, and that it was at Tibetan Buddhist retreat center was the spiritual icing on the wedding cake! The venue also allows wedding couples to bring their dog. We were so grateful that the venue allowed us to bring our dog Nikos to be a part of ceremony, and afterwards he was very happy to chill in our cabin during the reception. Unlike most venues we looked at where they provide the venue and you provide literally everything else, Amphitheater of the Redwoods provides almost everything you need for a wedding. The only additional vendors we needed were the photographer, florist, cake baker, stylist, some additional decorations. We provided the entertainment ourselves because I am a wedding DJ and run a DJ and musician collective called Traveling Discotheque! AITR is also very affordable compared to some of the venues we looked at where just renting the venue and nothing else was more expensive than what we spent on everything at AITR! We also loved that Pema Osel Ling is run by the Vajrayana Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the Tibetan Buddhist ideals of peace and compassion and to support the preservation of Tibetan art and culture.
The morning of the ceremony my groomsman and I were excited to attend the morning's puja and meditate and chant at the temple. It was such a unique and appreciated meditative opportunity to do in the morning the day of the wedding. We also enjoyed hiking to see the stupa.
Working with Mia, the venue’s wedding planner and coordinator, was a dream experience. We have worked with hundreds of wedding coordinators and Mia was a rock star coordinator and right up there with the best of them. Every planning phone meeting we had with her leading up to the wedding was helpful, stress free, and fun. Mia is the perfect presence that you want coordinating your wedding. She is calm, patient, and always went with the flow and solved every problem with Grace, which happened to also be the name of our niece, the flower girl, who decided to take a nap right before the ceremony. Mia improvised and spread the flowers herself before the ceremony.
And it wasn’t just Mia. Every single human we met that worked and/or lived at Pema Osel Ling were the most helpful and compassionate beings. Everyone on the premises radiated a loving, chill vibe that set you at ease and was the perfect atmospheric energy that you want on your wedding day. Our wedding was a euphoric and transcendent experience! We still get many of our guests saying that our wedding was the best wedding they have ever attended and with the best food! My best man said it felt like a magical summer camp that he didn’t want to leave. I attribute a significant amount of this energy to the venue’s vibe and setting. Pema Osel Ling is a unique and special place that we plan to come back to visit for the rest of our lives. Remember to look up into the trees.

My husband and I got married at the beginning of November, and are still swooning over how beautiful everything was. From the very first contact, we were greeted with warmth and smiles and knew that this was going to be the place for us! Mia was AMAZING - so put together, thoughtful, creative - she made the entire process so easy and fun. Without her, there’s no way we would’ve been able to pull off the wedding of our dreams. It was also so important to us that our money went to their non profit. We cannot recommend this venue enough!!